The Fondue Set: No Success Like Failure

No Success Like Failure takes its inspiration from their work The Set (Up), which premiered to sell-out audiences at the Performance Space in 2005. For the first time this twisted trio collaborate with a director (Houstoun) to explore loss, emptiness, giving up, giving in and letting go - in both movement and text.

Beginning with the aftermath of failure, No Success Like Failure is more introspective than their other works. Throw in a deliberately rough and ready quality and movement that starts and stops out of nowhere, and you’re up for an edgy and out-there dance experience.

Someone wants to put on the brakes, while another wants to go at full speed; slow stretched out rants in half time. They play with timing and duration. When is enough, enough? When is enough, not enough? And just what happens when there is nothing left?

Part talent quest, part educational forum and part cabaret, No Success Like Failure will leave audiences misguided, misdirected and on a crystal clear path to nowhere. This hilarious how-to show will feature motivational dancing, negative cheering, successful snoring, hypnotism, word bingo and more.

From ABC TV’s The Sideshow to the nightclub, The Fondue Set push contemporary dance out of the academy and into popular culture, with their signature theatricality, humour and genuine engagement with the audience.

The Fondue Set is Elizabeth Ryan, Jane McKernan and Emma Saunders. They formed in November 2000 and have created and performed works including Soft Cheese (2001) and Blue Moves (2003) for the One Extra Dance Company; Love and Other Indoor Sports for Performance Space ANTISTATIC 2002 and the Melbourne International Festival 2003; and most recently Evening Magic II: Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough at Performance Space, Carriageworks (2007).

In 2006 The Fondue Set participated in the Australia Japan Dance Exchange, performing in Osaka and Matsuyama in Japan and at the Sydney Opera House Studio. In 2007 the ABC commissioned The Fondue Set to produce a video work, The Lorrae Desmond Show, for the ABC 50th Anniversary Project which screened at Campbelltown Arts Centre and as part of the 2008 Sydney Festival’s dance-on screen program at Sydney Opera House. -- www.sydneyoperahouse.com