By Rafael Bonachela
School Resource Pack
Spell
About This Resource Pack
This Resource Pack will help you understand the choreographic processes Rafael Bonachela undertook with Sydney Dance Company dancers to create Spell. There are a range of activities for you to undertake, including reading, writing, watching, and undertaking your own creative tasks.
The pack contains a BEFORE THE SHOW section with ideas for research and discussion in the lead up to seeing Spell and an AFTER THE SHOW section with follow-up tasks to support learning in performance, composition and appreciation The suggested activities in the Spell Resource Pack can be further adapted by teachers to suit the requirements of Stages 4-6 in NSW and the equivalent in other states.
Look out for the icons on each page to assist you through the range of activities. Your teacher will help guide you through the different elements of the Resource Pack and complete the tasks.
Throughout this document, you will see the following icons:
“Dance allows individuals and communities to shape their cultural identity and express their deepest feelings. These experiences continue to resonate throughout our lives, transforming our minds, bodies and souls.”
Rafael Bonachela
About Sydney Dance Company
Dance changes you. More than simply witnessing something beautiful, or engaging with culture, to experience dance is to be positively altered. From performances at the Joyce Theatre in New York, to the Grand in Shanghai, the Stanislavsky in Moscow and the Sydney Opera House at home, Sydney Dance Company has proved that there are no passive observers in a contemporary dance audience.
The reward of truly moving audiences, and the raw pride of sharing Australian art with the world has driven our ensemble of 17 dancers, led by Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela, to become one of the world’s strongest forces in contemporary dance.
Alongside Bonachela’s original works, our programs have featured guest choreographers like Jacopo Godani, Alexander Ekman, Gideon Obarzanek and Cheng Tsung-lung, as well as collaborations with Sydney Festival, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, David Jones and composers Bryce Dessner, Nick Wales, 48nord and the late Ezio Bosso.
What is contemporary dance?
In the 20th century, modern dance pioneers broke away from traditional dance styles. Instead of telling a clear story or copying expected moves, they focused on expressing ideas through movement — and you, the audience, get to decide what it means. As choreographer Merce Cunningham said, “an element itself is expressive; what it communicates is in large part determined by the observer.”
In contemporary dance, there’s no such thing as a passive audience. Sydney Dance Company’s Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela says, “you are our most important collaborator.” That means there’s no right or wrong way to watch a performance. You don’t need special knowledge or training — you just need to be open and present.
Anything can happen on stage. It’s not mainstream entertainment or fairy-tale storytelling. Instead, expect to feel something — maybe excitement, confusion, curiosity, or even discomfort. Contemporary dance often mixes art forms like technology, film, visual art, design, and fashion. It’s bold, experimental, and always changing.
Our origins
Sydney Dance Company was established in 1969, founded by dancer Suzanne Musitz. At first it was known as The Dance Company (NSW). In the mid-1970s, it was led by Dutch choreographer Jaap Flier before Australian choreographer Graeme Murphy became Artistic Director in 1976. In 1979, Murphy and his creative partner Janet Vernon renamed it Sydney Dance Company — the name it’s known by today. Together, they led the company for 30 years and helped make it famous across Australia and around the world. The company became the first western contemporary dance company to perform in China, which was a major achievement at the time.
Sydney Dance Company has been led since 2009 by Spanish-born Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela. Under his leadership, Sydney Dance Company has continued to grow and is now known as one of the most exciting and innovative contemporary dance companies in the world.
The company regularly performs new works created by Bonachela and other choreographers collaborating with designers, musicians and artists. The Company has expanded its reach into the towns and cities it visits across Australia and engaging with schools and local dancers.
Sydney Dance Company is based in the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, near the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The studios were purpose-built in 1986 and refurbished in 2021 to support world-class training and performances.
The studios stand on the lands and waters of the Gadigal of the Eora Nation.
We acknowledge their unbroken connection to Country and thank them for caring for this coastline for thousands of years. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all First Nations people.
Artistic Director and Choreographer of Spell Rafael Bonachela
Rafael Bonachela was born near Barcelona where he began his early dance training near Barcelona before moving to London. In 1992 he joined the legendary Rambert Dance Company.
He remained with Rambert as a dancer and Associate Choreographer until 2004 when he successfully set up the Bonachela Dance Company (BDC) to concentrate on the rapid rise of his choreographic career. As a choreographer, Rafael has been commissioned to make works for Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, Candoco, George Piper Dances, ITDANSA Danza, Contemporanea de Cuba, Transitions Dance Company and Dance Works Rotterdam, amongst others.
In 2008, Bonachela premiered 360°, his first full-length production for Sydney Dance Company. Less than six months later, he was appointed Artistic Director, making headlines around the dance world. His vision for the Company embraces a guiding principle that has seen the repertoire grow, with the addition of commissioned dance works from Australian and visiting international guest choreographers. These works are often programmed alongside Rafael’s own creations, ensuring a rich diversity for audiences. It also provides opportunities for the remarkable ensemble of dancers to be exposed to the work of some of the most in- demand choreographers of our time.
Rafael Bonachela’s internationally recognized talent has seen him work not only with contemporary dance at the highest level, but also with artists from popular culture, such as Kylie Minogue, Tina Turner, Sarah Blasko and Katie Noonan, as well as leading fashion designers Bianca Spender, Dion Lee and Toni Maticevski. Such collaborative efforts reflect the inspiration he finds and utilises from contemporary culture.
You can read more of Rafael’s biography here
Introducing the Company Dancers
Eka Perunicic
Ali Dib
Finn Armstrong
Mali Comlekci
Amelia Russell (trainee)
Mathilda Ballantyne
Liam Green
Morgan Hurrell
Lucy Angel
Ngaere Jenkins
Ryan Pearson
Sophie Jones
Naiara de Matos
Sam Winkler
Timmy Blankenship
Piran Scott
Sonrisa Hubbard
Dancer photo credits: Jez Smith and Amal Dib.
About the Team Who Created Spell
Performance and production
There are many people who work with the creative team to bring dance works to the stage. The Sydney Dance Company Artistic Team who has worked on Spell are listed below.
Richard Cilli - Rehearsal Director
Mia Thompson – Rehearsal Associate
As key members of the artistic team, Richard and Mia lead rehearsals to make the performance the best it can be every performance and create the dancers’ schedule when they are in the studio and performing.
Guy Harding - Technical Director
Guy is the technical expert who supervises various aspects of Spell like lighting and set changes throughout the work. Guy worked closely with costume and set designer Kelsey Lee to bring their vision to life, including the staging and lighting elements.
Simon Turner - Company & Resident Stage Manager
Simon communicates with the whole team to ensure the show runs smoothly, letting the dancers know when they’re needed on stage, and telling the sound engineer to start a new sound cue.
Mary-Ellen Baxter - Head of Wardrobe
Mary-Ellen’s job is to sew the costume designer’s ideas into items of clothing, making sure the dancers costumes are comfortable to dance in, and ensuring they’re clean and mended for every performance.
Watch the Behind the Scenes: The creation of Rafael Bonachela’s Spell
About Spell
Step into Spell, a daring new creation from celebrated choreographer Rafael Bonachela. This work unfolds across five distinctive worlds—five powerful “spells”—each a vivid ritual in its own right. Together, they weave a tapestry of dance alchemy, where movement transforms into something elemental, magnetic, and unforgettable.
With intricate rhythmic detail and fearless technicality, Rafael’s signature choreographic style pushes boundaries, reaching new heights of precision, passion, and physical intensity. Every gesture feels both meticulously crafted and viscerally alive, pulling audiences into a heightened sensory state.
The work is set to a powerful score featuring music from by Ólafur Arnalds, Bryce Dessner, and Alice Smith—music that ranges from hauntingly fragile to exhilaratingly full-bodied. Coupled with Kelsey Lee’s striking set and costume design and Damien Cooper’s sculptural lighting, Spell immerses the dancers in shifting landscapes of colour, shadow, and sound. The stage becomes a living, breathing canvas where each spell conjures a distinct mood and emotional resonance.
At its core, Spell is an invitation: to witness dance not only as performance but as a potent, primal force—an experience that transcends language, reaching deep into the body and spirit.
Rafael Bonachela’s Spell is generously supported by Visionary Patron, the Clegg Foundation and Commissioning Partner, Orsolina28 Art Foundation.
A note from the choreographer
Rafael Bonachela
I found myself at an event last year, where I heard the inimitable Alice Smith sing her cover of I put a Spell on you. It is a haunting performance that feels like a hypnotic love, a longing, on the brink of obsession. There is raw emotional power and a trance-like quality to the song that adds new perspective and depth into the lyrics. I was eager to explore how this feeling, and the idea of a spell as a transformation could be conveyed through dance.
Music guided me in every aspect of this work. From Alice Smith’s singular cover to a choral arrangement of Momentary by Olafur Arnalds, and a suite of three songs for solo violin by Bryce Dessner that allows us to oscillate between movement and stillness. I was drawn to building elements of compression and release within the choreography to build a series of dances that are ‘spells’.
We started working on Spell in July 2025, at the artist retreat Orsolina28 Art Foundation. To be building this world in one of the most magical places I’ve ever experienced was a true gift. Orsolina28 feels designed to nurture creativity — the natural beauty, the light, the stillness — everything invites you to slow down and connect more deeply, not only with the work but with yourself. Our time there was incredibly special. The residency gave us a rare sense of space, both physical and mental, that allowed us to immerse fully in the process with focus, clarity, and freedom. Bryce Dessner was also able to join us there and the texture of his music always provides so many different cues to weave into. It’s a pleasure to include his music in this work.
Being back in Australia, it’s a joy to continue to build this work with our incredible dancers, who are always up for pushing new heights of technicality and power, creating liminal, hypnotic moments throughout this work.
I so enjoy working with Kelsey Lee and collaborating again in Spell was very special. Lee’s stage design opens portals between the spells, guiding the audience through contrasting dimensions. Each of the five spells has its own atmosphere, and her visual language allows those worlds to emerge and dissolve before the audience’s eyes. Her costumes offer a beautiful, thoughtful and evocative simplicity that give a perfect balance to the highly technical choreography.
And of course, my long-term collaborator, Damien Cooper, whose lighting always takes my work to new places, adding a layer of emotional mystique that really sings.
I am so excited for you to see Spell and hope you enjoy each moment.
About the team who created Spell
Meet Damien Cooper – Lighting Designer
Damien Cooper works internationally across theatre, opera and dance. Damien’s dance credits for Sydney Dance Company include Somos, Ascent, Resound, ab [intra], Impermanence, Cinco, Ocho, Grand, Air and Other Invisible Forces, Orb, momenta and Love Lock.
Other dance credits include; State (Western Australian Ballet), Of Earth and Sky (Bangarra), The Narrative of Nothing, Firebird and Swan Lake (Australian Ballet), Giselle (Universal Ballet), Birdbrain, Supernature, Habitus and Be Yourself (Australian Dance Theatre), The Frock (Ten days on the Island Festival), Affinity (Tas Dance), Mortal Engine (Chunky Move) and Grey Rhino (Performing Lines). Other theatre credits include Edinburgh International Festival, Belvoir, Sydney Theatre Company, Opera Australia, Houston Grand Opera, Canadian Opera and Lyric Opera Chicago.
For lighting design, Damien has won three Sydney Theatre Awards, four Green Room Awards, and two Australian Production Design Guild Awards.
Watch an insight to Rafael Bonachela’s creative process in the studio
A note from the Lighting Designer
Five moments of magic! Unique, individual, spell binding. Magic is unique on stage, contrasting between gentle stillness and darkness all the way through to TAA DAA moments. Thrilled to have joined Rafael and Kelsey in creating this beautiful journey. Enjoy!
Meet Kelsey Lee –Costume and Set Designer
Kelsey is a Sydney based lighting, set and costume designer. Her work is primarily created for live performance, including theatre, dance and events, for mainstage and independent companies.
Her designs fuse lighting, set and costumes and aim to explore scenography through the sculpting of architecture and space to tell a story. She is highly collaborative as a designer, working closely with the creative team to develop the vision of the show.
Kelsey is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (Design for Performance), and is the first person to have solely designed the set, lighting, props and costume for her graduating show.
Kelsey has received a Sydney Theatre Award for her work as the Co-Designer on Destroy, She Said, and has been nominated another two times for lighting design.
A note from the Costume and Set Designer
Spell is a collection of images, intended to charm us as the viewer with each one. The music is incredibly provocative, so much so that the space evolves with every track. In collaboration with Rafael, and lighting designer Damien Cooper, we have explored the elasticity of the space, having moments of great expanse and moments of great intimacy. How could we make every image simple and beautiful and surprising and powerful? The space engages with and reflects the incredible dancers performing Rafael’s magnetic and raw choreography, at times as one, at other times as an external force. The costumes also needed to be a Spell of their own. The palette in itself is quite enchanting. At every point the design aims to reflect the elegance and beauty of the music, the rawness and power of the choreography. Enjoy, and allow yourself to be charmed and moved by this beautiful piece.
Creating a Safe Creative Space
When we dance, we aren’t just moving our bodies—we’re sharing ideas, expressing ourselves, and learning from each other. To do this well, it’s important that everyone in the room feels safe, supported, and free to explore new movements. A safe and creative space allows us to try out new ideas, take risks, and be adventurous with our dancing—without worrying about being judged. It also helps us work together as a team and enjoy the process of making dance.
At Sydney Dance Company, we focus on key values that help us build this kind of positive space:
• Safety – looking after ourselves and each other while we move. This includes using our bodies carefully, being aware of the space around us, and asking for help if we need it.
• Respect – listening to each other’s ideas, giving everyone a turn, and treating others the way we want to be treated. Respect also means valuing everyone’s creativity, even if it’s different from our own.
• Commitment – trying our best, even when something feels new or a bit tricky. Commitment means showing up fully, focusing on the activity, and being willing to push yourself a little.
• Kindness – encouraging each other, using positive words, and celebrating the effort everyone puts in. A kind environment helps everyone feel confident to try new things.
• Communication – sharing ideas clearly, asking questions, and giving helpful feedback. Good communication helps the group work together and creates stronger dance ideas.
Our Class Values
Discussion questions:
1. What other values do you think are important when we are creating and moving together?
2. Are there any values on the list—Safety, Respect, Commitment, Kindness, Communication—that you would change, add to, or think about differently?
3. Can you think of other ways we can make our dance space safe, welcoming, and creative for everyone?
Spell Creative and Composition Task Exploring the Stimulus
Part A: Creative task
– “No bones” / boneless as stimulus
During the creative process of Spell, choreographer Rafael Bonachela worked collaboratively with the dancers, using a range of creative tasks and choreographic approaches to develop new movement ideas. One duet in Spell grew out of a creative task where the dancers explored moving as though their bodies were completely “boneless.” This stimulus encouraged the dancers to imagine their bodies with no structure, creating fluid, unusual, and surprising movement that became the foundation for the choreography of the duet.
Aim
To explore movement that feels fluid, weighty, and relaxed by imagining the body has “no bones.” You will experiment with giving the weight of your bones to gravity and moving with a floppy, jelly-like quality.
You can use Sydney Dance Company’s Spotify improvisation playlist for music support. Click here to listen to Spotify playlist.
Improvisation and exploration
• Shake it out – Start with small shakes in the hands, arms, legs, and shoulders. Gradually let these shakes travel through the body until you feel completely loose.
• Contrast – Freeze suddenly in a rigid pose, then release into boneless, floppy movement. Repeat several times to exaggerate the difference between tension and relaxation.
Creative tasking
Individual body parts
• Begin with one part of the body (hand, foot, head, torso).
• Imagine it has no bones – it wiggles, flops, or swings.
• Add more body parts one at a time until your whole body appears boneless.
• Experiment with different speeds: slow, syrupy movement vs. quick, floppy shakes.
Transitioning from stiff to loosen movement qualities
• Start with your entire body stiff, moving robotically.
• Gradually release each body part, letting it melt into boneless flow.
• Think of melting ice or a puppet with its strings cut.
Floating through space
• Imagine your body is light and floating through water or air.
• Move across the room with minimal effort, letting your body sway and drift.
• Respond to other dancers by flowing around, past, or with them without resistance.
Levels and directions
• Explore boneless movement on the floor, kneeling, standing, and jumping.
• Let gravity pull you down, then find ways to “re-inflate” and rise back up loosely.
• Change direction suddenly – can you flop into a turn or roll?
Part B: Composition task – Creating a phrase
Aim
To create a short movement phrase inspired by the “No Bones” movement exploration in Part A. Show contrast between stiffness and bone-lessness, and develop choreographic ideas into a structured phrase.
Reflection questions:
1. How did you use contrast between stiff and boneless qualities in your phrase?
2. Which choreographic devices helped to make your phrase more interesting?
3. How does your final phrase communicate the idea of transformation?
Creating a solo (30–60
seconds)
• Using movement from your creative exploration, find a clear journey from stiffness to bone-lessness, then choose your resolution:
» Return to stiffness,
» Remain fully boneless, or
» Find a balance between both states.
• Use levels (floor, mid, standing) and pathways (curved, straight, zig-zag) to make your phrase more dynamic.
• Consider the expression in your face and body: tight, sharp features when stiff → soft, loose expression when boneless.
Creating a duet/trio
• Start by creating and performing your own solo phrase.
• Then, work together to find moments where you can:
» Gradually exchange qualities – one stiff, one boneless, then swap.
» Mirror - each other’s movement in different states (one floppy, one rigid).
» Contrast – perform opposing qualities at the same time.
» Overlap or connect – one dancer melts into bone-lessness while another resists.
• Use choreographic devices such as:
» Canon: dancers perform the same movement one after another.
» Unison: dancers perform the same movement together.
» Repetition: repeat a key movement for emphasis.
» Variation: change speed, direction, or dynamics of a shared movement.
Spell Appreciation Task
Reflection Task
Suggested questions for discussion
Write down your initial thoughts after watching Spell and discuss.
You may wish to brainstorm this as a group. Use the questions below to assist with articulating your thoughts and ideas:
• What was your interpretation of Spell?
• What sections, movements or pieces did you like or dislike, and why? Can you describe these using the elements of dance?
• What feelings or emotions did you experience when watching the work? What specifically about the performance made you feel this way?
• What did the work make you think about?
• What is your interpretation of Spell?
• Did you observe any choreographic tools used throughout the work such as symmetrical and asymmetrical movements, unison, repetition, canon, group formations and changes of directions and levels? How did these impact on your interpretation of Spell?
• How did the different aspects (movement, music, set, lighting and costumes) impact your experience?
• What production elements did you see? (Lighting, staging and set design)
Analyse and Review Task
This dance appreciation task involves critical analysis of Rafael Bonachela’s work Spell to inform a dance review.
After observing Spell, document the features of the work, using appropriate dance terminology to describe movement, style, and communication of ideas.
Use the tables below to critically analyse elements of Spell to help you structure your review.
Don’t forget to include a star-rating and reasoning behind the review rating.
Part A: Use the tables below to analyse Rafael Bonachela’s work Spell
The overall technique and stylistic feature of the dance Movement
Qualities:
Dynamics (such as sharp, sustained, sudden, lyrical), speed and energy of the work
Elements:
Use of space (pathways, levels), body shapes and specific movements (locomotor and non-locomotor)
Style:
Spell
Choreographed by Rafael Bonachela
Spell Appreciation Task
Themes and Concepts
Interpretation:
How did you interpret the ideas, stories or messages the work communicates
Costumes:
Style, colour and how they contribute to the overall aesthetic or meaning
Props and Set:
Were there any objects or staging used and what do you think their purpose was.
Lighting and Sound:
How these elements enhance the mood and narrative.
Choreographic Intention
Intention:
How effective was the choreographer’s intentions for his work communicated throughout the choreography.
Spell
Choreographed by Rafael Bonachela
Spell
Choreographed by Rafael Bonachela
Spell
Choreographed by Rafael Bonachela
Production Elements
Part B: Using your table above, write a review of Rafael Bonachela’s Spell
Your review must include the following elements and use descriptive words in your explanations
• First Impression
• Description
• Interpretation
• Evaluation (informed criticism)
• Include a star-rating
Teaching notes for writing a review
1. Describe – what did you see and hear
• Dancers and movement: Note the number of dancers in Spell, their costumes and the style of the movement. Is the movement quality different in each of the five song choices? What makes the movement and choreography different?
• Choreography and structure: Observe the patterns, shapes, formations and overall structure of the work.
• Music and sound: Describe the music, the use of sound qualities of the soundscape of Spell. How does the sound and music relate to the work.
• Visuals: Detail the different sets, props and lighting design and their visual impact on the Spell performance
• Atmosphere: Comment on the overall environment and atmosphere the performance created.
2. Analyse – what does it mean
• Interpretation: Try to understand what story or meaning the choreography and movement suggest in Spell
• Technique and Expression: Analyse the technical skills of the dancers and how their emotions and expression are conveyed.
• Relationships: Consider how the dancers interact with each other and the stage.
• Elements: Analyse how all the different elements (movement, music and design) work together to create the overall piece.
3. Evaluate – how effective was the performance to you
• Artistic Merit: Justify your opinion on the artistic quality of both the work.
• Emotional Impact: Explain how the performance of Spell made you feel and the impression it left.
• Effectiveness: Evaluate if the dancers, choreography and design successfully conveyed the message or theme of Spell.
• Personal Perspective: Reflect on the overall experience and what you learned or took away from the performance of Spell.
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Photos by Pedro Grieg, Daniel Boud, Neil Bennett