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Reviews and responses are posted in language of origin. |
Les critiques et incidences sont postées dans leur langue d’origine. ~  Season: 2011-2012 Dancemakers Double BillStory Dance Radio by Jacob Zimmer and Red and Yellow by Nova Bhattacharya Toronto: December 8–18, 2011 by Aubrey Reeves Jacob & Nova was a program pairing new works by Jacob Zimmer and Nova Bhattacharya, two choreographers approaching contemporary dance from very different backgrounds. Dramaturge, writer and theatre director Jacob Zimmer crosses disciplines into dance with Story Dance Radio, while choreographer and dancer Bhattacharya continues her blending of bharatanatyam with western idioms in Red and Yellow. full story Room Service? There’s a Dancer in my Room! M/Hotel by David McIntosh and Battery Opera Vancouver: November 22-December 10, 2011 by Mary Theresa Kelly David McIntosh knits in the lobby bar of the Holiday Inn in downtown Vancouver. He is making a burgundy sweater vest, and welcoming audience members to M/Hotel, his latest dance-theatre work. full story Remembrance of Things Past EESTI: Myths and Machines by Peter Trosztmer and Of Good Moral Character by Lara Kramer Montréal: November 18–27, 2011 and November 3–6, 2011 by Philip Szporer There are those rare performances that fill you up so that you’re brimming, stoked by the integrity of the work, or perhaps elated with a feeling of reflection. Such is the case with Peter Trosztmer’s EESTI: Myths and Machines (Eesti is the Estonian for Estonia). It’s easily one of the best productions of the year. full story Beautiful Fools Som Faves by Ivo Dimchev Montréal: November 11 - 12, 2011 by Lucy M. May Ivo Dimchev’s solo show Som Faves (2009) is deceiving all over. I might have avoided his Montréal premiere during the ARTDANTHÉ mini-festival if I hadn’t known better. full story New Work from the Heartland The Prairie Dance Circuit presented by Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers Winnipeg: October 28 - 29, 2011 by Holly Harris The Prairie Dance Circuit (PDC) produced a bounty harvest of five premieres with its second annual touring production by the same name. The mixed repertoire show opened in Calgary before officially launching Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers’ (WCD) forty-seventh season. I caught the show at Winnipeg’s Rachel Browne Theatre on October 29th before it resumed a four-city western Canadian tour that also included stops in Edmonton and Regina throughout November. full story Until Silence “Jusqu’au silence” choreographed and performed by Sophie Corriveau Montréal: October 12–15, 2011 by Philip Szporer If you like your dance presented in a mixed media production, then Sophie’s Corriveau’s “Jusqu’au silence” is just for you. full story A Retro Night Out Ballet Rocks – From Bach to Pink Floyd by Ballet Victoria North Vancouver: October 29, 2011 by Kaija Pepper Ballet Victoria’s one-night-only appearance at North Vancouver’s Centennial Theatre drew a good crowd for a mixed bill mostly of premieres to music by Bach (the first half) and Pink Floyd (the second). full story Heaven and Technology “Eight Ways from Mara” by William Yong and Zata Omm Dance Projects Toronto: October 20–23, 2011 by Kathleen M. Smith There are probably more than eight ways to either embrace or avoid Mara, the traditional Buddhist demon of temptation and chaos. William Yong and his company Zata Omm allude to at least that many in a new full-length work about the forces that lead us off the path to enlightenment. full story Welcome to The Kingdom Gentlemen’s Club “Danse à 10”/La 2e Porte à Gauche Montreal: September 18-October 11, 2011 by Philip Szporer The 2e Porte à Gauche group’s got a knack for getting dance out of traditional theatres and reinventing strategies in unusual places. Their latest haunt, The Kingdom Gentleman’s Club, a straight strip club on the Main, is home to “Danse à 10”, featuring works by eight Montréal choreographers (the title plays on that old standard, “Ten Cents a Dance”, though here the fee’s been upped given inflation). full story Patterns and Collisions "Complexe des genres" by Virginie Brunelle Montréal: September 6-17, 2011 by Philip Szporer The cheeky opening to Virginie Brunelle’s “Complexe des genres” is a keeper: three oddly disjointed bodies, wearing white tutus, are seated, nude backs to the audience. The backs belong to the women in the cast (Isabelle Arcand, Sophie Breton, Claudine Hébert) but the legs belong to the men (Luc Bouchard-Boissonneault, Simon-Xavier Lefebvre, Frédéric Tavernini). full story Summer Banquet dance: made in canada/fait au canada Toronto: August 11 - 14, 2011 by Paula Citron Ever since the late, lamented fFIDA (fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists) exited the scene in 2006, Toronto dance aficionados have been without their August fix. Happily, the new festival dance: made in canada/fait au canada (d: mic/fac) is filling that void. full story Festival TransAmériques 2011 Montréal: May 26-June 11, 2011 by MJ Thompson and Philip Szporer full story Smart and Edgy, Brash and Hopeful Dancing on the Edge Vancouver: July 7-16, 2011 by Kaija Pepper full story Cool Complexity “Untitled” by Édouard Lock, La La La Human Steps Montréal: May 5-7, 2011 and Toronto: May 26-June 1, 2011 by Kathleen Smith and Philip Szporer full story Permutations and Combinations Project 3/2/1 by Dancemakers Toronto: April 6–17, 2011 by Brittany Duggan full story Short Stories about Me (and You) The You Show by Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM Vancouver: May 10–14, 2011 by Kaija Pepper full story A Tale (of two) Continued Mixed Repertoire 2011 by tiger princess dance projects Toronto: April 28–30, 2011 by Kathleen M. Smith full story Landscape of a Lost Soul “still here” by Heidi Strauss Toronto: April 7-10, 14-17, 2011 by Kathleen M. Smith full story Ballet’s Evolving Story of Style and Presence 25th Anniversary Celebration by Ballet British Columbia Vancouver: April 14-16, 2011 by Kaija Pepper full story A Spinning Vortex “Wonderland” by Shaun Hounsell for Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet Winnipeg: March 9–13, 2011 by Holly Harris full story Season: 2010-2011 For JapanDai Don Den 3 by Green Tea Collective Toronto: March 18-20, 2011 by Kathleen M. Smith It was with a heightened sense of occasion that a small opening night audience gathered at the Winch to share in the choreographic riches of the third edition of Dai Don Den. full story It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s a VIDF Dancer! Vancouver International Dance Festival Vancouver: March 1-19, 2011 by Mary Theresa Kelly full story Charting His Course “Question de souffle et de vie” by Roger Sinha Montréal: March 9-12, 2011 by Philip Szporer full story A Hopeful Message Longer Than A Shadow by Kemi Contemporary Dance Projects Toronto: February 24–27, 2011 by Kathleen M. Smith full story Malcolm is back! “AllOneWord” by Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie Toronto: February 10-12, 2011 by Michael Crabb full story A Fine Introspection “dusk” by Joe Laughlin Vancouver: February 23-26, 2011 by Kaija Pepper full story One Miss, One Hit “Icônes, À VENDRE” by Manon Oligny, and “Junkyard/Paradis” by Mélanie Demers Montréal: January 19-29, 2011, and Montréal: January 26-29, 2011 by Philip Szporer full story The Radical Hello “relay” by Ame Henderson Vancouver: January 25-29, 2011 by Kaija Pepper full story An Extended Conversation Dreamwalker Dance Company: “Beside Each Other” Toronto: December 2-9, 2010 by Michael Crabb full story Confounding the Big Picture “Out of Grace” by Lynda Gaudreau Montréal: Nov. 3–Dec. 11, 2010 by Marie Claire Forté Lynda Gaudreau’s five-week curatorial and choreographic occupation of the Leonard & Bina Ellen Gallery at Concordia University nudges at duration, audience presence and the choreographic progression of bodies and visual art works. full story The Relevance of Character/s “James and Natalie: Study #1” by Plastic Orchid Factory and “Vancouver vs Vancouver” by MACHiNENOiSY Vancouver: December 8-11, 2010 by Eury Chang full story Far from Flat Prairie Dance Circuit Edmonton: November 19-20, 2010 by Kate Stashko When most people think of the prairies, they think flat, monotonous even. Five artistic directors disagree, and they’re proving their point with a tour that propels prairie dance to new heights. full story Diverse Offerings Calgary’s Fluid Movement Arts Festival Calgary: October 15-24 by Jocelyn Grossé full story Three by Two Jumeaux by Harold Rhéaume and Yvann Alexandre Montréal: November 10-13, 2010 by Philip Szporer full story Elusive, in a Half-Light “Vessel” by Out Innerspace Dance Theatre Vancouver: October 20-23, 2010 by Kaija Pepper full story Hi-Tech, Lo-Tech, No-Tech “Avatar” by Freya Björg Olafson and “The Great Escape” by Isobel Cohen Montreal: October 14-17, 2010 by Philip Szporer full story A Celebration of Dance and Dancers “Homeagain” by Stephanie Ballard Winnipeg: September 24-25, 2010 by Holly Harris full story Sometimes, the Heaviness of Flight “The Great Farini Project” by Sharon B. Moore Toronto, September 22-25, 2010 by Kathleen M. Smith full story A Passionate and Bumpy Flight “S’envoler” by Estelle Clareton Montréal, September 15-18, 23-25, 2010 by Philip Szporer full story Inherited Nature “inherencies and other disorders” by Darryl Tracy Sept. 1-4, 2010 by Susan Kendal full story Moments Captured Dancing on the Edge 2010 Vancouver: July 8-18, 2010 by Eury Chang, Alana Gerecke, Mary Theresa Kelly, Sarah Todd and Kaija Pepper Capsule reviews by various writers full story Multiple Perspectives Canada Dance Festival Ottawa: June 4-12, 2010 by Seika Boye, Julie Houle Cezer, Brittany Duggan and Kaija Pepper full story A Scattered Resistance Festival TransAmériques 2010 Montréal: May 27–June 12, 2010 by MJ Thompson and Philip Szporer full story The Artist in Three Parts “Isolated Incidents” by Nova Bhattacharya Toronto: May 13-15, 2010 by Bridget Cauthery Having seen much of Nova Bhattacharya’s work over the past ten years, I was looking forward to her solo show, “Isolated Incidents”, presented as part of the 2009/2010 Danceworks Season at the Enwave Theatre, May 13th through 15th, 2010. I know Nova not only as an accomplished performer and choreographer but also as a fellow arts consultant within the Toronto dance community. full story Lighted but Obscure croisée...ÉPILOGUE by Tara Luz Danse Ottawa: May 6-8, 2010 by Elizabeth MacKinnon In early May, Ottawa choreographer Anik Bouvrette's Tara Luz Danse performed at the almost one-year-old Shenkman Arts Centre in the city’s east end. Presented by Mouvement d'implication francophone d'Orléans (MIFO), croisée...ÉPILOGUE included an excerpt from “Ludivine” (2003), two contributions by high school students who participated in workshops with Bouvrette, and a work-in-progress, “Ce souffle qui m'habite: les billes”. full story The Gigantic, Fantastic Elton John “Love Lies Bleeding” by Jean Grand-Maître for Alberta Ballet Calgary: May 6-9 2010 by Oriana Pagnotta You know you’re not walking into a typical evening at the ballet when they’re selling florescent boas and sparkly, star-shaped sunglasses at the merchandise table. Under the artistic direction of Jean Grand-Maître, the Alberta Ballet premiered “Love Lies Bleeding” to sold-out audiences in Calgary’s Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. full story Spring Awakenings “Sensorium” by Susan Lee and “The Possibility Dance” by Jessica Runge Toronto: April 16 (Lee) and April 22 (Runge), 2010 by Kathleen M. Smith Spring made its usual emphatic entrance in Toronto this year, bringing strange wardrobe combinations to the streets, a wonderland of pale pink cherry blossoms to High Park, and a diverse season of theatrical dance to downtown theatres. Two low-key but fascinating showings from a couple of Toronto veterans made the most of all the seasonal good will and hopefulness in the air. Both artists are supremely grounded – in their physicality and also in their creative practice. These were new beginnings with some solid foundations. full story Season: 2009-2010 The Aesthetic of CoolSankofa by Ballet Creole Toronto: April 15-17, 2010 by Samantha Mehra Edited by Kaija Pepper It was closing night of Ballet Creole’s Sankofa, fifteen minutes until curtain time, and still a cavalcade of theatregoers were vying for tickets. Being a Ballet Creole newbie, I was unsure what the hubbub was about. Still, I clutched my ticket and charged into the Fleck Dance Theatre at Harbourfront Centre. Two hours later, I understood the high demand for this staple in Toronto’s dance season: its sense of cool. full story Moving Image Culture Images Festival Toronto: April 1-20, 2010 by Aubrey Reeves Toronto’s Images Festival turned its gaze toward dance and movement-based works this year, with two visionaries of contemporary dance – Merce Cunningham and Yvonne Rainer – playing important roles. Always a source for challenging, weird and wonderful moving image culture, in its twenty-third year the Images Festival presented film, video, media installations and multimedia performances at almost two dozen venues throughout the city. full story Time and Again “this time” by Heidi Strauss April 1-4, 8-11, 2010 by Brittany Duggan and Susan Kendal Brittany Duggan: Contemporary dance is not regulated by the construct of a proscenium stage; it is, however, usually presented this way, a norm that Heidi Strauss refreshingly broke in her newest work “this time”, presented at Factory Theatre’s Studio Theatre. Audience members had a choice of slipping into the first half of the seating upon entering the space, or bravely making the short journey across the stage to seating on the other side. full story On Top of the World “The White Spider” by Jennifer Mascall Vancouver: March 12-13, 2010 by Mary Theresa Kelly It is understandable Jennifer Mascall’s imagination was ignited by Heinrich Harrer, one of the 20th century’s most famous European mountain climbers and adventurers. full story The Push/Pull Dynamic “Lost and Found” by Denise Fujiwara and “Fidelity’s Edge” by Susie Burpee Toronto: March 4-6, 2010 by Paula Citron DanceWorks, Toronto’s prestigious contemporary dance series, often programs joint concerts that feature shorter works. It is a clever idea on the part of curator Mimi Beck, because it allows for new creations without a choreographer having to self-produce an entire evening. full story Shifting Ground, Growing Concepts Idea-Based Dances at Tangente Montréal: February 25-28, March 4-7 and 11-14, 2010 by Philip Szporer Tangente’s three-week-long event, Idea-Based Dances (in French the title was Idéodanses), heralds the choreographic methods and tools used during the postmodern Judson Dance Theater movement in New York, as well as by the French non-dance movement from the mid-1990s, both associated with breaking codes of representation, leaving aside movement, and integrating other disciplines into performance. full story Not Pleasing Proportions, but Fascinating Ones “The Golden Mean (Live)” by Compagnie Marie Chouinard Vancouver: March 12-13, 2010 by Kaija Pepper Marie Chouinard’s “The Golden Mean (Live)” is titled after the mathematical ratio used since ancient times to create pleasing proportions in art and architecture. The Parthenon was apparently designed using this formula, and it’s evident in the painting of the Mona Lisa. The Golden Mean also occurs naturally, in the spiral of a snail shell, for example. full story Also the Light of Laughter and Connection “Dark Matters” by Crystal Pite Vancouver: February 26-27, 2010 by Kaija Pepper These are the images I keep returning to from Crystal Pite’s “Dark Matters”: a wooden puppet kneeling devoutly; a lighting rig dangling precariously from the flies above the stage, which is in chaos; Jermaine Spivey’s bright split-leg leaps; and Pite’s careful sewing up of Peter Chu’s chest, her slender fingers pushing the (imaginary) needle in and out. full story A Meditation on Gender “AdamEve/Man-Woman” by Alvin Tolentino, Co. Erasga Dance Vancouver: December 9-12, 2009 by Mary Theresa Kelly Tolentino’s new work, “AdamEve/Man-Woman”, is a sixty-minute duet, a long movement poem, and a taut meditation on the body in response to evolving forms of masculinity and femininity. full story The Immigrant Experience “Displacement” by Robert Glumbek and HCA Dance Theatre Toronto: November 18-21, 2009 by Kathleen M. Smith “Displacement”, as the title suggests, is an exploration of the immigrant experience. A multimedia concert with choreography by Robert Glumbek, visual elements by Vessna Perunovich and a ravishing score by Christos Hatzis – immigrants to Canada, all ... and featuring the acclaimed Penderecki String Quartet playing live. full story A Whodunit, Danced “Goggles” by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg Vancouver: Nov. 17-21, 2009 by Kaija Pepper What I’d really like to do is share my theory about the murder mystery at the heart of “Goggles”, the solo by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg that recently premiered at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre’s freshly renovated theatre. full story Gauging Presence “Nuit_Nacht_Notte” by Jocelyne Montpetit Danse Montréal: Oct 27-31, 2009 by Philip Szporer Jocelyne Montpetit’s “Nuit_Nacht_Notte” moves at its own pace, harbouring the haunted, brooding sympathies associated with nocturnal apparitions and imaginings. The dancer-choreographer, renowned for her typically subtle emotions and assured control of mood, inscribes her work with precision and a delicate touch. full story Garden Ballet for Garden City The Secret Garden and Selected works by Ballet Victoria Victoria: Oct. 30-Nov 1, 2009 by Garth Von Buchholz Two Balanchine works, the pas de deux “Belong” from Norbert Vesak’s “What To Do Till The Messiah Comes”, music ranging from Tchaikovsky to Gershwin to Pink Floyd, and the world premiere of a forty-five-minute contemporary ballet with live music on stage … full story Making Statements “Based on Actual Unrelated Events” by Meagan O’Shea (Stand Up Dance) Toronto: October 20-25 and 26-30, 2009 by Brittany Duggan and Samantha Mehra A dialogue review of a performance in a very small space. full story New Creators on the Montréal Scene Danses buissonnières – Classe 2009 & “Surface” by Floating Seed Productions Montréal: Oct 1-4 & 7-10, 2009 by Philip Szporer Tangente’s annual Danses buissonnières project invites proposals from emerging choreographers – mainly recent graduates of college and university programs. full story Two Snaps from the Festival Transatlantique Maboungou and Muriva Montreal: September 17–20 and 23–26 by Philip Szporer Two welcome evenings of contemporary African dance greeted audiences at the seventh edition of the Transatlantique Festival, co-produced with Montréal arts interculturels. full story A Brooding Ethos “Brontë” by Gaile Petursson-Hiley for Mouvement/Winnipeg Dance Projects Winnipeg: September 18-20, 2009 by Holly Harris Desperate lives often speak volumes. Winnipeg choreographer Gaile Petursson-Hiley gave voice to Victorian-era Brontë sisters Emily, Charlotte and Anne whose passionate poetry and windswept novels such as “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre” inspired her newest full-length dance creation, “Brontë”. full story Three Fine Solos in Beautiful Brutish Columbia Pulse featuring Claire French and Julie Lebel Vancouver: Sept. 18-19, 2009 by Kaija Pepper Beautiful British Columbia is in shock at the brutal, recently announced cuts by the provincial government to arts funding, projected to be around ninety percent next year. So it was heartening see the buzz at Scotiabank Dance Centre … full story The Little Big Festival Festival of New Dance St. John’s, NL: July 21-26, 2009 by Philip Szporer There is no definitive formula for running a dance festival, but in the scheme of all things, the St. John’s Festival of New Dance is infused with the boldness of what might be described as a little big festival. full story Offilio Portillo and Crew, Onstage “Unbearable Prospect” by Gadfly Toronto: July 19, 2009 by Kathleen M. Smith Street dance has become big business. The virtuosic moves and joyous energy that the original b-boys of New York and Los Angeles brought to street corners, empty parking lots and impromptu clubs of the seventies spawned a genuine movement movement. full story Dancing in Solidarity, Alliance in Practice: Objectives Within Reach The Canada Dance Festival 2009 Ottawa: June 25-28, 2009 by Kevin A. Ormsby The Canada Dance Festival (CDF) and the National Arts Centre were bustling once again between June 25th and 28th as the CDF hosted its annual festivities, focussing this year on “Dancing In, Through and Between Cultures towards a Space of Mutuality”. It was indeed a unique opportunity … full story West Coast Summer Dance Dancing on the Edge 2009 Vancouver: July 9-18, 2009 by Rob Kitsos and Kaija Pepper For dance artists in Vancouver, Dancing on the Edge is a destination. full story Variations on the “F” Word The Toronto Fringe Festival Toronto: July 1-12, 2009 by Samantha Mehra full story Luminato Dance: The Canadians Sandra Laronde’s “Tono” for Red Sky Performance, Dominique Dumais’ “Skin Divers” for the National Ballet of Canada and Crystal Pite’s “The Second Person” for Nederlands Dans Theater Toronto: June 5-14, 2009 by Michael Crabb For ten days in early June Toronto goes crazy for culture; sort of. That’s when Luminato, the city’s much-vaunted, robustly sponsored “festival of arts and creativity” saturates the scene … full story Bodies: Concrete, Multiple and Diffuse - Part 2 Festival TransAmérique 2009 Montréal: May 20-June 6, 2009 by Philip Szporer, Megan Andrews and Marie Claire Forté For the 2009 edition of the Festival TransAmérique in Montréal, Philip Szporer, Marie Claire Forté and I each contributed impressions and reflections. Here's Part 2. full story Bodies: Concrete, Multiple and Diffuse - Part 1 Festival TransAmérique 2009 Montréal: May 20-June 6, 2009 by Philip Szporer, Megan Andrews and Marie Claire Forté For the 2009 edition of the Festival TransAmérique in Montréal, Philip Szporer, Marie Claire Forté and I each contributed impressions and reflections. Here's Part 1. full story Season: 2008-2009 images and ritualsdance: made in canada/fait au canada – Susie Burpee, Jolene Bailie, Freya Olafson and Holly Small Toronto: April 2-11, 2009 by Michael Crabb The latest edition of dance made in canada/fait au canada – a biennial event curated by princess productions’ Yvonne Ng, a multi-talented Toronto-based artist with a quaint aversion to uppercase letters – begins with an arresting image. full story A Month of Dance in Vancouver Vancouver International Dance Festival Vancouver: March 3-April 4, 2009 by Rob Kitsos and Kaija Pepper "Looking back over the month-long Vancouver International Dance Festival (VIDF), produced by Kokoro Dance Artistic Directors Barbara Bourget and Jay Hirabayashi, my strongest memory is of having a lot of fun," says Kaija Pepper. full story Beneath the Gesture, Under Our Skin Montréal: February 12–14, 18–21 and 25–28, 2009 “La Chambre Blanche” by O Vertigo by Philip Szporer With the recreation of “La Chambre Blanche”, O Vertigo celebrates twenty-five years of making dance. full story “Maybe I am just a story I keep telling myself” “Frames” by William Yong (Zata Omm Dance Projects) Toronto: March 19-21, 2009 by Samantha Mehra Silhouettes. Shadows. Peepholes. Clothing. Media. Language. The objects which frame our perceptions of the world are countless and often hidden from or by us. In his simply titled “Frames”, William Yong (Zata Omm Dance Projects) dares to explore the psychology behind our reference points … full story Whirlwind Celebration Shumka at 50 … An Anniversary Concert Edmonton: March 19-20, 2009 by Salena Kitteringham Shumka means “whirlwind” and the Ukrainian dance company appropriately took the sold-out Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium by storm for its 50th Anniversary Concert with a truly memorable celebration filled with swirling colour, thrilling spectacle, powerful athleticism and genuine heart. full story Moving Through Time and Technology “Cibler” by Danse K par K (Karine Ledoyen) & “Passage” by Kondition Pluriel Montréal: March 18-21, 2009 & March 11-14, 2009 by Philip Szporer Karine Ledoyen’s “Cibler” reveals itself like a visual diary of private allusions, and this group work gives us a sense of why people have been talking up this next-generation choreographer. full story Making Ballet in Troubled Times “Adam and Eve and Steve (The Goldberg Variations, Side 2)” by James Kudelka for Ballet BC Vancouver: Feb. 26-28, 2009 by Kaija Pepper The title of James Kudelka’s new work for Ballet British Columbia varies. On the program cover and in publicity it’s “The Goldberg Variations – Side 2: Adam and Eve and Steve”. Inside the program, it was printed the way Kudelka told me he wanted it when we spoke one afternoon after a rehearsal: “Adam and Eve and Steve (The Goldberg Variations, Side 2).” full story Performing Masculinity “(Re)tracing Fred” by Darcey Callison (Da Collision) Toronto: February 24-28, 2009 by Samantha Mehra With every theoretical lens, something new is revealed about the implications of Fred Astaire's performances. full story Beyond One Man’s Story “Cock-Pit” by Wen Wei Dance Vancouver: February 24-28, 2009 by Kaija Pepper There’s a lot of biography behind Wen Wei Wang’s new seventy-minute work, “Cock-Pit”, but if you hadn’t been told, you wouldn’t know it … what we saw at the Scotiabank Dance Centre premiere was a very beautiful abstract work … full story A Unique Whimsy “Ôs” by Krea Movo (Lucie Carmen Grégoire) Montréal: January 30-February 1, 2009 by Philip Szporer Lucie Carmen Grégoire is finding her voice. This fresh choreographer, who is establishing herself within the ranks of Montreal’s dance community, recently presented the local premiere of her latest work, “Ôs”. full story Once Upon an Ultra-Modern Time “Relâche!” by Turning Point Ensemble Vancouver: February 13-14, 2009 by Kaija Pepper “Relâche”, which means “Theatre Closed” or “No Performance”, is one of those avant-garde ballets posterity loves to remember. full story How long? “It’s About Time: 60 Dances in 60 Minutes” by Dancemakers Toronto: February 11-14, 2009 by Michael Crabb Time is such an inherently central component of what has traditionally been described as theatrical dance that to make a dance about time itself might appear to be, well, a waste of time. But not, of course, if you … full story How do you critique a dying man’s art? “Over My Dead Body” by Dave St-Pierre Montréal: January 20-25, 2009 by Philip Szporer Dave St-Pierre is dying. It’s not a secret. Over the last many years, he’s been up-front about it in interviews and on stage … full story Character Study “The future memory heartbreak junction” Sasha Ivanochko, blackandblue dance projects Toronto: December 11-13, 2008 by Michael Crabb “She’s the Tart of Hearts, Lady of the Evening, Diva, Tough Cookie, Grand Mess, Plain Jane, Beauty and Beast.” That’s how Toronto-based Sasha Ivanochko describes the character revealed in “The future memory heartbreak junction” … full story Responding to Risk: A Dialogue “Risk” by Amber Funk Barton, The Response Vancouver: December 3-6, 2008 by Mary Theresa Kelly and Kaija Pepper Kaija Pepper and Mary Theresa Kelly exchange views on Funk Barton's latest work. full story Unresolved Encounters “Dis/(sol/ve)r” by Toronto Dance Theatre Toronto: November 18-22, 2008 by Michael Crabb By any standard “Dis/(sol/ve)r”, Christopher House’s curiously titled new work for Toronto Dance Theatre, is extraordinary. full story Asking the Why of “WhaT,?” “WhaT,?” by Jennifer Mascall for Ron Stewart Vancouver: November 11-16, 2008 by Kaija Pepper Just a few minutes in, I actually felt dizzy watching Ron Stewart in “WhaT,?”, a full-length solo in which he careens about the stage in an endless stream of giddiness choreographed by Jennifer Mascall … full story Character, comedy, video, wigs … oh, and some dancing “Dulcinea’s Lament” by Dulcinea Langfelder & Co. and “Çaturn” by Naomi Stikeman Montreal: Montréal: Nov. 12-16, 18-19, 2008 (Langfelder); Nov. 5-8, 12-15, 2008 (Stikeman) by Philip Szporer Dulcinea Langfelder loves to tell stories, and she loves to make people laugh … in her new fusion of theatre, movement, song and multimedia, “Dulcinea’s Lament”. … Imagination is at the heart of dancer/choreographer Naomi Stikeman’s “Çaturn”, an ambitious hybrid production about death and transformation … full story Resonant and Restless Voices “Sauti” by NAfro Dance Productions Winnipeg: October 23-26, 2008 by Holly Harris Voice -- the elusive quality that speaks volumes about subjective artistic experience -- took centre stage at The Gas Station Theatre as NAfro Dance Productions opened its fusion-based, African contemporary dance season with “Sauti”. full story The Rite and Harmony of “White” “White” by Xing Dance Theatre of Canada Toronto: October 10-11, 2008 by Penelope Ford The beauty of the technique of classical dance is born in the ritualistic process of endowing the body with dance, in the hope that it will enchant the soul. full story In and Out of Frame “Enfin vous zestes” by Louise Bédard Montréal: September 25-October 5, 2008 by Philip Szporer Creativity is shaped in different ways, and inspiration leads to sometimes unexpected results. full story Two plus Four Patterson and Ward with Trosztmer and Juteau at Studio 303 & Murugesan and Wadge at the Festival Transatlantique Montréal Montréal: Sept 12-13, 2008 & Oct 1-4, 2008 by Philip Szporer A combo of two intriguing solo works, presented at the Festival Transatlantique Montréal, jumpstarted the new season. Both dances are stripped back in terms of production values, but the richness of the artistic visions more than compensates for the restrained budgets. full story "From the Horse's Mouth" The Premiere Dance Theatre 25 years on Toronto: September 25-27, 2008 by Michael Crabb The statuesque Martine van Hamel unfurled her miraculously expressive arms and the space around her seemed to expand in response. In other improvised movement vignettes dancers from across a wide spectrum of cultural traditions – South Asian, Afro-Caribbean, Spanish and various Western forms – found creative ways to interact. And there were stories – funny, poignant, puzzling and transformational. full story Season: 2007-2008 Disjunctures?between here and now by KemiCollective (Jennifer Dallas) Toronto: May 22-24, 2008 by Terrill Maguire “It is sometimes in the aftermath of our crossed paths that we discover what a shared experience really is…" – Marc Boivin full story A New Era, Not Unlike the Old Banff Festival Dance Banff: August 5-9, 2008 by Michael Crabb Music by Jonny Greenwood might seem an unlikely candidate to accompany a dance … full story Success in Paris not rewarded at home Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal Paris: July 21-August 9, 2008 by Michael Crabb Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal (LGBCM) closed a mostly successful three-week season in the French capital on August 9th as the featured company of the city’s fourth annual summer festival, Les étés de la danse de Paris. full story A Stage Full of Hurtin’ Albert’ns “Nine Points to Navigate” by Brian Webb Dance Company Vancouver (Dancing on the Edge): July 5-6, 2008 by Kaija Pepper What is the soul of a man? … When Sheri Somerville and Brian Webb ask the question in “Nine Points to Navigate”… the answer is more meaningfully grounded in their particular world, growing up in post-World-War-II Alberta. full story Canada Dance Festival: The 2008 Collection Canada Dance Festival Ottawa: June 7-15, 2008 by Bridget Cauthery It began with a lot of red tape… Red arrows fixed to the sidewalk led the audience from Elgin Street to the terraces atop the National Art Centre for the premiere of Ottawa-based performance artist Kenneth Emig’s site-specific work full story Ten Years On Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Guelph: May 29-June 1, 2008 by Michael Crabb The Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival (GCDF) celebrated its tenth birthday in style with a May 30th gala in the Ontario city’s River Run Centre. full story Remix, Mash-Up, Smash-Up, etc. Festival TransAmérique 2008 Montréal: May 22-June 5, 2008 by Marie Claire Forté and Philip Szporer PS: One week in and I’m feeling both the exhilaration of what’s burbling up at the Festival TransAmériques -- MCF: Indeed, Philip, at one week in, I am a blur of contradicting emotions -- full story When Dance Fell to Grace: a trio of solos (unsolicitied) Falling to Grace, presented by HOWDARESHE productions Toronto: May 13-18, 2008 by Penelope Ford Tanya Crowder describes the austere beauty of Venus in repose: supple neck climbing out of extended collarbones, braced by curving shoulders, yet her vulnerability is plain in her crooked knees that dip apart and ankles that wilt towards the floor. full story Routes and Roots CanAsian International Dance Festival Toronto: May 1-3, 2008 by Penelope Ford In dance, as in all aspects of life, diversity is truly something to be sought out, encouraged and celebrated. In its tenth year, the CanAsian International Dance Festival does more than recognize the multiculturalism of Canadian dance … full story Creative Risk-Takers Rachel Browne & Susie Burpee for Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers Winnipeg: May 8-10, 2008 by Holly Harris It seems only fitting that the inaugural show at Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers (WCD) newly re-christened theatre should honour the company’s founder, Rachel Browne, CM, with a rare performance by the Canadian living dance legend. full story Ensnared in Memory Adelheid Solos by Heidi Strauss Toronto: April 24-26, 2008 by Aubrey Reeves Heidi Strauss’s Adelheid Solos is a program of two pieces that demonstrates the dancer/choreographer’s impressive versatility, stamina and strength as a dancer. full story Indigenous Dancelands “The Threshing Floor” by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre Montréal: March 8, 2008 by Melanie Florence On the night of the worst snowstorm of the year in Montréal, I trekked through the sleet and wind to a small dance space called Tangente to see the touring performance of Indigenous Dancelands, a program of three works by aboriginal Canadians … full story A Flamenco Memoir “‘Mis Hermanas’: Thicker than water: My Sisters and I” by Rosario Ancer, with choreography by the dancers Vancouver: April 29-May 3, 2008 by Kaija Pepper I first heard Rosario Ancer’s story about life in a large and loving Mexican family when she wrote an article in the Personals section for the Vancouver Dance Centre’s members’ newsletter in 1995. The focus there was mostly on Ancer’s move to Spain in order to “breathe and eat flamenco” … full story A Troubling Beauty “Abattoir” by Kaeja d’Dance Vancouver: March 19-20 and Toronto: March 25-29, 2008 by Megan Andrews and Kaija Pepper A cross-country conversation between Kaija Pepper and Megan Andrews. full story A Portrait: the artist in his forties “Quarantaine 4x4” by Charmaine LeBlanc Montréal: March 18-22, 2008 by Philip Szporer “Quarantaine 4x4” is that happy experience in the theatre where you leave feeling full, uplifted. full story M.Talk.2: a conversation between critics M.Body.7 by Margie Gillis Montréal: Feb. 29–Mar. 1, 2008 & Vancouver: March 14-15, 2008 by Philip Szporer and Kaija Pepper Writers Philip Szporer from Montréal and Kaija Pepper from Vancouver both saw M.Body.7 in their respective cities. Here, they compare their notes … full story The Refreshing Baroque “Timber/Timbre” by Joe Laughlin Vancouver: March 14-17, 2008 by Kaija Pepper It’s nice to be surprised by an evening of dance, though the more you see, of course, the less likely that is to happen. “Timber/Timbre”, by Joe Ink company’s Joe Laughlin, looked set to be a quiet trio … full story Lyrical Mathematics: Sarah Chase in Concert Vancouver: November 2007 an online essay by George Sipos … She is interested in certain mathematical concepts, she tells us, like the properties of sequences … 1-1, 2-2, 3-1, 1-2, 2-1, 3-2, 1-1 … full story Silence / Light Portal by Peggy Baker Dance Projects Toronto: March 6-9, 2008 by Penelope Ford It seems the momentum of Peggy Baker’s thirty-five-year dance career is still gathering speed. full story Witnessing Moments “Struck” by Brent Lott for Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers Winnipeg: March 6-8, 2008 by Holly Harris “Struck”, Artistic Director Brent Lott’s new work for Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers (WCD), examines the power of the “aha”: those random flashes of insight in which -- if you’re lucky -- you suddenly gain wisdom about past events or choices you have made in life. full story Creating a Sense of Occasion “The Four Seasons” by John Alleyne for Ballet British Columbia Vancouver: February 14-16, 2008 by Kaija Pepper Ballet British Columbia was once a serious little company that prided itself on its spare black-on-black repertoire, but these days it aims to create a friendlier sense of theatrical occasion. full story Choreographer returns to "adult" work “Suites cruelles” by Hélène Blackburn for Cas Public Montréal: January 24-26, 2008 by Philip Szporer Cue Nancy Sinatra’s hit tune, “These Boots Are Made for Walking”, and cue the fun. If you don’t remember it, the sixties song kicks, and to hear it bang out of the speakers at a contemporary dance performance is cheeky. full story Peter Chin: ethno-choreographer “Transmission of the Invisible” by Peter Chin, Tribal Crackling Wind Toronto: February 6-9, 2008 by Megan Andrews The inimitable Peter Chin is known for his multi-disciplinary work and particularly for his interest in Asian cultures and dance forms. The Jamaican-born, Toronto-based choreographer’s latest work, “Transmission of the Invisible”, carries this interest forward. full story Creative Convergence “Lifelines” by Gioconda Barbuto and Emily Molnar with Michael Slobodian Montréal: January 16-19, 2008 by Philip Szporer Expectations were high. Gioconda Barbuto and Emily Molnar are both celebrated dancers and have the kinds of credentials most artists dream about. full story An Intuitive Connection “Confort à retardement” by John Ottman for France Geoffroy, Corpuscule Danse Montréal: Dec. 6-9, 2007 by Philip Szporer “Confort à retardement” is John Ottman’s choreography created for France Geoffroy, a dancer and choreographer gaining recognition in Canada and abroad. The fact that Geoffroy is paraplegic defines the production, produced by her company Corpuscule Danse. full story Edges of Darkness “Manga” by Serge Bennathan Vancouver: Nov. 8-10 and Toronto: Nov. 22-24, 2007 by Megan Andrews and Kaija Pepper What would it be like to inhabit the world of manga, the Japanese cartoon art form that fills its pages with forceful depictions of energy and stillness in characters whose emotions tend toward epic proportions? “Manga”, Serge Bennathan’s full-length duet, goes some way to answering that question … full story Enunciating History and the Present “Kaksori” by Mi Young Kim Dance Company Toronto: November 9-10, 2007 by Samantha Mehra The paradoxical ability of dance to transcend language and yet tell stories stirs the imagination. This fascinating quality was ever-present in “Kaksori”, Mi Young Kim Dance Company’s first full-evening program at Harbourfront’s Premiere Dance Theatre. full story An Ambitious Anniversary Ballet “Anastasia” by Bengt Jörgen for Ballet Jörgen Canada Toronto: November 3, 2007 by Bridget Cauthery Jörgen’s “Anastasia” is a fictional dramatization of episodes from the life of Anastasia Romanov, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia. full story New Hybrid Equations “Sit back ya’ll” by Julia Gutsik and Raul Guevara, 4EverFresh; “pi.r.squared” by Rebecca Halls, Arcus Intorchao Hula Hoop Duo; “Text Messaging…” by Patricia Iraola Montréal: November 1-4, 2007 by Lys Stevens Génération bigarrée: a new title for a favourite series within Tangente’s programming. What does this new name suggest? Formerly Danses urbaines (an ambiguous title that became politicized as some artists resisted the fit), this series highlights artists working with high-energy movement forms referencing youth culture. full story A Missed Opportunity “Décompte” by Zab Maboungou, Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata Montréal: October 10-13, 2007 by Philip Szporer It’s not surprising to report that Zab Maboungou, the Congo-raised Montréal-based dancer-choreographer and philosopher, has devotees who speak about the transformative effects of her dance. full story Fast and Furious for a Reason “The Vision Impure” by Co. Vision Selective/The Holy Body Tattoo Vancouver: Oct. 2-6, 2007 by Kaija Pepper No matter how dark and driving the movement, something bright always shines through Noam Gagnon’s performance. It makes his dances cathartic to experience. full story A Scavenger Hunt for Dance Nuit Blanche Toronto: September 29, 2007 by Samantha Mehra The countdown has officially begun for Nuit Blanche, Toronto’s all-night contemporary art celebration beginning tonight (September 29th). full story Self-expression and entertainment: a fine balance Dancing on the Edge 2007 Vancouver: July 5-14, 2007 by Kaija Pepper and Alana Gerecke Another conversation-style festival review with some keen insider perspective. full story Season: 2006-2007 Immaculate Perception [a response]"Necessary Velocity" by Michelle Silagy Toronto: June 21-23, 2007 by Carol Anderson Questions rose, watching “Necessary Velocity”. Questions came from the work itself, and from the act of observation -- questions related to details of looking and the ethics of response. full story Spinning around art and outreach HIP HOP 360 at the Canada Dance Festival Ottawa: June 19-23, 2007 by Marie Claire Forté There is something particular about this Canada Dance Festival (CDF) intermediate year programming, also the festival’s first thematic five-day event. Is it the YouTube trailer, the graffiti artists spraying large wood panels outside the National Arts Centre (NAC) box office, the abundance of youth sporting hoodies and baseball caps, the men outnumbering the women by a proportion of ten to one? full story A Certain Selection of Dance Festival TransAmériques Montréal: May 23-June 7, 2007 by Marie Claire Forté and Philip Szporer This May marked the inaugural program of the Montréal-based dance and theatre event, Festival TransAmériques. To cover the dance programming at this year’s premiere event, The Dance Current invited writers Marie Claire Forté (Ottawa) and Philip Szporer (Montréal) to exchange their views in an e-mail conversation. Here are their evocative and emphatic impressions. full story Cuddly Animals Ease the Angst “Smash Up” by Dana Gingras, Animals of Distinction Vancouver: May 8-12, 2007 by Kaija Pepper Who is Dana Gingras without Noam Gagnon? That is the question fans of The Holy Body Tattoo – the wildly successful, hard-driving company the two have co-directed since 1993 – were eager to discover with “Smash Up”, Gingras’ breakaway production. full story Seedpod in the Postmodern Wind “Provincial Essays” by Lola Dance Vancouver: May 3-5 & 8-10, 2007 by Mary Theresa Kelly Lola Dance delivers visceral movement spliced with intellectual themes that evolve through the use of postmodern techniques: reflexivity, parody, recursive structure (e.g. it’s a loop) and self-referential narrative. full story One Old, One Borrowed, One New “Light | Confronts | Unknown”, a mixed program by Dancemakers Toronto: May 1-5, 2007 by Emma Doran Michael Trent must feel eyes focussed in his direction. “Light Confronts Unknown” is his first major program for Dancemakers after being appointed artistic director in August 2006. full story Dance As a Metre of the Times "Amjad" by Édouard Lock Montréal: April 26-May 5, 2007 by Philip Szporer Édouard Lock’s new revisionist ballet, Amjad, has a way of messing with our heads. Those who mistakenly expect that Lock’s current choreography draws on the signature barrel turns and the sexual ambiguity of his work in the 1980s will be sorely disappointed. And for those interested to see how he has continued his exploration of the classics of the ballet repertoire, there will be expectation. full story Ancient Behaviour “Herding Instinct” by Karen Kuzak, TRIP Dance Regina: March 30-31, 2007 by Gregory C. Beatty In choreographing “Herding Instinct”, Karen Kuzak, artistic director of Winnipeg’s TRIP Dance, took inspiration from an unlikely source -- her six-year-old border collie Ben. Or, more accurately, the competitions she and Ben have participated in where teams of two dogs and their master work to control a flock of sheep. full story Layering Tradition and Identity “Meeting with Saghi” by Sashar Zarif Toronto: March 24, 2007 by Kathleen M. Smith In Persian culture, the character of Saghi is a beloved wine-bearer who embodies ideals and beliefs of the tradition that created him in much the same way as the stories of Krishna inform the East Indian cultural landscape. full story Points of View (unsolicited) Vancouver International Dance Festival 2007 Vancouver: Feb. 21-Apr. 1, 2007 by Andrea Downie and Alana Gerecke Among the many performances at the Vancouver International Dance Festival, two programs -- by senior artists Jay Hirabayashi and Barbara Bourget, and by Karen Jamieson -- inspired emerging writers to capture their experiences in words. full story Rhythmic Attraction “Magnetic Consequences” by Decidedly Jazz Danceworks New Westminster, BC: April 1, 2007 by Mary Theresa Kelly The cool kids from Calgary are in town. They groove, they jump, they rock and they bop; they funk it up, and work it out. Best of all they feel the blues, and they transmit that love of rhythm and blues in every eighth note. full story Reconnections A mixed progam by Gaétan Gingras Montréal: March 7-10, 2007 by Philip Szporer Iroquois-Mohawk by ancestry, but cut off from his roots for most of his life, at fourteen Gaétan Gingras learned that his maternal grandparents were aboriginal. The truth had been hidden for many years. full story Seduced by the Sound “Chutzpah!” The Lisa Nemetz International Showcase of Jewish Performing Arts Vancouver: Feb. 17-Mar. 3 by Kaija Pepper The Chutzpah! Festival is always a sprawling celebration of Jewish culture through dance, theatre and music that takes place annually at the Norman Rothstein Theatre in the Jewish Community Centre. full story Bringing the Outside In “the Weathering Suite” by Davida Monk, M-Body Regina: Feb. 14-15; Toronto: Feb. 22-24; Winnipeg: Mar. 1-3, 2007 by Gregory C. Beatty Choreographed by Davida Monk for her Calgary-based dance company M-Body, “the Weathering Suite” arrived in Regina at a curious moment. The UN was in the process of releasing a long-awaited report on climate change; Al Gore and Inuit environmentalist Sheila Watt-Cloutier had just been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize; and in Canada, the environment, and climate change in particular, had become the hot-button political issue. full story Dancing to Save Paradise Dancing Joni & Other Works by Alberta Ballet Calgary: Feb. 8-10, Edmonton: Feb. 16-17 by Kaija Pepper The press interest in “The Fiddle and the Drum” by Alberta Ballet’s artistic director, Jean Grand-Maître, and legendary singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, surprised everyone – but probably not Mitchell, the cause of it all. Though apparently reclusive, she must be used to attention after four successful decades in the music business and, in order to publicize the ballet, was willing to hold court. full story Seeking Common Rhythmic Ground “Tappin’ at the Winch: The Resurgence” by Paula Skimin, Turn on the Tap Toronto: February 1-3, 2007 by Samantha Mehra In this city of diverse traditions, the promise of experiencing several cultural art forms in one performance tempts the cosmopolitan appetite. For those with such a taste, Turn on the Tap’s “Tappin’ at the Winch: The Resurgence”, at the Winchester Street Theatre, offered a range of flavours. full story Keeping It Real at 48 Mixed program by Louise Lecavalier Montréal: February 8-11, 2007 by Michèle Moss Seeing Louise Lecavalier dance is a trip of sorts: a fairground ride through time and space, a wonderland tour across a history of body politics and the ideals of nationalism, the excess of the 1980s, the exuberance of the 1990s. full story A Whirl of Sound and Motion “Asala” by Arabesque Dance Company Toronto: Nov. 29-Dec. 3, 2006 by Kathleen M. Smith One of Toronto’s most successful dance companies is devoted to forms of dance that have entranced devotees and audiences alike for thousands of years. Under the direction of Yasmina Ramzy, the Arabesque Dance Company takes Middle Eastern dance vocabularies and showcases them, for the most part respectfully, and to the delight of their fans. full story An Unwieldy Opus “Bas-reliefs” by Marie-Josée Chartier Montréal: December 6-16, 2006 by Philip Szporer It all began from a fascination with pioneering visual artist Betty Goodwin’s “Swimmers” series from the 1980s. From this source, in which Goodwin drew, using graphite, charcoal and oil pastels, on a kind of translucent paper, dancer-choreographer Marie-Josée Chartier conceived a multi-disciplinary mega-production, “Bas reliefs: un dyptique”. full story Bubble-Wrap Reality Dance “Talk Show” by Alexis Andrew and Elizabeth MacKinnon Ottawa: December 12-14 by Marie Claire Forté Layers of subtext float around this performance called “Talk Show” by Ottawa’s collective (gulp). Independent dance artists are a rare and special breed in Ottawa – Alexis Kate Andrew and Elizabeth MacKinnon of collective (gulp) are no exception. full story Doubles territoires 2/Split Stage 2 New works by Peter Trosztmer and Ségolène Marchand Montréal: Nov. 23-26, 2006 by Philip Szporer The performance began outside the theatre. Conceptual pieces of printed, bent metal stuck on wooden planks were suspended along the corridor walls leading to the theatre. Inside, bent bicycles in tormented shapes hung from the walls and ceiling. full story In Search of Flamenco Puro "Escencia Flamenca" by Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company Toronto: Nov. 16-19 by Bridget Cauthery Sometimes a period of absence -- or abstinence -- from a particular dance form can result in the acquisition of new perspective, allowing one to view a performance with fresh eyes and ears. full story | view responses A review in the shape of a conversation “/dance/songs/” by Ame Henderson/public recordings Toronto: November 17-26 by Kathleen M. Smith “A dance in the shape of a rock show.” Sounds like a good idea, right? It was only a matter of time before someone figured out how to harness the casual collectivity and emotional energy of going to hear a favourite band and applied it to a choreographic concept. full story | view responses Artist and Critic in [Virtual] Dialogue Montréal: Nov. 16-19 “Being Susan Sontag” choreographed by Pamela Newell by Pamela Newell and Philip Szporer A conversation between critic Philip Szporer and choreographer Pamela Newell about her recent work "Being Susan Sontag". With all due respect, they didn't hold back. full story | view responses Meditative Abstraction "Anatomies" by José Navas, Compagnie Flak Montréal: Nov. 8-11, 14-15 by Jill Goldberg Dancers in nothing but boy-shorts, minimalist lighting, an empty stage. Much has been made of José Navas’ transition from a choreographer who crafts dance with a theatrical aesthetic to a more mature artist whose work is subtle, even ascetic. full story Two Takes on the Same Show “Take it Back” by Solid State Montreal: Oct 19-29, 2006 by Philip Szporer and by Lys Stevens Solid State’s new work, “Take it Back”, is a dance that crosses boundaries, re-sourcing the language of hip hop and the Lindy, presenting elements of street dance and swing in a theatrical setting. full story Flamenco with an Asian Touch “Café de Chinitas” by Mozaico Flamenco Vancouver: Oct. 28, 2006 by Kaija Pepper Every flamenco show needs at least one inspired soloist, a bailaora (flamenco dancer) who sets the audience’s pulse beating faster. Kasandra, the lead dancer of Mozaico Flamenco Dance Theatre, was certainly that during the company’s one-night only premiere of “Café de Chinitas” at the Norman Rothstein Theatre. full story An Embarrassment of Riches Kalanidhi International Dance Festival and Conference: A Century of Indian Dance: Part II Toronto: Sept. 22 to Oct. 1, 2006 by Nova Bhattacharya The 2006 Kalanidhi International Dance Festival and Conference ran from September 22nd through October 1st and featured over 100 bharatanatyam, odissi, kuchipudi and chau artists from 7 countries in 30 performances, 2 intensive workshops in chau and bharatanatyam/zulu dance, and countless lectures, papers and dance chats. full story Acknowledging Age “REDD” by Tedd Robinson Regina: Oct. 10-11 by Gregory C. Beatty One of the biggest mantras for business strategists and other motivational types is the idea that it’s better to initiate change than to have change thrust upon you. For most of his career, Ottawa-based performer Tedd Robinson has been an initiator of change. full story Serious Themes, Seriously Treated IN(side)time: made in Canada/fait au Canada Toronto: Sept. 28-30 by Kathleen M. Smith Made in Canada/fait au Canada is a biannual showcase of contemporary dance curated by choreographer/performer Yvonne Ng via her company princess productions. Over two weeks, the last of September and first of October, six works were presented, some new and some worthy remounts. full story Working Toward World Class ProArteDanza Toronto: October 5-8, 2006 by Kathleen M. Smith A ProArteDanza opening always has a buzz-y kind of glamour -- people dress up, they talk about the work, clearly excited to be there. Some of the city’s finest classical and contemporary dancers grace the stage; the rest can be found in the audience along with students and hip dance fans of all stripes. full story A Flamenco Transposition “Azafran Or Rouge” by Ballet Flamenco Arte de España Montréal: Sept. 20-21 by Philip Szporer What happens when a Québécois play is transposed into the language of flamenco? For Laura Lynne McGee, the result is “Azafran Or Rouge”. The latest show by Montréal’s Ballet Flamenco Arte de España, “Azafran Or Rouge” recently played the long and narrow Club Soda nightclub … full story Not Quite a Theatrical Journey “STONE:Drift” by Julia Taffe, Aeriosa Vancouver: Sept. 20-30, 2006 by Kaija Pepper Climbing a mountain and dancing in a theatre -- both are highly physical endeavors that challenge the body and mind. The first, however, is about climbers getting physically from one place to another, while the second involves performers taking an audience on an imaginative journey. When a love of both climbing and dancing collide, aerial or vertical dance is born -- and what is the journey then? full story Season: 2005-2006 A Commitment to the FutureToronto International Dance Festival (a fFIDA presentation) Toronto: August 8th-19th, 2006 by Kathleen M. Smith For fifteen years, the fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists (fFIDA) has presented a mixed bag of dance over an extended period in August. Chosen by lottery and stacked into mixed programs and large-scale spectaculars, the dance viewing experience has also been a crapshoot. Some years it was mostly dross with a few buried treasures; in others, the riches made you feel hopeful for the future of dance in Canada. full story | view responses Intertwining Difference “Uqquaq, The Shelter” by Geneviève Pepin and Laurentio Q. Arnatsiaq Whitehorse: June 21–30, 2006 by Janelle Hardy After purchasing tickets, we stand in the hot sun in an alleyway outside an abandoned warehouse next to the Boys and Girls Club in downtown Whitehorse. As the first sounds of music snake out from under the closed doors, we are let into the building. Entering a dark cavernous room, our attention focusses on the floor-level stage … full story Different Lenses, Different Views Dancing on the Edge Festival 2006 Vancouver: July 6-15, 2006 by Mary Kelly and Imogen Whyte This year audiences strayed far and wide at Vancouver’s Dancing on the Edge Festival, where the action drifted beyond the festival’s usual haven, that beloved brick building known as the Firehall Arts Centre in Vancouver’s downtown eastside. full story The Spirit of Dance Weaves a Tale Dance Immersion Showcase Presentation Toronto: June 22-24 by Suzanne Jaeger “Throughout history, our people have been able to survive, through dance,” says Emerita Emerencia, who plays the role of a storyteller guiding the audience through various dances of the African Diaspora in the Dance Immersion Showcase Presentation’s Saturday matinee. full story Cross Gender Performance: Dispelling the Binary CanAsian Dance Festival 2006 Toronto: June 8-11 by Bridget Cauthery Transformations: Expressions of Gender Roles in Asian Dance, presented by CanAsian Dance (June 8-11th, 2006), was like opening a jewellery box of precious gems or discovering buried treasure. full story Encounter Overflow Canada Dance Festival 2006: Environmental Encounters Ottawa: June 2-10 by Marie Claire Forté “Encounter great dance,” announced the 2006 Canada Dance Festival (CDF). Returning from a pared-down 2004 edition, Artistic Director Brian Webb presented a full program, complete with theatre performances, Dance Dialogues (a series of morning discussions and presentations) and Environmental Encounters (outdoor performances). full story The Honesty of an Artist (unsolicited) "Absences" by Serge Bennathan for Dancemakers Toronto: April 25 - May 6 by Megan Andrews Space, silence, absence. Moments of suspended emptiness punctuate the robust joy, delicate care and aching grief in “Absences”, Serge Bennathan’s last work as artistic director of Toronto’s Dancemakers. full story Fragments of Mind ”she’s gone away” by Susanna Hood Toronto: April 23-30 by Lindsay Zier-Vogel A horse, a gorilla, a snake and a fiendish beast; a young girl, a storyteller, a go-go dancer; a teapot, a napkin, and a cast of chairs are all brought together in Susanna Hood’s latest performance, “she’s gone away”, a theatrical dance and sound work that explores female sexual awakening. full story | view responses Driven by Plot not Desire “A Streetcar Named Desire” by John Alleyne for Ballet BC Vancouver: April 6-8, 2006 by Kaija Pepper It looks good and sounds great. “A Streetcar Named Desire”, by Ballet British Columbia’s artistic director, John Alleyne, is full of eye-catching, interlacing duets and the fifteen members of Ballet BC perform with confidence and style. full story Celebrating Masculinity and Creole-Canadian Dance “Breaking Out” by Patrick Parson for Ballet Creole Toronto: March 30-April 1, 2006 by Fresh from drinking in the National Ballet of Canada’s recent Balanchine season where works like “Rubies” and “Theme and Variations” stood for deep appreciation of the female form, my mind still echoes with the oft-repeated Balanchine quote “ballet is woman”. What a splashy switch then to soak up Patrick Parson’s premiere for members of his Ballet Creole company, an all-male ballet entitled “Breaking Out”. full story The Weight of Aggression “Lost Action” by Crystal Pite (Kidd Pivot) Vancouver: March 24-April 1, 2006 by Kaija Pepper It’s dark, full of whispers and loss. It’s also muscular and aggressive, pervaded by a sense of danger. Crystal Pite’s “Lost Action”, which premiered at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre as the closing show of the Vancouver International Dance Festival, makes a serious and emotionally gripping statement about conflict. full story A Butoh Classic “Sunyata” by Kokoro Dance at the Vancouver International Dance Festival Vancouver: March 21-25, 2006 by Kaija Pepper Who knew it would last? When Jay Hirabayashi and Barbara Bourget of Kokoro Dance launched the Vancouver International Dance Festival in 1998, it was a showcase for international butoh artists. For the first few years, attendance was dismal. Some of the shows were good, some appalling; but looked at in hindsight, audiences were getting a fantastic grounding in the art of butoh. full story Intersections, Overcrossings “The Part” by Antonija Livingstone at the Edgy Women International Festival Montréal: March 17th, 2006 by Philip Szporer Lean, bleached-blond, with legs that go on and on, Antonija Livingstone cuts a striking figure. “The Part” is a work that she’s currently touring. Last year it played in an earlier incarnation at Montréal’s Tangente on a double-bill with George Stamos, and now it appears for one night only in Studio 303’s Edgy Women Festival full story The Sight (Site) of Motion "Vortex 1" by Van Grimde Corps Secrets/Le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne Montréal: Montréal: Feb 22-25, 2006 by Philip Szporer Van Grimde Corps Secret’s latest production, “Vortex 1”, is just the latest in a series of Montréal dance concerts that have featured live musicians onstage, and in close proximity to the audience. full story What can you say about love? "The Betrayal Project" by Julia Sasso Dances Toronto: Jan. 31-Feb. 1 by Kathleen M. Smith What can you say about love, lust and sex that hasn’t already been said in a million different ways in a multitude of media? This is the fundamental dilemma that must underpin any discussion of Julia Sasso’s new full-length exploration of eros: “The Betrayal Project”. full story The Innocence of Schoolgirls Toronto: Feb. 9-11, 2006 by Suzanne Jaeger Yvonne Ng’s two-part work, “Signs” is a well-mixed suspension of text, movement, music and percussion in a fluid performance of theatrical dance. Katherine Duncanson composed a new score for the first dance “Paper Women”, and Lee Pui Ming created a work for “Emerald Lies”. Ng also invited poet Lindsay Zier-Vogel to contribute to the creative process... full story Pushing Past the Comfort Zone “Lost Pigeons” by David Pressault Danse Montréal: Jan 25-Feb 4, 2006 by Philip Szporer For David Pressault’s Danse-Cité production, “Lost Pigeons”, the dancer-choreographer uses the symbol of the sexy pigeon as his central image to probe today’s lost generation of lovers who see relationships slipping away. full story Three Exceptional Women Dances for a Small Stage XII Vancouver: January 30-31, 2006 by Kaija Pepper Dances for a Small Stage takes place in a bar, the Crush Champagne Lounge on downtown Granville Street, just a few steps away from The Dance Centre. The bar venue is crucial to the success of the popular series, which is produced by Day Helesic and Julie-anne Saroyan of MovEnt, because having a good time is what Small Stage is all about. full story Rhythmic Confrontation “Exit” by Dominique Porte (Système D) Montréal: Jan 18-28, 2006 by Philip Szporer Confrontational and contained, Dominique Porte’s Exit, features music compositions by four Canadian composers – James Harley, Nicolas Gilbert, Michael Oesterle and Howard Bashaw – with Véronique Lacroix of the Ensemble contemporain de Montréal directing the live performances of percussionist Philip Hornsley and pianist Pamela Reimer. full story It Dances as a Whole “5 AM” by Paula de Vasconcelos of Pigeons International, at PuSh International Performing Arts Festival Vancouver: January 18-21, 2006 by Kaija Pepper The rhythmic flow and poetic abstraction of “5 AM” (“5 Heures du Matin”) lends the whole of Paula de Vasconcelos’ well-produced and visually outstanding dance/theatre work a polished choreographic feel. Yet the pure dance sections themselves were disappointing. full story Moments Apart, Together “Au coeur de l’inconnu/At The Heart of The Unknown” by Andrew de L. Harwood and Kirstie Simson Montréal: Nov 12 by Philip Szporer A couple of comments linger long after watching the performance of Andrew de Lotbinère Harwood and Kirstie Simson, both accomplished dancer/improvisers. Prior to attending the concert, which occurred during the recent CORD (Congress on Research in Dance) conference in Montréal, one of the speakers, an academic from the United States, asked what was playing in town that night, and I mentioned the show at Studio 303. Her response was curt: “Oh, is [Harwood] still doing that?” That not-so-gentle put-down was countered by a woman who exited the show, remarking, “[Simson] has managed to take him far beyond what he normally does.” full story Seriously Improvising “Thirst” by Peter Bingham and Wen Wei Wang at Dance in Vancouver Vancouver: November 16th and 19th by Kaija Pepper The partnership of Peter Bingham and Wen Wei Wang is a surprising one. Bingham is an older dancer, in his mid-fifties, and widely known as a master of contact improvisation. Wang, fourteen years younger, studied Chinese dance from a young age, was a member of Ballet British Columbia for several years and has a growing reputation as a contemporary choreographer. full story A Ballet with Teeth “Dracula” by Mark Godden for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Winnipeg: Oct 19-23, 2005 by Garth Von Buchholz Mark Godden’s Dracula is a twentieth-century Goth guy (the dance premiered in 1999) tricked out in nineteenth-century vampire garb. He’s been clever enough to get himself a film deal (Guy Maddin’s “Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary”) that garnered rave reviews around the world. full story Finding Entertainment in an Artist’s Obsessions "bODY_rEMIX/gOLDBERG_vARIATIONS" by Marie Chouinard for Compagnie Marie Chouinard Toronto: November 3, 2005 by Suzanne Jaeger It is not that Chouinard has run out of ideas. “bODY rEMIX” is a rich, wildly entertaining compilation of playful associations, sensual and erotic imagery and stunning virtuosic dancing enhanced by a cleverly woven mesh of percussive sounds, music, recorded speech, breathy sighs, grunts, orgasmic gasps and squeals. full story Physical Resonance “Play It Again!” by Danièle Desnoyers for Le Carré des Lombes Montréal: Oct 5-15, 2005 by Philip Szporer Danièle Desnoyers’ new work, “Play It Again!”, is detached from narrative. Well mostly: there’s the resonance of tough guy Humphrey Bogart’s famous line in the film classic Casablanca, indelibly linked to tinkling the ivories. full story Fierce Courage “Speed” by Suzanne Miller and Allan Paivio for Magali Stoll and Karsten Kroll Montréal: September 19-24 by Fritzraven Sky Montrealers received a singular invitation to the dance last month from Rafik Sabbagh, artistic director of Transatlantique 2005 (September 19th through 24th). The six-day moveable feast featured some leading lights of the past decade, and the premiere of Suzanne Miller and Allan Paivio’s stunning new work, “Speed”, danced to transcendent perfection by the unforgettable duo of Magali Stoll and Karsten Kroll… *This review was delayed due to unforseen circumstances. full story | view responses Dancing the Architecture "Full Time at the Belgo" by Lin Snelling Montréal: October 1st by Philip Szporer Lin Snelling and her assembled troupe did a fine job of imagining the Belgo building in “Full Time at the Belgo” (“FTATB”). The stage for the innovative site-specific dance project was the vast, six-storey fixture itself, located at Saint Catherine Street West and Bleury. Dancers explored the architecture of the building and their bodies, and the public was invited along for the ride. full story Tranquility, Destruction, Struggle, Amusement: Four Choreographers, Four Very Different Dances Four at the Winch: New Choreography by Sara Porter, Andrea Nann, Valerie Calam and Louis Laberge-Côté Toronto: October 5-8, 2005 by Suzanne Jaeger A musician sits at the far left of the stage with a banjo and percussive instruments including bowls of water. In front of him is a small boat, “dry docked” with colourful nets hanging from it. Invoking familiar images of a seaside beach, a life jacket and bucket hang from ropes dropped from the fly, and at the front, seashells of various sizes and shapes are piled on the floor. The dance begins with … full story Not Wisely But Too Well “Othello” by Tom Stroud for Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers Winnipeg: September 22-24, 2005 by Garth Von Buchholz Of “Othello” the play and “Othello” the dance, you could say that “so sweet was ne’er so fatal”. The Canadian premiere of Tom Stroud’s “Othello”, performed by Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers (WCD), was a bleak and emotionally exhausting experiment in unstructured, improvised dance theatre. full story Reading Dance Nanaimo Infringing Dance Festival Nanaimo, BC: September 15-18, 2005 by Robin J. Miller Nanaimo, BC -- about an hour-and-a-half’s drive north from Victoria on Vancouver Island -- is not anybody’s idea of a chic, urban centre. It doesn’t even have a downtown Starbucks. What it does have is a contemporary dance festival, when other, much larger and ostensibly more dance-friendly cities have lost theirs. full story That Rare Breed Called Soloist Chasing Bliss by Jolene Bailie for Cuppa Jo Solo Dance Vancouver: September 10-18, 2005 by Kaija Pepper It’s not easy to be a solo dancer, filling out a program and keeping the audience engaged and focussed all by yourself. Margie Gillis does it brilliantly; so does Peggy Baker. And so does the up-and-coming Jolene Bailie. full story | view responses Season: 2004-2005 An Act of the Heart"Liberamae" by Louis-Martin Charest Montreal: June 15-19, 2005 by Philip Szporer The night I arrived in the lobby of the Monument National for the performance of Louis-Martin Charest’s new work, “Liberamae”, I was taken aback by the crowd that had assembled for the performance. Montréal establishment types, in pearls and fitted suits, were shoulder to shoulder with folks from both the ranks of the ballet and contemporary dance communities. Everyone seemed to take great delight in being there for the show. full story A Ceremonial Event “Percy Gladstone Memorial Dance (The Skidegate Project)” by the Karen Jamieson Dance Company at the Dancing on the Edge Festival Vancouver: Museum of Anthropology, July 12-16, 2005 by Kaija Pepper The good news from the Edge is that it got off to a great start. Margie Gillis, the opening headliner for the 17th annual Dancing on the Edge Festival of Contemporary Dance, drew excellent houses for both nights of her “Voyages Into the Interior Landscape”. Gillis appeared at the mid-sized, close to 700-seat Vancouver Playhouse, an upscale, downtown theatre, and to see it well filled and bustling made for a festive launch to the ten-day event. full story The Force of Water (unsolicited submission) “Swept Away” by Mari Osanai for Mile Zero Dance May 27th: Edmonton by Sherry Dawn Knettle Mile Zero Dance’s annual Dance Lab Performance had an unexpectedly large audience for its informal showing of “Swept Away”, choreographed by Japan’s Mari Osanai. The result of a one-month workshop, this Dance Lab was exceptional because the work developed into a completed piece rather than the intended work-in-progress. full story Absorbing All Boundaries The 15th Annual Festival of New Dance St. John’s, Newfoundland: June 21-26, 2005 by Rachel Cowal Two premieres, both of Newfoundland works; a six-day schedule of three repeating programs in venues throughout downtown St. John’s; and fourteen free shows, in such unexpected/found spaces as churchyard trees and high-end clothing boutiques. The Festival of New Dance’s fifteenth anniversary spread also incorporated “Momenta”, which ran throughout the festival at LSPU Hall. full story Festival de theatre des Amériques "100 Rencontres" by Benoît Lachambre, par b.l.eux and "In Side" & "Aura" by Stéphane Gladyszewski Montréal: May 25-29, 2005 / May 30-31, June 1-2, 2005 by Philip Szporer "100 Rencontres" by Benoît Lachambre, par b.l.eux May 25-29, 2005 Société des arts technologies (SAT) "In Side" & "Aura" by Stéphane Gladyszewski May 30-31, June 1-2, 2005 Tangente full story Gods and Dance Know Space and Time "Vivarta -- Manifestations of Vishnu" and "HowZaat!" by Lata Pada for Sampradaya Dance Creations Vancouver: June 10-11, 2005 by Kaija Pepper For her latest project, choreographer Lata Pada travelled to India to hold auditions. The artistic director of Toronto-based Sampradaya Dance Creations was in search of full-time professional bharata natyam dancers, a rare breed in Canada. full story Sita's Journey to Canada "Sitayana -- Sita's Story" by Menaka Thakkar Dance Company Toronto: May 12-15, 2005 by By Nova Bhattacharya The Menaka Thakkar Dance Company's presentation of "Sitayana -- Sita's Story" from May 12-15, 2005 at the Betty Oliphant Theatre, Toronto, was a virtuoso production of a dance drama in the bharatanatyam style. full story A Double Handful New Crop of Dancefilms Premiere at FIFA Montréál: March 2005 by Kathleen M. Smith Montréal’s Festival international du film sur l'art (FIFA) launched its 23rd edition this past March at venues all over town. In addition to profiles of artists, films by artists and documentaries about creative process and art history, FIFA regularly premieres a double handful of dancefilms and docs about dance. This year’s crop was particularly accomplished. full story A Savvy Program dance Immersion 2005 Toronto: April 14-16 by Paula Citron Somewhere toward the end of dance Immersion, this writer had an epiphany. No matter how stirring the traditional African drumming and dancing, or how stylish a tap routine, or how attractive the synchronization of energetic b-girls, or how charming the Caribbean folklore, it was the contemporary choreography that gave substance to the evening. full story | view responses First, A Comedy RIFF, a program of works by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg and Day Helesic Burnaby, B.C.: May 6-7, 2005 by Kaija Pepper Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg is half man. On her father’s side, going way back. Also, she tells us at the start of “BANGER”, she married a man. Amazing, eh? Who better, then, to explore the contemporary male than Friedenberg? full story Undulating, Overlapping: Stories in Motion "Bird" by Sarah Chase Montréal: April 26-30, 2005 by Philip Szporer The graceful words and movement of Sarah Chase intermingle with wonder and loss. She is a keen observer of her surroundings and explains, "I don't choose the work, the work chooses me. I try to notice what's knocking at my door." Formerly from Toronto, Chase recently returned to her West Coast roots with a move to Hornby Island in British Columbia. Dances and stories start percolating in her, linked to a particular place and particular events full story Contemporary Connections: Dance and Nature Indigenous Dancelands, a program of works by aboriginal artists Regina: April 23, 2005 by Gregory C. Beatty Presented by New Dance Horizons (Regina), Peterborough New Dance and Tangente (Montréal) under the auspices of CanDance Network, Indigenous Dancelands offered a fascinating amalgam of traditional First Nations and contemporary Western dance practices. Featured was the premiere of Saskatchewan-based filmmaker Anthony Dieter's Show-Down; Manitowapan by Montréal-based choreographer Gaetan Gingras; Elmer and Coyote, which was co-choreographed by Byron Chief-Moon (Alberta) and Karen Jamieson (British Columbia); and an excerpt from Ontario dance artist Santee Smith's Kaha-Wi. full story Turning Up the Heat ¡BULLA! By Hannah Stilwell and Kimberley Cooper for Decidedly Jazz Danceworks Victoria: April 5-6, 2005 by Robin J. Miller It’s too bad Victoria doesn’t get snow, because it would have been fun to watch it melt under the heat of "¡BULLA!", the latest full-length show from Calgary’s Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, subtitled “A Loud Cuban Jazz Experiment.” And loud it was. Also raucous and sexy and colourful, and very definitely hot. full story Vancouver International Dance Festival Produced by Kokoro Dance Roundhouse Community Centre: March 8-26, 2005 by Kaija Pepper The fifth Vancouver International Dance Festival at the Roundhouse Community Centre took place from March 8-26, 2005 full story Mixed Blessings Platform 33 in works by Muñoz, Itoh and Bédard Toronto: Dancemakers Centre for Creation: Mar. 3-5 by Kathleen M. Smith There hasn't been a Toronto show in recent memory to spawn as many heated and diverse opinions as the recent Danceworks show featuring commissioned work for a new collective called Platform 33. Audience members on the evening I attended seemed to position themselves all along the spectrum. I love when that happens, because it usually means a chord of some kind has been struck. full story Introspective Expressions Sa Geste: Sasha Ivanochko and Audrey Lehouillier Montréal: Tangente, Mar. 10-13, 2005 by Philip Szporer Sasha Ivanochko and Audrey Lehouillier are a study in contrasts. Together on the same bill, they explore the inner lives of women, but also show their differences to good measure. On a triple bill, along with Japanese-based dancer-choreographer Kunie Suzuki, they performed their own solo works at Tangente's annual celebration of women in dance, SaGeste, a program that coincides with International Women's Week. full story Dancers and Gemstones CanAsian Dance Festival Program B Toronto: February 24, Premiere Dance Theatre by Kathleen M. Smith Great dancers are like gemstones. Fully experiencing their brilliance can depend on the sensitivity and fit of the setting they've been given by the choreographer, composer, set designer etc. When everything is up to the standard such artists can inspire, excitement ensues; mess up with the setting and it feels like a crime against art. full story Of Loss and Healing "Grace" by Eryn Dace Trudell Toronto: Winchester Street Theatre, Feb. 25, 2005 by Kathleen M. Smith Sometimes, dance is very good at capturing the zeitgeist. Eryn Dace Trudell's "Grace", is a memorial to her aunt Grace McDace Barker, who passed away from breast cancer in 2002. It is an overt and intimate treatment of the subject. full story | view responses The Birthday Edition Twelve Minutes Max XXX Vancouver: Firehall Arts Centre, Feb. 22-23, 2005 by Kaija Pepper Twelve Minutes Max has had a long haul as a dance series goes. The inaugural 12 MM took place in December 1994 but its roots go back a few years further. Anne Cooper remembers the mixed bill's precursor, an informal community event held at Main Dance Place in the Arcadian Hall at Main Street and 6th Avenue. It was called Shoeless Saturday because everyone had to take their shoes off before entering the studio. In the early nineties, Cooper danced in one of those shows and, during a telephone conversation, told me she always meant to do another. But it was only now that she had the right project at the right time. full story Sharing Time "Lwáza" by Zab Maboungou, Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata Montréal: Feb. 17-25 by Philip Szporer In Lwáza ("chatting" in the language of the Kongo people) dancer-choreographer-philosopher Zab Maboungou has created a terrific piece. It's a mesmerizing work for three dancers and two musicians that challenges the notion of gesture and the meaning of origin and raises the question of accessibility. Maboungou sets the tone immediately. In the entryway to the theatre, shoes are dispensed with, and we walk into the performance space in stocking feet. The intimate stage is surrounded on three sides by staggered seating. The tone in the room is hushed. The lights are dim and eventually fade to black as the dancers (Patrick Bayne, Karla Étienne and Marielle Mencé) and the drummers (premier percussionist Dominic Dankor, former member of the National Dance Company of Ghana, and the equally dexterous Haitian-born musician Makumbé) take to the stage. full story Interior Worlds "I'm Standing Here Before You" by Brian Webb and "Still" by Tania Alvarado Edmonton: Jan. 21, 2005 by Pamela Anthony It's characteristic of Brian Webb to offer the complex contradictions of his work with extreme simplicity. This quality is particularly evident in his latest performance, "I'm standing here before you", a modern and highly theatrical event that involves spoken text, extensive video art, five on-stage musicians and a very tall red ladder. In "Still", there is a submerged urgency to Alvarado's almost idiosyncratic choreography, a questioning quality in the alternating sections of quiet reflective moments, and the bursts of whiplash head movement, twirling and rhythmic flicking of the legs. Her work is grounded through the feet, and the tensile strength and energy of her body finds voice in the intricate articulation of her arms and hands. full story Taking Turns Telling Tales Double Story by Crystal Pite and Richard Siegal Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Feb. 15-19, 2005 by Kaija Pepper "Double Story" is just that -- two stories. The first is "The Bouncy Woman Piece" by Richard Siegal, an American; the second, "Man Asunder" by Vancouver's Crystal Pite. Both highly theatrical duets, performed by Siegal and Pite, feature dancing that is meticulously inscribed in space with long limbs and precise intention. full story A Quorum of Collaborators Social Studies/Sciences Sociales Montréal: Jan 26-29, Feb 2-5; Vancouver International Dance Festival: March 24-26 by Philip Szporer The idea for Social Studies/Sciences Sociales surfaced when, back in 2001, Danse-Cité director Daniel Soulières danced with Ziyian Kwan in David Pressault's work, "Violet". He came away from that experience with a tenacious desire to unleash a platform for contemporary dancers from Vancouver teamed with choreographers from Montréal. Then he met another terrific, fluent Vancouver dance artist, Susan Elliott. Fellow Vancouverite John Ottmann became the third artist to join the East-meets-West project. (The trio also became known as a new collective, Quorum.) full story Poetic Craftsmanship O Vertigo in Ginette Laurin's "Passare" Toronto: February 15-19, 2005 by Kathleen M. Smith Believe it or not, there are some perks to getting older. For most of us, achieving a semblance of peace of mind finally seems possible after the sometimes-inappropriate mania of youth has passed. For artists, continuous creation over a long period results in work that can't help having depth; the palette is at its broadest, the decision-making process is at its most refined. Confidence rather than cockiness prevails. full story "I was looking at the ceiling and THEN I SAW THE SKY" Choreography by Nicole Mion, Performed by Lori Duncan and Natalie Poissant, Original Composition: Amir Amiri Presented in conjunction with One Yellow Rabbit's High Performance Rodeo, January 28-30, 2005 by Nicole Mion's latest work, "I was looking at the ceiling and THEN I SAW THE SKY", is at once a musing on flight, performance, fear and exhilaration. It is a production packed with elements as diverse as industrial fluorescent lighting strapped on the dancers' backs to spoken descriptions of the mechanics of flight. It is a multi-disciplinary smorgasbord, whose title comes from a survivor of 1994's Northridge, California, earthquake, which injured more than 9,000 and killed fifty-one. full story Liquid and Vapour "INKCrossfade2AIR": a mixed program of works by Andrea Nann and Lydia Wagerer Toronto: Dec. 9-11 by Lindsay Zier-Vogel In a co-production by DanceWorks CoWorks Series and dance: made in Canada/fait au Canada (d:mic/fac), presenter Yvonne Ng brought together Toronto's Andrea Nann and Quebec City's Lydia Wagerer in an intimate evening of choreography, entitled "INKCrossfade2AIR", that explores both grace and intimacy in their extremities. In all three pieces, the audience witnesses the process of engaged transformation. full story Paper, Fire and a Dying Swan "A Fabulous Disaster" by Denise Clarke Vancouver: Firehall Arts Centre, Nov. 9-13, 2004 by Kaija Pepper For most of "A Fabulous Disaster", Denise Clarke wears a white paper jumpsuit, with a white hood covering her head. Her costume puffs out around her, making her look bigger than she really is. Clarke's body language, too, is bigger, more expansive. Her movement has a power that is not just the result of heavy black work boots. There is also something about her upper body, the muscular way she swings her shoulders and lifts her arms. Her hand gestures are weighted and firm; her fingers punch and jab. full story between and beyond invisible borders, a mixed program of works by Louise Bédard, Doug Varone and Michael Trent for Michael Trent/the empty collective Toronto: November 4-6 by Sara Porter "invisible borders", presented by the empty collective and Danceworks, ran November 4th through 6th at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre Theatre (formerly duMaurier Theatre Centre). The show was envisioned by dancer/choreographer Michael Trent as an exploration of a "multiplicity of viewpoints" and manifested as a mixed repertory program by choreographers with three contrasting aesthetics and from three different cities: Louise Bédard from Montréal, Doug Varone from New York, and Trent from Toronto - who was also the show's producer and featured performer. The theme of "multiplicity of viewpoints" was further enhanced by the theatre's seating arrangements, with two opposing sections of the audience facing each other across the performing space, giving two distinct perspectives on the dancing. full story | view responses Opposites Attract "Fading Shadows / Returning Echoes", a program of duets for Yvonne Ng and Robert Glumbek by Glumbek, Dominique Dumais and Tedd Robinson Toronto: Oct. 28-30 by Susan Kendal The contrast between tall and small was explored in triplicate in 'Fading Shadows / Returning Echoes', a concert of duets for Yvonne Ng and Robert Glumbek, presented by Ng and her company Tiger Princess Dance Projects. With poignancy and precision, the program of three works featured the dancers' strengths and vulnerabilities, both personal and archetypal. Ng is, by all accounts, a tiny woman with flowing, waist-length hair, while Glumbek is solid and intense, and strikingly bald. Choreographers Glumbek, Dominique Dumais and Tedd Robinson all use the obvious physical extremes between Glumbek and Ng to different ends, from platonic and parental through manipulative and desolate to quirky and otherworldly. full story Four Years, Four Warriors "Drona" by Devraj Patnaik for Chitralekha Odissi Dance Creations Toronto: Sept. 30-Oct. 2 by Catalina Fellay For Chitralekha Odissi Dance Creations, it is the second year of a four-year cycle recounting the ancient Hindu story of four warriors. This year's performance, "Drona", which recounts the story of the Rishi (Sage) Drona in two distinct acts, ran from September 30th to October 2nd at the Leah Posluns Theatre in North York. full story Apricot Trees Exist "Apricot Trees Exist" by Roger Sinha Montréal: Agora de la danse, Oct. 13-16, 20-23 by Philip Szporer Roger Sinha's new work for six dancers, "Apricot Trees Exist", which opened at the Agora de la danse, is reflective, but nonetheless removed from the personal. Now more than ever, the Montréal-based choreographer seems concerned with breaking away from the labels that may have described his work in the past. full story Techno-Divinity? "Grace" by Joe Laughlin and jamie griffiths Vancouver: Scotiabank Dance Centre, Oct. 6-16, 2004 by Kaija Pepper Grace, it would appear, is a rich state of being. According to the traditional hymn, "Amazing Grace", "'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear/And grace my fears relieved&." We say grace before a meal to show thankfulness. The ability to move gracefully is an important skill for a dancer. full story Edges of Life "The Countess of Main Events" by Susie Burpee and "In Silence" by Lesandra Dodson Toronto: September 30 - October 2 by Lindsay Zier-Vogel In 2003, Toronto modern dance company Dancemakers moved to the Distillery Historic District and christened their new home the Dancemakers Centre for Creation. In addition to the company's regular season, Artistic Director Serge Bennathan presents a season of independent artists in the studio theatre and has recently launched a Residency Program for choreographers. In the first program of the 2004 Dancemakers Presents season, Toronto-based artists Susie Burpee and Lesandra Dodson premiered their respective new works "The Countess of Main Events" and "In Silence" from September 30th through October 2nd. Together these works created a physically powerful evening of dance that explored the intimate matters of love, loss and madness. full story Elastic Charisma Victor Quijada's "Slicing Static" for Rubberbandance Group Montréal: Usine C: Sept. 21-25 by Philip Szporer Rubberbandance Group's "Slicing Static" explores dance and theatre, working thematically with the insecurity and the uncertainty of our lives. Choreographer Victor Quijada warms up the audience members as soon as they enter the big open theatre space of Usine C, a former jam factory in the city's east end that is home to the dance-theatre company Carbone 14. It has been totally re-configured for this show. Spectators linger on the dance floor, awaiting access to their seats. A voice on the amplifier announces, "Please listen to the following instructions," in French, English and Spanish. The announcement is made numerous times as the audience shuffles in. full story Multimedia Metamorphosis Karen Kuzak's "Diving Girl" Winnipeg: Gas Station Theatre: Sept. 23-25 by Garth Von Buchholz What happens when you take 1950s-style, post-modern idealist icons of — bathing beauties and synchronized swimmers, then deconstruct them to create a sinewy, subversive dance that transforms the women into something more primal and mythical? full story DNA: Radical, Shmadical "I Know and Feel That Fate is Harsh But I am So Loathe to Accept This" Toronto: June 30-July 4 by Kathleen M. Smith If the world of contemporary dance is a bit of a closed community, not always so welcoming to outsiders who come from other than the conventional channels, the world of classical ballet is more so -- a family compact. You'd better be bringing something pretty special as an offering to the patriarchs if you hope to sit down at the dinner table and be listened to. full story Running Wild Running Wild, a program of works by The Holy Body Tattoo Vancouver: May 13-22, 2004 by Debbie Blaire "Running Wild" by choreographers Noam Gagnon and Dana Gingras was an evening of postmodern angst, featuring short dance performances created by Holy Body Tattoo artistic directors and dancers Dana Gingras and Noam Gagnon for themselves and dancers Day Helesic and Blair Neufeld. The Holy Body Tattoo is internationally known for their multi-media performance work, yet these performances were shorn of props. Music selections, basic white lighting and dry ice swirling discretely were the only physical additions to their exploration of fragility, surrender and broken elegance. This was an evening of dance. full story Patchwork but Persistent Canada Dance Festival 2004 Ottawa: June 3-12 by It's been a rough road for the Canada Dance Festival this year, first facing funding shortfalls, and subsequently narrowing the programming to fourteen performances, down from thirty-one two years ago. Organizers of the tenth edition, not willing to relinquish much else, splashed the slogan "Dare to turn up the heat" in riposte. full story Shoes, Pumpkins and a Paparazzo "Cinderella" by James Kudelka for the National Ballet of Canada Toronto: May 8-16 by Kathleen M. Smith The story of Cinderella and her glass slipper is as old as the hills. Although versions of the story are a cultural phenomenon around the world, we in the West are most familiar with Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tale, Cendrillon, ou la petite pantoufle de verre. That or Disney. Personally I grew up with "bippity boppity boo". And long before my son turned "gangsta", he too was mesmerized by the singing mice and pumpkins of the animated classic. full story TRIALOGUE: Tap Dancing Swans and Other Signs of Intelligent Life Uncollected Work by Crystal Pite for Kidd Pivot Vancouver: November 11-15, 2003 by Imogen Whyte and Mary Kelly with contributions from Crystal Pite Crystal Pite's new show Uncollected Work, by Pite's recently formed modern dance company Kidd Pivot, is presented in two parts and bravely adopts the notion of the creative process as thematic material. Although many writers, visual artists and psychologists have attempted to expose the workings of the inner mind during creative process, we were intrigued to discover how Pite would approach such ideas with movement. What follows is an exploration of our respective understandings of the dance work through dialogue and the writing process. full story Satire and Celebration Stream of Dance Biennale: Thomas Lehmen & Tania Alvarado Regina, SK: April 23-24, 2004 by Gregory C. Beatty Intended by New Dance Horizons as a companion event that will run every second year in place of its more expansive Stream of Dance Festival, this Biennale featured performances by two guest artists: Guatamalan-born, Edmonton-based Tania Alvarado ("Still"); and Thomas Lehmen ("mono subjects") whose touring company hails from Berlin. As originally commissioned, this review was to focus on "Still". But as I organized my thoughts in preparation for writing, I was struck by both the parallels and disjunctions between Alvarado and Lehmen's works. full story Thinking/Moving -- Moving/Thinking "I Seem To Be A Verb" by Susan Elliott Vancouver: April 27-May 1, 2004 by Kaija Pepper There are a lot of ideas floating around in Susan Elliott's first full-length choreography, "I Seem To Be A Verb". Not all of them surface, and the choreography is probably many works in one. Almost managing to hold the hour together is an interesting subtext: the act of creation, as experienced by a choreographer still getting used to the job. Examining the artist's role is a legitimate concern, if a trifle inward-looking. full story Painter/Cartographer -- Dancer/Storyteller "Portraits/Mapping" by Sarah Chase Toronto: May 6-8 by Lindsay Zier-Vogel Sarah Chase paints portraits without paint and creates maps with no arrow pointing north. Instead she replaces brushstrokes with spoken stories and degrees of latitude with movement - her own gestural vocabulary. In "Portraits/Mapping", Chase exposes the circularity of memory, the weight of small details and the significance of personal histories. She traces a dense map of three people -- Gust, Renate and Marc -- through candid stories and expansive, articulate gestures. This union of words and movement is disarmingly poignant, a language that speaks louder than words alone ever could. full story Deconstructing Hitchcock "Blackmail" choreographed by Deborah Dunn / Trial & Eros Montréal: April 15-17 by Philip Szporer "Blackmail" is Deborah Dunn's first full-length choreography since "The Birds". Here, she isn't pirating, but rather is inspired to deconstruct another Alfred Hitchcock film. With his 1929 original film version of "Blackmail", Hitch -- not yet at the height of his powers -- set out to direct a more or less conventional thriller about a detective investigating a grisly murder/blackmail scheme. However, Dunn's talent flourishes when she doesn't play straight with the source material. full story >>SUBMIT A REVIEW to The Dance Current |
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February 04, 2012
            
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