Leading up to February’s Black History Month, dance Immersion is announcing the programming details for its 2015 Showcase Presentation: Queens Calling, a celebration of sisterhood, kinship and womanhood by eight diverse female choreographers from across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. Dedicated to the 219 girls tragically abducted from a boarding school in Chibok, Nigeria, this powerful evening of dance is also part of TD Bank’s Then and Now Series for Black History Month, and runs February 6-7 at Harbourfront Centre Theatre (formerly Enwave Theatre).
Ranging in style from Contemporary African and Lindy Hop to Modern and Caribbean, Queens Calling features works by an inter-generational group of eight female choreographers, bringing positive energy to the challenges that still exist for women around the world:
Paulette Brockington - The Third Side (World Premiere)
Choreography: Paulette Brockington
The title of this piece, performed by a trio that includes the choreographer, is taken from lines written by Stirling Silliphant. It is an abstract mélange, filled with emotive call-and-response voicings that looks at three sides of a coin – the voices of mother, daughter and abductor.
Paulette Brockington (U.S.), master teacher, winner of a 2012 Michigan Heritage Award, 2004 World Swing Dance Championships West Coast Swing Jack and Jill, and 2000 World Fast Dance Championships.
Ghislaine Doté - Merry Age (remount; excerpt)
Choreography and music: Ghislaine Doté
“Ding Dong! Time to Marry!” Ghislaine Doté plays on words and talks about marriage in this highly energetic combination of unorthodox musical theatre and unconventional contemporary dance. With five dancers, Doté creates a universe where abstraction and narration coexist, as voice and movement become one.
Ghislaine Doté (Montreal; born in the Central African Republic, raised in the Ivory Coast), Artistic Director of Virtuo and winner of a Gloria Mitchell-Aleong Award. Currently part of the Sinha Danse company (since 2007).
Jasmyn Fyffe – TBA (remount)
Choreography: Jasmyn Fyffe
Jasmyn Fyffe (Toronto), 2013 Frankie Award (Montreal) and 2012 nominee for first-ever Young Centre Dance Awards. Dance credits include the touring musical UMOJA and companies Gadfly, Red Sky, KasheDance.
Sharon Harvey - Solo/SoulsDeep (Toronto Premiere)
Choreography: Sharon Harvey
Solo/SoulsDeep is a choreographic transformation of the Black Romantic painting Sugar Shack (1971) by artist Ernie Barnes that embodies the creative movement and character elaboration suggested by the curves, the twist-turns of bodies, and textures of fabric and skin which are illuminated from a single light source in the artwork. Accompanied by an electronic blues suite, five impressive dancers bring the journey of Solo/SoulsDeep to life, testifying to a deep embodiment of souls woven into the very fabric of the African American experience.
Sharon Harvey (Toronto), performer, educator and advocate of injury-free dance conditioning who has performed with Ballet Creole, Canboulay Dance and Azaguno Dance.
Charmaine Headley - Meme: #Faith #Hope (World Premiere) Choreography: Charmaine Headley; Original Music: N’dere Nimon Headley-Lindsay
Hope continues even through silence. The abduction of the Nigerian school girls in April 2014 by Boko Haram saw a slew of “Bring Back Our Girls” campaigns, which petered off into the ether. This abstract piece elicits the struggles and fears but, tangled within, demonstrates hope and faith.
Charmaine Headley (Toronto; born in Trinidad), one of the co-founders of the highly regarded COBA (Collective of Black Artists) where she performs, choreographs and teaches; former dancer with Barbados National Dance Theatre Company and Toronto’s Usafiri Dance and Drum Ensemble and OMO dance companies.
Zab Maboungou - Lwáza (remount)
Choreography: Zab Maboungou
Lwáza means noise in Kongo language (Congo-Central Africa). How does one go from being agitated to being the agitator? Two dancers and a drummer explore distance and proximity in the movement and conversations of bodies, as framed by both physical and rhythmic space.
Zab Maboungou (Montreal; grew up in Congo-Brazzaville), founder of acclaimed Zab Maboungou/Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata, winner of 2014 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award and 2013 Prix Charles Biddle (Quebec).
Michèle Moss - Jamais Vu: Déjà Vu (World Premiere)
Choreography: Michèle Moss
It’s Mardi Gras at the corner of hope and despair; does history have to repeat over and over – or can we effect triumphant change? This duet is a movement prayer, a supplication – a small offering to incite contemplation and action for the young women abducted from Chibok. Contemporary dance, jazz and diaspora practices intertwine as images borrowed from cautionary folk tales around the world come alive in a dreamscape-nightmare that references Little Red Riding Hood, The Brothers Grimm and more.
Michèle Moss (Calgary; born in England), teacher of jazz, dance pedagogy and world and social dance on four continents, Assistant Professor at U of C dance faculty, co-founder Decidedly Jazz Danceworks.
Alesandra Seutin - Ceci n’est pas Noire (edited excerpt) (Canadian Premiere)
Choreography and performance by Alesandra Seutin
Ceci n’est pas Noire (This is not Black) is a mélange of dance, theatre, spoken word and song. It is the journey of a mix-raced woman down memory lane, a winding road between Europe and Africa. As perceptions of her change from place to place, she plays with masks, roles and attitudes, highlighting the idea that what you see is not always what you get.
Alesandra Seutin (U.K.; born in Zimbabwe, raised in Belgium), Vocab Dance Company member, 2014/15 Trailblazer Champion nominee by the Association of Dance of the African Diaspora, first and only U.K. artist to be selected by icon Germaine Acogny (the mother of African contemporary dance) to be part of the transmission of her technique.
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In addition to Queens Calling, dance Immersion is organizing two workshop classes, both at COBA Studios, 585 Dundas Street East, Suite 130.
Sunday, February 8, 12:30pm – 2:30pm: A Choreographic Lab with Zab Maboungou: An investigation of space, through sound, in relation to the body. Single Class: $15
Monday, February 9, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: Germaine Acogny Technique with Alesandra Seutin. Single Class: $15. Alesandra Seutin is the first and only U.K.-based dancer to be chosen by iconic dance artist Germaine Acogny to take part in the Acogny Technique transmission.
Gallery (click to enlarge):
Info at a glance:
dance Immersion proudly presents Queens Calling
- a celebration of sisterhood from eight diverse female choreographers –
Choreographed by Paulette Brockington, Ghislaine Doté, Jasmyn Fyffe, Sharon Harvey, Charmaine Headley, Zab Maboungou, Michèle Moss, Alesandra Seutin Lighting Design by Sharon DiGenova
Friday, February 6 to Saturday, February 7, 2015 Friday at 8PM; Saturday at 1PM & 8PM
Harbourfront Centre Theatre (formerly Enwave Theatre), 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON M5J 2G8 Tickets: $25-$30 Adult; $15 CultureBreak (Students under 25); Discounts also for Seniors and Groups.
Tickets avaialble through Harbourfront Centre Box Office: 416-973-4000 OR online at http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/
WORKSHOP CLASSES
A Choreographic Lab with Zab Maboungou:
An investigation of space, through sound, in relation to the body.
Sunday, February 8, 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Single Class: $15
Germaine Acogny Technique with Alesandra Seutin.
Monday, February 9, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Single Class: $15
For more information or to enroll, call 416-203-0666 or email info@danceimmersion.ca.