Choreographer & Lead: Mikey Sorensen
Venue: The Meteor, 1 Victoria Street, Hamilton
On: 14-16 November 2019, 7.30pm
Everyone has a story to tell. More often than not, it’s easier to sweep demons under the carpet rather than face them head on.
On Thursday in front of a packed auditorium for the world premiere of Enough, Mikey Sorensen bared his soul for all to see. Through contemporary dance he stripped back the harrowing layers of his personal experience with depression and the result was a brutally honest and powerful piece that left the audience spellbound.
Sorensen was beautifully accompanied by five talented dancers who ably represented friends, family and depression. Their ensemble portrayal of mate ship, oblivion, confusion, realisation and compassion was a journey in itself, cleverly told through motif sequences.
Sorensen has been dancing since the age of nine, and gained NZAMD solo seals in tap, jazz, hip hop and contemporary. Enough is his third work after a 2017 season of Bodies Entwined, and The Machine in 2018. Sorensen has taught dance for many years, and has choreographed shows for Riverlea Theatre, Hillcrest High School and Fraser High School.
Sorensen is also a familiar face for Hamilton audiences having appeared in countless shows for Drury Lane Dance Studio, and having roles in Hamilton Operatic Society’s blockbuster musicals Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, Hairspray and Joseph and the Amazing Techicolor Dreamcoat. Last year, he appeared in Bold Theatre’s production of Urinetown.
With his extraordinary work ethic and foresight to apply to the Waikato New Works Incubator, Sorensen was named a finalist and gained funding from Creative New Zealand for Enough. He also had mentorship from playwright Victor Rodger, and dancers Sacha Copland and Louise Potiki Bryant.
Multiple award winner Tairaoa Royal was brought in as the Artistic Director; acclaimed maestro Dr Jeremy Mayall composed a breath-taking soundtrack; and spoken word artist Michael Moore penned authentic and relatable dialogue. Locally, lighting designer Aaron Chesham added superb visual and atmospheric depth; photographer Mark Hamilton produced exquisite images from the photoshoot; and graphic designer Ray Powell created the marketing collateral of the year.
Enough was a collaborative effort on a national scale. The performance showed that if you are brave enough to tell your story and to truly share it by handing the reins over to practitioners with extensive experience, knowledge and the talent to shape the work, you will end up with a magnificent production.
You are enough, Mikey Sorensen, you really are. Enough was confronting and thought provoking but ultimately inspiring and brilliantly produced.
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