The Fame Reporter interviewed Sophie Zoricic starring as in the much-anticipated new work, Queensland Ballet’s Elegantly Wasted featuring the songs of INXS at HOTA (Home of the Arts), Gold Coast from 10 – 12 September.
Set to the reimagined iconic songs of INXS, Elegantly Wasted is a striking contemporary work that charts a compelling shift from artifice to awareness, from surface to soul. It invites us to question what we perform, what we conceal, and what we might rediscover if we dare to be seen without filters.
We caught up with Sophie to chat about dancing in Queensland Ballet’s Elegantly Wasted, collaborating with acclaimed choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, exploring the production’s unique contemporary style, her career so far, and what makes this new work one to watch.
What was your 1st reaction when you heard about elegantly wasted? The concept?
It was a very exciting announcement. Firstly, I was thrilled to work with our choreographer Annabelle again, as I previously worked with her on Coco Chanel; The life of a Fashion Icon and really enjoyed that process. But this time Annabelle is creating the ballet on us, which doesn’t happen that often in your career. So whenever that opportunity arises, it’s incredibly exciting.
The concept was also intriguing because it is an unusual way of looking at the music of INXS. They’re such an iconic band and Annabelle has brought a very modern lens to it. The ballet explores the idea of social media and influencers and the digital world we are all so exposed to now, things that did not exist in the same way when this music was created.
I think this will be why people from all generations will resonate with it. People who grew up with INXS will have one connection with the music, while younger audiences will recognize the world and ideas we’re exploring on stage.
What can you tell us about your character or your role
within the glamorous hotel world? And what journey does she go on? If there is any journey.
It’s not so much a narrative ballet in the traditional sense. But we are leaning into different personalities and personas, and Annabelle is directing us towards particular roles and qualities within the music.
For instance, I open the ballet to the song Suicide Blonde. I am quite the cool girl, very chic, confident, looking at myself in the mirror, reflecting on that, while all these people are passing by, so there is a sense of image and presentation. As the ballet progresses you start to see the layers peeling away.
We begin in this very glamorous, polished world, but gradually you get glimpses of what might be underneath those carefully constructed personas. The work is still evolving and with every rehearsal we are finding more layers within it, so, it’s really cool to keep discovering the more we are creating and as the piece evolves.
As the facade begins to crack, the world becomes much more vulnerable.
How does your performance change? Does the character move from projection towards something more authentic?
Yes, I move towards authenticity. For me, that vulnerability comes through a growing connection with the other dancers on stage.
As the ballet progresses, the choreography allows us to connect with one another more, rather than existing within our own individual worlds.
By the end, without giving too much away, there is a real sense of camaraderie. We become much more aware of each other bringing each other in and sharing moments and allowing softness and openness to emerge. These are different emotions that we all experience but aren’t so comfortable revealing because we have technology and social media to hide behind. At the end, those layers are stripped away. We’re no longer projecting an image, we’re simply present, in the moment all together. It’s quite beautiful.
The work explores a generation surrounded by social media, images and constant performance. As a young artist yourself, are there aspects of that world that feel particularly familiar?
Well, firstly, thank you for calling me young. I’ll take it! What’s interesting for me is that I’ve lived through both worlds. I grew up without social media, I’ve watched it become such a huge part of our lives, and now I have a child growing up in a world where it’s always there. So, I’m hyper aware of both the negative and positive sides.
There is obviously so much good that comes from technology. It connects us and allows us to keep in touch with people, and it’s become fundamental to how we communicate, how we market and build businesses and careers. But there is another side to it. We’re constantly exposed to images and information whether we choose to see them or not, and that can challenge you and the way you see yourself.
I don’t think we talk enough about how isolating technology can be. You can feel incredibly connected to the world, but ultimately, you’re still just one person looking at a screen. That is something I think Elegantly Wasted asks us to consider.
Hopefully people come away thinking about their own relationship with technology and social media, what it gives us, but also what it might be taking away.
What has it been like working with Annabelle? What makes her choreography distinctive from a dancer’s speech?
There’s something that audiences wouldn’t necessarily see in the final product – just how extraordinary Annabelle is in the studio. She is an incredibly coordinated human being, it’s quite phenomenal to watch her work. Her musicality is incredible and she creates very instinctively and quickly.
Annabelle will make a decision creating a sequence of steps and immediately start layering them with more movement on top of it. There is very little hesitation. She’s very assured of what she wants, so rehearsals fly by. You’re constantly trying to keep up with her and remember what she just did, but it is an exciting way to work, and I personally enjoy that very much.
Annabelle is also very collaborative and allows us to bring something of ourselves into the choreography, our own ideas, steps or ways of moving. As a dancer, it makes you feel very invested in the work because you’ve been part of its creation.
What is it like dancing to these songs, particularly knowing that many audience members will arrive with their own memories and associations with the music.
Well, my husband loves listening to Aussie pub classics in the car, and to be honest, it’s not my favourite genre. But, through this process I’ve come into the world of INXS with a real appreciation for their sound.
You can’t help but move to their songs. The tracks have been adjusted and reimagined for us, which is exciting to dance too.
Audiences who have grown up with INXS will bring their own memories, but then they’ll hear the songs in a completely different way. And younger audiences who don’t have that history, it may be a new discovery. This is one of the really exciting things about this production.
Join the Queensland Ballet in 2013, you became a first company artist in 2019. How has your journey with the company shaped the artist you are today?
I’ve been with Queensland Ballet for quite a while now and seen the Company go through many different periods of change. Being part of that journey has taught me a lot about adapting and evolving, both as an artist and a person.
One of my mentors said, ‘it’s not the cards you are dealt, but how you deal with them.’ That has stayed with me. A career in ballet isn’t always easy, physically or mentally but I’ve learnt to keep finding the joy in it, the beauty and the challenge in it, to keep looking for ways to grow.
As a young dancer, ballet can completely consume your life, and in many ways you allow it to. Now I have a family and whole other life outside the studio, so there’s a different perspective and a different balance. I live a double life, but ballet is still my first passion, and I want to give it 100%, as the career is so short.
Which 3 dances, dead or alive, would you love to have dinner party with?
Definitely, (the late) Liam Scarlett. Selfishly, I’d just love to have one more glass of wine with him as a dear friend, but he was also a one-of-a-kind choreographer and creative artist. I feel incredibly privileged to have worked with him during my career.
Secondly, I would love to chat with Gene Kelly. His style and charisma in choreography is just so iconic, and continues to inspire dancers throughout generations, so I’d love to have a dinner with him.
Finally, Margot Fonteyn. I think she would have to be one of the most interesting figures in our industry. To have been a prima ballerina at that time, elevated to almost extraordinary levels of celebrity and put on a pedestal. There was a lot of controversy around her, but also a lot of adoration, so I feel like her stories would be incredible. They would be my picks for an incredible dinner party!
You have danced many memorable roles. Carmen, Tinker Bell, lead harlot in Romeo & Juliet.
What makes a role truly memorable for you? The choreography, the character, the music, or the emotional experience?
I think it must be a combination of all those things and it can also depend on where I am in my career at the time.
Sometimes it is the music that inspires you and drives the whole work forward, which can bring great joy. Sometimes it’s the creative process leading into the performances, because the choreographer is inspiring and you’re building the story together.
Sometimes it can simply be the opportunity to dance a principal role, as those roles don’t come along very often, so that’s exciting. It can be incredibly challenging and nerve-wracking, but that is what makes it so rewarding. I look back on all the roles that have stayed with me, and each one is memorable for a different reason.
Working with Liam Scarlett on Dangerous Liaisons was a career highlight. What do you remember most about that creative process, and how has it influenced how you approach your work?
It was a very special time which I hold close to me. What I remember is being in awe of watching Liam piece together the ballet, and his incredible intelligence as a storyteller.
You could watch it unfold in the studio and begin to see the bigger picture, his vision and how it all wove in together. Even today, hearing the score during a section of class made me cry as I associate so strongly with that experience.
Liam brought incredible depth and layers to each character – everyone on stage was necessary and important to drive the ballet forwards. It didn’t matter whether you were at the centre of the story or on the periphery, everyone on that stage had a purpose. He was a beautiful person who genuinely cared about the art form and the dancers bringing his work to life. He made you feel encouraged and valued, and that we were all working towards the same outcome.
This is something I’ve carried with me, particularly as I continue choreographing. I’d like to create that same sense of encouragement as it is when you get the best out of dancers.
You recently became a Mum. Has motherhood changed the way you experience performing, particularly when you step onto stage and have to completely immerse yourself in another world?
Yes, definitely. As I mentioned before, it’s like living a double life. There is my life as a Mum, then I walk in the studio and immerse myself in a different world.
Sometimes that escape is wonderful, at other times it can be difficult, and you carry guilt with you. You miss your family and finding that balance is what I’m still learning to navigate gracefully. But becoming a mother has added another layer to who I am as a dancer and an artist. I had changed my perspective on things.
I do still love the feeling of being on stage and believe I am able to just let go more now than perhaps I could before. There is a greater appreciation that our time is finite, both in life and in a dancer’s career. That resonates with me now more than ever, for me than it was before.
After more than a decade with Queensland Ballet, what still excites you about walking into the studio and beginning a completely new work?
The fact that it is a completely new work is exciting. These opportunities are actually few and far between in our careers, so when they come along, it is very special.
You walk into a studio not knowing exactly what you are going to do or what world you are about to create. There is no blueprint and we’re discovering the movement and characters as we go.
We’re not recreating or rehashing something that already exists. I think for any dancer that’s one of the most exciting reasons to get up in the morning and come into the studio because we’re doing something different every day and part of you will always be embedded in that work.
Finally, what do you hope audiences see beyond the glamour of Elegantly Wasted? What do you hope they feel when the dancers ultimately leave the stage?
I think, ultimately, it’s a work that will make people feel something and that feeling will be different for everyone.
After 60 minutes, you might walk away feeling guilty for spending too much time on social media, or you could feel ‘very seen and exposed ‘right now. Or you might simply get swept up in the dancing – everyone looks amazing, or the incredible music.
I think there’ll be something for everyone, but I think it will be difficult to walk away without feeling something from this piece and hopefully feeling a little bit of INXS in your soul.
Thank-you for joining us at The Fame Reporter Sophie, best of luck with the show.
TICKETS
10 – 12 September
HOTA, Gold Coast
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