Firstly, all tickets are only $10. This is an incredible deal to see such amazing performances in this great acoustic venue.
Taking place at The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts from September 29 to October 1, the Fall For Dance North festival presents a range of dance companies from Canada and around the world, including a few Canadian debuts, festival commissions, a world premiere and unforgettable live music collaborations, such as Sarah Neufeld of Arcade Fire & Bell Orchestre who is collaborating on a world premiere with Canadian dance legend Peggy Baker.
Arcade Fire’s Sarah Neufeld, collaborating with artist Peggy Baker
Inspired by the internationally acclaimed Fall for Dance festival, created and established in 2004 by New York City Center, audiences will delight in the dynamic and diverse mix of genres from classical and contemporary ballet to capoeira, flamenco, tap, modern, South Asian and Aboriginal dance forms. The three-day festival also includes master classes and key artist talks.
Led by acclaimed Artistic Director, Ilter Ibrahimof, the final round of programming for Fall For Dance North features performances by Toronto Dance Theatre (Canada), Atlanta Ballet (USA – Canadian Debut), Ballet BC (Canada), Dorrance Dance (USA – Canadian Debut), and a special festival-commissioned Hoop Dance directed by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s Santee Smith (Canada), The National Ballet of Canada (Canada), Alvin Ailey, American Dance Theater (USA), DanceBrazil (Brazil), Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company (Canada), Nrityagram (India), and the world premiere of a newly commissioned collaboration between Canadian dance legend Peggy Baker and violinist Sarah Neufeld (Arcade Fire, Bell Orchestre).
Tickets are on sale now and are uniquely priced at $10/any seat. Tickets available here
Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company captures the essence of flamenco
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Program 1: September 29, 7:30 p.m.
Dance Company: The National Ballet of Canada *with LIVE MUSIC*
Dance Style: Ballet
Country of origin: Canada
Website: national.ballet.ca
Repertoire: No.24 by Guillaume Cote (from 2013) – a duet creation performed by Evan McKie and Greta Hodgkinson, accompanied by Canadian violinist Benjamin Bowman.
About: Established as a classical company in 1951, The National Ballet of Canada is the largest and only Canadian ballet company to present a full range of traditional full-length classics.
Dance Company: Toronto Dance Theatre
Dance Style: Modern
Country of origin: Canada
Website: http://www.tdt.org/
Repertoire: Vena Cava by Christopher House (from 1999), a work for 12 dancers.
About: An audience favourite, Vena Cava is a classic kinetic work by Christopher House, also set to the dynamic music of composer Robert Moran. A tour de force of lightning-fast, rhythmically thrilling dancing, the choreography set to Moran’s Open Veins is a “dramatic and exhilarating showcase,” The New York Times; “high-energy, high-flying contemporary movement,” Toronto Star; “wall-to-wall, relentless dance,” The Globe and Mail.
Dance Company: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Dance Style: Contemporary
Country of origin: United States, New York City
Website: www.alvinailey.org AND http://www.alvinailey.org/takademe Repertoire: TAKADEME, by artistic director Robert Battle.
Note: Ailey has a long history of being presented at the Sony Centre and is very excited to be part of first ever Fall for Dance North in Toronto. It is the only company that will perform all three nights. The repertoire will change for the September 30 and October 1 performances.
Dance Company: Nrityagram *TORONTO DEBUT* – *with LIVE MUSIC*
Dance Style: Ancient Indian traditional dance Odissi
Country of origin: India
Website: www.nrityagram.org/
Repertoire: VIBHAKTA – a duet with Surupa Sen (artistic director, choreographer and soloist) and Bijayini Satpathy (soloist), accompanied by four live musicians.
About: Nrityagram is one of the most well-regarded and internationally renowned classical Indian dance companies. From Nrityagram near Bangalore, the company brings new life to the most ancient Indian dance, Odissi.
Performance: “Inter-Hoop” featuring drum group “Crazy Eagle” *FESTIVAL COMMISSION* – *with LIVE MUSIC*
Dance Style: Hoop Dance
Country of origin: Canada
Website: http://kahawidance.org/
Repertoire: An all-Canadian, special First Nations Hoop Dance performance, curated and directed by the artistic director of the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, Santee Smith. Internationally renowned Hoop Dance stars such as Lisa Odjig and James Jones share their individual Hoop Dance artistry accompanied by live big drum group “Crazy Eagle.”
Dance Company: Atlanta Ballet *CANADIAN DEBUT*
Dance Style: Contemporary Ballet – Gaga
Country of origin: United States
Website: http://www.atlantaballet.com/
Repertoire: MINUS 16, by Ohad Naharin (artistic director of Batsheva Dance Company). A work for 19 dancers
About: Set to music ranging from Dean Martin to traditional Israeli songs, Minus 16 is representative of a global culture. The success of the piece depends on the dancers’ committing completely to the process as they improvise components and employ Naharin’s innovative dance language known as ‘Gaga.’ Focusing on establishing a mind-body connection, ‘Gaga’ has emerged as a growing force in the larger field of movement practices for both dancers and non-dancers.
Program 2: September 30 and October 1, 7:30 p.m.
Dance Company: Ballet BC
Dance Style: Contemporary Ballet
Country of origin: Canada, Vancouver
Website: http://www.balletbc.com/
Repertoire: Twenty Eight Thousand Waves by Cayetano Soto (company’s new resident choreographer.
Originally from Spain). A work for 12 dancers.
About: When Cayetano Soto’s Twenty Eight Thousand Waves premiered in 2014, it was clear that magic had happened between Ballet BC and the choreographer. As Soto begins his tenure as Resident Choreographer of Ballet BC, we celebrate his vision and energy by performing this examination of
adaptation and boundaries, inspired by the fact that an oil tanker at sea is hit, on average, twenty eight thousand times a day by waves. This resilience in the face of extremity inspired this compelling look at the thin line between life and death, and the human instinct for survival.
Dance Company: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Dance Style: Contemporary
Country of origin: United States, New York City
Website: www.alvinailey.org AND http://www.alvinailey.org/after-rain-pas-de-deux Repertoire: AFTER THE RAIN PAS-DE-DEUX, by Christopher Wheeldon.
About: Christopher Wheeldon won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Choreography for his work on An American in Paris on Broadway. The National Ballet of Canada co-produced his Alice with The Royal Ballet, as well as the upcoming The Winter’s Tale. He made After the Rain for New York City Ballet in 2005. The duet is the most famous part of the ballet, and it was originally danced by Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto.
Dance Company: DanceBrazil *with LIVE MUSIC*
Dance Style: Capoeira / Modern
Country of origin: Brazil
Website: http://www.dancebrazil.org/
Repertoire: MALUNGOS (2015). A work for 10 dancers and 3 musicians.
About: DanceBrazil evolved from grass-roots workshops in 1977 and has since thrilled audiences with a unique fusion of Afro-Brazillian movement, contemporary dance and the traditional dance/martial arts form Capoeira. This will be the company’s first appearance in Toronto since 1992.
Artists: Peggy Baker ft. Sarah Neufeld of Arcade Fire / Bell Orchestra in *WORLD PREMIERE* of fractured black – *FESTIVAL COMMISSION – *with LIVE MUSIC*
Dance Style: Modern
Country of origin: Canada, Toronto
Website: peggybakerdance.com
Repertoire: Titled fractured black, Peggy and Sarah are collaborating on a new choreography to be performed by Peggy with a live music accompaniment by Sarah.
Dance Company: Dorrance Dance *CANADIAN DEBUT* – *with LIVE MUSIC (Body Percussion)* Dance Style: Tap
Country of Origin: United States, New York City
Website: http://www.dorrancedance.com
Repertoire: A special Fall For Dance North version of SOUNDSpace, performed by 10 dancers. About: Dorrance Dance / New York aims to honor tap dance’s uniquely beautiful history in a new and dynamically compelling context, not by stripping the form of its tradition, but by pushing it: rhythmically, aesthetically and conceptually. Street, club and experimental dance forms–all of which are American dreams–awake to the sound of furious rhythms, and find their boundaries missing. Tap dance, America’s most long-standing indigenous jazz vernacular, is here to receive its due.
Dance Company: Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company *with LIVE MUSIC*
Dance Style: Flamenco
Country of origin: Canada, Toronto
Website: www.flamencos.net
Repertoire: Desencuentros and Río del Tiempo by Esmeralda Enrique.
About: Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company captures the essence of flamenco balancing tradition and classicism with a modern, contemporary aesthetic. The company will revive one of her most well received pieces with guest artist(s) from Spain, featuring five musicians and five dancers.
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