MEET
WATCH THIS FACE BENJA MIN HANCO CK \ DANCER
What’s the buzz? Described by The Sydney Morning Herald as having “slightly scary flexibility”, Benjamin has worked with Australia’s most acclaimed companies and choreographers, including Chunky Move and Sue Healy. This week he’ll dance in the world premiere of The Dark Chorus, by renowned choreographer, Lucy Guerin. In the beginning … A high school dance teacher introduced Benjamin to the world of dance, although he also dabbled in gymnastics and karate. “I realised I didn’t really like the competitiveness, that I could express myself through dance and be more creative”. The same teacher encouraged him to audition for the VCA. Having made the cut, he graduated in 2008 and has worked consistently since.
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The big break … Working with Tasmania’s Dark MOFO has firmly planted Benjamin on the national stage. “I do have a little fan base who know who I am through MOFO. They always call me Bendy Ben, because that’s my Instagram name.” Where to now? Bendy Ben will perform with Opera Australia in its ambitious staging of Wagner’s Ring Cycle at Arts Centre Melbourne in November and December. The best part about success? “It’s the greater opportunity to work with people. The people that I admire in contemporary dance are not striving to be famous, they’re just rooted in their work. I’d rather be recognised for the work than just being noticed more.”
Look out for … Benjamin is performing in The Dark Chorus at the Melbourne Festival, October 6-12.
If I could do it all again … “You learn from the dips, from the lows as well as the highs. If I chose to change something, I’m sure something else would dip later on. It would be the same rollercoaster in a different formation. I wouldn’t learn anything.” ● MYKE BARTLETT mbartlett@theweeklyreview.com.au
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(SCOTT McNAUGHTON)
Benjamin Hancock is interested in bodies. The son of a Vogue cover model, this young dancer and costume designer has a growing body of work dealing with how we read “male” or “female” into the clothes we wear and the way we act. His gender-bending antics have led him to perform in unusual places – including the MCG, where he tossed the coin at a Swans versus Hawthorn match, dressed as the Red Queen.
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OCTOBER 5, 2016 \ THE WEEKLY REVIEW 11