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Karen Kain ---- Dance in Saskatchewan Vancouver's Avant-Garde
a.JA.l...... e am to Imperfect Bodies les ballets Jazz■ difiontreal
Summer Session Session d'ete '83 June 27 • August 28 27 Juin • 28 AoOt
CURRICULUM: Jt,;Z_Z - BALLET - TAP
MUSICAL THEATRE THEATRE MUSICAL MODERN (LIMON) MOOERNE (LIMON) WORKOUTS AEROBIC Jt,;I_Z
CHOREOGRAPHIC ATELIERS WORKSHOPS CHORtGRAPHIQUES with Company Members Avec membres de la compagnie
WRITE TO RECEIVE OUR BROCHURE ECRIVEZ-NOUS POUR RECEVOIR NOTRE DtPLIANT
MONTREAL TORONTO QUEBEC LAVA L 1231 Quest Ste. Catherine 207 Adelaide St . E. 777 Cote des Glacis 1950 est , Bl vd . de la Concorde Montreal, P.a. Tor on to, Ont. Carre d'Youville Ou vernay, Quebec tel. (514) 849-6071 M5A 1MB Quebec G1R 3R1 H7G 4P5 tel. (416) 862-7114 tel. (418) 694-0244 tel. (514 ) 669-9211 Issue Number 36 Summer 1983 Ete
Michael Crabb Editor/Redacteur FEATURES
Holly Small The Changing Face of Dance in Saskatchewan 2 Assistant Editor/Redactrice adjointe Towards a New Unity DENISE BALL Jack Cunningham Advertising Representative/Pub/icite Karen Kain at the Crossroads 5 Charters Litho Inc. A Career in Transition Production URJO KAREDA
Published quarterl y by Dance in Canada Association (a non Photo-Gallery: Frank Richards 9 profit o rganization, registration #00221-22-23) 38 Charles Street East. Toronto, M4Y IT! , Ontario, (416) 921-5169. Peggy Macleod Executive Director. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Dance in Canada Association. All rights reserved. Copyright© 1983 by the The Great Revival 13 Dance in Canada Association. Subscriptions: $ JO /year; $18/two years; Sl5 institutions. Outside Canada add $3.00. Vancouver's New Dance is Setting the Pace Back issues are available in microfilm fro m Micromedia Ltd., 144 Front St. West, Toronto, Ont. M5J 2L 7. Limited copies MAX WYMAN of back is.sues are available at $3.50 each from the editorial office. Send change of address, subscriptio n orders, back issue orders and undeliverable copies to Dance in Canada, 38 Charles Street East. Toronto M4Y !Tl, Ontario. Printed in Brampton, Ontario by Charters Lithe Inc., Second class mail Learning to Live with your Body 17 registration =03 . 4. Remrn postage guaranteed. ISSN 0317- How to Adjust to Natural Imperfections 9737. VICTOR CELESTE Unsoli ci ted manuscripts cannot be re turned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Dance in Canada publishes in official language of origin . Special thanks to The Canada Council a nd The Ontario DEPARTMENTS Ministry of Citizenship and Culture. In Review 21 Noticeboard 35 Publication trimes triell e de l'Association Danse au Canada (organisation a but non lucratif. numCro d'enregistrement: 33 Letters to the Editor 41 002221 -22-23), 38 Charles Street East. Toronto M4Y !Tl, Book Beat Ontario (4 16) 921-5169. Directrice executif: Peggy Macleod. Les opin io ns ex primCes dans cette revue nc sont pas nCcessairement celles de I' Association Danse au Canada. Tour droits reserve. Copyright C> 1983, l'Association Danse au COVER: Canada. Abonnements: un an: $ 10, deux ans: SIS, instit utions: $ 15. Etranger: ajouter $3. Pour obtenir d'anciens Karen Kain m a specially commissioned photograph by Joseph numCros sur microfilm, s'adresser 3: Micro media Ltd., 144 Front St. Wes1, Toronto, On 1. M5J 2L 7. Un numbre limitC Ciancio d'anciens numeros sont disponibles au bu reau de la redaction a S3.50 le numCro. Adresser vos changement d'adresse, demande d'abonnement, co mmande d'anciens numCros et tous numCros non livrCs a Danse au Canada, 38 C harl es ~ .. ect East, To ronto M4Y IT!, Onta rio. Im primC a CREDITS B.'"'2.m ton. Ontario par Charte rs Lithe Inc. , N° elll"Cgistrcmen1 de courricr de scconde classc: 03 .,4. Frais Bruce Die nes, page _3 ~ ~tom garan .is. ISS~ 031 --9-r. Ian \est ur_, page -4 Po
age 9 Ba-:- G;-a_,, page 43 2 DANCE IN CANADA The Changing Face of Dance in Saskatchew Towards a New Unity
By Denise Ball
Past efforts to establish professional dance companies in Saskatchewan have often foundered. The province is not, after a ll , exactly a haven for dance. Of the dozens of private dance schools in the province, only a handful can be considered qua lity institutions while many are, in the words of one dance teacher, "alm ost dangerous". Most touring companies from outside Saskatchewan are lucky to fill a large auditorium in Saskatoon or Regina for one performance. In June, however, Saskatoon wi ll host the I 983 Dance in Canada conference and invite the nation to have a look at the state of dance in the province. While there may be little in the way of high profile activity to attract interest, delegates attending the conference wi ll discover a vast range of educationa l dance programs in the province, the beginnings of a professional company determined to su rvive, and a new spirit of co-operation among members of the province's dance community who are' committed to bridging the gaps that have kept dance groups isolated a nd struggling in the past. "The June conference will be the first time many members of the provincial dance community haue got together" "The conference is being held in Saskatoon because there's never been a national conference in Saskatchewan before", says So ni a Barton. Dance in Canada Association board member, conference co-ordinator and Saskatoo April Chow and Lorne Matthews of Saskatchewan Theatre Ballet in Ross Brierton's Genesis. dance teacher. "We be lieve people are going to find an extremely active regional movement, particu larly in Le choix de Saskatoon comme lieu de rencontre pour le Colloque 1983 de Danse education. We've accomplished a lot in au Canada marque une importante etape historique pour la Saskatchewan. Bien the last few years". que diverses tentatives de fondation de troupes de danse professionnelles aient Although Dance Saskatchewan. the echouees par le passe et que !es normes d' enseignement de la danse soient des plus umbrella body fo r provincial dance variees, de nets signes de renouveau se font a present sentir. Marie Nychka organizatio ns, has been in existence for Blocka est fondatrice de la compagnie semi-professionnelle Saskatchewan Theatre five years, the June conference will be Ballet et ses efforts ont re9u beaucoup d' encouragement. Les divisions dans le the first time many members of the milieu de la danse en Saskatchewan s'effacent petit a petit pour faire place a un provincial dance community have got climat de cooperation fructueuse. together to swap ideas. Until recently, most of the acti vi ty has DANCE IN CANADA 3 gone on in isolation. The distances have been maintained partly because of a tendency to protect turf, pa rtly because various segments saw no value in co operation, and partly because of strong philosophical differences over the direction in which provincial dance activity should go. By far the largest concentration of dance activity can be found within the province's private schools. The Saskatchewan Dance Teachers Association has 34 accredited members, but there's an even greater number of dance school operators outside the Association. Most offer classes in a variety of areas - ballet, jazz, modern and tap (some throw in baton-twirling for good measure) as well as keep fit classes and yoga. Thousands of students of every age and shape are enrolled in classes offered through private schools and public institutions. The Conservatory of Music in Regina and the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon both offer a variety of courses. Many schools encourage students to enter the large competitive festivals that take place in several centres each year, Young dancers take part in Regina's Annual Ethnic Festival, "Mosaic '82". Here we see a the largest being in Moose Jaw. traditional Irish dance. Hundreds, if not tho usands, compete for medals and trophies each year. But there's a growin g number of teachers a pilot project in a Regina schooi, wa nts the mood is beginning to change. who are dissatisfied with the competitive the emphasis to be placed on dance as a "We need to make connections, not system. One teac her in Yorkton claims performing art, not just another form of onl y within our own dance communities these events do little to help develop physical acti vit y with a "jock menta lit y" but with the big o utside world", Barton dancers because they're too large. When approach. says. "People are concerned about they might we ll be offering useful Livant, like many members of the overcoming the separati ons. But of criticism adjudicators can do no more dance community, is pushing fo r a course it's a long, slow process because th an hand out marks and trophies for greater emphasis o n broader fo rms of so little has been done in the past ." the teacher co use as "artifacts for public educatio n. Dance therapy From the evidence ava il able, some adverti ing he schools". programs are now avail able in Regina valuable links are being forged. While the " It often keeps the parents happy, but a nd Saskatoon enco uraging creative ethnic dance groups and the private it's a bit Ii ·e being at a cattle sale. The kid movement for the elderl y and the institutions aren't exactl y pals, they're at gets a number and is pushed through the least on speakin g terms. shute" . "We need to make connections, not "The ethnic and ballet groups started Yet even in the non-competitive only within our own dance for different reasons and start ed from environment of the public school system, communities but with the big outside different roots", says Mari Stewart, there's some controversy o er the world" president of the Regina Mult ic ultural approach to education. Da nce in Council and an active member of the Saskatchewan public schools is included phys ically a nd mentall y handica pped. local highland dance association. "But as part of the physical education The University of Regina is in the midst there have been workshops in volving curriculum. Few phys-ed teachers have of developing a n aesthetic educati on st udents from the multicultural the training o r inclinati on to give much program designed to train teachers fo r organizations and the ballet schools. I attentio n to dance. Interest at the work in public institutions such as jails think people a re beginning to realize C niversity of Regin a and the Universit y and hospita ls as well as schools. there's strength in togetherness." o as katchewan is only just beginning Many of these groups a nd individua ls Educators, therapists and performers evelop. look to Dance Saskatchewan as a ve hicle involved in "ma instream" dance ~- larianne Li vant, a dance educator, for promoting da nce in the broadest activi ties could reap enorm ous benefits - e therapi t and co-founder of the from joining force with the ethnic dance ~ro p. In a ·atche\1an. multicult ural r.1 1· a rong for e wi th well-organi zed n 11' a I e at municipal and el . Dozens of Uk rania n thrive in small towns a nd 4 DANCE IN CANADA large cities in the province, partly -artistic directors Keith Urban and Maria necessary to pull them off. because of the large Ukranian Formolo moved to Alberta. Although a Still, the company's future looks population but also because they attract school still functions under the Dance bright, largely because Nychka-Blocka young men who might find other forms Works name, the performance company has made the right political moves. She of dance too "sissy". Regina's Poltava is long gone. has gone after, and received, support Dancers, for example, have toured Shortly after the demise of Dance from all sectors, or factions, of the throughout Canada and Europe. The Works, Marie Nychka-Blocka, a Regina provincial dance community. She has troupe has achieved relatively high dance teacher, announced that she firm ties with the multicultural standards by holding on to its members intended to form a new company - community, developed over years of after high school graduation. Saskatchewan Theatre Ballet. The teaching Ukrainian dance, as well as Even in smaller communities, Polish, ensemble is made up of three with the private ballet teachers. She has Hungarian, Roumanian, Scottish, professional dancers - Nychka-Blocka, invited Saskatchewan teachers to set Chinese, Indian and Filipino Lorne Matthews and April Chow - and works on the company and has recei ve performance ensembles can be found strong support from Dance with supportive audiences. But once out "The history of professional dance Saskatchewan. of high school, these dancers are no companies in the province has been Saskatchewan Theatre Ballet is now more likely to pursue a professional fraught with problems" seen as a way for young performers to career than most ballet-trained students make the leap from amateur to in the larger cities. The biggest gap in five unpaid apprentices. The repertoire is professional status. Nychka-Blocka the Saskatchewan dance community a mixed bag of light classical, jazz, hopes to increase the size of the remains between education and ethnic, and "hard-core classical" works company by two next season and professional performance activity. created by local and out-of-province applications for apprentice positions are The history of professional dance choreographers, most of whom are flooding in from young dancers with companies in the province has been young and learning. dreams of establishing careers in the frau ght with problems. Lucia After one year in operation, province. Pavlychenko, a respected Saskatoon Saskatchewan Theatre Ballet has For the next· few years, however, most dance teacher, launched an eight-member exceeded expectations. The company of the ambitious ones will continue to professional dance company called began the year with a projected budget leave for Winnipeg or Toronto to Saskatchewan Dance Theatre in 1974. of $65,000. It finished the season $20,000 continue their training and to look for The company danced throughout the under budget. It has found enthusiastic jobs. Others, because of a lack of province and proved to be specially audiences throughout the province and is encouragement and exposure to popular in smaller communities. After booked on a provincial touring circuit excellence, will give up. Things, two years, however, it folded because of into 1984. nevertheless, are beginning to turn financial problems and internal battles. The company's performance standards around. And the next time the country's Regina Modern Dance Works, which are understandably mixed. Nychka dance community is invited to a dance was started around the same time, had a Blocka's own choreographies are the conference in Saskatchewan, it may not longer but no less difficult history. The strongest in the repertoire, but some of seem like such an unusual idea. company's orientation was the works by guest choreographers have Denise Ball is the arts reporter for the contemporary, but while some of its been insubstantial. Also, while STB Regina Leader-Post. earlier work captured an audience, attempts to make excerpts from classical Dance Works gradually lost its following works a significant part of the program, and faced debilitating financial and several of the student apprentices haven't administrative problems. A year ago, the clean classical lines or technique CONCORDIA UNIVERSITE UNIVERSITY CONCORDIA
B. F .A. in Modern Dance B. F .A. en Dance Moderne 3 - Year programme Programme de 3 ans in CHOREOGRAPHY en CHOREOGRAPHIE & PERFORMANCE et INTERPRETATION
For information / renseignements: La langu e d'ense igne e~: CONCORDIA University Performing Arts division est l'Anglais. Les exame~: 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd west et les travaux ecr : Montreal, Quebec H3G 1 MS peuvent etre presen-es Canada Tel. (514) 879-5803 en Fran~ais ou en A ng a·_ DANCE IN CANAD A 5 Karen Kain at the Crossroads A Career in Transition
By U rjo Kareda
Stardom is a two-fold confidence trick. On the most primal level, the star must endow the audience with confidence, with the giddy faith that the impossible will not only be attempted but also triumphantly achieved. Even in the many cases in which danger is built into a star's relationship with the public, it usually provides the edge of tension to an inevitable victory. As an audience, we yearn to be held, child-like, in the security of a star's ease. On a much more problematic level, however, the star, too, needs to achieve actual confidence, an interior personal assurance, to keep us believing. These two confidence tricks - the ability to persuade us, and the power of self persuasion - do not necessarily come together. A star can continue for some time with the first without acquiring the second. But if the career is to be sustained beyond the momentary sensation, the two tricks must be folded one wi thin the other. Until they do, there will be a hollowness at the centre of the star's power to command.
"Karen Kain has always had the ability to make us believe that she could do whatever she chose to"
As Ca nada's most celebrated ballet star, Karen Kain has always had the abil ity to ma ke us beli eve that she could Karen Kain in Swan Lake. do whatever she chose to. From her earliest appearances in leading roles with the National Ballet, she was Les grands danseurs sont des vedettes aux yeux du public, mais if leur faut ce distinguished by the boldness of her sentiment intime de confiance en soi pour qu'ils atteignent leur maturite dreaming onstage, by her capacity for artistique. Karen Kain est la ballerine preferee des Canadiens depuis bient6t 20 imagining big and finding a performance ans, mais ce n' est que recemment qu' elle a accepte son image publique. Son size to sustain it. Even in the early 1970s, ascension vertigineuse depuis 1973, sa carriere internationale aux cotes de Rudolf d ancing Swan Lake with Rudolf Noureev et ses tournees dans le monde entier ant eclipse son developpement _-ur eyev, she seemed so possessed by a personnel. En 1979, elle remettait en question sa vie personnelle et professionnelle, .. il, to express herself through dance that et c' est avec une plus grande assurance qu' elle est sortie de cette crise. Elle a - e carried us with her. Her phys ical ensuite diversifie sa carriere et a ete attiree par la comedie musicale et le theatre. : -e gth. her dramatic intensity, the Elle a egalement exprime ouvertement son poin1 de vue sur le Ballet national du e-,y-- charge o e: :_- o, ed Ca ada donr elle a ele embre pendiim 10u1e sa carriere professionnelle. Elle a re:;:er rr. i~re n, qu'Eri Bruhn 1•a succeder a Alexander Le _ - ·. ne auTre etape imporrante 'ac1eur canadien Ross Petty. 6 DANCE IN CANADA
Competition. American critics capitulated to her performances on tou: Before long, she had honours, both Canadian-staid (an Order of Canada, three honorary doctorates) and America:- glossy (an Andy Warhol portrait). She danced with the finest and the most beautiful in ballet companies and discotheques everywhere. There were those, of course, who insisted, in the peculiarly Canadian wa). on trying to ground her achievement, to make her stardom a publicity tour-de force rather than an artistic one. "No, it wasn't all just PR", she argues, still (understandably) defensive. "That's a mistake that was made by people who were - and maybe still are - jealous o me. You can't ignore what happened in Moscow, with Nureyev, with the American reviews. But it's easier to think it was all PR. Really, nobody noticed me here in Canada until the stuff started co.ning in from elsewhere. When I did Romeo and Juliet here, I was cut up. After Moscow, people knew they should notice, and it snowballed. I'm a little bitter about all that." Nevertheless, the public acclaim created a public persona with which Kain herself could not identify: " It took me a Karen Kain in Napoli. long time to come to terms with all that, with any of it. I only believed the bad stuff, not the good side. That's part of internalize that air of poised self the theatre, television, an ongoing the training, I suppose - waiting for, possession, to make herself believe what flirtation with film . Karen Kain's status expecting, criticism. she had coerced us into believing a as a media celebrity (and therefore a "Audience expectation just freaked me decade ago. It is only now - at the age marketable commodity) continues to right out. I used to love it: I was a real of 31, approaching the prime years of expand; having promoted furniture 'Let me out and let me dance' girl, her career - that she feels that she has stores and mineral water, she is soon to rather shy and retiring except when I earned the right of our confidence. "I launch herself onto the secular leotard was dancing. But after the stardom, I love to dance now", she insists. " I really and-leg-warmer set with her very own couldn't deal with the pressure. It do. I used to be so frightened of custom-ghostwritten workout book. terrified me. And the worse you feel, the audiences and what they came to expect. And, of course, she has committed less you are able to give. It's such a Now I am glad that people are coming herself to a marriage. vicious circle. And I guess I wasn't to see me. I know now that I have a finding a lot of support in the company right to be here, onstage." "I have talent in other areas that I either. I didn't have any confidence in This new plane of self-esteem seems a haven't begun to explore" myself - except when Nureyev gave it particularly hard-wo n victory in an to me, by bullying me, by believing i artform which features neurotic self This is a splintered and multiply me. No one else was feeding me what I doubt as part of its training process. refracted range of activity, but it is needed, and as I didn't have anyone I Self-criticism and self-denial fuel a consistent with the speed and diversity of adored and worshipped, I just went dancer's career, but the emotional Kain's career from its beginning. Her down." psychological energy consumed cannot connection with an audience is a rare She travelled far and wide as a gu always be replaced. Intriguingly, Karen phenomenon: you can almost feel the artist, but the engagements weren't Kain's recently discovered generosity link being forged as a physical reality. always the most distinguished. She toward herself coincides with a time To accommodate, and exploit, that turned down several im,itations o - when she has placed her own career at a power, Kain's growth was a whirlwind notice from American Balle! Thea :-e crossroads. mixture of real achievement, publicity fearing that she would dan e "ll After several brooding and unhappy hype and genuine public affection. She "Forgive me, I'm a replacernen .. years, Kain now seems on the verge of a became a principal dancer with the attitude. When she wasn'1 a le :o c_ - ; real reintegration into her parent National when she was 19. Shrewdly with Frank Augustyn, she wa- h :..- ·~ company, the National Ballet. Yet she teamed at an early stage with Frank by the difficulty of finding par ne. also continues to make gestures toward Augustyn, she took medals at th e Nureyev ("With him, I felt tha ::· other very different forms of performing: Moscow International Ballet everything go, I'd be up o j .e- e- DANCE IN CANADA 7 had to be considered a rare luxury, and lot of things go because I don't want to Black Swan was terrible: it's hard for me other possible partners, like Patrick make trouble. But I also think I've to look like I'm telling lies - I'm too Bissell ("With him, I felt free with my become less hard on myself. I was a total transparent. But with age and maturity, I size for the first time, able to dance full perfectionist before. Such a pain. I didn't feel that I have the depth of character to out") came and went, without any like anything I did. Everything was ugly dig something out of myself. I can continuity. to me." convince myself. The most painful part of these years She has also acquired a more helpful "You always compare yourself. In our was the search for a sense of herself. evaluation of her own talents. "It's company, I admire Veronica Tennant. I "It's one thing to see yourself in the strange", she says, "but in Europe, they can always watch and learn from her. studio or the rehearsal hall", she says, consider me a dramatic dancer, and iri With the others, I don't. My idol is 'but you don't know what comes across. Canada, I'm known as a technician. To Makarova: her instrument is stunning, You need help. I didn't believe in my me, technique just means not making it's unreal. I used to compare myself and own abilities to see". people worry that you're going to fall felt that I wanted to quit, but I've She went searching for mentors; one over. It's form and line. And tricks. For learned, too, that you don't have to of these, Roland Petit, used her in me, technique means I'm in control. I compare yourself unfavorably with several ballets, both revivals and new others." creations. "Petit is special for his faith in "Ifelt that I could not take one step Karen Kain's newly discovered ease of me, his trust. He gives me the skeleton on stage without falling over" self-analysis has also extended to a more of a role and then trusts me. I feel much provocative inquiry into the National less self-conscious in this kind of process don't think I have a lot of technique - I Ballet than has ever been offered than in the 'On this step, you arch your really have to concentrate on it - but I publicly by any other dancer. In a eyebrow' approach. Not many people give the impression that I do because I'm now notorious Globe and Mail inter- give you that chance, not many people so strong, and because I'm a natural view with Stephen Godfrey, Kain with brilliance". dancer. I'm best when I can go with the spoke out against what she felt was Within the National Ballet, she looks natural flow of things, but I have to do a unfair treatment and neglect at the hands to the ballet-master for classical lot of careful calculation. I'm limited by of Alexander Grant. (The interview has correctness; and she values the opinions not having a supple body, but my saving also been widely interpreted as a key of her colleagues and friends. And what grace is my strength. factor in the steps which led to the about the opinions of the artistic director "The body's only a part of it, of termination of Grant's contract by the Alexander Grant? "Well", she says course. When I was younger, I used to National's board). "I spoke out for purely quietly, "I used to wait". find myself expressing things that I selfish reasons", Kain insists. "I had Karen Kain's crisis came in the fall of didn't know from life, things I hadn't no idea what the board was cooking up 1979, during the National's London experienced for myself. I took on roles at the time. I like Alexander personally, engagement. "I just couldn't go onstage - Swan Lake - that required more and I know it looks as if I had done him any more", she recalls. "I felt that I than I could give, so I just imitated. The in. But it wasn't like that. I didn't think could not take one step onstage without fall ing over. I was sick all the time. There was nobody to turn to. Everybody else was looking the other way. I could sense all that. So I knew what I had to do: I promised that I'd return in two and-a-half months, and I stopped. "It was good for me. I had to start all over. I went to Europe and tried to disappear for a while. Then I realized I really needed professional help. I knew that I hadn't grown up. I was just a dancer, and you can only get by on that • r a couple of years. There was a huge e ri ness on the other side that you simply push aside and ignore. And that leaYes you with nothing feeding the other part of you, the part that isn't a dancer". Over two years of therapy, Kain re uilt herself. She admits that she still has ad days as often as good ones, and .:; de rstands that the people around her -en't equipped to help. "You have to -~- · m yourself', she says. "I needed e off to make my start. Because I · to. g 8 DANCE IN CANADA that I could change the National's I know I'm difficult to partner. Most of cautioned her about dancers attempting machinery from within. I was distressed the time, I'm overpowering in every a transition to film without any at the way I was being presented, made sense. I don't want to obliterate experience at all. And there is, after all. to look as if I had walked away from the everyone. I need a partner who can a wide gulf between Aladdin and On company. For me, it was a conflict handle me and still look good. When Your Toes. between a new ballet in Europe and a that doesn't happen, I know I'm going Karen Kain is at a transitional stage performance of the National's Napoli. It to look lousy and people are paying to without any clear idea of which was as if I were being personally see me at my best." transition would be most fruitful. She attacked. I don't want to be a big mouth One of the side effects of the last has not yet danced regularly as a guest shooting off, and I can be very patient decade's boom in ballet popularity in with any major company, nor has she with people and their mistakes. But I North America is that ballet stars have had new work created for her by a major had to speak. It Was a big step for me: I found that audiences will also pay to see choreographer (Petit's patisseries don't had never spoken out for myself before. them in other contexts. Judith Jamison qualify). The most encouraging factor, I was being blamed for not being made her Broadway debut two years ago however, is that Kain seems to have around, when in fact, I wasn't given with Sophisticated Ladies, and Natalia found the emotional confidence - enough to do when I was here. I want to Makarova has had a personal triumph personally and in her relationship with feel like a productive member of the in New York this season with On Your actor Ross Petty - which provides the company. Especially when I'm the one Toes. Last Christmas, Karen Kain, too, basis from which she will be free to who sells tickets and the company is branched out: she performed in a choose her own best interests. having box office trouble." pantomine, Aladdin, in Toronto and "At the moment", she says, "I don't Kain insists that she could have left the Ottawa. It's clear that this is an area she know what I want. I'm getting older, I National - possibly for American Ballet intends to explore further; Walter feel it. I'm the youngest of the principals, Theatre, she says - if her problems hadn't Learning, of the Vancouver Playhouse, and most days, I hurt all over. I know I been sorted out. And though she now feels has spoken of his ambition to stage a don't want to be Sugarplum until I drop. committed to staying, because of Erik revival of the Charlottetown musical I still think I want to act, but I don't Bruhn's appointment as artistic director, it version of Johnny Belinda with Kain want to take the time to study acting is with a clear, not to say, cool-eyed starring as the deaf mute. and perhaps lose the best - and the last perspective. "There has been a change", "I have talent in other areas that I - of my dancing years. she says. 'Tm being treated fairly. I'm not haven't begun to develop yet", she "I know I'm capable of a lot more (I being treated better than anyone else. feel I'm using only half my potential), Okay. This is a democracy, and I know I'm "New partners are so important for but I don't know how much more I'm not allowed to feel that I'm any better than me. I have to be able to dance with willing to sacrifice of my own life and anyone else. I don't particularly like people I'm stimulated by" my family's. Some people are willing to democracy. lose all that side in order to become the "Basically, I'm staying with the smiles. "In Aladdin, it was an amazing greatest ballerina; and some people, company because I have a lot of roles experience for me to deliver lines to two indeed, don't need all that side. But I here that I really love. Even though it's thousand people at a time. Previously, I don't want to give up my own life and I hard to get to them only once or twice a had spoken in public only at awards don't want to end up bitter. The more I year. With all our ballerinas, for shows. It was also nice not to take know about myself, I know that my instance, I may not get to dance Swan myself so seriously. I loved working with home-life is important. I used to think Lake more than once a year. But I do actors. I loved their spontaneity, their that I would sacrifice anything, that I love the company. It's good, though not use of the moment. I'm so used to trying was totally committed to dance. But as good as it should be. I see other to inflict spontaneity on something that's getting married and settling down are big companies who have more success, and I been rehearsed for six months. Aladdin steps for me. I want children, too, and think it comes from their spirit. We may wasn't art, no, but there's nothing wrong that's another big step. I know I can't have technique and quality here, but we with entertainment." just dance everywhere and fly back. I don't have the spirit. I have great hopes It would be gratifying if Canada used to guest everywhere. Japan one for Erik, though. I hope he's now ready allowed a wider field of opportunities for week, Korea the next. No more. Now I to tackle it, to help us the way that her talents. On one hand, the National feel that unless there's a special partner, Rudolf helped - a strong personality seems to be serving her poorly these or a really great fee, it's not worth it. leading the ship, taking us places. days. She had little to bring to the "Dancing has gotten into perspective. "As a dancer himself, he'll understand tedious, over-fussy Napoli, and her It's not what it used to be. Young my problem with finding partners. vivacity could go only so far to redeem dancers will be appalled to hear me say Something has to happen. New partners the horrible garishness of the new Don that. But they'll all find out, too. Sooner are so important for me. I have to be Quixote. Attempting to showcase her or later." able to dance with people I'm stimulated appeal, the National gave a commission Urjo Kareda is the artistic director of by. With Frank, I'm older than he, and to Broadway's Michael Peters, but the Toronto's Tarragon Theatre and a regular more experienced. It's always been good result, presented earlier this year was the contributor to Saturday Night magazine dancing with Frank, but it's not good all burnished plastic of Quartet. In other and to CBC-FM's Stereo Morning. the time. And now I can't dance with media, television has attempted to anyone else, and yet Frank can dance demonstrate her versatility by teaming with anyone. It only works now, really, her in duets with Douglas Campbell. She if it's a role he loves to do. had discussed making a film, but the "When Frank wasn't here, I danced example of Ann Ditchburn's humiliation with people who didn't complement me. in Slow Dancing in the Big City DANCE IN CANADA 9
Photo-Gallery: Frank Richards
Toronto-based photographer Frank Pour Frank Richards, la magie de la photographie reside dans son pouvoir Richards will be very happy to see this d' exprimer la beaute elusive de la vie ordinaire. Age de 46 ans et originaire de month's Photo-Gallery - not because he Vancouver, Frank Richards a debute dans la photo ii ya 16 ans, et ii s'interesse a has a big ego ( quite the reverse) but la danse depuis son arrivee a Toronto en 1974. Son penchant artistique est si because he really wants to communicate marque qu'il oublie souvent toutes considerations materiel/es. D'apres lui, sur le through his work. The process is not plan photographique, le danseur a plus d'importance que la choregraphie. II enough. prejere travail/er avec /es danseurs dans son studio et aime particulierement la Originally from Vancouver, Richards, danse moderne ou le photographe doit faire un effort de concentration pour now in his mid-forties, did not take up trouver le moment optimum dans une suite de mouvements par rapport au ballet photography until he was 30. From early classique ou le point culminant laisse mains de surprises. on, Richards says he knew he wanted to be an artist. When he left Vancouver in 10 DANCE IN CANADA
Charles Flanders DANCE IN CANADA 11
1974 his planned destination was New York with its heady ferment of old and new culture. He never made it all the ay to the Big Apple and is now happily settled in a "quit e Bohemian" downtown Toronto loft, once a busy warehouse. It is here that Richards does much of his work. He prefers a studio environment. It complements his attitudes to dance photography. " For me", says the quietly spoken Richards, "the dancer is more important than the choreography. When I work in my studio, it isn't a matter of recording omething left over from the performance: it is a whole new performance in itself'. Richards tries to relate studio shoots o real roles and characteri-zations and is al most fanaticall y preoccupied with getting just the lighting he wants. With ns 6-meter high ceilings, Richards' studio
permits jumping shots and he is particularly skilled in making these look more than mere stunts. Richards has photographed many of Canada's best-known modern dancers, a number of them from Toronto Dance Theatre. He sees modern dance photography as a greater challenge than photographing ballet. "In ballet it's often a matter cif capturing the climax. In modern it's far more a seamless sequence of movement and a whole different challenge. It requires tremendous concentration". At the same time, Richards says that he works instinctively. He feels his way to the right shot rather than analysing it. Richards admires the ability of a photographer to en hance the information available to the human eye and has taught hifl)self a range of darkroom techniques enabling him to accomplish this. He tends not to follow package directions but to find out by experiment what works best to achieve his desired effect. "The magic of photography", he says, "is to comment on the elusive beauty of real life". 12 DANCE IN CANADA
Margaret Atkinson and Henri Bois. Susan MacPherson
1 1 Th~ 1~n Practical Magazine of Dance
(CJ a: y;;- $17 - D Payment Enclosed D Two Years $ 29 D Please Bill Me I Payable in US Currency Featuring in Each Issue: Name Spotlight on I Successful Teachers Practical Tips I Address Building Your Library 3 Calendar Sections I • Seminars & Published bimonthly Workshops Plus two annuals: • Auditions I Costume Preview u~ • Competitions Equipment Update Merchants of America DANCE IN CANADA 13 The Great Revival Vancouver's New Dance is Setting the Pace
By Max Wyman
Anyone who has attended a Dance in much of the eye-glazing worst - though it devoted to various forms of modern Canada Association conference knows has also, by the same token, missed dance, the movement toward t' at some dreadful excesses can be much of the best. After the ferment and independent and experimental perpetrated in the name of New activity that made Vancouver the most choreography that developed in the . ovement Art by individuals who have exciting dance city in the country in the major dance centres of central Canada in . istaken Narcissus for the driver of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Westcoast the middle and late 1970s was late · ndwagon of the choreog~aphic avant dance scene went into a lull. And despite reaching Canada's Pacific edge. garde. the fact that five out of the six There are reasons for this. Va ncouver, however, has been spared established companies in Vancouver are Vancouver went through nothing like the dramatic social upheavals that hastened the emergence of the Quebec modernists; its choreographic community had no York University dance department to refresh it with a steady stream of new dance thought, no Ontario Arts Council to encourage wayward experiment, no 15 Dance Laboratorium to provide a showcase for
". .. a haven of conservatism, immune to influence and unresponsive to change"
the product. By comparison with Toronto or Montreal, Vancouver, far from New York, away beyond the mountains, became a haven of conserva tism, immune to influence and unresponsive to change. I exaggerate. The city has always had quiet, unpublicised pockets of experimental activity, largely centred on the University of British Columbia and the Western Front, Vancouver's parallel gallery. Over the years they brought us people such as Yvonne Rainer, Deborah Hay and Steve Paxton, along with some of the Toronto modernists. And Iris ..,.erry Hunter of Terminal City Dance Research in his Drum House. Garland's classes at Simon Fraser University - visited by such U.S. dance luminaries as Phyllis Lamhut, Gladys Apres la periode fertile de la fin des annees 60 et du debut des annees 70, la danse Balin and Don Redlich - influenced a de la cote ouest s'est retranchee dans une phase relativement conservatrice. number of experimenters, notable among Contrairement au Quebec, aucuns remous sociaux n'ont stimule la creativite them the members of the protean rtistique de la Colombie-Britannique, et la province est restee isolee Terminal City Dance Research, one of , iri1Uel!ement et geographiquement par rapport aux importants changements the city's Big Six and steadfast bearer of ovateurs qu'a connu le centre du Canada. Un certain nombre de choregraphes the banner of choreographic experiment experimentaux independants se sont recemment manifestes a Vancouver. et since its launching in I 975. Terminal City Dance Research est au coeur de ce mouvement. Le role d'une But it is not until very recently that r1is1e aussi ac1ive que Jennifer Mascall est egalement notoire. Les membres de ce Vancouver has had a serious aille~1 dans des directions dil'ergentes, mais leurs ex perimental-independent choreographic de de la danse a Vancouver. community to call its own. And it was not until a year ago that the city 14 DANCE IN CANA SAVE $2 OFF THE NEWSTAND PRICE!! managed to marshall Please send me a full year's subscription (4 issues) to Dance in Canada. My interest to mount its J cheque or money order for $10 ($2 off the newstand price) payable to Dance in choreographers series Canada is attached. Front umbrella). The new experimer my name ______address ______a vigorous wave of c1 imaginative force swe city ______province _____ code ______city. Vancouver dano stimulating and exciti the golden days of m Please send a gift subscription to Dance in Canada to: ago, when today's m< "establishment" was my name ______address ______struggling to find its gladdening sight. city ______province _____ code ______At the heart of it a Terminal City group days, to a stalwart cc $ ______Total · amount enclosed. Outside Canada, please add $3 per committed, still, to ti subscription. All orders must be accompanied by payment. Please send your cheque or questions that first b1 money order to Dance in Canada, 38 Charles Street East, Toronto, Ontario M4Y ITI . together: What is da1. __ . . __ .. --·· ______be used to explore what it means to be human? In the past they have involved The 11th Annual themselves in mutually-supportive investigations of specific areas - music, vocal sound, mask, ritual, energy sources, contact improvisation. More Dance in Canada recently, they have been operating a
"The dance that is currently happening outside VancouLJer's Conference modern-dance mainstream is proLJiding the city with some of its most exiciting moLJement develop June 8-12, 1983 ments" University series of "performance exchanges", inviting other artists - poets, musicians, of Saskatchewan dancers - to interchange ideas. Despite Saskatoon its longevity, the ensemble has always had a built-in obsolescence. It was always meant to be what Karen Rimmer calls "an uncomfortable, jostling group", and its three core members show increasing signs of needing more and more time to go their separate ways, while maintaining their "extraordinarily helpful" mutual explorations within a fluid structure responsive to their changing interests and circumstances. None of these dancer-choreographers has ever become locked into what might seem like comfortable routine. But what is interesting is that they all seem to be moving, in their very different ways, to forms of primal, reduced-to-essences movement theatre. Terry Hunter has become deeply interested in drum structures and the challenges of making dance and music simultaneously. Savannah Walling has been extensively involved with Toronto composer Phillip Werren on a dance-music-theatre work built on the Pandora myth. Karen Rimmer, for her part, has found the need to establish (under the TCDR 14 DANCE IN CANADA managed to marshall enough activity and .umbrella) a small company of her own she is making has this same sense of interest to mount its first independent - and she is using it to evolve what elementality. The most striking example choreographers series (under the Western promises to be a significant new form of to date is the solo from Coming Out of Front umbrella). movement expression. Chaos (seen at the DICA conference in The new experimental activity has sent Rimmer talks about expressing Ottawa last year) - a driving, driven a vigorous wave of creative freshness and elemental concerns. She gets a sense, she image giving visible form to the imaginative force sweeping across the says, of being a vehicle or a medium for challenge, threat and achievement city. Vancouver dance hasn't been this "what needs to be known right now, or implicit in the realization of the human stimulating and exciting, in fact, since needs to be looked at". More and more, individual's potential. The most the golden days of more than a decade she says, she sees that, "the shaping of interesting of the works for her new ago, when today's modern-dance choreography comes out of something company pursues this search for a clear. "establishment" was for the most part common to humanity - basic ways of simple and direct manner of expressing struggling to find its feet. It is a finding meaning in things by shaping abstract ideas in movement - and they gladdening sight. them in a certain way". The movement synthesize (though not always in the At the heart of it all, still, is the Terminal City group - down, these days, to a stalwart core of three, but committed, still, to the exploration of the questions that first brought them Plan To Attend together: What is dance? How can dance be used to explore what it means to be human? In the past they have involved The 11th Annual themselves in mutually-supportive investigations of specific areas - music, vocal sound, mask, ritual, energy sources, contact improvisation. More Dance in Canada recently, they have been operating a
"The dance that is currently happening outside Vancouver's Conference modern-dance mainstream is providing the city with some of its most exiciting movement develop June 8-12, 1983 ments" University series of "performance exchanges", inviting other artists - poets, musicians, of Saskatchewan dancers - to interchange ideas. Despite Saskatoon its longevity, the ensemble has always had a built-in obsolescence. It was always meant to be what Karen Rimmer calls "an uncomfortable, jostling group", and its three core members show increasing signs of needing more and more time to go their separate ways, while maintaining their "extraordinarily helpful" mutual explorations within a fluid structure responsive to their changing interests and circumstances. None of these dancer-choreographers has ever become locked into what might seem like comfortable routine. But what is interesting is that they all seem to be moving, in their very different ways, to forms of primal, reduced-to-essences movement theatre. Terry Hunter has become deeply interested in drum structures and the chall enges of making dance and music simultaneously. Savannah Walling has been extensive ly involved with Toronto composer Phillip Werren on a dance-music-theatre work built on the Pandora myth. Karen Rimmer, for her part, has found the need to establish (under the TCDR Discover Canada's NCE IN CANADA 15 Exciting World of Dance for Only $10 a Year!!* *A $2 savings. off the newstand price
~,ograms at the Queen Elizabeth :1;house for Festival Concert Society, :- : er fu ll-evening, part-improvised ~ umentary dance", All Flames Are =uing to Kill All Moths, at the TCDR -~dquarters).
A small, almost incestuous community"
ne gives us dance without stereotype. 7-:e,e are no boundaries in Mascall __ e. a nd no categories. She doesn't ·e allet, with its formal restrictions, - coes she make "classical" modern -.:e - she makes movement, of the -ranging kind. Improvisation -::e,vea ves with choreographic planning; -e eems to become fascinated by ?;, ,icular aspects of movement - the Karen Rimmer in Red Madonna. of swa nliness that Fokine never hered wi th in her now-famous on other bodies, her dances become beams. nkfo!ors); the problem of being entirely different entities, though the The Vancouver independent ide an imaginary cube with a number fluid style, unconcerned with climax and experimental dance community is small, : inflated balloons stuffed inside your pose, endures. Groups come together almost incestuous. Ryan, for instance, is tume - so what we tend to get is a and disintegrate; lines materialize and a founding member of the new EDAM ·es of miniatures, all entirely different, demateralize; people throw each other (Experimental Dance and Music) t even st yl istically alike. around (around themselves and around Performing Arts Society, a new group e isn't interested (it becomes clearer the stage); people stumble and fall, roll that aims to provide an umbrella for - - clearer) in repeating herself from and swing, sway and turn; people walk individual experimenters, somewhat -:e to dance (though she does seem to and run and jump and trot and jerk and along the lines of Toronto Independent il di ng a repertoire of short pieces are still; relationships seem rarely to be Dance Enterprise. Seven individuals :- t have worked). She is far more created, even more rarely to be (Mascall is one) are involved, though the :-·erested, you feel, in testing herself and sustained. There is seldom any group's core is made up of Peter :- ody (and, indeed the limits of recognizable central focus to a group Bingham, Peter Ryan and Jay - \ement itself) by throwing herself up work; the tempo is often fast and frenetic; Hirabayashi; Bingham and Ryan are ~ ns t a movement challenge and seeing often, a distanced wit seems to be at experienced contact improvisers (part of -a comes out of the collision, than she play. Improvisation allows her a still the Vancouver-based Fulcrum group) - buil ding any kind of conventional wider range; in one such recent piece, and all three were athletes before they -1 tency, or even in displaying her Mascall became involved in movement of turned to dance. They plan to spend the -mand of technique in any safe or her own while Peter Ryan became summer working with other performers • - entional way . The flip ide of the engrossed in keeping afl oat, by breath on in vestigations of athletic movement power. one of those pecks of dust that and its relationship to dance, attempting d f do\lo n from theatre flies from time to invest dance - where athletic feats o ime and oat lazily through the light- are co nve ntionally most admired when DANCE IN CANADA 15
;;ame dance) many of the investigations f the TCDR group over the years. One dancer involved in an early TCDR exchange and in first-draft performances of Coming Out of Chaos was the ubiquitous Jennifer Mascall. She as made Vancouver a base for several seasons (though you'd be hard put to tell t from the amount of cross-Canada d international travelling she has been ·oing) and she has been involved, in one •;i.-ay or another, with most of the new cance activity in Vancouver in the past months. She has performed with o·her groups, and created a prolific :"umber of works for staging under her o 11 a uspices, either alone (as in her ~~cent series of seven solos as part of this :-ear's Western Front independents :eries) or with ad hoc groups (as in two :--ograms at the Queen Elizabeth ? .ayhouse for Festival Concert Society, her full-evening, part-improvised " umentary dance", All Flames Are f" iring to Kill All Moths, at the TCDR -eadquarters).
·A small, almost incestuous community"
She gives us dance without stereotype. -:-"-e re are no boundaries in Mascall :.... e, and no categories. She doesn't -a ·e ballet, with its formal restrictions, - - oes she make "classical" modern e - she makes movement, of the ~: est-ranging kind. Improvisation '.' erveaves with choreographic planning; :~e seems to become fascinated by rticular aspects of movement - the Karen Rimmer in Red Madonna. its of swanliness that Fokine never o hered with in her now-famous on other bodies, her dances become beams. S .ank(o/ors); the problem of being entirely different entities, though the The Vancouver independent-· ide an imaginary cube with a number fluid style, unconcerned with climax and experimental dance community is small, of inflated balloons stuffed inside your pose, endures. Groups come together almost incestuous. Ryan, for instance, is costume - so what we tend to get is a and disintegrate; lines materialize and a founding member of the new EDAM series of miniatures, all entirely different, demateraiize; people throw each other (Experimental Dance and Music) even stylistically alike. around (around themselves and around Performing Arts Society, a new group he isn't interested (it becomes clearer the stage); people stumble and fall, roll that aims to provide an umbrella for - clearer) in repeating herself from and swing, sway and turn; people walk individual experimenters, somewhat e to dance (though she does seem to and run and jump and trot and jerk and along the lines of Toronto Independent uilding a repertoire of short pieces are still; relationships seem rarely to be Dance Enterprise. Seven individuals have worked). She is far more created, even more rarely to be (Mascall is one) are involved, though the - erested, you feel, in testing herself and sustained. There is seldom any group's core is made up of Peter -:er body (and, indeed the limits of recognizable central focus to a group Bingham, Peter Ryan and Jay -ovement itself) by throwing herself up work; the tempo is often fast and frenetic; Hirabayashi; Bingham and Ryan are ·nst a movement challenge and seeing often, a distanced wit seems to be at experienced contact improvisers (part of comes out of the collision, than she play. Improvisation allows her a still the Vancouver-based Fulcrum group) buil ding any kind of conventional wider range; in one such recent piece, and all three were athletes before they • --i tency, or even in displaying her Mascall became involved in movement of turned to dance. They plan to spend the mand of technique in any safe or her own while Peter Ryan became summer working with other performers ·e ntional way. The flipside of the engros ed in keeping afloat, by breath- on investigation of athletic movement wer. one of hose pe s of du t that and its rela1ionship to dance, attempting d-•· do1,1, rorn heaire ! ies from irne o invest dance - where athletic feats o I e and oa lazily through the light- are conventionally most admired when 16 DANCE IN CANADA
give more than a small indication of the spread of current new-dance activity in Vancouver. The community, while small, is diverse, and considerably larger than I have so far indicated - significant contributors to its developments include contact-influenced Helen Clarke (whose Oeufs: Fragiles was part of this season's Western Front series); the Simon Fraser group (which has recently included Iris Garland, Santa Aloi, Karen Greenhough and Susan Osberg); established independents C. Lee and Janice LeBlond; and, somewhat distanced from the general group but in certain ways one of the most important precursors of the movement, the peripatetic Judith Marcuse (who has managed to move on to the stage of being an independent choreographer functioning as a one Savannah Walling in Pandora's Box. person company). The interests of this community, it is they seem effortless - with what they already bearing rich fruit. The evening also clear, are diverse, and the lines these call "the element of risk, the all-out, go carried a sense of explosive energy individuals pursue are often divergent. for-broke effort with only a thin veneer harnessed to a rich imaginative What is more than ever apparent, of control that elicits excitement for the expressiveness. Orbits, a collaborative however, is that the dance that is observer in the sports world". work by Ryan, Bingham and currently happening outside Vancouver's We were given a sampling of this at an Hirabayashi, took contact improvisation modern-dance mainstream is providing EDAM presentation in March at the into the realm of roller-derby collision, the city with some of its most exciting Western Front (frequent references to the participants slamming each other movement developments. this institution are no accident - it against walls as they ran and ran around hones the leading edge in all the arts). the room; Barbara Bourget's We've seen dance take its cue from Curacao/Punchdrunk, for herself and sporting activities often before this, of Hirabayashi, was the embodiment of all course, and for many decades. The out, go-for-broke risk as they leaped and Personal Portable Ballet Barre difference here is that the EDAM people rolled and dived and (Hirabayashi did, I Completely Portable don't want to caricature or imitate swear) walked the walls. The evening athletic achievements, but to generate in was a rare reaffirmation of the dance the aesthetic experience of emotional, non-intellectual excitement of watching, say, the brute force of two the direct effect of unleashed raw football players colliding, or the movement (or the observation of it) on instinctive reflexes of the boxer. the instinctive centre of the human On the evidence of the March organism. performance, their investigations are It is not possible, in limited space, to
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'"Victor Celeste
It is obvious that Mother Nature has indentical twins are not identical through ~ 1echnique du ballet classique com- never read the US Bill of Rights, or, for and through. Careful examination of e1 des erreurs dans ses suppositions that matter Canada's Charter of Rights their x-rays will for example, reveal --..:r la nature du corps humain qui and Freedoms. In physical terms all variations in bone architecture. This is _- sent souvent des problemes aux i:mseurs. Par exemple, en ballet, on men, and all women, are not created the rule not the exception. These _-.. pose que le corps est _symetrique, equal. For instance, its not exactly architectural variations explain why we -e qui en realite n'existe pas. Chaque equitable that one woman is given a often encounter dancers who outwardly seur a une anatomie particuliere body like Natalia Makarova's and look very much alike but who move -' ii ne peut faire qu'un certain nom another that of Ethel Merman. On the differently. It is any wonder that the e d' ajustements pour rapprocher surface it might almost appear that artistic director or ballet master of any • 111 corps d'une forme ideate. Les dif nature is intentionally wicked. As it large dance company finds it so difficult .-irences dans la structure du corps happens, she is just plain indifferent. It is to assemble a corps that looks and _ '.ill danseur lui donnent souvent des Mother's capricious nature to be moves as one? -ouvements caracteristiques qu'il fascinated by variety and she seems to Theoretically, a company of clones _:-i!Ut rourner a son avantage. II ne revel in creating the imperfect as well as would be ideal. Each dancer would look err a rien pour un danseur de faire the perfect. and move like the next, with equal ..; s efforts pour corriger par exemple As humans we differ on the inside as potential for learning and performing. ,;e plus grande tension d'un cote du much as we do on the outside. Beyond Besides being incredibly boring, this _::rps.. II doit apprendre a danser avec the superficial similarities, each of us is would of course be impossible. Even corps qu' ii a. as unique as snowflakes. Even so called clones would present differences in 18 DANCE IN CANADA
neurological programming, the result of the weight off your longer leg - the one men in terms of body looseness. Before having different teachers. Thahkfully this that was bearing an unfair share of the puberty the pelvis in both sexes is of is all hypothetical anyway. Although load. matching shape a nd size. After puberty, current research in genetic engineering is If you still need convincing, there's a the female pelvis begins to flare. For the promising, there won't be any clones of third easy test you can try. Stand with dancer this translates into better turnout the perfect dancer appearing in the near one foot planted on a book which is an (and wider hips). Some mature ma le future. inch thick. Keep your knees locked dancers do seem to rival their female Ballet technique exists independently and the other foot flat on the ground. colleagues in hip flexibility but this is of the dancer. It assumes your body is Close your eyes and concentrate on what usually the result of super-loose perfectly symmetrical, lil
. d ition is actually found in a these same dancers possess enough of the floor. ng number of professional those other qualities that contribute to When you're still in the classroom, making a dancer and these outweigh the there's a common temptation to stand in - pedists will often recommend significance of any physical defects. So front of the mirror and destroy yourself • ·raining to strengthen back don't run home to slash your pointe by picking fault with all the things you _ wh en the onset of this disease is shoes quite yet. hate about your body. Bear in mind that Having an imperfect or unique body on stage you've entered the business of _... arly beneficial because of the type is not necessarily a disadvantage, creating the illusion of perfection and all -·-·1 on erect placement and and in many cases it represents a built-in kinds of other factors - costumes, em of the spine. The dancer advantage. For example, I know several lighting, the distance of the audience, on el ongating the spine and great dancers who found the ensemble your own artistic skill - take over. e the advancement and severity work of the corps to be sheer agony ~ ·pinal curvature. The scoliotic because they just didn't fit in. They "Never attempt to hide your - al o learns how to hide what never enjoyed looking "funny" and tried physical weakness, just concentrate - _: re remains by compensating body their best to hide their nonconforming on showing off your strengths" _ 71enl to level uneven shoulders and quality of movement. They stood out in Ballet movements will also help to the corps, not because they were So, you don't just inherit a dancer's the loss of flexibility that comes egomaniacs dancing and humming "I'll body, you create it. Ten years of training inal curvature. The ·end result is do it my way", but because on the is about the time it takes to mould a en though x-rays of the dancer contrary, they could do it no other way. young growing body into that unique -e· eal an abnormal degree of spinal As living examples of the biological structure instantly recognized as a !- ·his deformity remains difficult if principle, "structure governs function", dancer. If after that much time physical possible to detect with the their unusual anatomy created unusual imperfections remain, or if you came to - ~ ned naked eye. patterns of movement. Distinguished by dance late in life, it helps to keep in these unique movement patterns, these mind that Anna Pavlova had poor turn ou don't just inherit a dancer's are the dancers most often chosen to be out, Makarova has knock knees, and . you create it" soloists. One soloist I know shared her Nijinski was too short. However, what first rule of survival: "Never attempt to they all had or have in abundance is the .• ould be apparent by now that to hide your physical weakness, just clearly evident soul of a dancer, and ·e good health and the ability to concentrate on showing your other that's what an audience responds to. - • , on well as a dancer with having a strengths". For some strange reason, NB: My discussion regarding scoliosis and - :-t spine, is to ignore the biological non-dancers call this, "putting your best 5 ballet is in no way meant to minimize the Even physical imperfections as foot forward". severity of that condition. This disease -:ially debilitating as scoliosis need You have to be aware of deficiencies varies in intensity and can often be quite :: e,ent you from realizing your without letting them inhibit you. severe and debilitating. Also, I am in no -:ial as a dancer. Certainly never broadcast them or they way suggesting that ballet training is a · ~ , . of course, once your full will become a reality - like a self cure for this disease, especially in its more tial has been realized you may still fulfilling prophecy. severe forms. However, I have seen a e of prima ballerina calibre, even If you're short, don't allow yourself to number of professional dancers with de ballet for that matter. There are be nicknamed "Shorty" or "Midget". substantial spinal curvatures and ballet _ _1, other qualities you must possess to And remember too, others are not training has helped to retain spinal .-eate the professional dancer besides the necessarily as aware of your physical flexibility and reduce poor posture. V.C. eal body type. Indeed, in every major problems as you are. If, for example, e company in the world can be you're fixated on the idea that you've Dr. Celeste is a practising chiropractor in nd dancers with physical got a great arch in the air but a very Toronto. Material in this article is drawn -perfections such as scoliosis, flat feet poor one on the floor, forget it. The from a book of his, in preparation, ll'ith • --d hyper-extended knees. Fortunately audience can't see what is looks like on Dr. David Drum .
FACULTY DIANA JABLOKOVA-VORPS, Director oronfo~ VICTORIA CARTER, MARCIA CROSS LEY-COHEN, ummen chool ALDA HENISS, BERND JUCHE -~---.... GUEST TEACHERS BRANKSOME HALL t1nce FERNAND NAULT, JUNE 27 · JU LY 29, 1983 Les Crands Ballets Canadiens LORNA GEDDES, HAZAROS SURMEYAN, The National Ballet of Canada For Brochure Write To: DANCE CURRICULUM Carl D. Vorps, General Manager, Ball et Technique, Pointe, Character, Repertory, Toronto Summer School in Dance, Va riati ons, Partn ering, Jazz Ba llet 15 Armour Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario Canada '5 1 3B9 Classes for all levels of professionally oriented dance students, eight yea rs and older ,416 782-2292 • 16 ~9-i59i RES IDEN CE ACCOMMODATIONS 20 DANCE IN CANADA
Dance The School of the Dance Toronto Dance Theatre ce • This unique national Program provides training in fundamen tal business practices related to artistic organizations. It Dance Workshop features case studies, guest lecturers and leading business Ballet Hispanico of New York Performances figures in the Performing Arts A fast-paced performance fusing as well as the organization and modern, ballet and ethnic May 19, 20, 21 techniques. management of "In Perform Fri., Aug. 5 at 8 PM. ance", a series of Events held at Hubbard Street Dance Company Audition Confederation College. A unique and appealing blend of 1983-84 Professional This two-year Program ballet and American show dance Training Program set to popular music. Two different combines studies (two fall programs. June 19 semesters at the College) Tues., Aug. 9 at 8 P.M. (A) followed by work (two winter Wed , Aug. 10 at 8 PM. (A) Summer School Placement semesters) in Thurs., Aug. 11 at 8 PM. (B) management positions with The National Ballet of Canada May 30 - June 17 This outstanding classical company Performing Arts Companies wi ll perform two full-length ballets KATHRYN BROWN throughout Canada. The - Don Quixote and Coppelia. Placements give students the Tues., Aug. 16 at 8 P.M . Don Quixote July4 -15 opportunity to apply the know Wed ., Aug. 17 at 8 PM. Don Quixote ledge and ski lls acquired during Thurs., Aug. 18 at 2 PM. Don Quixote AMELIA ITCUSH Thurs , Aug. 18 at 8 PM. Don Q uixote the fall semesters and to benefit Fri. , Aug. 19 at 8 P.M. Coppelia "on-the-job" from the guidance July 4 - 29 Sat. , Aug. 20 at 8 PM. Coppel ia of seasoned professionals in Sun., Aug. 21 at 2 PM. Coppelia the Performing Arts Industry. Sun. , Aug. 21 at 7 P.M. Coppelia Bementary Modern Martha Graham Dance Company PROGRAM COURSES A dance company that reaches Suzette Sherman and Basic Communications / Introductory Accounting / Public Relations / beyond the traditional to daring Community Development/ Human heights and shattering depths. Pamela Tate Res ource Management / Marketing the Two different programs. Performing Arts / Touring and Company Wed ., Aug. 24 at 8 P.M. (A) July 18 - 30 Management/Performing Arts and Society / Facilities Management/ Thurs. , Aug. 25 at 2 P.M. (A) Performing Arts Management Thurs. , Aug. 25 at 8 PM. (A) PEGGY BAKER Accounting/Fund Ra ising / Fri. , Aug. 26 at 8 P.M. ( B) Organization Structure and Internal Sat. , Aug. 27 at 2 P.M. of Lar Lubovitch Co. Rel ations / Performing Arts and ( lecture-demonstration) Aesthetics / Politics and Policies of the Arts in Canada / Contract Admin istration Sat. , Aug. 27 at 8 PM. ( B ) Technique & Repertory and Labour Relations / Computers in Program subject to .change Society / Perf orming Arts Management ■ Tickets range betwee n $8-$3 a nd a re on Workshops. sa le a t the A rtpark l:lox Office and at al l Aug. 22 - Sept. 3 Ticketron locat ions in the U.S. and Canada. Box Office Te lephone: (7 16) 754-4375. From l:luffa lo. (7 16) 694-8 19 1. PEARL LANG For further information write to Free Festiva l Guide: Write: Artpark. l:lo x or call: 37 1. Le wi ston. N.Y. 14092. l:ly tele p hone. Reserve Now! call (716) 754-900 1 or (716) 692-3 135. Denis Langelier Call or write: Program Co-ordinator The School of the Performing Arts Management Toronto Dance Theatre Confederation College P.O. Box 398 80 Winchester St., Thunder Bay, Ontario P7C 4W1 Toronto M4X 1B2 (807) 475-6320 (416) 967-6887 DANCE IN CANADA 21 In Review
,,. Quebec Dance sureness soon won over the bourfront crowd. She was not holding :-on to back and neither could they. . uary to April, 1983. Marie Chouinard's Marie Chien Nair was a solo . e promotional material for performance piece, not simply :arbourfront's New Quebec dance. It's range of possible ance series promised an activities was therefore much ;:ilosion of New Wave broader. Chouinard explored ...ance. What we got was, in a a whole iconography of _ . more interesting, work simple images, deftly layered ·six (I only saw five of upon each other. The piece em) different chorea- was about being human, - phers, those whom I sa:w about our relationship to . on their way to doing truly nature and to the wild side of ginal work - but not yet our own personalities. in their styles or The piece was built around tements. contrasts. The first image we :\'e saw the most about saw was a skeleton in an eerie in their least sure red light and Chouinard in a ents - their vulnerability yellow one, washing herself in -~ willingness to try a tub. We heard the water ethi ng without knowing Paul-Andre Fortier (foreground) with his company in Pow! and watched the light play on •;. it will go. The work was it. Sometimes she looked like -• ea li ng because it is still reunions. They had us right and women were equal in a Degas drawing, then she ~ .,,ressing and developing, with them as she babbled in strength and vigor. was an animal, a bird opening -:· ng some ideas that we've Italian or he hesitated on the For Noll' is an odd, new its throat, guzzling down her _ ·eady seen and others that phone, but lost us with the Lechay piece in which the own hand. She sang a song :c-re urprisingly fresh and over-repeated movement. choreographer explores and masturbated. Suddenly, Jo Lechay is one of those decadence and contemporary she plunged her long hair into The series opened with the choreographers whose despair. The natural style and the water-tub, pulling it out r of Daniel Levielle. His personal movement qualities simple presence that are the and letting a waterfall splash r;e Rire of Spring weighed are hard to pass on to company's strong points don't into the tub before she ·:elf down with the famous dancers: not that her seven fit in here. Under stark lights dunked her head again. She ~1:-avi nsky score. It was not energetic dancers aren't the dancers grope and writhe slapped the wet hair against ~nli e an image Paul-Andre interesting to watch: they're in revealing but awkward the noor to dry it. Fortier uses in his athletic and each very much evening dresses while Lechay Chouinard carried out these ;· oreography: a heavy an individual on stage. herself dances a detached tasks with a matter-of-factness ulder tied to the dancers Lechay shows us a master solo. The pessimistic tone of that I wanted to see broken -eads. The piece had a New at work. the work contrasted sharply down. She pulled a deranged :','ave look to it. as four Ice, a piece Lechay has against the strong physicality face - eyes crossed and .:.ndrogenous dancers in long been working on and adding and ex uberance of the tongue out. Would her face - '.ac k gloves moved, each very to since 1974, is inspired by evening's other work. get stuck? It never did. She is --,uch a lone, through the angst photographs of athletes in It was Lechay's solos that a shaman, exorcizing her :· waiting for the end of the action. The dancers all have made the evening. In o ne, she devils before us, but orld. Sometimes the poses their moments. Their easy played with gravity as she maintaining a degree of _ trasted or heightened the presence and uncomplicated slowly raised herself from a distance always. The u ic. More often the music focus on the activit y of prone position. In Trois Sur boundaries of her _ragged the whole piece dancing lets their varied Une her unique shapes and performance were so broad , owly along. In his Jeu two personalities, like their rhythms worked in a nd (she could choose to tie in any -en engaged in a game of different body types, show. around Quebec folk songs. At activity) that I fe lt she didn't e-upmanship that These dancers have learned the beginning of Free.fall a ever challenge herself enough ~-lmi nated in both stripping the attack of contact ripple of tension ran through within them. I wanted her to - ., ed. Before anything could improvisation and the tension the audience as Lechay do something really difficult, - ppen, the piece ended. of the frozen moments made entered, naked, and began a taxing dance or a song she Finally, Bur, I Lo ve You was us hol d our breath. They a ll dancing in silence. Her had to belt out, to see her duet in which Ginette kicked up thei r heels in a folk presence was calm a nd vulnerability unco ntrolled. ::..aurin a nd William Jame dance. Lech a~ and Michel assured, her face quietly Instead, she donned a giant anced, talked and ang heir Kodin umbled through a renecting the moods that black dog mask with nashing •;. a through 'o\ er· pa - and onta t-like duet. The men pas ed through her. Her red eyes and took the piece 22 DANCE IN CANADA onto another level in a mysterious, aggressive dance of gestures and military marches. Chouinard constantly kept us surprised with her ability to completely transform herself and the space. Wearing a swim cap and black trunks, she greased herself down like a swimmer preparing to cross the English Channel. Then, pour ing oil on the floor, she slid across it. Her body twisted and turned in the red and blue blinking light. She looked like an embryo. The raw setting of the piece, and constant return to simple tasks made us watch it a nd fee l it in a new way. Chouinard's assured resolve, as the images poured out of her, taught us how to watch Michel Lemieux and Edouard Lock (right) in Businessman in the Process of Becoming an Angel. her. choice of movement and its involved solo for Susan around themselves in back Paul-Andre Fortier's use of rocks. Now the rocks Macpherson. attitude. Their dancing was Lavabos, which opened his seemed to be symbolic of the The dancing in Edouard breezy and spiced with concert, was dance performers' brains, tied to Lock's Businessman in the ballroom and salsa commenting on itself. An odd, their heads. Their beautiful Process of Becoming of Angel affectations. balding man with a paunch, leaps, trying to free was loose and flowing on the Meanwhile the decor was an aging Buddy Holly, themselves, made the prop's outside and controlled from changing from pink and pale entered from the side door. restriction a kind of the centre, lending it a casual, blue to red and bright bl ue. He was as surprised to see us liberation. improvised look. The Sometimes Lock joined in the as he was to see the four Fortier's newest Toronto choreographed contact-like dancing, but more often he dancers - cold, detached, offering, Non Coupab/e was a lifts and weight shifts lent an directed things from the side. dressed in 50's underwear - solo for the guest artist Susan athletic tone and let the girls changing the decor or singin_ who entered and began Macpherson. The rocks show their strength. The into the microphone. He splashing themselves awake at reappeared, Macpherson repeated ballroom dance became distracting. There v, a oversized sinks. He was drawn mothering and nursing them, moves, dips and sways, were suddenly too much going on. into their games with a per but the tone of the piece was smooth and the dancers too many songs. The endles verse curiousity about their of much greater intensity than looked as if they were having combinations of twos and detached manner and the others. She seemed a good time. threes wereri't enough to ke ., physicality. His outsider's completely exposed before us, Around this, Michel our attention. The piece ha perspective always let us , too, each movement deeply felt. Lemieux and unoccupied it's bright moments but le ft see the dancers differently, Finally, Pow! . .. was full dancers were singing and us, in the end, lost. and laugh at the abstractness of visual humor. A group of playing a string of original The company I was of their focus and the runners equipped with songs on synthesizers and unavoidably forced to miss emptiness of their implied Walkmans were getting fit but accordians. The set, with it's was Dianne Carriere a nd relationships. This clown, becoming more and more 45 wooden dogs, was added Ninoska Gomez' group, played by Fortier himself, alienated from each other. to and re-arranged. Amarelle. Reliable fr ie nds shed revealing li ght on the Randomly they gunned each The duets, trios and described the two's work a piece. other down, "Pow!". then got quartets had less to do with heavily oriented towa rds Creation brought out the up and kept running. Inspired businessmen than with human humour - although they di androgenous qualities of its solos popped up throughout relationships - triangles that not find it all funny! four dancers. Two men and the piece. The exhausting won't work and couples The New Quebec Dance two women all dressed in low running went on too long. getting together. The dancers series showed more about i: - cut, empire line dresses with Fortier clearly has his own were varied - a girlish, quick choreographers than it mea : black tape over their exposed strongly developed vocabulary mover, small and close to her to. We saw their strengths a-_ nipples, moved through but his concert at centre, a more glamourous weaknesses exposed and conception, labour and Harbourfront tried to cover but punky blond with long weighed. We also saw, in delivery, giving birth to rocks. too much and ended up limbs, and a Ro ger Dawltry flashes, the living, breathing Fortier's dancers executed his repeating itself. The strongest type working on Fred Astaire people behind the dancing. choreography forcefully. Fin work was the detached, ironic imitations. They tumbled over was a similar piece in both its Lavabos a nd the completely each other a nd jumped MARY REID DANCE IN CANADA 23
oreographer's Showcase overhead in a way which e cca Cohn Auditorium reminds one of North 'housie Arts Centre American Indian dances. Hey Rhythm is intelligently and lucidly crafted. It is beautiful to watch it change texture as _ ·, year's Choreographers' the percussive, angular wcase was a sell-out with movements shift smoothly people turned away from into lyric leaps, and the e door of Halifax's largest dancers rush toward and ert hall , the 1,041-seat through each other like becca Cohn Auditorium. streams of water. It was -- - year, driving rains the almost transporting - the _eni ng night, and a publicity way the rhythms and -· paign that never got off repetitions in a Laura Dean ,= ground, resulted in piece are. Maybe what held - ppointingly smaller the piece back was that while ..xliences: 500 the first night, the gull-like throaty wails of ·• the next. Meredith Monk's music, The evening of premiers Travelling, were building, the ·:ered the promise of dynamics of Hey Rhythm -:- gnition to professional remained the same. -::!_ependent The dance ended suddenly _- o reographers living and as the dancers grouped rking in the Halifax area. downstage centre, their arms ~:-e Showcase, presented by out-stretched under a single lho usie Cultural Activities, spotlight. This dramatic - fi nancially backed by the grouping, (similar to a famous ·ova Scotia Department of moment in Alvin Ailey's ..,lm re, Recreation and Revelations and repeated in ::C;·n ess, the Canada Council, other dances one has seen), ::>ance Nova Scotia, and sprang unaccountably onto :: . ,lie donors, was warmly the dance rather than -e-::eived by its audiences. developing from it in a way h was a handsomely which renewed its impact. It ;:;oduced show with actor thus failed to become the ::rector David Renton human choir of hope one · Hil ling the role of artistic assumes the choreographer _irector. He managed to wrest intended. -ace a nd unity from the work When the curtain wen t -: ni ne choreographers whose Louise Hoyt, Beth Windeler, Gwen Noah and Sheila Hunt in Jeanne down on Angela Holt's , yl es spanned classical ballet, Robinson's Hey Rhythm. Coherent Projections, I heard azz, mime, and modern. friendly feel of a small city to cut through it to something the person sitting next to me The Showcase, and other like Halifax, the lack of else. In this dance, Robinson exclaim, "Brilliant". The nee performances I have big city, cut-throat compe continues her exploration of setting is a darkened musuem. -een in Halifax, a ll have a tition and paranoia, that the mundane and the spiritual On the "eye" a color slide of 1 holesome ambience about accounts for the relatively and the perceptual bridge Edvard Munch's, The Scream. :ne m. Even the worst human cheery subject matter? between them. Eight women quickly fades and we notice a -elationships, and the most Jeanne Robinson's, Hey pound out rhythms with their statue-like dancer standing :;ightening world conditions, Rhythm. is part of the feet as the piece unfolds next to a sculpture. Both are Ye presented in a humane, historical evolution of modern through primitive and covered in a clea r plastic optimistic framework rather dance which includes big-city ritualistic forms. Sometimes shroud. A museum guard ~ha n a bitter one. Is it the styled suffering, but chooses the dancers' arms are angled announces, "It's late", and he
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j . Robert Greenwood and Dana Luebke (403) 264-4621 24 DANCE IN CANADA directs a red laser beam to Diane Moqre's Squad was Holt's chest. It looks like an flawlessly realized. exposed heart. Holt rushes Occasionally poking fun at I from under her covering, and authoritarian relationships, in a sophisticated solo Moore's dancers displayed a (employing fast direction and most charming male athletic balance changes, and rapid exuberance. Tight isolations) presents a craftsmanship, precise comic frustrating and futile attempt timing, wit, and surprise to escape. At one point the resulted in a small, guard directs the laser into entertaining gem. her mouth. It opens like a For the rest, Sherry Lee cavern of flames. Eventually Hunter's, Moon, was a finely Holt realizes she is not at the crafted mime piece. Francine mercy of the beam, which the Boucher's comic romp with program tells us represents balloons was a good idea technology. She dances for joy which needed a lot more and the guard says, "I didn't invention to flesh it out. think it would end like this". Penny Evan's Images used The work is deeply felt and familiar jazz vocabulary to vividly realized. Even so, the familiar jazz music, and the slick, hard-edged set, audience enjoyed its accessible expressionistic slide, casually pizzaz. Pat Richards' theatrical guide, and solo Labyrinths was competently offered an uneasy mixture of crafted. aesthetics and expectations. The choreographers here The man versus technology are earnestly exploring their Olesia Cyncar (left) and Lynn Sheppard of Les Ballets Jazz in Daryl Gray's Jailhouse Jam. theme was, perhaps, at times talents and the audiences are too literally interpreted. eager and receptive. Halifax Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal a tone for the jazz-imbued has become fertile dance Though its scope was Place des Arts atmosphere of the whole ground. narrower than Hey Rhythm's, Montreal evening. Set to James or Coherent Projections', ALICE FROST 12-16 April, 1983. Johnson's music, the movement stems directly frorr Les Ballets Jazz' 10th the score's basic rhythmic anniversary gala provided an impulses. The almost literal eloquent answer to the vexing, correalation between music often-asked and purely and choreography might tbe SCHCDL of DANCE semantic question: is jazz become overly obvious in a Merrilee Hodgins Joyce Shietze dancing merely light-weight larger work, but looks tri m fun or a valid form of and appropriate in this contemporary dance art? succinct miniature - too Owing to jazz' generic link to compact for any kinetic musical theatre, the dimension procrastination. of entertainment is important, Marcuse' On Castle Rock but that does not exclude it more complex. The colour from also being art. confrasts between its three Despite the company's parts mark the flow of passi _ chronic financial problems time, from the shimmering Les Ballets Jazz does not pastels of daybreak to the allow austerity to obtrude intense blues of the night. The onto the stage. With a salmon pink of the costume . generous emphasis on the deep-hued lighting and the traditional interplay of light, overall contemplative qualit~ colour, music and movement, of the piece suggest a kind o·· its work offers a flamboyant, pan-Oriental atmosphere satisfying theatrical spectacle. whose outward serenity is Choreographically, the thwarted by explosive repertoire's scope extends structural tensions. from pure, unburdened dance, Celia Franca Paula Moreno Although, in a strictly Olga Evreinoff Elizabeth Ciesluk via abstract imagery, toward programmatic sense, Casrle Wayne Constantineau Norrey Drummond self-contained narrative. Rock seems devoid of and members of the faculty Judith Marcuse' Hors narrative content, the form d'oeuvre is just what its title organization of the work is 1339 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario Kl Y 3B8 (613) 729-3756 suggests - an exquisite such that there is always ar. opening chord that establishes illusion to conflict between ~ DANCE IN CANADA 25
p a nd a solitary figure. full of rich, thematically National Ballet of Canada fine lady; she's beautiful", _ ;le Rock has five dancers imaginative choreographic O'Keefe Centre intone the taped voices - - all women. The choice of action and works absolutely Toronto Hedda yearns for approval, - odd number of performers without a hitch. 9-27 February, 1983. yet also longs to smash the The highlight of Les Ballets chains of convention that _ms deliberate since it gives With three new ballets and a Jazz' Place des Arts restrict her. She cannot decide reuse an opportunity to dozen or so debuts by its riment with the work's celebration was the uplifting whether to be free or to dancers in both major and finale of Gray's new work submit. Hedda's tragedy is ctural patterning, in minor roles, the National that she probably wants both. -',ch of architectonic Jailhouse Jam, to a Ballet was certainly dancing at _ ance. The interrelation commissioned Oscar Peterson Not only does she torment the full stretch during its Toronto t score. Originally titled City harmless Thea - the ,een the beings on stage spring season. Catherine figure in the ballet y design, realized in lights, the music, in Gray's Hedda, loosely based on __ ·hetic, rather than - Hedda deceives her treatment, has undergone a Norwegian playwright Henrik worthy, if self-effacing, tential terms. total thematic revamping. Ibsen's 1890 melodrama husband, destroys her n terms of dynamics On Ironically, all of the elements Hedda Gabler, is the latest of idealized lover, and, in a final _:slfe Rock offers an characterizing the freedom James Kudelka's ballets to act of freedom or desperation, _ ;iressive juxtaposition of and anonimity to be found in probe the female psyche. In blows her own head off. _ ·ely balletic cantilena a big city - despair and joy, previous works, Washington _ -:rasing and strong staccato loneliness and hope - found Square and The Rape of This last moment is ::.z:z - an excellent chance for their perfectly logical way into lucrece, the woman under strikingly staged. Hedda e company to demonstrate Gray's Joi/house. choreographic scrutiny was comes downstage and looks - technical and stylistic The decor is simple, yet young an Soft Ballet Shoes Write or phone for Teachers prices Leotards & Tights Highland Ghillies by Leotards & Tights MAKERS OF Tap Shoes "ANGEL" Gym Pumps BALLET SHOES -rA/lonttor Characte r Shoes (JG~ Gamba Pointes m~- 685 Bloor St. W., Toronto, Ont. M6G 1L3 532-5767 Angel Pointe Shoe s Made to Orde r 26 DANCE IN CANADA concentration towards the Patsalas, is a. suite of dances In Nataraja and The Rite of choreography, especially that audience; then blackout. What for two couples, set to Spring Patsalas was after a for the men, is conventional Kudelka additionally displays contemporary Spanish songs. mass effect. In Canciones, the classical or conventional in Hedda is a greater interest Veronica Tennant danced dances are more varied in Spanish. There is no sense of in the use of the upper body. with Kevin Pugh and Sabina mood, gentle, passionate, energy. But in the fifth song, The staccato quality of his Allemann with David Nixon. seductive, and humorous. For the ballet comes to life in a earlier choreography has The setting is bare: a piano greater intimacy, and for vivid and dramatic solo for diminished, and with it , and four chairs. It might be a more impact on his audience, Tennant, filled with flashing strangely enough, has come provincial cafe after all the Patsalas has tried to exploit footwork and rapid arm brevity. customers have left. Just a the emotional content of the movements. Nixon suddenly Hedda runs a mere 25 few dancers, a singer (Janice pas de deux. looks more alert and minutes. It ignores many of Taylor), and a pianist (Gary One responds to Canciones Allemann becomes attractive the nuances of Ibsen's play, Arbour) stay behind. At first slowly. Too many of the and witty. In the seventh song and at first viewing does not there is no dancing. Patsalas details are annoying. The Tennant and Pugh relax to a reveal all the complexities of often opens his ballets with a women's dresses, designed by lullaby, then go on to an the characters. But long musical introduction. the choreographer, are exhilirating foot-stomping Witkowsky carries it grandly, Here the dancers are seated, startling shades of red, and contest in the ninth song. Jus and the ballet is, on repeated listening to the music. One by the material looks cheap and as Canciones begins to make viewings, an effective theatre one they respond, at first in synthetic. The sounds of both an impact, it is over, and one piece that will probably look small movements at their singer and pianist were badly is left feeling dissatisfied. better on stages smaller than chairs. During the first song amplified and Taylor's Quartet, Michael Peters that of Toronto's O'Keefe the dancers move to the enunciation was imprecise. So, hommage to Karen Kain, is Centre where it was doomed centre of the stage. The dance relaxing into Canciones can be supposed to be sexy. Kain to receive its first becomes a double pas de difficult. wears pink tights, and her performances. deux; most of the songs For a long time nothing three escorts - Peter Norma Beecroft has written accompany duets. much happens. The Ottmann, Serge Lavoie, and an effective and theatrical Anthony Randazzo - wear score for Hedda that identifies blue ones. A scrim, in place the various characters either when the dancing starts, with an electronic tape or persuades the audience that it with standard instruments. is watching a peep show. The The flutterings of the flute, lights are dim, and the three for example, accompany the men are grouped suggestivel y dances for Thea, ("the one around Kain. Just in case the with the irritating hair", as a audience needs another nudge. program note reminds us). the music, by Claus Ogerman. Both Veronica Tennant and is heavily rhythmical and th e Cynthia Lucas established lights flash on and off a Thea's ineffectualness, though lot like neon signs: the 1 Lucas with her pale audience howled with delight complexion was better suited Michael Peters was co to Thea's diaphonous mauve choreographer of the grey costume. The good and Broadway smash Dreamgir/s reliable Jacques Gorrissen and Quartet is very much a danced Tesman, (as did Broadway show. The Albert Forister at one choreography mixes classical performance), Hazaros bits with modern stuff, and Surmeyan was an earthy because it is so simple Lovborg and Charles Kirby minded, Quartel is easy to the ambivalent Brack. But the watch. So are the dancers. commanding performance, as Peter Ottmann has never it should be, was looked more in command, Witkowsky's. Surely she has and his two junior colleague earned a crack at Odette. are impressive too - strong. Jack King's costumes for relaxed, and well rehearsed. Hedda are simple, suggesting They seemed to enjoy the clothes of the Victorian era. force of their solos and the There is no big, cumbersome complex lifts. All in all , set as there was for bravura performances. Washington Square; only two · Presumably Quartel was backdrops modelled on intended to show off Karen lithographs by Edvard Kain. She has some fabulou Munch. bou~es and runs around the The second new ballet, Gizella Witkowsky in the title role of James Kudelka's Hedda. Veronica stage a lot, but she loo ks Canciones, by Co nsta ntin Tennant (right) portrays Thea. bulky in her pink tights, nOl DANCE IN CANADA 27 sl eak and seductive. As well, Brown's Just Because I Am A she appeared slightly Woman? would have been embarrassed about all the better served in a theatre free heaving and the jigging, but of environmenta l distractions. went along with it beca use Subtitled "a collage of Quartet makes the guys look emotional moments", this so good. Besides, Kain knows, intensely personal statement, eve n if Michael Peters does danced by Brown herself, not, that she looks better - showed the four sides of a more human a nd more sexy woman's personality which - in Swan lake or Th e ultimately affect her Sleeping Beauty, so she can relationship with the man in tep aside and let the men be her life (Rene Highway). Each fa ncy free. Or perhaps she of the couple's duets becomes re alizes what Quartet is all subtly different, changed about - dancercise. because of what we have just If James Kudelka is feeling learned about the woman is way to something other herself as danced by the fo ur han narrative ballet, a nd . personae. The personae also Constantin Patsalas is counterpoint each other. Thus reaching for an intimacy with a trio comprised of "Heathen his audience, Michael Peters Women" (Elaine Bowman as no doubts about what and Susan Cash) makes a dance is. It's showbiz. A lunge delightful statement on the here, double time there, a contradictions in the woman's pelvic thrust somewhere else personality. The girl in love - these grab an audience. with love (Nancy Kishita) The O'Keefe crowd responded weaves in and out of the o ther ·" it h wolf whistles and bravos two, reduced to their basic ecause it tho ught it was animal instincts. T he cast also eei ng sexy da nce; not o nl y included A lison Windecker that, but easy, undema nding and Susan McNaughton as dance. The problem, however, 'The Wounded Young Girl" ts deeper. Quartet is for and "The Vain Insecure people who go to ballet but Claudia Moore in her Pavlychenko Studio work, Steal Threads. Lady" respectively. o n't really like it. Because it Although Brown sometimes anders, Quartet is offensive. Pavlychenko Studi o performed brief satires o n had difficulty in moulding a ll Surrounding these new Harbourfront conventional dance forms the threads together, ;.orks were some sta ndards: Toronto choreographed by Lawrence nonetheless it was a n The Dream, Giselle, and 24-26 February, 1983. Adams to music arranged in ambitious piece a nd her sure Coppelia. This last was tongue-in-cheek fas hi on by Toronto's Pavlychenko grasp of the particulars, remarkable fo r a Dr. Miguel Frasconi . The idea, Studio, under artistic director especially her rendering of Coppelius from Jacques one suspects, was to juxtapose Kathryn Brown, is a favourite each distinctive personalit y Gorrissen so human that what the uninitiated think of place for the cit y's tra it , ma de up for a ny fault in Franz and Swanilda looked as dance with the more professional modern dancers the whole. This work, the like selfish punkers. The esoteric contemporary pieces and independent most noteworthy o n the Dream was memorable fo r the on the program. Although choreographers to mai ntain program, was further Mebuts of Kevin Pugh and "The Girls" and their forays their training. Last year the enhanced by the dancing of Yoko !chino as Oberon a nd into tap, ballet and so forth studio mounted a maratho n Brown and Highway and ~- a nia. But the performance we re amusing, unfortunately, of 10 new works over two served to remind the a udience ,o treasure was Evelyn Hart's the relaxe d cabaret days utilizing the human just how beautiful movement Gi elle . With their guest fr o m atmosphere was not the best resources at its disposal. This rooted in strong technique can e Royal Winnipeg, the context in which to present year's "Brake Up" took the be. :ompany, led by Frank the more serio us works. The form of a cabaret The remaining four works -\ugustyn, rose to a level of promise of cabaret may have performance with the provid ed the broad mix that artistry it too seldom achieves. seduced larger than normal Brigantine Room at one usually finds in crowds who, fo r the most LA WRENC_E HASKETT Harbourfront, Toronto's experimenta l dance programs. part, were attentive. However, waterside culture and The theatrical aspects of the casual surroundings recreation complex, Claudia Moore's Steal actually had the effect of transformed into a nightclub. Threads showed the influence distancing the audience from Punctuating the program's of the choreographer's long the dances. Cabarets do not main works were "The Girls", professional association wit h lend themseh·es to se ri ous three dancers cutely called by her offstage husband Robert concentration. their fir t name and dre ed Desrosiers. The first part, a La \'egas horine . who For example, Kathryn comprised of Moore's angst- 28 DANCE IN CANADA filled walking back and forth, interesting solos, burying the Perhaps TBC's closing night Theatre Ballet of Canada finally culminated in the theft effect of the music altogether before a small 250-member National Arts Centre of jewellery from a casket at - a classic example of more audience in Ottawa's NAC Ottawa the front of the stage. This not being necessarily better. Theatre was just one of those 12-13 April, 1983. was followed by Albert The remaining works dealt "off' evenings. Whatever the Gedraitis' recitation of his with fairly common themes. A Theatre Ballet of Canada explanation, the company poem about the dangers of Kind of Killing by Elaine came into existence just over certainly did not live up to its petty theft, with the moral Bowman offered the three years ago as the result billing. reminder that large thefts choreographer and Susan of the amalgamation in Three new pieces were happen on Bay Street every Cash impersonating two Ottawa of Toronto's Ballet Ys presented, opening with day. The last part had Moore insects, one ultimately killing and Montreal's Entre-Six Gradus's Side By Side, set to as a strange creature emerging and devouring the other. dance companies. TBC is not excerpts from Mozart's from the black backdrop Touched with humour, this therefore, in the strictest Symphony No. 29 in A Major which opened up into a piece also had some sense, a company without a and Divertimento No. 7 in D fairyland of glowing balloons wonderful images capturing history. major. A quotation serves as and twinkling lights, a dream the world of nature. Lawrence Gradus, Theatre the work's only thematic world, one gathers, which Urban Out was Susan Ballet's artistic director, was explanation: "So light am I symbolizes her desire for the Cash's statement about self already an experienced the clouds are trampolines to jewellery, her nirvana of rich centred city life. Five dancers choreographer when he bounce upon". The backdrop and plenty. If the work was moved to different pieces of carried some of Entre-Six' had lovely billowing clouds on more drama than dance, it music (on Walkmans) which artistic remnants to Ottawa. it as an added visual was, nonetheless, an dictated their distinctive In addition - at least, reminder. interesting experiment in movements and rhythms. according to the barrage of Composed of short expressing a message with Although the audience was hype aimed at the media when segments featuring couples movement. told on the program what TBC was formed - the new executing light and fluttering Holly Small's The motivated the dancers, what company was to enjoy all the steps, Side By Side never Something Likes 111 was a was heard was a frenetic administrative acumen of the really made a point. It left a reworking of an earlier piece collage of street noises to defunct Ballet Ys! feeling that the observer for solo dancer and musical which the dancers, immersed Theatre Ballet has been missed out on some essential accompaniment. As in their own headsets, were quite generously funded, has a fragment or thought. performed at a Danceworks oblivious. Clever contrast was determined army of Ottawa Repeated skips and presentation last year, the also provided by Nancy volunteer ladies to promote its promenades conveyed no whimsical dialogue between Kishita dressed as a drum activities and has benefitted meaning and the initial hint of dancer (Small) and musician major who acted as a parade from Celia Franca's floating softness became (Miguel Frasconi) was a marshal to the uncaring association as a member of weighted down by this charming interplay of individuals around her. Yet, the board of directors and as repetitive structure. movement and sound. even though both dances an artistic resource. Carolyn McCready danced Fransconi is ingenious in contained points of interest, It surely then would not be with an easy animation but finding ways of playing a they could not escape the overly presumptuous to expect she was partnered by an piano and percussion derivativeness of their to find TBC in its final ineffectual Zdzislaw Zielinski. instruments and, with a single subjects. hometown performances of His face maintained a dancer, one could concentrate the 1982/83 season looking somewhat forced smile and PAULA CITRON on the relationship between like the well-trained, self there was very little expression the movement and the music. assured and artistically in his movement. To be fair, For four dancers, however, accomplished ensemble that Zielinski is one of TBC's the focus became muddied. its well-oiled publicity newest members, joining in The work turned into a group machine would persuade us to November, 1982, and he may of unrelated and not terribly believe it is. not yet have acquired the LONDON director Academy of Dance and Theatre Arts MARGO PERRY Stud10 ballet master Membe r RICHARD R o1·al Academ y 103 SUGARMAN o·r Danc ing. Impe rial Society. The Professional's Canadian Dance T eachers Res id ential Dance Studio F.B.A.T.D. Summer School at Alma College for information call J ull· (416) 968-7050 TRAINING TO PROFESSIONAL STANDARD BY HIGHLY 103 Bellevue QUALIFIED STAFF Toronto, Ont. MST 2N8 432 Waterloo Street London. Ont. N6 B 2P2 (5 I 9) 439-8961 DANCE IN CANADA 29 --: thmic pulse that Gradus debut displayed her keen audible above the music. company was more one of -~ to bring out of his sense of how to capture and Fandango is filled with relief than of celebration. _..:11ce rs. hold an audience, combined exhausting footwork and it Consequently, what should Zie linski and Roderick with insight into character soon became too much for the have appeared as sweeping hnson resembled medieval development but suffered dancers whose fatigue became movement, mixed with .m jesters in their choreographically because of evident in a slower, cautious acrobatic playfulness, became <1ui nned outfits, (complete its undemanding movement. approach to the choreography a hurried effort to complete -h tiny porn-porns), and this Although the company's forcing out any signs of vigor the evening's performance. ~I~ ex acerbated the overall dancers proved they could live and replacing it with The clean, fluid lines and the _ -Jo intedness of Gradus's up to the "theatre" in Theatre concentration. soft circling imagery stood out _ end of modern dance and Ballet, a curiously chosen Tribute, created for Theatre all too briefly before the blur - .let. revival of Antony Tudor's Ballet's 1981 NAC debut, that comprised the allegro Scenes and Dances Fandango (new to TBC, of remains a vital part of the section. -:=presents Margery Lambert's course) indicated there is company's repertoire, a Theatre Ballet still has its -:-st choreographic effort and much room for improvement tribute to movement and faults to contend with and : was a positive one. technically. This dance for music, set to a Bach concerto will have to probe deeper to mbert's theatrical tastes five women was lackluster in for violin, oboe and strings. find that uniformity and _;:pear to be dramatic, using energy and the dancers timing The rich golden hues of the texture which has been arp imagery to highlight. the was amiss. Padre Antonio costumes add warmth to the developing but which needs to :;;1otional intensity of the Soper's music has a Spanish piece and the dancers were be displayed more • :iaracters. Deborah . flavour to it but the obviously more comfortable consistently . ashington portrays a young flamboyant, fiery with a familiar composition. MANDY CHEPEKA = ~l. abused by cruel parents, choreography was never This, however, does not say _::empting to sort out her convincing despite the elegant much for the progress of \\11 confused feelings, away Spanish jackets and headwear Theatre Ballet during the past ~o m a troubled homelife. the women wore to evoke the two years. Dramatically. Scrncs and spirit Tudor wanted. Pointe All the wonderful fast nces is always interesting shoes emphatically tapped on paced leaps and skips were : JI was technically the ground made only dull there amid the complex ~:1challenging. thuds, and five sets of fingers pattern of the choreography, Lambert's choreographic snapping were only slightly but the mood projected by the Edmonton School of Ballet INTENSIVE SUMMER SCHOOL August 8-26, 1983 Guest Instructors: GLENN GILMOUR National Ballet School of Canada MARTA HORVATH Ballet Mistress - Alberta Ballet Company CLASSES - Ballet; Jazz; Repertoire; Pas de deux; Variations; Character; National; Pointe; Eurithmics; Basics; Make-up. LEVELS - Advanced; Intermediate; Elementary; Pre-Elementary; Children's Levels; Beginners; 6-9 years; 10- I 3 years; Adults. Daytime and Evening Classes. Supervised Residence Accommodation Available. For brochures and information: WRITE Registrar Phone - 435-1721 Edmonton School of Ballet 436-3401 7330-113 St. 435-0761 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Area Code - 403 T6G 1L6 30 DANCE IN CANADA Toronto Dance Theatre and, early this year came Studio Theatre and word of dramatic St. Lawrence Centre developments on the bridge, a Toronto change of command. February and March, 1983. Patricia Beatty, Peter Randazzo, and David Earle, While watching the Toronto the artistic directors and Dance Theatre's 12 very fine founders of the 15-year-old dancers during the company's company, declared that they spring season, I could not rid had had enough of strapping myself of a nagging image: a themselves to the helm in vision of shipboard tourists troubled seas. The logbook blithely playing shuffleboard showed in no uncertain terms in the sunlight while below, that topnotch choreographers unheard and unseen, a tired do not necessarily and grimy crew plugs leak administrative wonders make. after leak, sees to faltering The triumvirate was wearied engines, and generally battles by the burden of their own desperately to prevent the ship administrative clumsiness, and from sinking. Of course, the by a no-win balancing act of passengers know of the terrors colliding duties. In March lurking below their feet. But they made it known that they panic will do them no good. would relinquish their roles as Artfully - and despite artistic directors. energetic reminders emanating 'Profiles of Dance', which from the press, watching from ran from February 16 to the safety of shore - they feign March 5, was a firm and ignorance. obvious statement to that Besides, they've grown effect. Each artistic director accustomed to it. Turbulent gave a week of his/her works, waters have become a normal past and present. The three state of affairs at TDT. In the opening nights echoed like • last few years, the players distinctive shouts in the above deck and below have wilderness to reclaim singular Patricia Beatty in her Lessons in Another Language. survived cutbacks and layoffs artistic identities thought lost in attempts to jettison a in the soup of the mixed much-publicized financial program format. To see the deficit. spring season was to be thought I had known much realistic, but a great deal Heads are a little further reintroduced to old more intimately. easier for audiences to above waterline these days acquaintances I had always At the same time this befriend. greater intimacy runs risks. Earle speaks to us of an One-man choreographic essential heroism in man, of a shows expose private fundamental purity. The obsessions in all their innocent Indian youth badgering glory. A novel way imitating forest creatures in of moving in one piece is 1971 :s too-sentimental Legend: viewed as a one-note song by the majestically bereaved program end. Inner demons couple in 1980's Frost Watch: take on the concrete the four tormented figures in M.F.A. in Dance dimensions of crutches and I 976's Quartet gravely and at York University limitations and actively begin aggressively battling their harassing the spectator. spiritual bonds to a choppin~ This two year graduate program offers the study of Beatty a nd Randazzo, in axe-blade of a Michael dance through historical research, critical writing, and baring all to us , often speak Conway Baker score; the movement analysis and reconstruction. Students partici harshly about the lot of man entire company plus pate in courses, seminars, field trips, and independent in garbled phrases and apprentices all decked out in projects or theses. Graduates from the program are now unfinished explanations, melodious good manners an involved in teaching, writing, editing, and library and which is as clear an indication pastel elegance to Vivaldi an archival work. as any of the inner being in friends in Baroque Suite: th ·:: Students are admitted every second year. Information turmoil. beings have enormous di gnit_ and applications will be available from October 1983, for If David Earle emerged as and no grubby, sickly, entrance in September 1984, from Admissions Office, Faculty of Graduate Studies, York University, 4700 Keele the superior, it isn't because weirdly-shaped maligna ncie Street, Downsview (Toronto), Ontario M3J 1P3. he's a better choreographer; in their souls. it's because his demons are a Pain and suffering would nicer bunch - perhaps not as only enoble them; death DANCE IN CANADA 31 .,. ould send them on to a break called A Simple Melody, :-igher plane. Also - and wh ich is all plump mobscene ;,erhaps most basic to his be ll ylaughs, the program laid ppeal - Earle speaks with emphasis on moody dramatics mmense compassion of the with choreographic craziness .:ommunal spirit of mankind. nowhere in sight. -\s if to affirm this optimistic Sara Pettitt is a bit too tlook, Earle has a gift for reserved to draw the guts out . oving large hordes of the woman-alone solo mmaculately about the stage Enter the Dawn choreographed no other Canadian for her by Randazzo in 1982. .:noreographer can. Even buried inside a sack, Randazzo and Beatty design Karen du Plessis finds more ·-or smaller numbers; a belief emotion in Untitled Solo, circa :-: the brotherhood of man 1970. : oes not figure. As a foetus/ chrysalid made If one wished to introduce entirely anonymous in a wine one's suburban aunt to .coloured cocoon designed by :nodern dance, you would Susan MacPherson, du Plessis :ravel the accessible route, via struggles to escape, twisting, Earle. He constructs his pieces wrenching, flowing nonstop ;,,i th tender musicality, through powerfully expressive -estraint, utter sanity and sculptured movement. The irectness in meaning. piece craftily makes heartless He suffers an atypical brief beasts of its observers without o ss of marbles for his their knowing it; we forget upremely silly Bugs, from head, arms, legs, forget : 974. It's nice and accessible, entirely the feverishly battling ut it has nothing to do with creature hidden beneath the musicalit y, sanity, or restraint. fabric and only revel in the In the "Loverbug" section, outer beauty. uli an Littleford's gleefuil y The choreographer is by no malicious worker ant (i n crash means as succinct in 1973's A el met) repeatedly pushes Flight of Spiral Stairs, a work over crawling sowbug Karen about isolation, unanswered du Plessis, each time pausing signals and unresolved o smile proudly out at the relationships among four characters. A confused young audience. Enter alternate Members of Toronto Dance Theatre in David Earle's Exit, Nightfall. uitor Christopher House (in man in a bowtie is treated goggles) who draws him into with a fair degree of apathy a benign "Bugfight". The by three distinct female three then scramble off to join "types" - earth mother, work. sharp jabs created by Norman ·he rest of the company in a tomboy sister, aloof o bject-of David Earle's figures are Symons, Sharon Smith, and .. Picnic" that looks like desire . generally engrossed in others Charles Ives. At the visual -eeding time in Bedlam. There is much to admire and in the outside world. Very core was Beatty herself, I am a latecomer to Bugs here: the hoppy, tilty often Randazzo's don't seem returning to perform after a and a slapstick Earle. I had movement which continually particularly engrossed in three-year absence. She previously seen photographs stops short before it reaches anything. Patricia Beatty's claimed the spotlight with a f h is human insects and felt decisions, the spacey chess tend to be entirely engrossed majestic presence that has no sa e in assuming them party board design, and Randazzo's in themselves. rival in a company known for ·o a Peter Randazzo witty loyalty to the Daphnis The sin of self-obsession? its fine women dancers. concoction. But Randazzo's is and-Chloe-like score of Perhaps; but I found Beatty's Her concerns have not quirrelier sense of humour, Milton Barnes. But the the richest of the three altered greatly over the years. -ometimes tantalizing, goings-on were not compelling programs - a single To see the 1983 solo Rite for o metimes brutal - much like enough to arouse my theatrical whole of thought Future Time is, in effect, to see i sense of drama, for that sympathy or suggestive and style. the 1970 solo First Music. Part ma tter - and at it s best it enough to tease me into The evening was spent in Two. Her pieces a re not possesses a black-hearted looking for clues to meaning. the company of sparse solos, dancey: they're bu ilt of lo ng urrealistic quality more apt I've always had a difficult duets, trios, and among solid pacings , broody o encourage nervous smiles time getting onto Randazzo's statuesque women in long suspended pauses and than plain bellylaughs. wavelength. Even so, it seems gowns who were at o nce ponderings that erupt into Curiously, this season to me tha t Spiral Stairs is not sturdy a nd ensitive as they jagged aching poses. She moved Randazzo the Strange so much a wo rk about under drifted about in ubdued never over-embroiders, never mto the backseat. Outside of developed relation hip as lighting. The mu i "a I wastes a gesture. Yet a hat kitchen-sink commercial impl_ an underde\eloped pn ·lmg dramatic whines and minimum of physical fu ss, 32 DANCE IN CANADA (without such traditional blasting cho_rd changes Moore descends from his personal choice of Beatty, devices as stuttering limbs and accompanying Beatty as she higher pedestal to hover about Randazzo, and Earle, has quick stares), there throws herself about in self the tormented Grace officially assumed the post of materializes a gnawing sense dramatizing angst atop a Miyagawa, a twisting, artistic director. The three will of inner lives spent quietly stereo crate. writhing shadow. join Christopher House as enduring private disappoint Moore has the cynical The season's success was resident choreographers. ments, tragedies and insomniac slickness of a dark handsomely aided and abetted Pearl's association with the uncertainties. Her women Richard Gere, a quality which by Ron Snippe's densely Toronto Dance Theatre goes labour quietly under that waited for the closing duet, textured li ghting and dressed far back. He has passed awful and beautiful weight. the shattering Against Sleep mostly by Denis Joffre in through its doors as student, Although her dances are from 1968, to assert itself. brilliant costumes fit for both teacher, sometime rehearsal blatantly sexual, amusingly "Against sleep" translates the purpose and the fashion director, and he has taught at enough, men in the flesh carry as "against suicide". Beatty runaway. and danced with the Martha far less dramatic vitality than acts upon the hypnotic and Joffre was again on hand, Graham Company in New her giant phallic symbols - close ties of death and March 24-26, at the York. As actor, cabaret those great metallic spaghetti sexuality and depicts suicide unflattering St. Lawrence performer, choreographer and strands that reach for the ceiling as a clearly sexual struggle Town Hall, where his director, his interest and in First Music and the needles between a man and a woman distractingly wonderful experience has been roundly that bluntly stab the air in Rite who are connected by a designer-ethnic outfits were nurtured both onstage and like an overgrown lawn. winding sheet of scarlet, the the only really successful behind the scenes. Three of her pieces sported colour of passion. Beatty's ingredient in the debut of He sees TDT's recovery in Miguel (formerly Michael) embodiment of suicide is a Earle's Realm. terms of fundraising, audience Moore. He muddled demon lover; Moore with a Realm needs work. A sort development, and off-season complacently around the red serpentine streak coiling of Story of Religious Man in projects that will extend the outskirts of Rhapsody in the up one leg. Confrontation tableau form, it stresses dancers' employment beyond Late Afternoon as a subdued revolves around two raised intellectuality at the expense the seasonal contract dates. lover and appeared as a platforms shaped like beds of innards. Rather than "Creative financing" is hi s subdued handyman in Lessons and arranged centrestage like building, it travels one flat aim, rather than the decidedly in Another Language. The limbs from a tree; the upper plain, with scenes of ancient uncreative approach of wide latter, a duet from 1980, is platform is a throne for the middle-eastern, South scale layoffs and cutbacks. very much self-satire, with ruler, the lower is a deathbed. American, and African types It all sounds very encourag peering into the sky, reflecting ing, although no one would and recreating The Last be foolish enough to predict Supper. the miracle of utterly calm The lack of emotion at this waters and smooth sailing. stage might be connected to These days, the Toronto the unconcealed discomfort Dance Theatre would and insecurity of the dancers. probably be relieved just to The tiny Town Hall stage was have a decently repaired hull. a torn hamstring to the PAT KAISER action: it limited the lighting design to a choice of two the store for effects, off and on, and its absence of wings defanged Earle's near-epic Exit, Nightfall; five dreams after death. which formed the second half of the Realm program. Each time the tormented souls whipped across the stage in the Hell scene, they had to stop short Workouts in full view of the audience on Bellair at and calmly await their next 82 Bloor St. West stormy entrance. Toronto, On tar io The theatre is entire ly Canada M5S 1 L9 (416) 92 1-9610 inappropriate to dance and the two pieces should not reside together. Placed end to Sherway Gardens Oakville Place end they become one long 25 The We st Mall 240 Leighland Avenue Sherway Gardens Oakville, Ontario drone - evidence enough that Etobicoke, Ontario Canada L6H 3H6 TDT is in need of a fresh and Canada M9C 1B 8 (416) 844-4909 authorative directorial voice (416) 626-6412 in a position to prevent such errors. Kenny Pearl, who is a - - - --~------ DANCE IN CANADA 33 Book Beat Anna Pavlova: Her Life and Diaghilev's circle. Her Art, by Keith Money. exclusiveness thus denied her Random House of Canada, all the fascinating contacts 982. $75.00) and interactions which enliven the memoirs and biographies The 600 or so photographs in of most of her ballet Keith Money's new book on contemporaries. An artist .\nna Pavlova reveal more known only as "Madame" to .about the author's subject her associates is doomed to :: an all the words in his alienation. Money realizes this ;,ainstakingly researched text. and grasps for anecdotes: , took six years to produce there's one about an ancient :his book and he has adorned newspaper clipping which she 1 a bundantly with endlessly carried for years showing a ,aried Pavlova imagery. The mother with 13 children . .:la ncer is shown in a spectrum Motherhood on such an f roles, from juvenile bits in ambitious scale filled her with :orgotten Petipa party trifles awe and envy. She relished n St. Petersburg to the sharing these feelings, ' rishna and Radha particularly with a gullible experiments with Uday press, maintaining firmly, hankar in the 1920s. Posed however, that marriage and a tudio portraits and stills from dancer's life were er single endeavour as a film incompatible. This star :, how the Russian ambivalence gives a faint allerina as the adorable Anna Pavlova spark to the platitudinous subject of the camera artist, nature of most of her ·hile candids taken by tions of pre-Revotionary days. America, with 238 booked interviews. In the tradition of amateurs on board ship, at Documentation of her years performances in 77 the true superstar, Anna beaches, in exotic terrains, in transit is drawn from many communities! Pavlova was infinitely more and in the commonplace printed sources and from "She had unnatural credible seen than heard. settings typical of the personal discussions with amounts of nervous energy to hu ndreds of whistle-stops survivors of her companies burn up", Money notes, "and where she performed, offer and those whose lives were only the stage could produce Motion Arrested: Dance insights into Pavlova the changed through contact with the adrenalin charge that Reviews of H.T. Parker, edited ·rouper, the animal-lover, the her art. seemed to fire her metabolism by Olive Holmes. (Wesleyan mother hen, the clown and In dealing with the scope of to its peak. She lived on the University Press, 1982. U.S . the missionary. Captured in Pavlova's contribution, stage; everything beyond it $29.95) repose, Pavlova seems always Money tends to let evidence was merely a mirror land". Henry Taylor Parker was on the verge of animation, speak for itself. In 1914 the But when she finally left drama and music critic for the and even the most casual dancer, already deemed old America behind her, she had Boston Evening Transcript for snapshot fails to reveal a fashioned by critics who smitten a people with her 29 years, and when the emporary inertia or a dull favoured the total-theatre personal magic, making not Danish ballerina Adeline :acet. Other pictures showing endeavors of the Diaghilev the slightest dent, however, in Genee arrived to dance in :-er modelling the elegant Ballets, embarked on a nine its resistance to an alien art 1908 in a tacky musical called lathing and endorsing the month North American tour. form. "It was Pavlova they The Soul Kiss, Parker saw the beauty products of her times A copy of the itinerary offers wanted, rather than the need to lambast the dreary ~eveal the power of the ego clear insights into her product she graced", the vehicle and appraise her and the need to keep it well fanatical commitment to author concludes, "and each dancing for its intrinsic nourished. perform: 134 cities, all but a time she attempted to splendour. In doing so he Money's text chronicles a score offering only one-night introduce change and took on dance as the third of areer spanning 40 years and stands, with performances development, the audience his journalistic interests, and a pilgrimage which covered every night save eight in became suspicious". for three decades he saw, 0,000 miles, offering fresh which the distance between Pavlova's regimented promoted and assessed a and vital material about her engagements allowed no break existence left her no time for a glorious range of visitors to earl y Russian period, using for another show en route. fascinating personal life, and Boston, from the soloists and he translations by Celia Ten years later and at age 42 her ego kept her from companies which represented Pi nnell of the Tsar's Pavlova took o n another participation in those loftier Russian Ballet through the Yearboo ks , the New Times, exhausting journey, her artistic efforts which occupied German expressionists, the and other Russia n publica- "farewell tour" to orth her fellow ex patriates in great exponents of ethnic 34 DANCE IN CANADA dance, and all the American shoddy wor~, noting that "a generally painless for the co-workers". From there, he pioneers from Isadora journeyman named Minkus amateur who may wish to goes on to discuss the Duncan to Martha Graham. clothed it in a paltry, petty, perform. mechanics, logistics, problems This book is a treasure for pindling music almost beyond A brilliant exhibit of the and advantages of auditions several good reasons. First of belief", but he concludes that, dialogue between art and the in general and specific all, it offers vivid eye-witness "Mme. Pavlova prefers to be dance was organized late last situations. accounts of historical a transcendent and unique year for a winter showing at The field is covered well. performances by most of the dancer rather than mistress of the Institute of Contemporary There are references to, and great dancers of Parker's era, the production in the Art in Boston and a spring examples of, everything revealing in the process some theatre". He chides run at the Toledo Museum of from various types of dance of the unfortunate conditions Karsavina, knowing the great Art. Art & Dance, the catalog companies through dancers faced on alien soil scope of her powers as an which the Boston sponsor commercial road shows. There and in uncharitable times. In interpreter, for catering to the published (and from whom it is information about where to 1910 Pavlova's debut was in a American taste for "pretty is available) is a handsome, find out about auditions, how performance of Coppelia given things, sweet things with a informative volume containing to prepare for them and how at 11 p.m. after the curtain dash of humor", and he essays on the interplay of the to present oneself. It had fa llen on the Boston marvels during Ted Shawn's two forms, including David highlights the necessity of Opera's production of then revotionary display of an Vaughan's dicussion of Merce gathering as much Massenet's Werther! For all-male dance troupe that Cunningham's work, Deborah background information Tamara Karsavina's recital from the audience "neither in J owitt on Martha Graham about a specific audition as performance, the cold walls of demeanor nor in comment and her decor, and Iris one can, and tells what to the inappropriate Symphony casually overheard was there Fanger on the changing space bring along in the way of Hall were perfunctorily hung any hint of surprise, boredom of the theatre. A checklist of personal documentation. with drapes, while Martha or distaste". exhibit items includes splendid Personal appearance is dealt Graham's debut took place in Parker excelled in vivid lists of films on dance which with a bit sketchily. David's the half-filled remotely placed word-pictures, and his report were shown at both centres. general advice is to observe Jordan Hill. shows total attention to the Cobbett Steinberg has modes of dress seen at various Next, the book makes one stage and an essential authored San Francisco Ballet: types of auditions. Dancers fully aware of the powers consciousness of the music for the First Fifty Years for the are warned against appearing invested in the newspaper its inherent worth and for the recent anniversary of in "security blanket" critic of that era and of the quality of performances. His America's oldest ballet troupe. practice clothing, those seriousness taken both by description of dance A lavishly illustrated comfortable, raggedy old writer and publisher when movement is considerably less document of the company's sweat pants, for example, dealing with the theatre arts. analytic than what we expect legacy, the book is available which are so warm, familiar, Some of Parker's appraisals of today's writers, who watch for U.S. $35.00 from the SFB and body-concealing. He take up to 10 pages of the performance with more offices at 378 18th Ave., San stresses basic neatness, book, the equivalent of a half refined values, reflecting as it Francisco, CA 9412 I. cleanliness, and dance gear page of standard newspaper were an historically different that allows for freedom of LELAND WINDREICH type. As a dance critic, he expection from an evening at movement and a view of the carries clout even in his the theatre. This fascinating The Dancer's Audition Book, body within. earliest writings. These reflect compilation is destined to by Martin David. (Oak Tree Descriptions of two real-life his own basically sound become a classic in the Press, 1982. $19.95 or $11.95 auditions are given in detail; aesthetics, bolstered with the literature of dance criticism softcover) these provide valuable insights rich experience of his urgently and will serve the historian as When I consider how blindly into variations of the process. pursued scholarship and the well for its brilliant I used to go into auditions, One is for a touring compan_ frequent trips he took to documentation of a golden and how futile this of A Chorus Line, the other, a observe new trends in the age in American dance. uninformed approach was, I small modern dance compan_ located in Los Angeles. theatre abroad. So when the have a retroactive Diaghilev company arrived in IN BRIEF appreciation for The Dancer's Also useful are the 19 I 6, Parker had already seen In Modern Dance, an Adult Audition Book. The author, recommendations included it perform many times. This Beginner's Guide (Prentice Martin David, has from professionals in the fielc offered a sound basis for Hall Canada, 1982: $11.95) participated in the dance - choreographers and artistic comparison with what was author Natalie Willman Duffy world from a number of directors in ballet, modern ultimately shown in Boston. offers a succinct introduction vantage points, and his and jazz dance. The reader The critic's experience to modern dance history and experience stands him in good gets glimpses of the dance served to educate his readers to the mechanics of stead. He has written a philosophy and modus in what they would be paying performance, designed for the practical, positive, serious-yet operandi of such notables as to see. reader who can gain humorous guide to the oft Twyla Tharp, Alwin Nikolais. Parker never compromised appreciation through dreaded audition process. We Benjamin Harkarvy, David L his standards, but his writings participation. Good photos are reminded that the trial is Walker, Laura Dea n, Jose show a tactful fairness. In and diagrams make the not just for those being Greco, and others. T hese sizing up Pavlova's 1924 process seem both challenging auditioned, either. kinds of insights are as production of a truncated and and fun, and Duffy's gentle David's premise is that an valuable to the veteran reduced Don Quixote, he encouragement should make a audition is a two-way process, auditioner as to the novi e. deplores the ingredients of a transition from studio to stage "a meeting betwee n possible TERRILL MAGUIRE DANCE IN CANADA 35 Noticeboard The Canada Council's program Simply Dance: Inside Canadian of support to presenters of Professional Dance, is a report independent dancers and commissioned by the horeographers, initiated as a Department of pilot project in 1981-82, was Communications in co ontinued during 1982-83. The operation with the Canadian amount awarded for each Association of Professional program was increased from Dance Organizations 35,000 to $7,000. Presenters (CAPDO). Available free in grants were awarded from French or English, the study oast to coast. Recipients describes the world of dance included Dance Nova Scotia for the lay person, business or a nd Eye Level Gallery in government professional Halifax, Montage Dance concerned with dance. To Theatre in Charlottetown, request a copy of Simply Tangente Danse Actuelle in Dance contact Iris Bradley, Montreal, Danceworks and Research and Statistics Pavlychenko Studio in Directorate, Arts and Culture Toronto, Forest City Gallery Sector, Department of Martine Epoque - winner of the 1983 Clifford E. Lee Award in Choreography. in London, Dance One Sixty Communications, Ottawa, in Winnipeg, Dancers Studio Ontario. KIA 0C8. (613) 593- Channel/Inserts, the latest in film-making for dance and his Wes t in Calgary and Western 4451 . Specify whether you his series of films created in own company and Front Dance in Vancouver. want the market report on collaboration with film-maker · choreography. This event was An extension of the program classical dance or the one on Charles Atlas. He then spent co-sponsored by the Simon fo r the 1983-84 season is modern dance. a full hour in discussion with Fraser University Centre For under consideration. the audience on such topics as The Arts, the Regional Office The Council approved a Peggy MacLeod, the Dance in start-up grant of up to Canada Association's 352,000 to Dancevision, a executive director, has been newly formed non-profit elected to the Board of organization which will act as Governors of the Canadian Focus on Tazz ex ecutive producer for Conference of the Arts I: July 24-August 13 Canadian dance programming (CCA). As a member of the Session Ste. Anne de Bellevue to be shown on television. CCA board, MacLeod will be Montreal, Canada able to bring concerns of the Focus on Jazz is an intensive optional-residential dance :\1artin Epoque of Montreal is dance community before this national forum of over 600 program which brings together top choreographers, teachers the winner of the 1983 and students from around the world. Clifford E. Lee Award in organizations and more than Guest Artists Choreography. Epoque 500 individual members. JAZZ: RICHARD JONES, Massachusetts, USA received the $5,000 award for CLAIRE PATRY, Quebec, Canada Constellation I, Improvisation Arts Playbill is a publication DANNY PEPITONE, New York, USA rrom Outer Space, to be set to informing Pay-TV C ANNE MARIE PORRAS, Montpellier, France '.".'lus ic by Micheline Coulombe Channel's viewers about PATRICIA STRAUSS, Florida, USA aint-Marcoux. Founding upcoming events in their ,!l.rt istic Director of Groupe communities. For free listings BALLET: MANON LARIN, Quebec, Canada -ouvell e Aire for more than in Arts Playbill send : years, Epoque now has her information six weeks in MODERN: LOUIS SOLINO, New York, USA ovm company in Montreal, advance of program date to Danse Actuelle Martine Arts Playbill, C Channel, 365 This three-week session consists of a daily schedule of: Epoque. The award includes a Bloor Street East, Suite 1900, • classes period in residence at the Toronto, Ontario. M4W 3L4. • lectures and films Banff Centre School of Fine • workshops leading to closing public performances, .\rts this summer where Merce Cunningham, o ne of making Focus on Jazz Epoque will set her new work America's most influential an exciti ng, unique dance experience. o n students of the modern dance figures, packed Professional Program under the Vancouver East Cultural 276 rue. t. Jacqu . uite 906 he general direction of the Centre last April . The :\lon1real. Quebec H2Y 1:\3 -ummer school's head, Brian choreographer gave a alf (514) 849-8 00 1 _ [acdonald. hour lecture. hawed 36 DANCE IN CANADA of the Dance In Canada Paula Ross, will culminate in Association, The Vancouver evening performances at the East Cultural Centre, The company studios featuring University of British advanced students and Columbia Dance Department apprentices in several new and the Vancouver Ballet works by Ross. Society. Karen Rimmer will present a Mime Journal, which solo concert at the Firehall published eight issues between Theatre in Vancouver (June 1974 and 1979 has been 17, 18). The award-winning revived and will be published Vancouver choreographer will annually by Pomona College perform solos she has created Theatre Department for the over the past few years Claremont Colleges, including the solo from California, 91711, U.S.A. The Coming Out of Chaos, as well latest edition is devoted to as several new works. mime in North America. The next, in December 1983, will EDAM, Vancouver's look at mime in Europe. experimental dance and music group has presented a full series of performances this BRITISH COLUMBIA spring at the Western Front and the Vancouver East The Anna Wyman Dance Cultural Centre. The group, Company toured India from comprised of Peter Ryan, March 21 to April 14 Peter Bingham, Jay performing in New Delhi, Hirabayashi, Barbara Bourget Calcutta, Bombay and and Jennifer Mascall, gave its Chandigarh. As the first final performance of the Canadian modern dance season at the Western Front company to tour India, the (May 30-June 4). troupe met with enthusiastic Svea Eklof in the title role of Brydon's Paige's production of Cinderella audiences and near riots in for the Alberta Ballet. Work Work Work is a new some cities to get tickets, music/dance/theatre souvenir programs and collaboration currently in buttons. Wyman's Dancers' rehearsal in Vancouver. Circus was a particular Formolo and Urban Dance, the director Brydon Paige to Dance artists Savannah audience favourite. Edmonton-based company, music of Prokofiev. Sets are Walling, and Terry Hunter, On returning to Vancouver, celebrated its first anniversary by Stancil Campbell and composer Henry Kucharzyk the company gave with a six-week tour of New costumes by Jennifer Craig. and director Suzy Payne are performances at the Zealand through April and Cinderella has a cast of 55 currently at work on a new Vancouver East Cultural May. The duo gave including 20 local ballet full-evening Centre in May celebrating the performances, workshops and students. ABC principal Svea music/dance/theatre 10th Anniversary of the seminars in Auckland, Eklof and guest artist collaboration which will open company as well as the centre. Wellington, Christchurch, Christian Addams are in Vancouver for a three-week In fact it was the Anna Dunedin and other cities. featured in the lead roles. run in July. Wyman Dance Company that They worked with two New Addams began his dance officially opened the VECC 10 Zealand modern dance training in Calgary and \,e~: years ago. ALBERTA companies - Footnotes and on to perform with the Ro_ In July and August the Limbs and participated in the Winnipeg Ballet, Les Grands company will be presenting a March was Dance Month in New Zealand National Ballet Ballets Canadiens, Ballet series of free concerts Calgary, officially proclaimed Seminar at the National Rambert, London Festival throughout Vancouver. In the by Mayor Ralph Klein. The School of Ballet in May . The Ballet, New London Ba llet fall they will embark on a Alberta Ballet Company and tour was sponsored by the and PACT Ballet in European tour (Oct. I-Dec. Dancers' Studio West New Zealand Dance Johannesburg. This is his fir · I 9) which will include sponsored Dance Month, Federation and by the Alberta guest appearance with ABC. performances in Belgium, organizing performances, Foundation for the Switzerland and France. classes and demonstrations Performing Arts and the The Brian Webb Dance which featured guest Western Canada Lottery. Company held a spring The Paula Ross Dance appearances by Toronto's workshop throughout . fa_ Company will sponsor two Pavlychenko Studio, The Alberta Ballet presented and June. Company mem intensive performing work Vancouver's Jennifer Mascall its new full-length ballet, as well as 15 students too.· shops this summer, (July 11 and Barbara Bourget, and Cinderella. last April in both daily class and rehearse a to 30, a nd August 8 to 20). New York's Louis Falco Calgary and Edmonton. new work by Webb to 0 The workshops conducted by Dance Company. Choreographed by artistic Messian's Quarter For TJ: DANCE IN CANADA 37 of Time. The workshop will Rouben Ter-Arutunian. The director Gina Lori Riley and Rico accompanied by guitarist conclude with the premiere of ballet is an abstract tale based her Scream Quietly, with David Phillips. this new work June I 6 and on Jean Cocteau's play La original vocal score by Cathie The Koffler Centre School of I . Machine infernale and involves Sabocan. The company Dance has applied to the only three characters - the included dancers Cheryl Ontario Ministry of Education ~targaret Perry Flynn and Sphinx, Oedipus and Anubis. Bouzide, Cathy Legrand, as a private credit-granting Jacqueline Ogg were presented Also on the mixed program choreographer Riley and guest school. The new accredited with Cultural Achievement were Collective Symphony by performers Richard Diemer program will begin this .-\wards from the city of Dutch choreographers Rudi and Peter Kosaka. summer, running from July 4 Ed monton this spring. Flynn van Dantzig, Hans van to August 12. It offers a was honoured for her work Manen and Toer van Schayk, The Centro Del Baile Espanol, broad range of study wit h the Alberta Ballet School Nataraja by resident choreo the new home of the Paula including ballet, modern and which she founded in 1968. grapher Constantin Patsalas Moreno Spanish Dance jazz dance technique as well Ogg was honoured as a and John Neumeier's Don Juan Company at 121 Avenue as audition procedure, music modern dance choreographer featuring guest artist Anthony Road in Toronto, officially photography, theatre arts, and director who has Dowell of The Royal Ballet in opened on March 11. The new make-up and voice. Among contributed greatly to the his debut in the role of the centre will accommodate the guest teachers at the ci ty's dance culture. She famous lover. regular performances, Koffler centre will be Victoria o unded the former Alberta The season opened with workshops, Spanish film Bertram of the National Contemporary Dance Theatre Erik Bruhn's Swan Lake with evenings, fund raising events Ballet, George Randolph Jr. n 1972. guest artist Patrick Bissell in and a gallery for Spanish art. formerly of the Alvin Ailey the role of the prince. It The company's spring and Les Ballets Jazz ONTARIO closed with Peter Schaufuss' season at Hart House companies and Dance in production of the Bournon included two premieres, a Canada editor Michael Crabb. The Premiere Dance Theatre is ville classic Napoli. new solo by Paula Moreno he name, chosen from 1,500 based on the traditional Kathryn Brown, one of uggestions submitted in a The National Ballet School's flamenco rhythm entitled Toronto's foremost modern public competition, of annual performance last April Soledad and Anda Ja/eo, a dance teachers, travelled to Harbourfront's new dance at the MacMillan Theatre suite of folk songs collected Europe this spring as a guest 1heatre. The Premiere Dance featured three ballets danced and arranged by Federica teacher in Copenhagen, Theatre opened in May for a by the school's senior Garcia Lorca, danced by the Denmark and Avignon, summer-long run of Snoopy students. The school presented full company with singer Elia France. a nd will formally open the Toronto premiere of September 24 with a gala August Bournonville's ballet evening of dance followed by Conservatoire, a I 941 setting a week-long Canadian dance of the original created in festival featuring a new 1849. The program also specially commissioned work included two revivals of works each night. Two seven-week first performed by the school Announcing dance series are planned for in 1977 - George a recently formed performing arts seNice industry the new theatre with another Balanchine's Concerto Barocco Creative Management Services series of six weeks to be and Spanish choreographer divided between the existing Susana's Ronda De Taros. Designed for artists whose projects involve Studio Theatre and Brigantine Dance, Video, Performance Art, Music Room. Dancemakers spring season in April at the Toronto Dance and require Tour Coordination, Company Management, Ottawa Dance Theatre toured Theatre featured two Production Services, Publicity and Public Relations, . o rthern Ontario this spring premieres - Windhover by Video Production and returned in April for its company co-director Carol o me season in the company's Anderson with music by Contact Douglas D. Durand Creative Management Services Sussex Street studios, which Michael J . Baker and a new P.O . Box 1182, Station F eatured a new work by Nikki work by Paula Ravitz to the Cole. .Toronto, Ontario H4Y 2T8 music of James Tenney. (416) 922-8649 Dancemakers opening gala Telex: 06-218288 (TOR) The National Ballet's spring performance and reception season (May 4-22) included were hosted by National the Canadian premier of Ballet star Veronica Tennant. Sphinx by Glen Tetley, feat uring guest artist Gina Lori Riley Dance Elisabetta Terabust. Sphinx is Enterprises of Windsor a o ne-act ballet originally presented its spring season in rea ted in 1977. It is set to May at the Faculty of music by Bohuslav Martinu Educatio n. The program and centres on an elaborate incl uded the premiere of Th e culptural ramp designed by Daze of Our Love by company 38 DANCE IN CANADA Mercer Union, one of the on a new production, Dr. Pavlychenko Studio concludes parallel galleries in Toronto, Faustus Lights the Lights, its performance series at hosted a three-week series of based on Gertrude Stein's Toronto's Rivoli with a performances by artists, play. Faustus will receive its music/dance performance choreographers, musicians first performances in Ottawa, directed by choreographer and film-makers last April. Toronto and Montreal this Susan Cash and featuring Performers from Montreal, fall. members of L 'Etranger, a Toronto and New York The Alain Bauguil Theatre popular Toronto rock group included Johanna House Company from Firminy, (June 30). holder, Frances Leeming, France visited Le Groupe's Dena Davida, Silvy Panet studio for the first two weeks Kenny Pearl, the Toronto Raymond, Paula Ravitz and of May as part of a cultural born dancer, actor, stage The Glass Orchestra. exchange sponsored by Bell director and teacher was Northern Research and appointed artistic director of Le Groupe de la Place Royale Northern Telecom, the the Toronto Dance Theatre presented two programs of Ministry of Citizenship and on April 2 I. Pearle succeeds Kenny Pearl, the new artistic new works by company Culture and the French TDT's three co-founding director of Toronto Dance members this April. The first Ministry of Culture. On June directors, Patricia Beatty, Theatre. program featured Michael 3 Le Groupe will travel to David Earle and Peter Montanaro's A Matier of Firminy to work and perform Randazzo who will remain join the Martha Graham Seconds and Janet Oxley's On for a month. members of the company's Company and Sherry Lanier The Edge Of Orth. The second The company has two new board of directors and join has left TOT to study in New featured William James' dancers who have both been dancer Christopher House as York. Cables to the Ace and two trained at the company resident choreographers. pieces by Tassy Teekman - school. Sandra Lapierre, who Pearl, 37, who once studied Dance For The Electronic Age don't call it at all and a solo has studied with Le Groupe with Beatty and Earle, spent is a 12-day workshop to be for Davida Monk, an for six years and Marc Boivin most of his performing career held in Toronto and designed independent dancer who who has studied there for only in the United States with such to increase the quality and teaches in the company two years, made their renowned companies as those quantity of Canadian dance school. Artistic director Peter company debut last February of Martha Graham and Alvin on television. The workshop, Boneham is currently working at Montreal's Place des Arts. Ailey. His varied theatre which will be held at the background includes work in studios of the Toronto Dance cabaret and theatre (both Theatre (June 20-July 2) will acting and directing). be conducted by Pierre Morin CENTRE FOR THE ARTS Pearle, who has been a and Edward Villella. Morin SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY frequent visiting guest teacher has been a TV director with with TOT during the past 12 Radio-Canada since 1956 and . . . years, directed the company has won numerous awards for during its most recent such dance programs as loves Western Canada tour. He also and The Miraculous Mandarin co-directed with Earle the with Les Grands Ballets • • • 1982 Stratford Summer Music Canadiens and a program production of Dido and about Les Ballets Jazz de Aeneas. • Montreal. He has also worked • . • . • Beatty, Earle and with international Randazzo, in a joint statement choreographers such as Major degree program in released the day of Pearl's George Balanchine, Maurice appointment, made it clear Bejart and members of the the new artistic director has Pilobolus Dance Theatre. DANCE their full support. Celebrated ballet dancer Emphasis is on At the same time, TDT's Edward Villella has produced board named assistant general and choreographed several Contemporary dance, manager Ellen Busby to television specials and has performance and succeed Ed Oscapella in the recently directed the PBS company's top administrative series Dance in America. composition post. Oscapella will complete Six choreographers and six For further information on admission a two-year contract with TOT directors will work together contact: Student Services in September. During his over the two-week period to term, he has significantly learn about each other's art Centre for the Arts helped TOT reduce its and craft and meet the Simon Fraser University crippling deficit of challenge of transla ting Burnaby, B.C. V5A 1S6 approximately $280,000 down choreography to television. A: to $100,000. the end of the workshop ea h (604) 291-3363 British-born TDT member choreographer/ director team Julian Littleford has left to will have produced a fini he DANCE IN CANADA 39 dance piece on tape. The six directors are as yet nannounced but the six choreographers are well known in the Canadian dance ommunity: Anna Blew champ, Paul-Andre Fortier, Lawrence Gradus, Christo pher House, James Kudelka and Karen Rimmer. QUEBEC Tangente Danse Actuelle -ummer dance events include Silvy Panet Raymond (June 2- .:: ), Pacific Motion Dance Company from Vancouver J une 10, 11), Ellen Webb from New York (June 17, 18), Wallflower Order (June 24-26) and Le Groupe Seize M .D. The scene on stage at Places des Arts as Ludmilla Chiriaeff, founder of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens Aug. 11). acknowledges an ovation from dancers, artistic associates and former members of the company: March 11, 1983. Les Grands Ballets Canadiens celebrated its 25th anniversary contribution to the repertory: The company then went Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in high style with a special Romeo and .lu!ie1 ( 1973), into intensive rehearsal for a have been invited to make a retrospective program at £tapes ( 1982) and Tam Ti return visit in late May to three-week tour of Japa n in Montreal's Place des Arts, De/am ( 1974 ). New York's City Center 55th June 1984. The tour, which March 10 to 12. Owing to an As a final and spectacular Street Theatre. will include Tokyo, Osaka injury incurred by one dancer conclusion to the program, a nd a personal bereavement Fernand Nault had choreo which caused the absence of graphed a "Defile" during Le§ a nother, the planned program which the stage slowly filled of 14 items, drawn from the with GBC students, company B~LLE~S !BJSSE~ complete historic gamut of the dancers and a host of former Dance Institute de Montreal Les G BC's repertoire, had to dancers, staff and artistic Director: Mikhail Berkut Education Permit 749641 be rearranged at the last associates. Finally - and at a moment. Even with these perfectly timed moment in changes the show that ended Tchaikovsky's Polanaise from Spring Session - 4 April - 2 July up on stage was still a Eugene Onegin - Madame marvelous opportunity for the Chiriaeff appeared among her SUMMER SESSION dancers and their audience to friends and colleagues to celebrate the company's past receive a standing ovation. As 4 July - 26 August and present. she stood receiving the T he program opened with a applause and as flowers were CLASSICAL BALLET Guest Teachers: pecial tribute to Les G BC's presented, a colourful shower MIRA POPOVICH (USA}, - July ·ounder and artistic director of petals was released from DIANE JOFFE (France), - August :· o m 1958-74, Ludmilla above the stage. Pointes, Pas de Deux, Workshop Chiriaeff. It was prepared by Les Grands Ballets BALLET JAZZ John N. Smith of the continued its 25th anniversary G ues t Teacher: . ·arional Film Board - a celebrations with perform TO BE ANNOUNCED slide/ film/ sound collage that ances of Sir Anton Dolin's CHARACTER DANCE (15-26 August) recalled Madame Chiriaeffs production of Giselle, March (Int ernational Folk Ba llet) early struggles and later 24 to 26, which included Intensive session with MIKHAIL BERKUT riumphs. Karyn Tessmer's debut in the Excerpts from the repertoire title role. CLASSES AT ALL LEVELS incl uded, among others, Les G BC, after a short US ACCOMMODATION ASSISTANCE Chiriaeffs own .leu d'arlequins tour them returned to 1956), Fernand Nault's very Montreal to present an 1231 St. Catherine Street West, popular works, Carmina ambitio us program of new Suite 120, Montreal H3G 1P5 Burana ( I 966) and Tommy works by J a mes Kudelka, Telephone: (514) 288-1677 , 1970) , and several exa mples Judith Marcu e, Brian of Bria n M acdonald's prolific Macdonald and Brydo n Pa ige. 40 DANCE IN CANADA and several other major cities, Montreal, as well as six touring circuit, sets and demonstrations of more than will be the first extensive visit dancers - Claudia Moore, costumes passed on to it hy 16 different types of dance as to Japan by a major Greg Parks, Daniel Soulieres, the defunct Toronto well as the presentation of the Canadian arts organization. Luc Amyot, Danielle Tardiff company. The new company DANS Awards. The tour is under the auspices and Ginette Laurin and actor will begin the 1983/84 season of the Min'On Concert Jacques Lussier. The with 12 dancers drawn from Association of Tokyo and is workshop will conclude with a Halifax and elsewhere. NEWFOUNDLAND supported by the Department weekend of performances of A tour of the Maritimes is of External Affairs of Canada, new work (July 28-30). planned for October, followed The First Canadian Sound and will also include by a week of performances in Symposium will be held in St. performances in the People's An exhibition of 19th century Bermuda, and a two-week John's Newfoundland (July 7- Republic of China, Hong ballet lithographs and prints residency in Chicago. A 14). The symposium is a Kong and the Philippines. The will tour Canada this summer Christmas production of The collaborative project co company is currently and fall. The exhibition, Nutcracker will be presented directed by R. Murray negotiating with an assembled by Yves Cousineau, in New Brunswick, Prince Schafer, Michael Snow, Robin independent producer, director of Quebec Ete Danse Edward Island and Halifax. MacKenzie and dancer/ Mundovision and with the and dance historian Pierre Performances are also planned choreographer Terrill National Film Board of Guilmette represents work for the new Premiere Dance Maguire. Canada to make a from the 17th to the 19th Theatre in Toronto. In October Terrill Maguire documentary film of the century and is drawn from will present a concert of her eastern tour. private collections from across April was Dance Month in most recent work at the Canada. The exhibition opens Nova Scotia, officially Toronto Dance Theatre. Dansepartout presented at the Dance in Canada proclaimed by Premier John director Chantal Conference in Saskatoon Buchannan. The province The Newfoundland Dance Bellehumeur's recent work (June 8-12) and will be on bubbled with dance activities Theatre made its debut last Riviere in May at the opening display in Lennoxville at ranging from ballroom and February on the main stage of festivities celebrating the Quebec Ete Danse (which has folk dance competitions to the Arts and Culture Centre 375th Anniversary of Quebec sponsored the show) modern and experimental in St. John's. The troupe of City. The company also throughout July. In dance performances. The young dancers directed by participated in the September and October the month-long celebrations Gail Innes and Linda Ramsay International Festival for exhibition will be part of the ended with the second annual presented a program of new Children's Theatre at Man opening festivities of Dance Nova Scotia works by Innes, Ramsay and and His World in Montreal Toronto's new Premiere Convention held at Dalhousie Sandra Blackmore with music (May 21-29), giving 14 Dance Theatre at University. The convention by Paul Steffler, Alice Story performances of its family Harbourfront. From Toronto featured workshops and and Don Wherry. program which includes the exhibit will travel to Place Baleines by Maria Formolo, des Arts in Montreal for six Loufoqueries by Fernand weeks. Shows in Ottawa, Nault, Siamoises by Winnipeg, Edmonton and Bellehumeur and Surprises by Waterloo are also being Bellehumeur and Helene negotiated. A 40-page Vezina. catalogue with text by Pierre Nina Watt of the Jose Guilmette as well as a series ~)- Limon company will join the of slides of the lithographs teaching staff of the and prints are available to the " U V V Quebec Ete Danse in NOVA SCOTIA Lennoxville will this year not only offer its usual roster of The Atlantic Ballet Company dance classes, films, lectures of Canada was officially and performances but also an launched in March under the intensive choreographic artistic direction of Marijan workshop (June 20-July 30) Bayer. The company will featuring three choreographers share studios and office space - Robert Desrosiers of with the Halifax Dance Toronto, Daniel Leveille of Association. Montreal and Gilles Maheu Bayer, formerly the of Montreal's Carbone 14 founding director of City mime company. Three Ballet of Toronto, has composers will participate - imported some of his dancers Gordon Phillips and Sarah to form the core of the Dalton Phillips of Toronto Atlantic Ballet. The new and Vincent Dionne of company will make use of the DANCE IN CANADA 41 Letters to the Editor Montreal proud to be able to give arts", how this is to be done funding as a contemporary In order to help your writer opportunities to young is left up to the 21-member dance group, in 198 I and Paula Citron to prepare her choreographers such as Benoit Board of the Council, which 1982. Mme Salbaing is made a rticle about my work with Lachambre and to have sets policy. In February 1978, to say, in the story, "Why Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal someone as well-known as the Board announced its doesn't the Council look at (issue number 35), I was Judith Marcuse to work with policy on dance priorities. It our repertory now?" The happy to invite her to visit my us. We are also proud to said that classical and Council's juries have done so home for a weekend so that remember all those young modern, and "experimental", on numerous occasions up to we could have a full and people who have told us they dance would continue to and including the most recent proper interview. came to know about the joy receive Council funding, but season, just as they did during In our conversation, we of dance because of Les that while "dance forms such the '70s. (The statements Mme covered many different topics Ballets Jazz de Montreal. as jazz, ice-dancing, folk Salbaing attributes to the dancing ... , tap dancing" Council's dance section are in and, because Miss Citron Genevieve Salbaing and so on may be candidates fact from the jury's seemed particularly interested Artistic Director for Canada Council grants, assessment). in the subject, we discussed, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal among all the other things, for the time being there Contrary to what your my problems to give Les simply was no money to fund story suggests, therefore, Les Paula Cit~on replies: Ballets Jazz the kind of solid organizations devoted to Ballets Jazz is eligible for Mme. Salbaing's letter comes fi nancial foundation it must them. And that remains the funding and has been assessed as a surprise particularly since, have to grow artistically. This, policy: Council has never said, regularly since it first began to in an unsolicited phone call to however, was only a part of as your story claims, that request Council grants. The me, the lady said that she had our discussions. I was, "jazz dancing .. . ice-dancing, Council's rejection of the I 981 liked the article, although to be therefore, very unhappy to tap and ethnic dancing" are and 1982 applications were fair, she did express fi nd that Miss Citron had not "artistic forms" and so directly related to the reservations about the emphasis made this aspect the main somehow unworthy of assessments carried out in the on the Canada Council. subject of her article. consideration. Indeed, we do immediately preceding years. Obviously, in the intervening Canada Council's policy of provide grants through our Certainly there is little time between the call and the Awards Service for individuals comfort in any rejection, even not yet funding jazz dance is letter, circumstances unknown no big secret. This is old working in these forms. if - or perhaps especiall y - to this writer have made her by one's peers. However, Les news! I told Miss Citron it is regret "speaking out". As for The second point concerns past history and everybody is what Mme Salbaing, the Ballets Jazz, as all applicants the quote about the repetiteur, to the Council, are judged as fe d up to hear about it. Miss it comes directly from Madame group's artistic director, in Citron makes me sound like your story views as Les fairly as possible, by a system and the frustrations of the which is reviewed continua ll y. an old moaner with a dancers teaching themselves Ba llets Jazz's history of complex. We have no time at Council grant refusals. And Les Ballets Jazz, like all were stressed by Odette other unsuccessful applicants, Les Ballets Jazz to become l.A/onde and Benoft Lachambre Perhaps a bit of background blinded by such things. We on Council procedure would are invited to try again in the whom I interviewed in the year ahead. are looking to the future. lady's presence. help put her comments in That is why I am focus. Monique Michaud disappointed Miss Citron for The Council uses the jury Head some reason wanted to stir up Ottawa system to judge the Da nce Section an old controversy. I read the Dance in Canada applications it receives. Juries Canada Council Also I wonder why Miss story "Les Ballets' Jazz: A consist of the applicant's Citron says we have not Tough Decade" (Spring 1983) peers, which, in the case of an Vancouver enough money for a with concern: indeed there are application from a dance It was interesting to read -epetiteur. It is true that we a number of egregious errors, group, are dance professionals Lawrence Haskett's review of .::an not afford all the staff we which might have been - dancers, choreographers, Don Quixote in the last issue eed but we do have an avoided had the author of the artistic directors, and so on. of your magazine. He is quite e cellent, hard working article checked her facts with Since the 1978 Council right in saying that the rehearsal director, Lorne the Canada Council's Dance statement on priorities, Les famous third act pas de deux Toumine, to whom Miss Section, but I must clear up at Ballets Jazz argued has been performed (too?) Citron spoke during her visit. least two points, one on convincingly that it was not a many times but is incorrect in Perhaps she forgot. policy and the other on " jazz ballet but a stating that the full length I would have liked your procedure, fo r you and your contemporary dance group ballet has never been seen in -eaders to hear how excited I re adersh ip. usi ng jazz as its music". Toronto. m about the new Canadian The first point is that wh ile Council accepted this In August, 1967, shortly ;,,orks we are presenting in the 195 Canada Counc il Act argument, made in 1981, after arriving in Toronto, I o ur 10th anniversary season. says that the Council shall and received two applications saw the Bolshoi Ballet at e\t Les Ballets Jazz we are "fo 1er and de\'elop . . . the from Les Ballets Jazz fo r Maple Leaf Gardens, 42 DANCE IN CANADA performing Giselle, a mixed but it was in .the final act that program including Prince Igor fate (or something) struck. as well as the full-length Don Nureyev came out for his Quixote - danced, I think, by variation, took two steps and DftCKSTftGt Ekaterina Maximova and went crashing to the floor! Leotards. Tights And Dance Footwear. Sweats Fashion Legweor And Accessories Vladimir Vassiliev. Another The audience gasped, the production of Don Quixote orchestra stopped and was presented by the Nureyev, looking decidedly Australian Ballet in the early unhappy, walked off for some seventies and particularly more rosin. Needless to say, stands out in the memory for the linoleum was laid the very an incident on opening night. next day. The company was on an Hard to forget! extensive North American Kenneth Peirson tour and had brought along a Green Thumb linoleum dance floor. The Theatre for Young People tour had Rudolf Nureyev as it's headline attraction: he had also staged the ballet. Toronto Arriving at the O'Keefe Before Alexander Grant Centre, Nureyev saw that it passes his responsibilities as had an apparently good Artistic Director of the wooden floor and did not National Ballet of Canada allow the linoleum to be laid. over to Erik Bruhn, perhaps What he didn't know was that you would find space to the stage was very slippery record one audience member's from oil deposits left by an gratitude to him. exhibit of cars the week For seven years, this great before the company arrived. artist has had a steady vision During the first two acts, of a classicial ballet company several of the dancers slipped that has guided us all, along Backstage-Bayview Village Centre, (416) 229-4400 Backstage Bodywear Available At All Capezio Locations ouf ~f Cf Tf DftnSL 1963 DANCE IN CANADA 43 charted ways to excellence. ~rant is a quiet professional, mensely skilled in theatre atters, but he isn't given, •. en as an unforgettable .:ancer, to seeking the melight or the media's fickle ·a ·ours. He has not sought and has -ad little personal publicity - nee he came to Canada, a _;ar in the world of dance. He - as directed all that towards : e Compariy, its principal .: ncers and its ensembles. He .._asn't engaged in public • ntroversy either, Jetting the ,... rformances, the steadily gro wing audiences and the. Company's international ~epute be their own witnesses. But anyone who has .. atched Celia Franca's dream f a generation ago come true nas often seen the National at . ts very best in these past : ears. There are now extraordinary young dancers ,n principal roles, many of hem beautifully trained at the Sational Ballet School, and :.here are others moving :·o rward with confidence in the Company's demanding Alexander Grant (right) seen here with his successor as artistic director of the National Ballet. The two repertoire. This repertoire appeared together in a gala performance of Napoli in 1981 marking the company's 30th anniversary. nself displays an astonishing ra nge of entertainments and it appeals to several different Centre, and the night in 1965 alongside the other great always encouraged our rising audiences. when, at the very last ballet companies on the expectations. He hasn't An artistic director's job is moment, Rudolf Nureyev international scene. When condescended or sold us not only to be something of a stepped in as a surprise to star John Cranko's Eugene Onegin short. ~io n tamer, social worker, with Celia Franca and is also added to the repertoire Now he leaves a company boardman, lawyer and Veronica Tennant in Erik in 1984, Grant's record will be that can display a great range accountant but nowadays he Bruhn's new production of La even more splendid. of skills. It is ready to be mus t also manage to be, Sylphide. There have been daring called on by choreographers above all, a crowd pleaser and Grant has worKea a grear innovations too. Nobody and producers. And he leaves a dreamer. Grant, deal of magic with this could guarantee an audience loyal audiences, experienced obvio usly, has done the job, company: the production of ahead of time for some of the and admiring. So he has done d above all he has pleased Ashton's The Dream, new Canadian works Grant us honour as important artists dreamed. particularly with the role of presented: Patsalas' Sacre du do, not only with his own Each one of us will have his Oberon danced by its creator printemps, Kudelka's unforgettable performances of o -n favourite memories of Anthony Dowell; Bruhn's Washington Square, his new productions, but with : ese seven years. My own Coppelia and his performance Ditchburn's Mad Shadows or his unfailing trust that we ·,. ould include the premiere of in it; Napoli - cheerful, Macdonald's Newcomers' for would have faith in what the Lo Fille Mal Gardee and its colourful, entertaining - with instance. These were big Company can do. How shall climax, as Sir Frederick Bruhn, Grant, Franca and works and expensive, we now in turn give him Ashton himself bowed to the Neils Bj¢rn Larsen the great requiring faith and courage in honour and our thanks? cancers in return for a great Danish dancer on stage to set the front office and a lot of Vincent Tovell anding ovation. That off the Company's own skill backstage. They have Executive Producer e,;ening compared with the principals. Add to these the added immeasurably to the CBC-TV nforgettable 1964 premiere witty sophistication of Elite Company's worth. Arts, Music and Science of John Cranko's Romeo and Syncopations and the skill and Shrewdly calculating risks Juliet with which Celia Franca bravura of Eludes - all and counting every penny as .aunched the company into its 'classics' that are the he had to do, Grant has uge new home, the O'Keefe Company's own now, to set it consistently aimed high and 44 DANCE IN CANADA Dance at a Glance American Dance Guild Grant MacEwan PEI Ballet Association York University: Book Club Community College (Ballet, Pre-Ballet, RAD, Adult, Dance Department Ballet, modern, technique, biography: Edmonton Alberta. 2 year diploma Jazz-Stretch, !STD National) Dianne L. Woodruff, Chairperson, the best and the newest at discount. program. Nationally renowned Classes Mon-Sat. Info (902) 892-1610 B.A. (Hons), B.F.A., (Hons) in Write Box 109, Princeton, NJ 08540 instructors. Call 1-403-483-233 I. or (902) 436-2498. PO Box 2384, Performan~e Choreography, Notation, USA. Charlottetown, PEI, CIA 8C I. Teaching, History, Criticism, Dance The Kathak Institute, Rina Singha Therapy; M.F.A. in History and Anna Wyman School of Ancient classical temples and court Quinte Dance Centre Criticism. SUMMER SESSION: Credit Dance Arts dances of north India. Training, beg. Full professional program to graduate or non-credit. (416) 667-3243, 4700 1705 Marine Dr. West, Vancouver, BC to prof. research and conservation. 173 level. Enquiries invited for winter and Keele St., Toronto, Ontario V7V IJ5. Contemporary, ballet, jazz, Coxwell Avenue, Toronto M4L 3B4. summer schools. Box 534, Belleville, M3J 1P3. dance exercise. Children's training (416) 463-1710. Ont. K8N 5B2 (613) 962-9938. program and adult classes. (604) 926-6535. Le Groupe de la Place Royale. Russian Academy of Complete modern dance program. Classical Ballet Ltd. Bella Kovarsky is now Director Beginner to Professional levels. Spring, Mary Aslamazova, Director. Classes of the Bayview School of Ballet. Fall & Winter Sessions and Annual day and evening, from beginners to Ballet (Russian Method) character Summer School. 130 Sparks Street, professionals. 935 Bloor St. W. (at and Jazz. All levels. 130 Willowdale Ottawa. (613) 235-1492. Ossington), Toronto, Ontario, M6H Ave., Toronto. (416) 222-5111. ID (416) 532-2993. Kyra Lober Canadian College of Dance- Developmental Movement School of Winnipeg's Ryerson Theatre Dept. Repatterning, a therapeutic method Contemporary Dancers Teacher training Course. Coaching which facilitates one's ability to move Modern, Ballet, Creative Dance, Jazz, for RAD and !STD exams. 50 with more freedom, ease, grace and General, Pre-Professional, Professional Gould Street, Toronto MSB IE8, efficiency. Private sessions and Programmes. 2nd Floor, 444 River 595-5086. workshops. Also classes in Feldenkrais Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L Awareness Through Movement. Call 0C7. (204) 452-1239. Centre of Movement, (416) 924-3469 Toronto. 171 Hampton Ave., Toronto M4K Joseph Shulman, The Other 2Z3, 466-9549. Private sessions, Les Ballets Jazz, Ecole Superieure Agency, Public Relations classes & workshops. 1231 St. Catherine St. W. 1179A Bloor St. West, Toronto, Teacher/Director: Leslie French. (514) 849-6071 Ontario M6H IM9. Telephone (416) Montreal, Quebec H3G 1P5 532-6519. Classical Jazz Dance Company Ministry of Education Hal Mischka, Director. Blending Ballet Permit #749889 Simon Fraser University Centre with contemporary jazz movements. Jazz, Classical, Tap for the Arts 427A Queen St. W., 3rd fl., Prof. Adv. int. Beg. Grant Strate-Director Classified Toronto MSV 2A5. Scholarships. BA degree program with a dance ( 416) 593-0696. Founders: Genevieve Salbaing, major in an interdisciplinary fine and Eva van Gencsy. performing arts department. Concordia University Contact Tony Besant Artsperience, July 4-22, Canadore 7141 Sherbrooke St. West Les Ballets Russes de Montreal (604) 291-3363. College, P.O. Box 5001, North Bay, Montreal, Quebec H4B IR6 Director: Mikhail Berkut. Classical Ontario, PIB 8K9. (705) 474-7600. Developing Programme in Modern Ballet (Russian Method), Ballet-Jazz, Sun Ergos, A Company of Dance July 11-22, ballet, tap, modern, dance & Creativity in scholastic year. Character Dances, Beginners to Theatre and Dance jazz. Dance teachers' weekend Professor Elizabeth Langley. Professionals. Courses year round. Dana Leubke & Robert Greenwood, workshop, July IO, 11. Instructors Tel: (514) 879-5803. Kalinka Slavic Dance Company. Directors 2205, 700-9th St. SW., include Renee Rouleau, Suzette 1231 St. Catherine St. W., Montreal Calgary T2P 2B5. Tel. (403) 264-4621. Sherman, Bill Orlowski, Anna Marie Diana J ablokava-Vorps School of H3G JPS; (514) 288-1677. Performances-Classes. Oliver. Classical Ballet - Kirov Method Art. Dir.: Toronto Regional Ballet and Lois Smith Theatrebooks Limited Full-time non-Graham modern and Toronto Summer School in Dance. George Brown College 659 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, ballet teacher required starting 1920 Avenue Rd., Toronto, Ont. MSM School of Dance M4Y 129. September for school affiliated with Le 3B9. (416) 489-7597. 200 King Street East, Toronto. Canada's finest selection of Dance Groupe de la Place Royale, (416) 363-9945. books. international touring company. Send Ecole Dansepartout Ballet, Pointe, Character, Modern, resume to Peter Boneham, 130 Sparks Casier postal 597, Haute-Ville, 336, rue Jazz, Junior, Senior and Adult Classes. The Friends of Terpsichore Street, Ottawa, Canada KIP 5B6. de Roi, Quebec, Quebec GI R 4S2. Two-year diploma program All types of DANCE BOOKS bought Professional teachers with broad (418) 525-4657. Permis du ministi:re de professional level. and sold. Catalogue available. experience only please. !'education #669584 Cours de danse P.O. Box 563, Postal Station Q classique, danse moderne, jazz, danse Lumitrol Limited Toronto, Ont. M4T 2N4. Music Hall Theatre. Ideal for dance creative; ateliers; programme de Spotlights, Dimmers, Curtains, (416) 651-7262. productions. 875-seat restored boursiers; ( debutants i, professionnels). Supplies, Professional System design, vaudeville house in east- central rentals, sales. 253 Merton St., Toronto, The School of Dance Toronto. 1500 amp board; 25' stage Edmonton School of Ballet Ontario M4S IA7. (416) 485-4817. Merrilee Hodgins/Joyce Shietze w/42' proscenium arch; 25 sets hemp General and professional programme. 1339 Wellington St., Ottawa, Ont. lines. Contact: Peggy Ann Harlow at 7330-l 13th St., Edmonton, Alta. T6G Ontario Ballet Theatre KIY 3B8. (613) 729-3756. 416-291-2994. ILG. Performing Oct. 25-April 30. For Pre-Professional Programme Junior information call: 656-9568. and Senior School. Goh Ballet School Classical ballet, chinese dance, Ontario School of Ballet The School of the Toronto character, jazz, pre-school to adult, and Related Arts Dance Theatre professional training program. 2 1069 St. Clair Avenue West (midway 30 Winchester Street, Toronto, Ontario studios in Vancouver, BC. between Oakwood and Dufferin), M4X IB2 (416) 967-6887. (604) 572-4014. Toronto, Ont. M6E IA6, Phone: 656- Three-year professional training 9568. Registrations accepted 4 terms programme in modern dance. Entrance per year. by audition only. Also offering open classes in modern and exercises for adults and children. Principal: Billyann Balay. Quinte Dance Centre A Dancer's Summer School July 4 to 30, 1983 Brian Scott, Artistic Director FACULTY and GUESTS: Brian Scott, James Burns, Nancy Fergu_son, David Gornick, Karen Kain, Pau la Moreno, Sandra Nicholson, Joanne Nis bet, David Roxander, Thomas Schramek, David Scott, Raymond Smith, Len Stepanick, Hazaros Surmeyan, Veronica Tennant, Debbie Wilson. WRITE OR TELEPHONE FOR MORE INFORMATION: P. 0. Box 534, Belleville, Ontario K8N 5B2 (613) 962-9938 mEnquiries welcome for winter residential programme.