Organizers of Toronto’s international dance festival, Fall For Dance North, held a public audition with award-winning American choreographer, Charles Moulton, for an exciting 72-person Ball Passing project which will debut at Toronto’s third annual Fall For Dance North international dance festival this October 4-6 at The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.
This choreographed routine is part-dance, part-game and part-moving puzzle. It is community-oriented art in the form of a living Rubik’s Cube, demonstrating the ways in which people can cooperate to manifest a complex and interdependent structure.
Charles Moulton is a widely acclaimed Choreographer, Visual Artist and Writer living in Oakland, California. He has created works on dance companies all over the world and is choreographer of the Matrix Reloaded.
More than 200 people auditioned for one of 72 spots. The group of people selected is very diverse, ranging in age from 11 to 70 years old and were made up of Art lovers, dancers and retired dances and those who have participated in ball passing with Charles Moulton among others.
What is Ball Passing you ask?
Ball Passing is grounded in the basic act of passing a ball from one person to the next. Teams of participants, organized in groups divisible by three, stand in rows on bleachers and pass brightly coloured, 4″ soft foam balls, creating complex visual and temporal patterns. The action of passing a ball is extremely simple, yet the organization of the work—the rhythmic patterns and physical configurations—is exceedingly complex.
Commissioned Public Audition Piece – photo by Francesca Chudnoff
Commissioned Public Audition Piece – photo by Francesca Chudnoff
Click here to view video for reference
Tickets are available for $15 (plus $1.50 service charge and order/delivery fee) and can be purchased in person at the Sony Centre Box Office (Monday-Friday from noon-5pm) at 1 Front Street East, over the phone at 1-855-872-SONY (7669), or online at www.sonycentre.ca. This year FFDN is also hosting an opening night party where audience members can celebrate with festival artists in the Sony Centre’s main lobby with DJs, a cash bar and tasty food vendors. Party tickets are $25 and are open to anyone holding any festival ticket. New this year is a $60 Festival Pass, which includes one ticket to each of the evening programs and the opening night party.
Mix Mix Dance Collective_Photo by Jesse Catibog
Photos in this post credited to Francesca Chudnoff, Regina Brocke and Jesse Catibog.
Full Program details below
Program 1: Wednesday, October 4, 7:30pm
Dance Company: Mix Mix Dance Collective with live music by DJ Classic Roots
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Dance Style: House/Waacking/Hip-hop
Country of Origin: Canada (Toronto)
Website: http://mixmixdancecollective.weebly.com/ – www.classic-roots.com
Repertoire: Follow Me by Emily Law and Ashley Perez with contributions from the performers – Mix Mix Dance Collective will perform the new work Follow Me which features an all-female cast and is being created for the 2017 Games of La Francophonie in Abidjan, where they are selected to be part of Team Canada as part of a cultural component! Their motivation for competing in these games is to establish the equal place of women within streetdance culture and to celebrate the excellence in artistry, athleticism, and expression Canada has to offer. At FFDN only, the group will perform with live music by DJ Classic Roots, who brings the sexy heartbeat of the boreal north to life with his unique brand of Electronica and pow wow techno.
About: Mix Mix Dance Collective is outrageous, fierce and thoughtful in their investigation of diversity in movement, music and art practice. With a current Canadian take on street dance, the collective represents their forte in the clubs and on the stage. The artists of Mix Mix Dance Collective have been extensively training, performing, teaching and competing in various street dance forms for over 10 years. They are now ready to share their love of these underrepresented dances forms with a wider audience.
Press Quote: “The vivacity, dedication and love shown on stage…calls to every generation” – Amy Strizic, Amy on the Fringe.
Performance: Children of Chaos by Robert Binet (Choreographic Associate, The National Ballet of Canada), with live music by John Kameel Farah
WORLD PREMIERE, FFDN COMMISSION WITH LIVE MUSIC
Dance Style: Ballet
Country of Origin: Canada (Toronto)/Various
Website: www.robertbinet.net – www.johnfarah.com
Repertoire: Children of Chaos, performed by Canadian dancers Martin ten Kortenaar and Jessica Xuan (Dutch National Ballet), Alexander Bozinoff and Liam Redhead (Royal Danish Ballet), Frances Chung (San Francisco Ballet), and Patrick Frenette (American Ballet Theater), with live music by Berlin-based Canadian musician John Kameel Farah. This new work brings together a group of Canadian dancers having exciting careers abroad to perform together in Toronto, many of them for the first time. Binet’s piece draws ideas and emotional situations from passages of Renata Adler’s novel Speedboat and is set to excerpts from pianist and composer John Kameel Farah’s latest album Time Sketches, which will be performed live.
About: Robert Binet is a choreographer and has created works for The National Ballet of Canada, The Royal Ballet, The New York City Ballet, The Dutch National Ballet, Company Wayne McGregor and more. He was the first Royal Ballet Choreographic Apprentice at The Royal Opera House from 2012-2013 and was appointed Choreographic Associate with The National Ballet of Canada in 2013.
Press Quote: “Binet moves powerfully against the grain of expectation” – Apollinaire Sherr, The Financial Times
Dance Company: Zata Omm Dance Projects with live music by Nagata Shachu
Dance Style: Modern
Country of Origin: Canada (Toronto)
Website: www.zataomm.org – www.nagatashachu.com
Repertoire: The Four Heavenly Kings by William Yong with live music by Nagata Shachu — The Four Heavenly Kings is a strongly architectural choreography from 2007 with an emphasis on rhythmic musicality and physicality. The piece is an engaging, movement-driven work that provides a compelling modern twist on the fables of the mythical kings found in the Buddhist tradition, who each guard one cardinal direction and protect the world from evil. The work is being remounted especially for FFDN with a new cast, and for the very first time with live music, performed by Toronto-based Taiko drumming group Nagata Shachu.
About: Founded in 2005 by Artistic Director William Yong, Zata Omm (Zen And The Actualization Of Modern Movement) has spent the past decade breaking new ground by collaborating with scientists, artists, and engineers in bold and innovative ways to re-imagine dance for our technological age. William Yong has made the award-winning organization a site for research focusing on the integration of dance, technology and broader culture. He has created more than 69 dance works worldwide which have been presented by major presenters or in renowned festivals.
Press Quote: “…starred four superbly talented male dancers…The piece was athletically charged, energetic and extremely creative and innovative…Yong is on his way to redefining contemporary dance.” – Rachel Kellogg, The Strand
Dance Company: BJM – Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal
TORONTO PREMIERE
Dance Style: Contemporary Ballet
Country of Origin: Canada (Montréal)
Website: http://www.bjmdanse.ca/
Repertoire: O Balcao de Amor by Itzik Galili — Set to classic Cuban mambo music by Perez Prado, O Balcao de Amor is an energetic piece infused with comedic wit and joyful absurdity. In this work, Galili invites us to escape into a dreamlike idyll: to reencounter the simple joys and hopes of childhood. The piece is a magical, sensory experience that will transport the FFDN audience to the world of Caribbean dance.
About: An internationally renowned repertory company, BJM has continued to grow with all the energy and spirit of exploration for which it has been known since its birth in 1972. Thanks to the enduring faith of Geneviève Salbaing and co-founders Eva Von Gencsy and Eddy Toussaint, this vitality has made its mark through the years. Since Louis Robitaille was nominated Artistic Director in 1998, BJM is now, more than ever, in tune with the times. While preserving the essence of the company, BJM works today with some of the most prestigious figures in the world of dance and contemporary ballet. Celebrating the national and international success of BJM, FFDN will feature the company in Program 1 and 2 with two different pieces.
Dance Company: Gauthier Dance // Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart
TORONTO DEBUT
Dance Style: Contemporary
Country of Origin: Germany
Repertoire: Violoncello by Nacho Duato — Nacho Duato’s full-length ballet Multiplicity. Forms of Silence and Emptiness is a choreographic reflection on the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach. It is from this work that the pas de deux Violoncello comes, in which the dancer (Bach) strokes his partner with a bow as if playing a cello, while she in turn surrenders completely to his control.
About: Gauthier Dance // Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart is a young, dynamic company of sixteen highly individual dancers, founded and directed by the choreographer and musician Eric Gauthier, who is originally from Montréal and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto. Gauthier Dance, which is attached to the Theaterhaus Stuttgart, is committed to the promotion and development of contemporary dance and presents contemporary dance by Gauthier and internationally renowned choreographers such as William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Itzik Galili, Paul Lightfoot/Sol León and Hans van Manen. Following its foundation in October 2007, the company rapidly established itself as an international brand and performs regularly to sold-out houses in place such as Munich, Berlin, Madrid, Luxembourg, Winterthur, Moscow, Vicenza, Bangkok and Seoul. Celebrating the international success of Gauthier Dance, FFDN will feature the company in Program 1, 2 and 3 with four different pieces.
Performance: 72-Person Ball Passing by Charles Moulton
WORLD PREMIERE, FFDN COMMISSION
Dance Style: Modern/Community
Country of Origin: Canada (Toronto)
Website: http://ballpassing.org/
Repertoire: FFDN is commissioning the largest ball passing project thus far, with 72 participants including dancers and a true cross-section of Toronto’s singularly diverse citizenry. With the help of American choreographer Charles Moulton, 72 Canadians from all walks of life will perform an intricate dance showcasing the collaboration and complexity of community and speaking to the key value that when we work together, we are more than the sum of our parts. This monumental piece closes each program of FFDN 2017.
About: Created in 1979 for three performers Ball Passing was an immediate critical and popular success. It is widely considered a masterpiece of post-modern dance and has been performed by teams of 9, 18, 25, 36 48 and 60 performers – many whom had no previous performance experience.
Photos from the Toronto auditions: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fd15dit43drkdvz/AADXm8MmbZUb9Xex0Hk9IjXsa?dl=0
***
Program 2: Thursday, October 5, 7:30pm
Performance: Reflections of an Irish Journey, performed by Michaela Hinds, Choreographed by Yzanne Noone, with live music by Pat King (accordion) and Brian Grant (piano).
WORLD PREMIERE, FFDN COMMISSION WITH LIVE MUSIC
Dance Style: Traditional Irish
Country of Origin: Canada (Toronto)
Website: http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/irish-dancing-champion-canadian-1.4069908
Repertoire: Seven-time world champion Irish dancer Michaela Hinds brings the world of competitive Irish dance to the stage in Reflections of an Irish Journey by Yzanne Noone, her first festival performance. Marking her retirement from this intensely rigorous art form, Reflections celebrates Michaela’s artistic journey alongside the rich living traditions and histories of Irish dance, through the techniques of solo soft and hard shoe step dances.
About: Michaela Marie Siegmund-Hinds was born in 1995 in Brampton, ON. She started Irish dancing at age 3. Michaela’s mother Catherine Hinds, who was born in Belfast, Ireland, was also a dancer herself. In her Irish dance career, Michaela has achieved more than any other Canadian to date. Presently, she is a 12-time Canadian Champion, 10-time North American Champion, 5-time Great Britain Champion, 4-time All-Ireland Champion, and 4-time All Scotland Champion. She is the reigning Senior Ladies World Champion and has won the World Championships 7 times. She is currently studying Kinesiology and Health Promotion at Sheridan College.
Dance Company: BJM – Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal
Repertoire: Kosmos by Andonis Foniadakis — In this 2014 work created for BJM, Andonis Foniadakis delves into the fervor and the frenetic movements of the city street. Though inspired by the movements of crowds, moments of agitation, and the hustle and bustle of the city, Foniadakis searches for a counterbalance to the fast pace of everyday urban life in Kosmos, bringing beauty to the fore and turning frantic movement into a dance that brings people together in a joyous, liberating fashion. And unlike the restrictions imposed by modern urban life, Kosmos provides a moment for reconnection and release: to come together and let go.
About: BJM returns to Program 2 with a different work, showcasing company’s distinctive style and eclectic artists, who perfectly represent BJM’s spirit. Please see BJM in Program 1 on page 3 for more details.
Dance Company: Gauthier Dance // Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart
CANADIAN PREMIERE
Repertoire: PacoPepePluto by Alejandro Cerrudo — PacoPepePluto consists of three solos set to songs by the “King of Cool” Dean Martin, and is a perfect fit for the company’s fabulous male dancers. Cerrudo gets right to the heart of the choreographic matter: sexy, ironic and with a seemingly nude cast.
About: Please see Gauthier Dance in Program 1 on page 3 for more details.
Dance Company: Dong Mei Dance
TORONTO DEBUT
Dance Style: Traditional Chinese
Country of Origin: Canada (Vancouver)
Website: http://www.dongmeidance.com/
Repertoire: A Blossoming Apricot Branch, by Xiao Mei Zhang. “The apricot tree makes its presence felt by extending a bough of blossoming flowers over the top of the wall. Unbeknownst to those who live behind the wall.” This is a line from a poem by an ancient Chinese poet, Ye Shaoweng. In ancient Chinese culture, a blossoming apricot branch is a metaphor for a married woman. Imagine a closed garden full of the beauty of spring, with bees humming and butterflies flying around; meanwhile, an apricot tree is reaching its blossoming branch over the wall, curious about the world outside the garden. It depicts the conflicting emotions of a woman who craves for freedom but is constrained by traditional doctrines and ethics.
About: Established in 2014 in Vancouver, BC, Dong Mei Dance has a unique focus on the preservation of traditional Chinese culture through contemporary artistic expressions. The Artistic Director, Dong Mei Huang, has been performing and choreographing locally and internationally. She has been teaching and choreographing for over 20 years and has numerous publications in dance-related journals. Her works have earned many awards in dance competitions and she has been accredited academically as the pioneer of Chinese Folk Dance. Choreographer Xiao Mei Zhang is the Vice Director of the Department of Folk Dance at Beijing Dance Academy.
Press Quote: “In her dance ‘A Blossoming Apricot Branch’, Dongmei has expressed how emotional and expressive one’ s body can be. She is definitely someone with great potential.” – Jigang Zhang, co-director of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony.
Dance Company: Guangzhou Ballet
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Dance Style: Ballet
Country of Origin: China
Website: http://www.guangzhouballet.org/
Repertoire: Memory on Water by Peter Quanz – Memory on Water is a neo-classical balletic fantasy infused with poetic imagery of two lovers divided by a river. Created for Guangzhou Ballet by Canadian choreographer Peter Quanz, this ballet is partially a product of Quanz’s working relationship with the company’s Chinese dancers and their mutual negotiation of a creative meeting point between their contrasting world views. Just as the principal dancers, whom at one point approach one another without touching, only to later come together through unusual partnering, Memory on Water speaks to the many ways boundaries can be crossed, both in love and between cultures.
About: Founded in January 1994, Guangzhou Ballet Troupe is the youngest and most passionate ballet troupe in China. As a pilot organization appointed by Guangzhou Municipal Government for comprehensive reform of professional art and performance organizations, Guangzhou Ballet Troupe, under the leadership of Ms. Zhang Oandan, has developed into an organization of cultural significance in the international metropolis of Guangzhou. Peter Quanz is an award-winning Canadian choreographer of international renown known for his groundbreaking choreographic collaborations in dance, in music, and in visual art. He manages duo leadership roles as Director of Q DANCE, a creative laboratory for new dance, as well as being an independent dance maker. Cultural immersion is a significant component of Quanz’s work and he is attracted to projects that offer opportunities to build international cooperation.
Performance: 72-Person Ball Passing by Charles Moulton
WORLD PREMIERE, FFDN COMMISSION
This monumental piece closes each program of FFDN 2017
***
Program 3: Friday, October 6, 7:30pm
Dance Company: Gauthier Dance // Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Repertoire: Ballet 102 by Eric Gauthier — Ballet 102 is a cheeky satire of the 102 positions of the classical pas de deux. Although freely invented, the similarities with movements from the real ballets of famous choreographers, from Marius Petipa and Vaslav Nijinsky to John Cranko and Mats Ek to John Neumeier and Mauro Bigonzetti, are neither coincidental nor unintended.
About: Please see Gauthier Dance in Program 1 on page 3 for more details.
Dance Company: Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie, with live music by Andrew Burashko (piano) and Sheila Jaffe (violin)
Dance Style: Contemporary Ballet
Country of Origin: Canada
Website: www.colemanlemieux.com – www.artoftimeensemble.com
Repertoire: 15 Heterosexual Duets by James Kudelka — Originally commissioned in 1991 by David Earle for Toronto Dance Theatre, 15 Heterosexual Duets is a highly expressive, lyrical and poetic dance work by James Kudelka, one of the greatest Canadian choreographers who has led the National Ballet of Canada from 1996 to 2005. The piece is set to Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata, which will be played live by artistic director of Toronto’s Art of Time Ensemble Andrew Burashko (piano) and Sheila Jaffe (violin).
About: Founded in Quebec in 2000, Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie (CLC) is a contemporary dance company that is distinguished by its innovative, unbridled vision and artistic range. Led by Co-Artistic Directors Laurence Lemieux and Bill Coleman, the company encompasses intimate, emotionally honest productions and spectacular stage shows featuring some of Canada’s greatest dancers. In 2008, James Kudelka became resident choreographer. This relationship has allowed Kudelka to revisit some of his greatest dances while facilitating daring new creations. It has made it possible for another generation of dancers and audiences to experience the work of a Canadian master choreographer.
Press Quote: “These are virtuoso duets, demanding rapid maneuvering to keep up with quick changes of mood. They could be glimpses of 15 different couples, or maybe just 15 moments in the life of one relationship.” – Susan Walker, Toronto Star
Dance Company: Gauthier Dance // Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart
CANADIAN PREMIERE
Repertoire: ConrazonCorazon by Cayetano Soto — The title of this work, ConrazonCorazon, melds three Spanish words into one: con (with), razon (reason) and corazon (heart). This new work by Cayetano Soto moves between the two poles of feeling and understanding: a rapid, at times confusing play with the – sometimes competitive, sometimes collaborative – forces that govern our lives: emotion and rationality, intuition and strategy, heart and mind.
About: Please see Gauthier Dance in Program 1 on page 3 for more details.
Performance: 72-Person Ball Passing by Charles Moulton
WORLD PREMIERE, FFDN COMMISSION
This monumental piece closes each program of FFDN 2017
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