Ballet BC is, in my opinion, the best performing arts company in Vancouver. Innovative, thought-provoking, collaborative, expressive, disciplined, inspired, dedicated and consistent in delivering a high standard of production.
After listening to Emily Molnar and Medhi Walerski at the pre-talk so eloquently describe the intentions and qualities of the work in Grace Symmetry and then experiencing (not just watching, but hearing and feeling) such a powerful, graceful, poignant and physically eloquent collection of pieces, I feel that my words are awkward and fumbling in comparison. There is no way to describe the depth, subtlety and...
Photography by Michael Slobodian. Dancers - Rachel Meyer & Darren Devaney
From the moment you enter into the theatre you are made to feel welcomed. Real life mother, Asha and son, Ravi greet the audience with a handshake, a smile, a personal introduction and food! Delicious vegetarian samosas are handed out. With the taste of Indian spices and the warmth of a hello, the stage is set to settle in for the next 90 minutes and hear a true family story, the story of finding a wife for Ravi in the traditional Indian way. A tradition that has come into conflict with the Canadian born and raised son.
Both characters connect...
Ravi & Asha Jain onstage (photo by Erin Brubacher)
In watching Wen Wei's latest creation, 7th Sense on Saturday night at the Playhouse, I experienced a myriad of sensations, thoughts and curiosities about the world that he and the dancers created for us that evening. At times I felt connected and invited into the world that the dancers were in and at other moments I felt completely cutoff from them and felt frustrated at the notion of wanting to be let in and not being allowed in. Most of all at the end of the piece I was left wondering, where the dancers were in time and...
Precision and armwork. The articulations of flamenco dancers, totally fluid. Synced group work, a marching arrow of dancers, pierces towards the stage.
The music was at times odd, at times beautiful. Repetition of bass and distortion entered and exited the piece. Where were the dancers in relation to those sounds? It gnawed at me. In the minimalist aesthetic, nothing should be wasted or careless. It should matter.
The first half flew by.
The robotic dog opens the second half. Why is there a robotic dog on stage. Why does Wen Wei carry it along the backstage later?
What I remember most from when I watched 'Running Sushi' was clarity. I remember clear lines, shapes, characters and intentions. There were sharp movements, humorous gestural work, and an economical use of props to accent the metaphors in the still images and movements. The props I remember are chopsticks, oranges and sushi. The sushi was associated to the names of the scenes and distributed through the audience to determine the order the performance. I saw honesty and depth through each vignette which encompassed the major events from life to death and addressed current cultural milestones. The lighting usually...
A stark, minimalist stage upon entering the theatre, having just waited outside for half an hour, where the performers handed out sushi to guests whether they wanted it or not. I felt anticipation.
A series of vignettes. Manga, sound effects, lip syncing, hilarious antics with oranges and chopsticks... as I watched I felt relaxed. I was able to laugh and enjoy much of the performance. The bodies onstage were shaping themselves into their characters perfectly. All media and design elements were integrated thoughtfully. I couldn't quite make out where the noises were coming from. I didn't care.
When I think of what I saw watching 7th Sense, I remember the dancers in clear spacial patterns, their black clothing with white trim, the white stage, and fabric columns hanging upstage a few feet from the back drop. The dancers moved with a dynamic and expansive aesthetic that was often stationary when not moving in tangent with other dancers, they had articulation through the limbs, and used a lot of isolation. I remember seeing horizontal lines in the spacial arrangements with the dancers and a lot of elevation during the partner work. The stage was clean and...
The evening begins with an “audio house tour” - which turns out to be an engaging lecture by choreographer / dancer Peggy Baker explaining how the art of Canadian artist Sylvia Safdie inspired and influenced the creation for her trio coalesce. Safdie provided not only paintings but also a series of short films where she utilized a combination of slow motion, reverse and looping techniques to depict the motion of a beetle. "This beetle was lying on its back, and it was basically in its death throes," Baker is quoted in a recent interview with the North Shore News. "It was going through...
The foyer was as full as I have ever seen it at The Queen Elizabeth Theatre, in itself a fantastic sight, the audience a wonderful colourful array of princesses and ballerinas. An electric buzz filled the air, the kind of buzz that theatre and Christmas should be filled with. The wonder and anticipation that something is about to happen, something spectacular and awe-inspiring.
The conductor strikes up the orchestra from the VSO for a brief warm up, the audience is electrified, rapturous applause followed the brief interlude. The orchestra take what will be the first of three highly deserved...
Alberta Ballet Artists Hayna Gutierrez and Garrett Groat Photography by Yin Yi
Hotel Bethlehem is a must see this holiday season, especially if you want a break from the syrupy sweet rhetoric of Christmas-themed stories. It is refreshing to see a play that is funny, clever and sometimes teetering on the edge of appropriateness. The premise of the play is to tell the story behind the story, what was going on at the inn in Bethlehem the day that Jesus was born. The next 110 minutes is a fast paced, witty combination of farce and satire.
As any farce would dictate, physical humour is in attendance including the proverbial multiple entrances and...
