Audience Reactions

QPAC Trailer

Dancer, choreographer, research enthusiast and now with some circus skills the fabulous Jayden Grogan presented a stunning solo show last night at the Cremorne at QPAC. Jayden is awesome to watch and his personality and charisma flows from the stage and into your hearts which it certainly did in this new one man show. As was said to me it was so wonderful to see such joy on-stage and total love of dance. His magic is to involve you in his passion and revel, as he does, in his considerable talent across all the dance styles he displayed so thrillingly.

This dance evening titled ‘Jaz and the Big Red Dance Book’ was created and choreographed by the incredible Jacqui Carroll specifically for Jayden and to present a showcase of what he has to offer and it is a wonder and a hit. The audience reacted during with loud involvement and raved non-stop after the applause and cheers had ended. Jacqui as you know is a master dancer and choreographer and teacher. Most recently I was so thrilled to see an excerpt of her great work Carmina Burana in the Qld Ballet 60th anniversary Gala. This great work, described as a Jewel in the Queensland Ballet Repertoire, I saw in full some decades ago with the Qld Ballet, The Qld Symphony Orchestra, The Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra and the Brisbane Chorale. It was epic. Now she is so enthusiastic about Jayden’s abilities and stunning kind personality she created this work and plans on more in the future. I met Jayden back in February 2019 when he danced on the Concert Hall stage as a guest artist in a Camerata - Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra concert. Most recently this year I attended a lecture where he danced and explained his research in preparation for the Australian premiere of Beethoven’s only ballet ‘Creatures of Prometheus’. This brilliant piece I saw two weeks ago at Twelfth Night and with Maestro Lucas D. Lynch conducting.

Jayden slid across the stage, juggled apples, leapt with precision, smiled at us, made us laugh and created images that to me paid homage to some of the more adventurous and even notorious moments of Ballet legend. His costumes relied heavily on stunning sheer black tops. After an hour of exhilarating non stop dance in and out of cloth and costume he, to great cheers, put on his tap shoes to stun us with not only outstanding physical endurance, but topping off the night on such a high and happy note. What a star and what a treasure. Only few can sustain a solo show and Jayden certainly masters it. You do have a chance to see its final performance tonight at 7.00

Barry Stone - December 2021

Well last evening I had the pleasure of watching the production, Jaz and the Big Red Dance Book. A big thank you to Jacqui Carroll and John Nobbs for surprising myself as always with the delight of having a beautiful dancer and well done Jayden Grogan. Conjuring the myth, the mystery, past present and future, narrated by Eugene Guilfedder giving the listener a chance at a rite of passage to dance.

A myth from far far away and saw us as an audience enjoy quirkiness and creativity of Jayden first as the theatre cleaner a Bugsy Malone wannabe hard at his job while leaving us in no uncertain terms that he had a bit of soft shoe shuffle so discovering a magical book with 10 challenges was indeed a challenge and these we watched achieved with physical skillful intimate elongated deft shy bravado tricky nurturing playful poignant and intimate performance.

Yes some classical some Cabaret some Circus some Suzuki some pure passionate choreographer in a succession of clever design costumes and I for one can say you had me at neck piece physically narrating many of the world's top composers. Jayden, I was told later has been introduced since graduating from QUT and last night as an older accomplished male dancer of the highest order entertained a crowd that can't wait spruik his next show. So congratulations cast and crew as an old Francophile it was a delight and sumptuous surprise.

Noel Sheridan - December 2021