Lynne Lancaster

LIFE IN MOVEMENT

Tanja Liedtke- a tragic loss. Pic source-‘The Daily Telegraph’

Made with enormous love and affection this is a tremendous documentary that is a tribute to the life of Tanja Liedtke who was tragically killed in 2007 just before she was to take up the artistic directorship of Sydney Dance Company. It was screened as part of the 2011 Sydney Film Festival and is now showing at selected cinemas on commercial release.

The film is a series of interviews with Liedkte’s family and also various friends and collaborators (Sol on Ulbrich, Liedkte’s partner, Paul White, Anton ,Kristina Chan, Julian Crotti, Amelia McQueen Joshua Tyler, Lloyd Newson of DV8, Shane Carroll etc). It is also a fascinating analysis of Liedtke’s creative process, how she was an obsessive perfectionist striving to give her all in performance.

Two of her works are highlighted in particular ( ‘Twelfth Floor’ and ‘Construct’) and we get snippets of rehearsal and performance and also the grueling international tours .There is also some marvelous, one could almost say lyrical footage, of Sydney’s CBD at night .

Amazing footage of Liedtke as performer is included (for example when she is in rehearsal for her final work ‘Construct’ and also when she was a member of Australian Dance Theatre and DV8).

We also learn a lot about her early life- born in Germany, moved to Spain then London, her life at boarding school in London and then her global jet setting with various companies .We also see how excited and full of ideas she was at being chosen for the Sydney Dance job.

We see how Liedtke worked as a choreographer, challenging and stimulating her colleagues and performers. Most of all the film is about her passion for dance.

LIFE IN MOVEMENT, directed by Bryan Mason, is a moving tribute to an amazing creative life. The running time is 80 minutes.

Tags: Sydney Movie Reviews- LIFE IN MOVEMENT, The Story of Tanja Liedtke, Sydney Dance Company, Sydney Arts Guide, Lynne Lancaster.

Published by Lynne Lancaster

A passionate theatre person Lynne is originally from Sydney and holds a B.Ed (Art) - a postgraduate Diploma in Information Management (Librarianship) and an MA in Theatre. While living in London ( 2002 -2007 ) Lynne completed the dance criticism course at Sadlers Wells linked in with Chichester University. Lynne has worked for both Ticketek and Ticketmaster here in Australia and was involved with the original production of THE BOY FROM OZ An Ausdance member Lynne is passionate about dance and has studied ballet and Flamenco. Before moving to London she photographed the Sydney Dance Company and Australian Ballet among other companies and has exhibited internationally. Lynne is a SAMAG member and a volunteer at the Art Gallery of NSW. Currently Lynne writes for arthub, danceinforma and sydneyartsguide.