Rafael Bonachela breaks new ground in the world of contemporary dance, from his work with Kylie to his latest outing with the Sydney Dance Company. Adam Bub speaks with Bonachela and SDC senior dancer Connor Dowling.

It couldn’t be too hard being touted as the ‘next big thing’ in contemporary dance, could it? Spanish-born choreographer Rafael Bonachela certainly fits the bill, sliding between the worlds of mainstream dance (working for the likes of Kylie and Tina Turner), and his own background in contemporary dance and ballet.

But the self-described ‘movement junkie’ relishes working across all spectrums of dance. “When I make a work for the Sydney Dance Company (SDC), I have total freedom,” he tells AXN.

“When I’m working in the pop world for Kylie, there’s a theme to every section of the show. It’s not just about me – it’s about the artist. But when I’m doing one, I’m dying to do the other one. I think I’m privileged that I can jump from one to the other.”

Born in 1972, Bonachela grew up in Barcelona and moved to London when he turned 21, dancing with the prestigious Rambert Dance Company. It was a performance with Rambert that caught the eye of Kylie’s creative director William Baker, which eventually led Bonachela to work on the Fever and Showgirl concerts. Bonachela has quickly become one of Rambert’s senior creative forces, also launching the Bonachela Dance Company in London in 2006. Still freelancing for international companies, Bonachela will work on a Spanish film and upcoming UK productions later this year.

Bonachela is the second guest choreographer this year to be invited by the SDC, expanding the company’s creative horizons. In late July, Bonachela and SDC premiered his new show, 360°.

“My work is not about Swan Lake or Nutcracker or any of the ballets you could think of. I make work that is original – I don’t follow a script,” Bonachela professes.“It’s about the dance, it’s about the dancers, it’s about every day of the process, making it to the next, and every day taking me to a place. It’s quite scary, but it’s the way that I’ve always worked.”

The SDC have quite literally kept Bonachela on his toes. “The dancers are really enthusiastic and hungry for something different, so it’s given me a lot of energy and passion,” Bonachela says.

Connor Dowling, one of SDC’s dancers in 360°, testifies to that, noting that Bonachela connected with Dowling’s own personal style. “When we first met him, we had to make up a phrase of movement based on the spelling of our names. It was a very clever way of getting to know each dancer from the start,” Dowling tells AXN.

“He’s the most genuinely nice, encouraging person to work with.”

Dowling and Bonachela are both enthralled by the prospect of performing in a former train station at Carriageworks, which suits the play’s industrial theme. “I decided to not make it a theatre within the space,” says Bonachela.

“The dancers will exist within this imaginary city that has video projections, with music from the 12th century to today, from classical to electronic. So it’s going to be a real journey that we’re going to take.”

Rafael Bonachela’s 360° plays until August 16 at Carriageworks, Bay 17 (245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh). Tickets available through ticketmaster.com.au