Howdy!
Submitted without comment.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Do You Want To Dance With Me?
Howdy!
Wicked Cool site that tells you where you can go dancing any night of the week in the greater Montreal area. Sortable by type of dance, type of music, day of the week, dance halls and town. Along with a host of other useful information
Wicked Cool site that tells you where you can go dancing any night of the week in the greater Montreal area. Sortable by type of dance, type of music, day of the week, dance halls and town. Along with a host of other useful information
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
SINS in BC en francais
Howdy!
A somewhat twisted and tortuous road... My guess is that Jacinte Armstrong was the only dancer at Dancing on the Edge who could speak French, and as a consequence she was interviewed for 11 minutes on Radio-Canada's Vu de la terrasse (some local British Colombia program) ostensibly because they were premiering Schreibstuck by Thomas Lehman - although in actual fact it sounded much more like hype and promo for the festival.
A somewhat twisted and tortuous road... My guess is that Jacinte Armstrong was the only dancer at Dancing on the Edge who could speak French, and as a consequence she was interviewed for 11 minutes on Radio-Canada's Vu de la terrasse (some local British Colombia program) ostensibly because they were premiering Schreibstuck by Thomas Lehman - although in actual fact it sounded much more like hype and promo for the festival.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Local Girl, Sarah Tryon, makes good
Howdy!
Actually, Sarah Tryon isn't from Montreal, but in fact, Hanmer. And as a consequence, The Sudbury Northern Life does a full feature article about her upon her graduation from the National Ballet School.
Apparently there aren't too many dancers in northern Ontario...
Actually, Sarah Tryon isn't from Montreal, but in fact, Hanmer. And as a consequence, The Sudbury Northern Life does a full feature article about her upon her graduation from the National Ballet School.
Apparently there aren't too many dancers in northern Ontario...
Friday, July 30, 2010
Episode 71: Roger Sinha, Sinhadanse
Howdy!
Our show from July 29, 2010
(Download: MP3 80MB, Flac 623MB, Ogg Vorbis 43MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Bettina Forget talk with Roger Sinha of Sinhadanse about his dances, choreography, creative process, trip to India, cultural references, aging as a dancer and a wide variety of other topics.
The theme song is Walter Beasley's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is The Bear on the Delhi Road by Earle Birney, and the music played during the show is from William Parker and Hamid Drake's First Communion.
Listen
Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from July 29, 2010
(Download: MP3 80MB, Flac 623MB, Ogg Vorbis 43MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Bettina Forget talk with Roger Sinha of Sinhadanse about his dances, choreography, creative process, trip to India, cultural references, aging as a dancer and a wide variety of other topics.
The theme song is Walter Beasley's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is The Bear on the Delhi Road by Earle Birney, and the music played during the show is from William Parker and Hamid Drake's First Communion.
Listen
Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Franco and Anthony do the Melbourne Shuffle in Montreal
Howdy!
According to Dance Passport, Franco and Anthony are from Montreal. For what it is worth they are doing the Melbourne Shuffle in Chinatown...
According to Dance Passport, Franco and Anthony are from Montreal. For what it is worth they are doing the Melbourne Shuffle in Chinatown...
Monday, July 26, 2010
Paul-André Fortier reviewed in today's NYTimes...
Howdy!
Read all about it here. I am quite fond of the line "It’s as if he were presenting something in which he didn’t quite believe but feels ought to impress us anyway."
Read all about it here. I am quite fond of the line "It’s as if he were presenting something in which he didn’t quite believe but feels ought to impress us anyway."
Friday, July 23, 2010
Episode 70: National Ballet School, Feldman Method, Silly Season
Howdy!
Our show from July 22, 2010
(Download: MP3 80MB, Flac 636MB, Ogg Vorbis 43MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth and Bettina Forget review The Ballet Class: A history of Canada's national ballet school 1959 - 2009 by Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt, discuss methods and tools useful for reviewing dance [pdf alert] and contemplate the silly season.
The theme song is Chris Toynton's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Isadora Duncan Dancing by Louis Untermeyer, and the music played during the show is from disc three of Oscar Peterson's Dimensions.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from July 22, 2010
(Download: MP3 80MB, Flac 636MB, Ogg Vorbis 43MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth and Bettina Forget review The Ballet Class: A history of Canada's national ballet school 1959 - 2009 by Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt, discuss methods and tools useful for reviewing dance [pdf alert] and contemplate the silly season.
The theme song is Chris Toynton's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Isadora Duncan Dancing by Louis Untermeyer, and the music played during the show is from disc three of Oscar Peterson's Dimensions.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The Merce Cunningham Dance Company at the Festival TransAmeriques last month
Howdy!
This was the 4th FTA which to my eyes kind of was a government cost cutting measure, as there used to be FIND, but then they stopped funding FIND, and at the time the FTA was called the Festival de Theatres des Ameriques. And somehow theatre and dance got combined and it became the Festival TransAmeriques which this year (as an aside, had more dance companies from Africa than from South America, so much for the name…) But anywhows, the organization for this year's edition did not strike me as being particularly well done. Now I don't follow the movement, trades or free agency of performance festival bureaucrats with the same attention that I do to NASCAR (or your average Montrealer does to the players on les Canadiens) but in retrospect I'd guess that someone from last year got offered a better contract someplace else, just from my entry into the opening night show.
Now I recognize that for Opening Night in Montreal for a government funded festival it is imperative to a) pack the house and b) make sure that every last seat is full. But you'd figure that despite the never-ending construction at Place des Arts someone would know how to get the 25 hundred people (or however many theatre Maisonneuve seats) in to the place without too much difficulty - well someone didn't. It was shoulder to shoulder and elbow to elbow before anyone even got so far as to be able to tear your ticket - and looking back I think it has all to do with the FTA wanting to pack the house, so there you had 25 hundred people all getting on the VIP line, actually probably less as there had been some sort of swanky cocktail party beforehand which either I hadn't been invited to, or someone forgot to tell me about my invitation. Remind me next time to buy my tickets for an opening night performance, a) I would have received my tickets more in advance b) probably gotten better seats and c) not had to wait on line with all those VIPs, yuck. There were other logistical problems throughout the FTA but they aren't relevant to the performance of Nearly 902 by The Merce Cunningham Dance Company (when saying it out loud, is it "nearly 92?" Or "Nearly 90 squared?" Or something else? These are the kind of questions I end up asking when seeing something by Merce Cunningham.
When the lights finally get dark about 15 to 20 minutes late, and the curtain rises, the stage is completely bare. But your intrepid reviewer noticed in the dark that the orchestra pit is open, which normally means that there's live music being played. But I can't see anyone in there (I'm sitting towards the back and on the side) and when the music starts it's loud, like REALLY LOUD and very electronic, so I second guess myself and then once the dancers start showing up promptly forget about it. Until it gets loud again, or glitchy or goes backwards, or quotes the only song by Yes that I can stand, or starts moving around Theatre Maisonneuve in some sort of annoying multi-channel thing. I realize while watching that despite the fact that it was composed by the keyboard player for Led Zeppelin and the music director of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and played by one of my favorite musicians, John King with the music director of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, it is in fact just there to keep your ears occupied.
In one of the many things I read about Merce Cunningham, actually discovered I was that his dancers practiced in silence and did not know what the music they would be performing with was like until dress rehearsal. Kind of cool as a concept, but as this was not the premiere I presume that the dancers were quite comfortable with the music. I for one can't remember a gosh darn thing about it (except for the quote from Roundabout) which makes me think it was meh.
Now you'd think that with all this moaning and complaining that I up and walked out of the performance after something like 2 minutes. I have been known to be hot-headed, intransigent and opinionated... But in fact I wasn't there to hear the music, and the silly and useless lineup at the beginning wasn't enough to even come close to putting me in a foul mood. In short it was glorious, wonderful, amazing, awesome, awe inspiring and pretty gosh darn good as well.
This is the kind of performance where I wish I had been a dancer at some previous point in my life, or paid attention when someone explained what a jeté was or a pirouette. Because I have absolutely no vocabulary when it comes to describing dance, and say things like "they swung their arms around," or "they took really really long steps almost in unison" doesn't really cut the mustard when I am trying to explain why my notes read, and I quote: "O Mi Gawd!!!" a bunch of times. Suffice it to say that all 13 dancers possess some kind of supernatural gracefulness. Or let me try to put it another way. You know how Superman has Super Powers? And Spiderman has Spidey Powers? Well the dancers in the Merce Cunningham Dance Company have powers that are even stronger than those of Superman and Spiderman combined, and it all has to do with how absofuckinglutely graceful they were, are, and will continue to be. I would give my right nut (actually a lot more than my right nut) to be half as graceful as they are. And they make it look as easy as falling out of bed. Just thinking about it makes me wish I could move just one part of my body like that.
I think that this might be the appropriate time to give you some sort of backgrounder on who Merce Cunningham was, and why his dance company is so important - but this is the 21st century, between the web site for the company, Wikipedia and Google you can find out for yourself - and if you don't know already this is the seventh paragraph, why the heck are you still reading? I don’t think that my writing is that compelling.
There was a lot of turning, but there was also tons of twisting, a bunch of bending, and some spinning. For the most part the performance was an almost endless set of variations on a theme. Duos, trios and larger groups combining together and then separating, using their bodies to make forms in space. Their leverage and balance was a wonder to watch, I was consistently left slack-jawed by how (and where) they held each other and how easy and simple they made it all look. Contrary to what you might think from reading this, they did not all move at the same speed. Not only were there innumerable variations in the forms that they created on stage, but their pacing was extremely powerful. A slow, fast, ,slow, slow fast, slow, slow, slow, kind of thing, if you know what I mean.
There were a couple of times when I noted that I found it hard to concentrate because of the slowness of the movement. But in retrospect being freed from having to focus on one dancer, or a specific gesture enables a larger view that while at the time might not be as thrilling as watching someone jump a gazillion feet in the air ultimately becomes a jillion times more satisfying when sitting back in a brightly lit room two weeks afterwards ruminating and thinking about what I had seen and experienced.
The costumes (designed by Romeo Gigli) initially surprised me, because I thunk that given such an abstract performance that what the performers wore, while important, would be considered as secondary. There were numerous costume changes, nothing too too dramatic, but like the choreography itself, variations on a theme. All based on unitards with stripes that grew larger as the performance progressed until the stripes themselves became separate entities more like dorsal fins on a dolphin. I’m certain that there was something similar going on with the lighting, but unfortunately my notes don’t shed any light on the subject.
Overall I was left with an impression that they can all jump a little higher than folk I am used to seeing in Montreal. That they all can hold their leg a little straighter than folk I am used to seeing in Montreal. Which is not to say that Montreal dancers can’t jump or hold their legs straight, just that I got the sensation that I was in the presence of some seriously kick-ass performers. But they are not as tight as I would have imagined, when they were moving in unison there were multiple thumps - this could have been a “design feature” of the choreography, but I don’t think so, otherwise I probably would not have bothered writing anything down.
It was obvious that like uni, tripe or other challenging food, choreography by Merce Cunningham is not exactly something that all Montrealers appreciate, while at the end of the show there were a bunch of curtain calls - during the show there was no applause anywhere, at anytime despite some extremely spectacular momements. I have seen much worse performances (read: simplistic) here where each solo got its own ovation. But like a combination of a riptide and a Hoover vacuum Nearly 902 no matter how you pronounce it, just sucked me in and held me riveted from beginning to end - I can only hope that I am that good when I am that old.
This was the 4th FTA which to my eyes kind of was a government cost cutting measure, as there used to be FIND, but then they stopped funding FIND, and at the time the FTA was called the Festival de Theatres des Ameriques. And somehow theatre and dance got combined and it became the Festival TransAmeriques which this year (as an aside, had more dance companies from Africa than from South America, so much for the name…) But anywhows, the organization for this year's edition did not strike me as being particularly well done. Now I don't follow the movement, trades or free agency of performance festival bureaucrats with the same attention that I do to NASCAR (or your average Montrealer does to the players on les Canadiens) but in retrospect I'd guess that someone from last year got offered a better contract someplace else, just from my entry into the opening night show.
Now I recognize that for Opening Night in Montreal for a government funded festival it is imperative to a) pack the house and b) make sure that every last seat is full. But you'd figure that despite the never-ending construction at Place des Arts someone would know how to get the 25 hundred people (or however many theatre Maisonneuve seats) in to the place without too much difficulty - well someone didn't. It was shoulder to shoulder and elbow to elbow before anyone even got so far as to be able to tear your ticket - and looking back I think it has all to do with the FTA wanting to pack the house, so there you had 25 hundred people all getting on the VIP line, actually probably less as there had been some sort of swanky cocktail party beforehand which either I hadn't been invited to, or someone forgot to tell me about my invitation. Remind me next time to buy my tickets for an opening night performance, a) I would have received my tickets more in advance b) probably gotten better seats and c) not had to wait on line with all those VIPs, yuck. There were other logistical problems throughout the FTA but they aren't relevant to the performance of Nearly 902 by The Merce Cunningham Dance Company (when saying it out loud, is it "nearly 92?" Or "Nearly 90 squared?" Or something else? These are the kind of questions I end up asking when seeing something by Merce Cunningham.
When the lights finally get dark about 15 to 20 minutes late, and the curtain rises, the stage is completely bare. But your intrepid reviewer noticed in the dark that the orchestra pit is open, which normally means that there's live music being played. But I can't see anyone in there (I'm sitting towards the back and on the side) and when the music starts it's loud, like REALLY LOUD and very electronic, so I second guess myself and then once the dancers start showing up promptly forget about it. Until it gets loud again, or glitchy or goes backwards, or quotes the only song by Yes that I can stand, or starts moving around Theatre Maisonneuve in some sort of annoying multi-channel thing. I realize while watching that despite the fact that it was composed by the keyboard player for Led Zeppelin and the music director of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and played by one of my favorite musicians, John King with the music director of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, it is in fact just there to keep your ears occupied.
In one of the many things I read about Merce Cunningham, actually discovered I was that his dancers practiced in silence and did not know what the music they would be performing with was like until dress rehearsal. Kind of cool as a concept, but as this was not the premiere I presume that the dancers were quite comfortable with the music. I for one can't remember a gosh darn thing about it (except for the quote from Roundabout) which makes me think it was meh.
Now you'd think that with all this moaning and complaining that I up and walked out of the performance after something like 2 minutes. I have been known to be hot-headed, intransigent and opinionated... But in fact I wasn't there to hear the music, and the silly and useless lineup at the beginning wasn't enough to even come close to putting me in a foul mood. In short it was glorious, wonderful, amazing, awesome, awe inspiring and pretty gosh darn good as well.
This is the kind of performance where I wish I had been a dancer at some previous point in my life, or paid attention when someone explained what a jeté was or a pirouette. Because I have absolutely no vocabulary when it comes to describing dance, and say things like "they swung their arms around," or "they took really really long steps almost in unison" doesn't really cut the mustard when I am trying to explain why my notes read, and I quote: "O Mi Gawd!!!" a bunch of times. Suffice it to say that all 13 dancers possess some kind of supernatural gracefulness. Or let me try to put it another way. You know how Superman has Super Powers? And Spiderman has Spidey Powers? Well the dancers in the Merce Cunningham Dance Company have powers that are even stronger than those of Superman and Spiderman combined, and it all has to do with how absofuckinglutely graceful they were, are, and will continue to be. I would give my right nut (actually a lot more than my right nut) to be half as graceful as they are. And they make it look as easy as falling out of bed. Just thinking about it makes me wish I could move just one part of my body like that.
I think that this might be the appropriate time to give you some sort of backgrounder on who Merce Cunningham was, and why his dance company is so important - but this is the 21st century, between the web site for the company, Wikipedia and Google you can find out for yourself - and if you don't know already this is the seventh paragraph, why the heck are you still reading? I don’t think that my writing is that compelling.
There was a lot of turning, but there was also tons of twisting, a bunch of bending, and some spinning. For the most part the performance was an almost endless set of variations on a theme. Duos, trios and larger groups combining together and then separating, using their bodies to make forms in space. Their leverage and balance was a wonder to watch, I was consistently left slack-jawed by how (and where) they held each other and how easy and simple they made it all look. Contrary to what you might think from reading this, they did not all move at the same speed. Not only were there innumerable variations in the forms that they created on stage, but their pacing was extremely powerful. A slow, fast, ,slow, slow fast, slow, slow, slow, kind of thing, if you know what I mean.
There were a couple of times when I noted that I found it hard to concentrate because of the slowness of the movement. But in retrospect being freed from having to focus on one dancer, or a specific gesture enables a larger view that while at the time might not be as thrilling as watching someone jump a gazillion feet in the air ultimately becomes a jillion times more satisfying when sitting back in a brightly lit room two weeks afterwards ruminating and thinking about what I had seen and experienced.
The costumes (designed by Romeo Gigli) initially surprised me, because I thunk that given such an abstract performance that what the performers wore, while important, would be considered as secondary. There were numerous costume changes, nothing too too dramatic, but like the choreography itself, variations on a theme. All based on unitards with stripes that grew larger as the performance progressed until the stripes themselves became separate entities more like dorsal fins on a dolphin. I’m certain that there was something similar going on with the lighting, but unfortunately my notes don’t shed any light on the subject.
Overall I was left with an impression that they can all jump a little higher than folk I am used to seeing in Montreal. That they all can hold their leg a little straighter than folk I am used to seeing in Montreal. Which is not to say that Montreal dancers can’t jump or hold their legs straight, just that I got the sensation that I was in the presence of some seriously kick-ass performers. But they are not as tight as I would have imagined, when they were moving in unison there were multiple thumps - this could have been a “design feature” of the choreography, but I don’t think so, otherwise I probably would not have bothered writing anything down.
It was obvious that like uni, tripe or other challenging food, choreography by Merce Cunningham is not exactly something that all Montrealers appreciate, while at the end of the show there were a bunch of curtain calls - during the show there was no applause anywhere, at anytime despite some extremely spectacular momements. I have seen much worse performances (read: simplistic) here where each solo got its own ovation. But like a combination of a riptide and a Hoover vacuum Nearly 902 no matter how you pronounce it, just sucked me in and held me riveted from beginning to end - I can only hope that I am that good when I am that old.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Springboard
Howdy!
I'd never heard of Springboard before. But apparently I am late to the party, as other people have very specific ideas on who, what, etc.
I'd never heard of Springboard before. But apparently I am late to the party, as other people have very specific ideas on who, what, etc.
Trying for Toronto
Howdy!
Apparently there is this competition called Fresh Blood that's going to happen in Toronto this fall. $20 gets you in the door, and the deadline is September 5, 2010.
Good luck.
Apparently there is this competition called Fresh Blood that's going to happen in Toronto this fall. $20 gets you in the door, and the deadline is September 5, 2010.
Good luck.
Hints on making it in NYC
Howdy!
If you're thinking of going down to New York City to make it as a dancer, this is the place to live.
If you're thinking of going down to New York City to make it as a dancer, this is the place to live.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Episode 69: Tap Dogs, The Duck Wife
Howdy!
Our show from July 15, 2010
(Download: MP3 78MB, Flac 596MB, Ogg Vorbis 40MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Bettina Forget review Tap Dogs, and talk with Allison Elizabeth by phone about The Trans-Canadian Tour of The Duck Wife.
The theme song is the Sayonara Show Band's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Daunce of the Daughters of Delight by Edmund Spenser, and the music played during the show is from disc two of Oscar Peterson's Dimensions.
Listen
Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from July 15, 2010
(Download: MP3 78MB, Flac 596MB, Ogg Vorbis 40MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Bettina Forget review Tap Dogs, and talk with Allison Elizabeth by phone about The Trans-Canadian Tour of The Duck Wife.
The theme song is the Sayonara Show Band's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Daunce of the Daughters of Delight by Edmund Spenser, and the music played during the show is from disc two of Oscar Peterson's Dimensions.
Listen
Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Friday, July 9, 2010
Episode 68: Francine Bernier
Howdy!
Our show from July 8, 2010
(Download: MP3 72MB, Flac 588MB, Ogg Vorbis 43MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Bettina Forget interview Francine Bernier, Director General and Artistic Director of the Agora de la danse.
The theme song is the We Five's version of Do You Want to Dance, the poem, is Weave the Dance (from Prometheus Unbound) by Percy Blythe Shelley, and the music played during the show is from disc one of Oscar Peterson's Dimensions.
Listen
Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from July 8, 2010
(Download: MP3 72MB, Flac 588MB, Ogg Vorbis 43MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Bettina Forget interview Francine Bernier, Director General and Artistic Director of the Agora de la danse.
The theme song is the We Five's version of Do You Want to Dance, the poem, is Weave the Dance (from Prometheus Unbound) by Percy Blythe Shelley, and the music played during the show is from disc one of Oscar Peterson's Dimensions.
Listen
Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Thursday, July 8, 2010
« WE ARE ROBOTS » The Video
Howdy!
Back in May we talked about « WE ARE ROBOTS », now you can see it...
Back in May we talked about « WE ARE ROBOTS », now you can see it...
Chorégraphies pour robots industriels | Industrial robots choreography from Society for Arts and Technology on Vimeo.
Not Montreal, Philadelphia.
Howdy!
I couldn't resist, I'm a sucker for the Nicholas Brothers (and here as well), and this gives a very nice and succinct history of them, along with providing a link to a video of 63 year-old Fayard and a 56 year-old Harold tap dancing with a 19 year-old Michael Jackson.
I couldn't resist, I'm a sucker for the Nicholas Brothers (and here as well), and this gives a very nice and succinct history of them, along with providing a link to a video of 63 year-old Fayard and a 56 year-old Harold tap dancing with a 19 year-old Michael Jackson.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
What's Tamara Ober doing now?
Howdy!
Just remember... We got to see it first. Tamara Ober who was a participant in the First First Annual Movement Museum Fringe Festival Open House (and a second more in-depth discussion) is still doing Pipa, and getting good reviews for it as well.
Just remember... We got to see it first. Tamara Ober who was a participant in the First First Annual Movement Museum Fringe Festival Open House (and a second more in-depth discussion) is still doing Pipa, and getting good reviews for it as well.
Alys Shee is a winner
Howdy!
While I was relaxin' Alys Shee won the Junior women's silver medal at the USA International Ballet Competition. My guess is that her future (at least in the short term) is fairly secure. I just want to know why the Toronto Star didn't follow up on their three-year old article about her.
While I was relaxin' Alys Shee won the Junior women's silver medal at the USA International Ballet Competition. My guess is that her future (at least in the short term) is fairly secure. I just want to know why the Toronto Star didn't follow up on their three-year old article about her.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Art Spiegelman & Pilobolus: "Hapless Hooligan in Still Moving"
Howdy!
Now this looks like a collaboration that I could really sink my teeth into... Background information can be read here, or watch here (part 1), here (part 2) and here (part 3).
In the same way that I refrained from embedding any of the videos, I will also refrain from making any sarcastic or snarky comments about how no one has seen fit to bring Pilobolus to perform in Montreal in 25 years...
Now this looks like a collaboration that I could really sink my teeth into... Background information can be read here, or watch here (part 1), here (part 2) and here (part 3).
In the same way that I refrained from embedding any of the videos, I will also refrain from making any sarcastic or snarky comments about how no one has seen fit to bring Pilobolus to perform in Montreal in 25 years...
Monday, July 5, 2010
Weird Press Release
Howdy!
I normally don't make reference (or re-publish) press releases, but this one is just too strange to pass up... Some things to point out: The performance is called "The Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Swan Lake." The ballet company is from the United States of America - not Russia. They are only dancing in the Prairies - not in any of Canada's three largest cities, and it is sponsored by a non-profit, addiction treatment facility.
Almost makes me want to go see it.
Almost.
I normally don't make reference (or re-publish) press releases, but this one is just too strange to pass up... Some things to point out: The performance is called "The Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Swan Lake." The ballet company is from the United States of America - not Russia. They are only dancing in the Prairies - not in any of Canada's three largest cities, and it is sponsored by a non-profit, addiction treatment facility.
Almost makes me want to go see it.
Almost.
New York City gets Paul Andre Fortier four years later...
Howdy!
Back in 2006, Paul Andre Fortier did 30 minute dances once-a-day for a month at the corner of Clark and Sainte Catherine.
Well, on July 16, he starts the same process in New York City.
Back in 2006, Paul Andre Fortier did 30 minute dances once-a-day for a month at the corner of Clark and Sainte Catherine.
Well, on July 16, he starts the same process in New York City.
Dance in Ottawa
Howdy!
While it hasn't quite been as relaxing as I had hoped, the break has proved to be interesting to say the least. There have been (and will continue to be) changes here, there, and elsewhere, most notably; I'm going to try to add long (1,500+ word) written reviews on all the performances I see, and as you might have figured out already three new posts on or about Dance in Montreal, Quebec and/or Canada every morning before 9AM. (Ummm, actually only on days when there isn't something bigger, like a podcast, or longer, like a review).
So to start with a whimper, something called Guerilla [sic] Magazine uses the closing of Le Groupe Dance Lab as an opportunity to ruminate on the current state of the dance world in Ottawa.
While it hasn't quite been as relaxing as I had hoped, the break has proved to be interesting to say the least. There have been (and will continue to be) changes here, there, and elsewhere, most notably; I'm going to try to add long (1,500+ word) written reviews on all the performances I see, and as you might have figured out already three new posts on or about Dance in Montreal, Quebec and/or Canada every morning before 9AM. (Ummm, actually only on days when there isn't something bigger, like a podcast, or longer, like a review).
So to start with a whimper, something called Guerilla [sic] Magazine uses the closing of Le Groupe Dance Lab as an opportunity to ruminate on the current state of the dance world in Ottawa.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Episode 67: Projet in situ, Sylvain Émard Danse, Saburo Teshigawara, and Greg 'Krypto' Selinger,
Howdy!
Our show from July 1, 2010
(Download: MP3 82MB, Flac 636MB, Ogg Vorbis 50MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Bettina Forget discuss and review. A piece of: My Heart (Breaking) by Greg 'Krypto' Selinger from the Montreal Fringe Festival, and Tu vois ce que je veux dire? by Projet in situ, Le très grand continental by Sylvain Émard Danse, and Miroku by Saburo Teshigawara of Karas from the Festival TransAmériques.
The theme song is the Romantics' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is The Daffodils by William Wordsworth, and the music played during the show is Aki Onda's Bon Voyage and The Arboreal Quartet.
Listen
Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from July 1, 2010
(Download: MP3 82MB, Flac 636MB, Ogg Vorbis 50MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Bettina Forget discuss and review. A piece of: My Heart (Breaking) by Greg 'Krypto' Selinger from the Montreal Fringe Festival, and Tu vois ce que je veux dire? by Projet in situ, Le très grand continental by Sylvain Émard Danse, and Miroku by Saburo Teshigawara of Karas from the Festival TransAmériques.
The theme song is the Romantics' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is The Daffodils by William Wordsworth, and the music played during the show is Aki Onda's Bon Voyage and The Arboreal Quartet.
Listen
Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Episode 66: Writng About Dance, and talking about talking about dance
Howdy!
Our show from June 24, 2010
(Download: MP3 77MB, Flac 587MB, Ogg Vorbis 46MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand does the show solo. He reviews Writing About Dance by Wendy Oliver, plays a couple of paragraphs of Gregory 'Krypto' Selinger's A Piece of my Heart, discusses upcoming reviews, tries to explain the concept behind Movement Museum and Allison Elizabeth gives an update from Ottawa about The Duck Wife.
The theme song is the Bobby Fuller's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Gibbet Dance by Arthur Rimbaud, and the music played during the show is by Aun.
Listen
Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from June 24, 2010
(Download: MP3 77MB, Flac 587MB, Ogg Vorbis 46MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show Chris 'Zeke' Hand does the show solo. He reviews Writing About Dance by Wendy Oliver, plays a couple of paragraphs of Gregory 'Krypto' Selinger's A Piece of my Heart, discusses upcoming reviews, tries to explain the concept behind Movement Museum and Allison Elizabeth gives an update from Ottawa about The Duck Wife.
The theme song is the Bobby Fuller's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Gibbet Dance by Arthur Rimbaud, and the music played during the show is by Aun.
Listen
Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Santiago Calatrava crosses over
Howdy!
Besides dance, I also read some art blogs. Over at Art21, they discuss how Santiago Calatrava has been commissioned to design sets for the New York City Ballet.
Personally, it would have been nice if Caroline Lagnado mentioned a couple of more contemporary examples - and then going out on a limb. The one that intrigues me the most is the collaboration next season between Paul-André Fortier and Rober Racine at L'Agora de la Danse. It's all well and fine to get an artist (or architect) to make pretty things, but it's another thing entirely to get them to dance.
Besides dance, I also read some art blogs. Over at Art21, they discuss how Santiago Calatrava has been commissioned to design sets for the New York City Ballet.
Personally, it would have been nice if Caroline Lagnado mentioned a couple of more contemporary examples - and then going out on a limb. The one that intrigues me the most is the collaboration next season between Paul-André Fortier and Rober Racine at L'Agora de la Danse. It's all well and fine to get an artist (or architect) to make pretty things, but it's another thing entirely to get them to dance.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Architecture and Pole Dancing
Howdy!
A great article (although to be honest I don't think it really says anything). But any writing that can use the phrases "Gothic weightlessness is a shared paradigm," and "Mallakhamb, an Indian form of yogic male gymnastics performed on a teak pole with their body smeared in linseed oil," is alright in my book.
A great article (although to be honest I don't think it really says anything). But any writing that can use the phrases "Gothic weightlessness is a shared paradigm," and "Mallakhamb, an Indian form of yogic male gymnastics performed on a teak pole with their body smeared in linseed oil," is alright in my book.
More on the convergence of Mixed Martial Arts & Dance
Howdy!
Check out Sarah Kaufman's bio, she's fighting on July 23rd in the middle of nowhere - but all is good, as she is Canadian.
Check out Sarah Kaufman's bio, she's fighting on July 23rd in the middle of nowhere - but all is good, as she is Canadian.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Louise Bédard Danse on Ustream but not on YouTube...
Howdy!
Came across this (39 views so far) and since I was late to the party, and didn't get the memo, I was wondering where I could watch the archived copy.
Well, not here. Nor here.
Came across this (39 views so far) and since I was late to the party, and didn't get the memo, I was wondering where I could watch the archived copy.
Well, not here. Nor here.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Canadian and Quebecois Dance getting dissed
Howdy!
Or else is isn't as hot as it was back in the 80s. If you have a short memory, back in May a bunch of Canadian (and many Quebecois) Dance companies went over to Italy to perform at the Festival Internazionale di Danza Contemporanea. Judith Mackrell, the Guardian's dance critic went, had a good time, and wrote two articles about her visit (one and two).
She doesn't have a gosh darn thing to say about any of the performances from this continent. Hmmmm.
Or else is isn't as hot as it was back in the 80s. If you have a short memory, back in May a bunch of Canadian (and many Quebecois) Dance companies went over to Italy to perform at the Festival Internazionale di Danza Contemporanea. Judith Mackrell, the Guardian's dance critic went, had a good time, and wrote two articles about her visit (one and two).
She doesn't have a gosh darn thing to say about any of the performances from this continent. Hmmmm.
Cyber Dancer points out some cool stuff
Howdy!
Given the convergence happening all over the place it was only a matter of time before someone thought of discussing the similarities and differences between Mixed Martial Arts and Dance.
Thanks to Cyber Dancer I was able to read the article by Joshua David Stein on Maxim.com for myself, I like his conclusions.
Given the convergence happening all over the place it was only a matter of time before someone thought of discussing the similarities and differences between Mixed Martial Arts and Dance.
Thanks to Cyber Dancer I was able to read the article by Joshua David Stein on Maxim.com for myself, I like his conclusions.
What's Édouard Lock doing in July?
Howdy!
In April he got $25,000 and a Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. In May he got $50,000 and an Arts Molson Prize. In June he got a doctorat honoris causa (I don't think it comes with any cash...) from the Université du Québec à Montréal.
All-in-all not a bad spring for M. Lock. What do you think he gets in July?
In April he got $25,000 and a Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. In May he got $50,000 and an Arts Molson Prize. In June he got a doctorat honoris causa (I don't think it comes with any cash...) from the Université du Québec à Montréal.
All-in-all not a bad spring for M. Lock. What do you think he gets in July?
Friday, June 11, 2010
Episode 65: The Second First Annual Movement Museum-Fringe Festival Open House
Howdy!
Our show from June 10, 2010
(Download: MP3 74MB, Flac 330MB, Ogg Vorbis 46MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we have our Second First Annual Movement Museum-Fringe Festival Open House with Tanya Elchuk & Amy Crnkovic from Heart-Strings, Isaac Kessler from 2-Man No-Show, Sasha Kleinplatz from Piss in the Pool, Yanomi from SHOSHINZ presents: A Day in the Life of Miss Hiccup, Brianna Stark from Aurelia and Imago and Allison Elizabeth Burns does double duty as co-host and representative for Inertia Productions' The Duck Wife.
The theme song is the Danny Davis and the Boys' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Vaudeville Dancer by Carl Sandburg, and the music played during the show is Dawning Luminosity by Viosac.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from June 10, 2010
(Download: MP3 74MB, Flac 330MB, Ogg Vorbis 46MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we have our Second First Annual Movement Museum-Fringe Festival Open House with Tanya Elchuk & Amy Crnkovic from Heart-Strings, Isaac Kessler from 2-Man No-Show, Sasha Kleinplatz from Piss in the Pool, Yanomi from SHOSHINZ presents: A Day in the Life of Miss Hiccup, Brianna Stark from Aurelia and Imago and Allison Elizabeth Burns does double duty as co-host and representative for Inertia Productions' The Duck Wife.
The theme song is the Danny Davis and the Boys' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Vaudeville Dancer by Carl Sandburg, and the music played during the show is Dawning Luminosity by Viosac.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Canadian Dance History 101: Kay Armstrong
Howdy!
Over at Cecchetti International Classical Ballet they have a very nicely written bio of Kay Armstrong, one of the first Canadian Choreographers. The best bit?
Over at Cecchetti International Classical Ballet they have a very nicely written bio of Kay Armstrong, one of the first Canadian Choreographers. The best bit?
...Le Réve Fantasque, her first ballet set to a commissioned score. The music was written by Dolores Claman, who penned the Hockey Night in Canada theme...
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Canadian Dance Assembly's Annual General Meeting
Howdy!
The Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Dance Assembly can be heard right here at 5:30 today, or they say, afterwards if you're busy. If you'd like to read their Strategic Plan before (during or after) it is available here [pdf alert].
The Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Dance Assembly can be heard right here at 5:30 today, or they say, afterwards if you're busy. If you'd like to read their Strategic Plan before (during or after) it is available here [pdf alert].
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Blake McGrath on Canada AM
Howdy!
Copying from the website: So You Think You Can Dance Canada judge and choreographer chats about his move to music.
Copying from the website: So You Think You Can Dance Canada judge and choreographer chats about his move to music.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Pictures of Young Dancers
Howdy!
I'm not quite certain what to make of this one. A lot of pictures of the students at L'École de danse de Québec, but nary a mention of who or what and a touch too much emphasis on the corporeal, from my perspective.
I'm not quite certain what to make of this one. A lot of pictures of the students at L'École de danse de Québec, but nary a mention of who or what and a touch too much emphasis on the corporeal, from my perspective.
Guillaume Côté makes for good headline
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The Ottawa Citizen profiles Guillaume Côté as a means of hyping the Canada Dance Festival that's happening there, now.
The Ottawa Citizen profiles Guillaume Côté as a means of hyping the Canada Dance Festival that's happening there, now.
Like a dog with a bone
Howdy!
Le danseur ne pèse pas lourd dans la balance could be loosely translated into English as Give the Dancers Some Credit, Please. Yesterday, once again, she pointed out a whole whack of people who might not have otherwise have been mentioned.
Le danseur ne pèse pas lourd dans la balance could be loosely translated into English as Give the Dancers Some Credit, Please. Yesterday, once again, she pointed out a whole whack of people who might not have otherwise have been mentioned.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Movement Museum Episode 64: Sylvie Frigon
Howdy!
Our show from June 3, 2010
(Download: MP3 79MB, Flac 341MB, Ogg Vorbis 48MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we talk with Sylvie Frigon author of Chairs incarcérées, une exploration de la danse en prison with Claire Jenny about Dance in Prison, and two paragraphs of Gregory 'Krypto' Selinger's A Piece of my Heart Breaking are played.
The theme song is the Hurriganes' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is The Dance by Edna St. Vincent Millay, and the music played during the show is by The Arboreal Quartet.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from June 3, 2010
(Download: MP3 79MB, Flac 341MB, Ogg Vorbis 48MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we talk with Sylvie Frigon author of Chairs incarcérées, une exploration de la danse en prison with Claire Jenny about Dance in Prison, and two paragraphs of Gregory 'Krypto' Selinger's A Piece of my Heart Breaking are played.
The theme song is the Hurriganes' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is The Dance by Edna St. Vincent Millay, and the music played during the show is by The Arboreal Quartet.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Thursday, June 3, 2010
José Navas having fun in Venice
Howdy!
It appears that this here blog is becoming all-José-Navas-all-the-time...
It appears that this here blog is becoming all-José-Navas-all-the-time...
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
José Navas by Valérie E.-Cloutier trois fois
Howdy!
Valérie E.-Cloutier, who it appears writes about Venezuelan culture in Montreal has written a tri-lingual post on José Navas (English, français, español).
Valérie E.-Cloutier, who it appears writes about Venezuelan culture in Montreal has written a tri-lingual post on José Navas (English, français, español).
Win $3,000 and a trip to London!
Howdy!
It was so successful the first time, they're doing it again. Sadler's Wells Global Dance Contest 2010. All instructions can be found here.
It was so successful the first time, they're doing it again. Sadler's Wells Global Dance Contest 2010. All instructions can be found here.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Bad news from the Art Gallery of Ontario
Howdy!
According to this press release (the original here), and this breathless website, there will be ballet in the museum this summer. Ugh.
Why can't they just leave well enough alone? If something is significant enough to be shown in a museum, why can't they just show it? Why do they now need to add extra stuff? If the painting sucks, now amount of ballet (or music, or theater) is going to make it good. On the other hand if the painting is good, then the ballet (or music, or theater) is just going to take away from it by causing people not to be able to focus their full attention on it.
According to this press release (the original here), and this breathless website, there will be ballet in the museum this summer. Ugh.
Why can't they just leave well enough alone? If something is significant enough to be shown in a museum, why can't they just show it? Why do they now need to add extra stuff? If the painting sucks, now amount of ballet (or music, or theater) is going to make it good. On the other hand if the painting is good, then the ballet (or music, or theater) is just going to take away from it by causing people not to be able to focus their full attention on it.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Nice Juxtaposition Judith Mackrell & Catherine Viau
Howdy!
One English, one French. One focusing on one topic, one attempting to look at the bigger picture. But both commenting on the changing world of dance.
One English, one French. One focusing on one topic, one attempting to look at the bigger picture. But both commenting on the changing world of dance.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Movement Museum Episode 63: Stu McIntyre, Imbroglio, Mihaela Coman
Howdy!
Our show from May 27, 2010
(Download: MP3 74MB, Flac 331MB, Ogg Vorbis 46MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we talk with Stu McIntyre of Imbroglio about creating and performing dance for the street vs. for the stage and Imbroglio's upcoming productions of Cheyen and Oppo for the Montreal Fringe Festival, and Mihaela Coman of dancethisweek.com and mihaelaonline.com about Belly Dancing and Social Networking.
The theme song is the Raimundos' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Pannyra of the Golden Heel by Albert Samain, translated by James Elroy Flecker, and the music played during the show is Jacky Terrasson's Push.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from May 27, 2010
(Download: MP3 74MB, Flac 331MB, Ogg Vorbis 46MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we talk with Stu McIntyre of Imbroglio about creating and performing dance for the street vs. for the stage and Imbroglio's upcoming productions of Cheyen and Oppo for the Montreal Fringe Festival, and Mihaela Coman of dancethisweek.com and mihaelaonline.com about Belly Dancing and Social Networking.
The theme song is the Raimundos' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Pannyra of the Golden Heel by Albert Samain, translated by James Elroy Flecker, and the music played during the show is Jacky Terrasson's Push.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The American Tap Dance Day vs. The Japanese Tap Dance Day
Howdy!
Yesterday was American Tap Dance Day, back in April the Japanese celebrated Tap Dance Day over an entire weekend in April. In the United States it is celebrated on Bill “Bojangles” Robinson's birthday. I do not know the significance of the dates for the Japanese celebration.
I think we should nominate August 25 as The Canadian Tap Dance Day.
Yesterday was American Tap Dance Day, back in April the Japanese celebrated Tap Dance Day over an entire weekend in April. In the United States it is celebrated on Bill “Bojangles” Robinson's birthday. I do not know the significance of the dates for the Japanese celebration.
I think we should nominate August 25 as The Canadian Tap Dance Day.
On Becoming a Dance Critic
Howdy!
I didn't plan to be a critic. Even though I'd spent years hanging around dance studios, learning everything from ballet to contemporary to tai chi, I was set on a career in academia; my subject was English literature, not dance. So when a string of circumstances led me to write my first dance reviews, my models weren't professional critics. Most of the writers I knew and loved best were novelists: Henry James, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce and John Updike.From this article in The Guardian.
None of them could offer guidance when it came to describing a perfect pirouette, but they were ideal masters to learn from. Two marks of a great novelist are the ability to observe human behaviour and the ability to judge the exact words that make those observations ring true. Both skills are also essential for dance critics, who have to capture the combination of movement, music, design and human personality that make a work unique.
When I started reading dance reviews, the first writers I went to were American. There was a practical reason: Edwin Denby, Arlene Croce and Deborah Jowitt had collections of their reviews published in book form and, pre-internet, it was much harder to study the British newspaper critics.
But there was also something inspirational about the best of the American writing. It had a novelist's sharpness of language and gaze, and almost never resorted to cliche. I remember reading the Denby collection in one sitting and marveling at his exactness. Take, for instance, this description of the ballerina in Balanchine's Concerto Barocco, as she is lowered slowly to the floor at the climax of a pas de deux: "She rests her foot on a single sharp point and pauses. It is the effect . . . of a deliberate and powerful plunge into a wound." In this unsettling image, Denby managed to concentrate everything he saw and felt. In the daily routine of being a critic – rushing to meet a deadline, wondering how to cram it all into 400 words – it's good to remember how high the critical bar has been set. - Judith Mackrell
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Zab Maboungou getting good press all over the place
Howdy!
First there was Bettina Forget's review. Then I came across this article in the New York Times. Then I read this interview (where I learned that Zab Maboungou is a Y-chromosome challenged person).
I think we might have to try to get her to come on the air for an interview.
First there was Bettina Forget's review. Then I came across this article in the New York Times. Then I read this interview (where I learned that Zab Maboungou is a Y-chromosome challenged person).
I think we might have to try to get her to come on the air for an interview.
A slight scheduling conflict
Howdy!
I just discovered that Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival is happening in between June 3 and 6 this year. There are a bunch of Montreal dancers going down there; The Choreographers, Laurel Koop, Floating Seed and Virtuo Danse. Unfortunately I won't be able to make it because of this, this and this.
I just discovered that Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival is happening in between June 3 and 6 this year. There are a bunch of Montreal dancers going down there; The Choreographers, Laurel Koop, Floating Seed and Virtuo Danse. Unfortunately I won't be able to make it because of this, this and this.
James Kudelka in Czech and English
Howdy!
James Kudelka gets interviewed in Czech (and they also translate it into English for folk like me).
James Kudelka gets interviewed in Czech (and they also translate it into English for folk like me).
Luc Vanier, ex-Montreal dancer doing good elsewhere
Howdy!
Next month in Milwaukee they are going to be performing something called Divas, Dudes and Dancers. But what caught my eye was the line, "Originally from Montreal."
So I dug a little deeper and came up with these bits of information; he currently teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he used to dance with the Ohio Ballet, and might have been one of the victims of the controversy that surrounded them ten years ago. Now it appears that he does stuff with Your Mother Dances.
I wonder if he ever makes it back home?
Next month in Milwaukee they are going to be performing something called Divas, Dudes and Dancers. But what caught my eye was the line, "Originally from Montreal."
So I dug a little deeper and came up with these bits of information; he currently teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he used to dance with the Ohio Ballet, and might have been one of the victims of the controversy that surrounded them ten years ago. Now it appears that he does stuff with Your Mother Dances.
I wonder if he ever makes it back home?
Monday, May 24, 2010
The Duck Wife on Kickstarter
Howdy!
As of this writing The Duck Wife had raised more than 80% of their goal on Kickstarter. For those of you that don't know, one of the co-hosts of Movement Museum, Allison Elizabeth Burns is heavily involved in The Duck Wife.
If you have some excess cash, give it to them, and help them get to Edmonton.
As of this writing The Duck Wife had raised more than 80% of their goal on Kickstarter. For those of you that don't know, one of the co-hosts of Movement Museum, Allison Elizabeth Burns is heavily involved in The Duck Wife.
If you have some excess cash, give it to them, and help them get to Edmonton.
Catherine Viau got annoyed things changed
Howdy!
On Friday, Catherine Viau wrote on her blog about how O Vertigo 'forgot' to credit their dancers, and then went out of her way to name them and link to their bios. On Sunday at about noon, Robert Meilleur commented that according to him things had been fixed. Wikced Cool!
On Friday, Catherine Viau wrote on her blog about how O Vertigo 'forgot' to credit their dancers, and then went out of her way to name them and link to their bios. On Sunday at about noon, Robert Meilleur commented that according to him things had been fixed. Wikced Cool!
Danse Lucile Danse!!!
Howdy!
A very nice gif from kick-ass cartoonist, Julie Delporte. (If you click on it, it should move...)
A very nice gif from kick-ass cartoonist, Julie Delporte. (If you click on it, it should move...)
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Movement Museum Episode 62: Clothilde Cardinal, Pierre Des Marais, Danse-Danse
Howdy!
Our show from May 20, 2010
(Download: MP3 79MB, Flac 627MB, Ogg Vorbis 50MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we talk with the Clothilde Cardinal and Pierre Des Marais the co-directors of Danse-Danse about their 2010/2011 season and their fund-raising campaign.
The theme song is Sonny & Cher's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Isadora Duncan by Carl Sandburg, and the music played during the show is from The Arboreal Quartet.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from May 20, 2010
(Download: MP3 79MB, Flac 627MB, Ogg Vorbis 50MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we talk with the Clothilde Cardinal and Pierre Des Marais the co-directors of Danse-Danse about their 2010/2011 season and their fund-raising campaign.
The theme song is Sonny & Cher's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Isadora Duncan by Carl Sandburg, and the music played during the show is from The Arboreal Quartet.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Nico Archambault, Naomi Stikeman, Marie-Ève Quilicot
Howdy!
A very nice article from Saturday's Le Devoir by Catherine Lalonde on the incredible variety of professional dancers and dancing opportunities in Quebec and what Nico Archambault, Naomi Stikeman, and Marie-Ève Quilicot think about the situation.
A very nice article from Saturday's Le Devoir by Catherine Lalonde on the incredible variety of professional dancers and dancing opportunities in Quebec and what Nico Archambault, Naomi Stikeman, and Marie-Ève Quilicot think about the situation.
Catching up with Blueprint Dance
Howdy!
While we don't give a lot of coverage to the various 'reality' dance shows (not watching TV might have a little to do with it) we don't completely ignore them either. Blueprint deserves some serious props. I'm just flabbergasted that they come from the West Island!
While we don't give a lot of coverage to the various 'reality' dance shows (not watching TV might have a little to do with it) we don't completely ignore them either. Blueprint deserves some serious props. I'm just flabbergasted that they come from the West Island!
Toronto's National Ballet School celebrates International Dance Day
Howdy!
Apparently it is a law in Toronto that if you go to the mall you absolutely must bring your video camera with you. Back at the end of April, the National Ballet School over there decided that they were going to organize something they call a Flash Mob (I would strongly disagree with their definition, but I digress) to do a dance in public at the Eaton Centre in order to raise public awareness about International Dance Day. Cool enough, if not terribly original, but what elevates this particular event, is that if you go trolling for it on YouTube, there are nine (9) completely different videos of the same thing. Talk about gaining a different perspective!!
The Official We Want this to be Viral Video done by the National Ballet School
chyrells' video of the rehearsal
SimTripps Video
Evvve91's Video
yadosoara's video
awaismonkey's video
HumanArchive's Video
aliciajones1569's video
mailme408's video
And I might have missed a couple as well, but there is only so much Feist I can take in one day.
Apparently it is a law in Toronto that if you go to the mall you absolutely must bring your video camera with you. Back at the end of April, the National Ballet School over there decided that they were going to organize something they call a Flash Mob (I would strongly disagree with their definition, but I digress) to do a dance in public at the Eaton Centre in order to raise public awareness about International Dance Day. Cool enough, if not terribly original, but what elevates this particular event, is that if you go trolling for it on YouTube, there are nine (9) completely different videos of the same thing. Talk about gaining a different perspective!!
The Official We Want this to be Viral Video done by the National Ballet School
chyrells' video of the rehearsal
SimTripps Video
Evvve91's Video
yadosoara's video
awaismonkey's video
HumanArchive's Video
aliciajones1569's video
mailme408's video
And I might have missed a couple as well, but there is only so much Feist I can take in one day.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
OK, we're a tad slow. Swinging makes it into L'actualité, two weeks ago
Howdy!
A short article by Ulysse Bergeron, but what makes it extremely useful is the guide to schools, clubs and etc.
A short article by Ulysse Bergeron, but what makes it extremely useful is the guide to schools, clubs and etc.
Occasionally we reprint a press release, but very very rarely
Howdy!
But books on the history of ballet here in Canada need all the marketing help they can get... So if you have the time to spare to read 300 pages, Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt has written The Ballet Class: A History of Canada’s National Ballet School 1959 – 2009. Read the press release here.
But books on the history of ballet here in Canada need all the marketing help they can get... So if you have the time to spare to read 300 pages, Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt has written The Ballet Class: A History of Canada’s National Ballet School 1959 – 2009. Read the press release here.
Myriam Allard first to Vancouver and then to Mexico
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When we last caught up with Myriam Allard she was performing El12. Now it appears she performed in "Mis Hermanas" Thicker Than Water: My Sisters and I in Vancouver last week in preparation for performing it in a tour of Mexico later in the year.
When we last caught up with Myriam Allard she was performing El12. Now it appears she performed in "Mis Hermanas" Thicker Than Water: My Sisters and I in Vancouver last week in preparation for performing it in a tour of Mexico later in the year.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Entr'acte, Marie Chouinard
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Yesterday Marie Chouinard's bODY_rEMIX/ gOLDBERG_vARIATIONS got reviewed in London's Guardian. Some of the better lines: "The result resembles a swingers' party in a surgical appliance store, hosted by a DJ with late-stage Parkinson's disease." And "part proxy-exhibitionism."
Yesterday Marie Chouinard's bODY_rEMIX/ gOLDBERG_vARIATIONS got reviewed in London's Guardian. Some of the better lines: "The result resembles a swingers' party in a surgical appliance store, hosted by a DJ with late-stage Parkinson's disease." And "part proxy-exhibitionism."
Entr'acte, Dave St-Pierre
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Looks like I'm going to have to catch the re-run. Dave St-Pierre was on Tout le monde en parle last Friday, and I missed it.
Looks like I'm going to have to catch the re-run. Dave St-Pierre was on Tout le monde en parle last Friday, and I missed it.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Entr'acte, Mihaela Coman
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Il fait beau dans le Metro... although to be completely honest, Mihaela Coman dances anywhere, not only the metro.
Il fait beau dans le Metro... although to be completely honest, Mihaela Coman dances anywhere, not only the metro.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Movement Museum Episode 61: Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Toronto Dance Theatre, « WE ARE ROBOTS », Margie Gillis
Howdy!
Our show from May 13, 2010
(Download: MP3 75MB, Flac 311MB, Ogg Vorbis 47MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we review Les Grands Ballets Canadiens' Minus One, Toronto Dance Theatre's Dis/(sol/ve)r, « WE ARE ROBOTS » and Margie Gillis' Filature / Thread.
The theme song is Attaque 77's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Tarantella by D.H. Lawrence, and the music played during the show is from Geordie McDonald's Time/After Time.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from May 13, 2010
(Download: MP3 75MB, Flac 311MB, Ogg Vorbis 47MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we review Les Grands Ballets Canadiens' Minus One, Toronto Dance Theatre's Dis/(sol/ve)r, « WE ARE ROBOTS » and Margie Gillis' Filature / Thread.
The theme song is Attaque 77's version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is Tarantella by D.H. Lawrence, and the music played during the show is from Geordie McDonald's Time/After Time.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Entr'acte, Canadian Dancers at Expo 2010 in Shanghai
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In case you were interested, the Canadian Dancers at Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Red Sky from Toronto, Move the company from Vancouver, and Damelahamid from West Vancouver.
In case you were interested, the Canadian Dancers at Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Red Sky from Toronto, Move the company from Vancouver, and Damelahamid from West Vancouver.
Entr'acte, Canadian Heritage Funding of $87,000 per year for two years
Howdy!
I came across this press release touting how generous James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages was. In a nutshell he's giving $87,000 per year for the next two years to New Dance Horizons in Regina.
Remind me if I am ever find myself in a tight situation to hit him up first.
I came across this press release touting how generous James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages was. In a nutshell he's giving $87,000 per year for the next two years to New Dance Horizons in Regina.
Remind me if I am ever find myself in a tight situation to hit him up first.
Entr'acte, Alouette Cheerleader: Valérie Bisaillon
Howdy!
Football season must be starting soon, Valérie Bisaillon one of the Alouette Cheerleaders gets profiled in L'Avenir de l'Est.
Football season must be starting soon, Valérie Bisaillon one of the Alouette Cheerleaders gets profiled in L'Avenir de l'Est.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Movement Museum Episode 60: Margie Gillis
Howdy!
Our show from May 6, 2010
Download: MP3 78MB, Flac 615MB, Ogg Vorbis 45MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we talk with Margie Gillis about her latest performance Filatures / Thread.
The theme song is the Kim Carnes' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is The Window by Leonard Cohen, and the music played during the show is from The Arboreal Quartet.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Our show from May 6, 2010
Download: MP3 78MB, Flac 615MB, Ogg Vorbis 45MB or Stream)
Movement Museum a radio show broadcast Thursdays at 14h on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, co-hosts Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Allison Elizabeth Burns and Bettina Forget talk about dance in Montreal. In this show we talk with Margie Gillis about her latest performance Filatures / Thread.
The theme song is the Kim Carnes' version of Do You Want to Dance, the dance poem of the week is The Window by Leonard Cohen, and the music played during the show is from The Arboreal Quartet.
Listen
Allison Elizabeth Burns, Bettina Forget and Chris 'Zeke' Hand
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Entr'acte, Rashaad Newsome
Howdy!
(via) More about Rashaad Newsome is available here and here.
"FIVE" live at the Whitney Museum of American Art March 19th 2010 from RASHAAD NEWSOME on Vimeo.
(via) More about Rashaad Newsome is available here and here.
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