Fall For Dance North 9th Annual Festival Sep 26 - Oct 7
Playbill Notes
Last updated: Oct 5, 2023
Artistic Director ILTER IBRAHIMOF
Thank you for joining us for
HEARTBEATS: Signature Programme 1
Oct 4* & 5 7:30 PM Duration: approximately 120 minutes, including intermission
*Pre-Show Artist Chat 6:30 - 7:00 moderated by Cathy Levy With ASL interpretation
Panelists Pulga Muchochoma, Mascara Choreographer and Performer (Toronto) Gilbert T Small II, Company Director at Gibney Company (New York) Gina Gibney, Founder & Artistic Director of the Gibney organization & Gibney Company (New York) Medhi Walerski, Artistic Director at Ballet BC (Vancouver) Caroline Lofthouse and Maiya Leeke, Dancers performing with Candoco Dance Company (London, UK)
Co-presented with
Act 1
I think we should start over
Choreographed by Jamaal Burkmar Performed by Candoco Dance Company Canadian Premiere
This intricate but fascinating piece uses podcasts and audio recordings to unravel the unique patterns of communication and musicality - which are then translated into graceful movements and expressive gestures. This intimate performance aims to connect deeply with the audience, leaving a lasting impression on all who experience it.
Choreographed by Johan Inger Performed by Gibney Company Canadian Premiere
For this large-scale ensemble piece, Swedish choreographer Johan Inger uses the legendary Köln Concert by jazz pianist Keith Jarrett; music that many consider to be the epitome of virtuoso improvisation. Rather than translating the music one-to-one into movement, it is more the feeling of Jarrett’s iconic music—free, soaring and ecstatic—that Inger reimagines into beautifully crafted dance, sending not only listeners, but audience members into a state of bliss.
Choreography by Johan Inger Staging by Yvan Dubreuil Scenery Design by Johan Inger Costume Design by Johan Inger & Francesca Messori Costume Construction by Victoria Bek Lighting Design by Peter Lundin Lighting Adaptation by Tsubasa Kamei Set Design by Johan Inger Music by Keith Jarett – The Köln Concert, Part 1 Cavelight Music (BMI) Used by arrangement with ECM Records
World Premiere: Commissioned and premiered by Aterballeto on Mar 2016 in Modena, Italy
Run Time: 27 minutes
Performers
Scott Autry, Miriam Gittens, Eddieomar Gonzalez-Castillo, Graham Feeny, Eleni Loving, Jesse Obremski, Kevin Pajarillaga, Jordan Powell, Jie-Hung Connie Shiau, Madi Tanguay, Jacob Thoman, Jake Tribus
Act 2
Mascara
Choreographed by Pulga Muchochoma Performed by Pulga Muchochoma With live music
We all have more than one face. From their perspective, others may see one image at first glance, but there is always more to learn about the behind the mask. Mascara (meaning 'mask' in Portuguese) follows Pulga's personal journey as an immigrant in Canada in understanding exactly where he belongs. He adds "There was a time when I was a dance student and I was told that the way I moved was too African... and when I went back to Mozambique I heard that my African dance was too contemporary. That was the mask that I had to live with for a long time. Now I am proud to mix those two worlds and create my own style."
FFDN's presentation of Mascara is generously supported by The Lindy Green Family Foundation
Choreographer and Dancer: Pulga Muchochoma Costume by: Pulga Muchochoma Music by: Kobena Aquaa-Harrison Rehearsal Assistant: Daniel Lieberman
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Heart Drive
Choreographed by Imre van Opstal and Marne van Opstal Performed by Ballet BC Toronto Premiere
Heart Drive, from Dutch artist duo and siblings Imre and Marne van Opstal, was commissioned by Ballet BC in 2022 and co-produced with Helsinki-based Tero Saarinen Company. The van Opstals’ choreographic work speaks to the limits and possibilities of the body and mind. This creation explores themes of love, connection and pleasure, as well as the stigmas and moral taboos that exist within.
This performance contains flashing lights.
FFDN's presentation of Heart Drive is generously supported by Elliott Kornhauser
World Premiere, Nov 2022, Ballet BC A co-production of Ballet BC and Tero Saarinen Company
Choreographers: Imre van Opstal and Marne van Opstal Assistant to the Choreographers: Chloé Albaret Music Composition by: Amos Ben-Tal Lighting Design: Tom Visser Stage Design: Tom Visser and Imre van Opstal & Marne van Opstal Costume Design: Imre van Opstal & Marne van Opstal Associate Costume Design: Kate Burrows
Performers Emanuel Dostine, Michael Garcia, Orlando Harbutt, Kiana Jung, Sarah Pippin, Vivian Ruiz, Rae Srivastava, Sydney Tormey
Choreographer Bios
Photo by Shy Alter
Pulga was born in Mozambique, where he trained with Montes Namuli Dance Company. In 2006, he came to Toronto for the International AIDS Conference, and decided to stay and study at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. In 2009 he joined Toronto Dance Theatre where he was a company dancer for 11 seasons under the artistic directorship of Christopher House. Throughout his career, Pulga has worked with many local and International choreographers. Pulga participated in the 2015 opening ceremony of the Toronto Pan Am Games with Cirque du Soleil and Canada's National Ballet School. He is also the creator and founder of 'African Dance and Fitness with Pulga.'
@pulgadance
Photo by Bengt Wanselius
Johan Inger made his breakthrough as a choreographer in 1995 after a very successful dancing career at the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT). Inger’s choreographies have won numerous prestigious awards. Between 2003 and 2008 he was the artistic director of the Cullberg Ballet, and between 2009 and 2015 he held the position as Associate Choreographer with NDT. Johan Inger is now an established and renowned choreographer who has shared his works with numerous dance companies around the world.
@johaninger
Photo by Elly Welford
Jamaal Burkmar is an award-winning choreographer who first gained recognition for his piece 'Ocean' while studying at the Northern School for Contemporary Dance. The piece received critical acclaim and was later commissioned for VERVE, the postgraduate company at NSCD, making it the first and only undergraduate work to be featured. Jamaal was honored with the highly prestigious 'New Adventures Choreographer Award' and has since established himself as a prominent choreographer with a passion for music and composition. He has received commissions and support from various organizations such as the Dance Hub in Birmingham, Leeds Dance Partnership, Phoenix Dance Theatre, and Mobius Dance.
@extendedplaydance
Photos by Rahi Rezvani
Imre van Opstal & Marne van Opstal are Dutch choreographers and renowned performing artists, as siblings they form a creative duo. After having enjoyed successful and prominent careers at the prestigious Nederlands Dans Theater 1 & 2 and/or Batsheva Dance Company, they went on to pursue their own creativity.
The collaborative nature of their work often speaks to the human condition, limits and possibilities of the body and mind. Their work is known to be multi-layered and surrealistic, with a strong and outspoken dance language known for its eclecticism, theatricality and partnering elements.
They created ‘LiNK’ and ‘John Doe’ for Nederlands Dans Theater 2 program ‘Up & Coming Choreographers’ after which they debuted with their work ‘The Grey’ for their regular programming. In 2019 they created ‘Take Root’ for Nederlands Dans Theater 1, which received a nomination for the Swan Award for ‘best dance production 2019’. Their latest work, ‘Baby don’t hurt me’ created for Nederlands Dans Theater 1 around the themes of identity, sexuality, gender and love was met with critical acclaim. After which they continued to create ‘Eye Candy’ with Rambert Dance Company and ‘The little man’ for Nationaltheater Mannheim.
@imrevanopstalmarnevanopstal
HEARTBEATS: Signature Programme 1 Production Credits
* These artists are arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance Opera Theatre Policy (DOT).
Enhance Your Experience
Check out the fourth season of FFDN's in-house podcast Mambo! Don’t miss Episode 2 featuring Mascara choreographer and performer Pulga Muchochoma in conversation with Timea Wharton-Suri, Curator and Executive Director of dance Immersion.
Check out the fourth season of FFDN's in-house podcast Mambo! Don’t miss Episode 3, a conversation between FFDN’s Artistic Director, Ilter Ibrahimof and the sole Co-Artistic Director of Candoco Dance Company, Charlotte Darbyshire about Candoco’s mission and history.
FFDN is Toronto’s premier professional international dance festival that exists to break boundaries and remove barriers.
With pluralism and affordability at its core, FFDN celebrates, nurtures and amplifies established and emerging Canadian dance artists, creates global connections, and inspires future audiences to sustain the artform.
