ONE of Tasmania's most respected arts icons is soaking up the pre-show stress as she prepares to throw the stage doors open on her farewell production.
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Tasdance artistic director Annie Greig has brought together a collaborative production almost two years in the making, featuring choreography by Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon, of Sydney Dance Company fame, and Stephanie Lake. The production, which will open at Hobart's Theatre Royal on Friday and travels to Launceston's Princess Theatre for a gala show on Saturday, October 17, will mark Greig's 18 years' service to dance and the arts industry in this state.
The double-bill dance performance will be accompanied by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Music by Launceston-born composer Peter Sculthorpe will be a highlight.
Speaking ahead of the premiere performance of Affinity, Greig said she was completely embracing the jitters during last-minute technical runs and dress rehearsals.
"The intensity of performing arts is something that I'm going to really miss when I step out of this role," Greig said.
"There is a certain amount of anticipation and trepidation but also a whole lot of joy."
Lake described her works in Affinity as an emotional rollercoaster which would draw on the dancing ensemble's "beastly" physicality.
"I've really tried to push these dancers to their limits and I'm pretty excited by the results," Lake said.
"There are moments of violent brutality and others that are really delicate and tender."
Lake said she and Murphy both readily recalled their first links with Tasdance, hers as a Tasdance student, and it was "incredibly special to come together to pay tribute" to Greig's time at the helm.
"Annie's given 18 years to this company and to Australian dance so it's a particularly special program and very, very humbling to be a part of it," Lake said.
