MOMENTUM 2019

May 2-4 & 9-11, 2019

Students of the Professional Training Program in works by: Winchester Street Theatre 80 Winchester Street MASSIMO AGOSTINELLI schooloftdt.org CHRISTOPHER HOUSE 416-967-6887 HANNA KIEL SHARON B. MOORE JULIA SASSO Photo: Cylla von Tiedemann Celebrating over 50 years of inspired dance training

80 Winchester Street, Toronto ON . M4X 1B2 . 416-967-6887 . [email protected]

The School of was established in 1968 by the founders of Toronto Dance Theatre: Patricia Beatty, , and Peter Randazzo.

In January 1978, after a decade of growth, the School incorporated separately from the company. In 1979 the Professional Training Program was established by David Earle, and together the company and School moved into the studios and offices of their current home at 80 Winchester Street. To date the School maintains its affiliation with Toronto Dance Theatre, currently under the artistic direction of Christopher House.

Under the artistic direction of Patricia Fraser since 1993, the School is devoted to providing a broad spectrum of movement classes for the serious dance artist and for the community. It comprises four divisions: the Professional Training Program (PTP): a full-time, three-year, post-secondary program providing training to students intent on a career in contemporary dance, Summer Intensives, Adult Recreational Classes, and our Young Dancers’ Program.

The School has served as the foundation and inspiration for generations of dancers. We continue to draw from the finest aspects of our legacy while looking to new directions in dance to develop artistic vision.

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PLEASE NOTE: • Latecomers will not be admitted to the theatre until there is a break in the performance. • The use of cameras, video cameras, or camera phones is strictly prohibited. • Please turn off your cell phones, or set to silent mode. WARNING: Flashing lights, and strobe-like effects will be used during this performance. MOMENTUM 2019 Lucidus (May 2, 2019) Choreography: Massimo Agostinelli Rehearsal Direction: Patricia Fraser Music: Burns, George FitzGerald; Unicorn and For These Times, Four Tet Lighting Design: Noah Fever Costume Design: Cara Johnson Dancers: Jordan Alleyne, Maggie Armstrong, Caroline Bentley, Elanne Boake, Cassidy Boone, Rebekah Cunningham, Haley Dimeck, Kéïta Fournier-Pelletier, Kiah Francis, Sophia Hassenstein, Kaelin Isserlin, Sebastian Issighos, Rhianna Kelba, Jeanne Lewis, Aryana Malekzadeh, Jianna Neufeld, Ambre Orfao, Andrea Rojas Ortiz, María Isabel Salgado, Grace Simpson-Fowler, Samantha Visneskie

This choreography addresses personal freedom, letting go of what is not useful anymore and/or outmoded habits. It considers being still in the midst of chaos, and the joy in finding inner peace, strength, and clarity.

My deepest thanks to the School and their staff, and my heartfelt gratitude to a class of very talented, hard-working dancers who contributed hugely to the creative process. I thoroughly basked in the creative process, and we danced!!!!! – MA

Ash Lemon Swan Songs (May 2, 2019) Choreography: Sharon B. Moore, in collaboration with the dancers Text: Sharon B. Moore Music: Lyre from The Open Road, and Bonus Track from Debris and Alchemy, Kate Moore Lighting Design: Noah Fever Costume Design: Cara Johnson Dancers: Arin Aronyk-Schell, Charlotte Cain, Juliette Coleman, Ben Cox, Lyla-Jean Dezall, Claire Hotchkiss, Lara Kennedy, Evan Kimber, Sydney Klippenstein, Alexander Koren, Christina Litt Belch, Marina Mendez, Hannah Pilon, Michael Rayson, Adèle Ross, Denver Scott, Hannah Smith, Trista Willbond, Leah Wilton, Kurumi Yoshimoto, Yael Zifroni

Our town is experiencing a change. Life as we know it is gone. In the early hours, just after midnight, buildings fell. People fell. Objects flew through the air in ways we did not expect. Much is unrecognizable, yet we are making progress. This work is dedicated to the amazing young artists who dance tonight. Thank you to Devanté Senior and Jillian Warawa for their contribution to the process, and to Patricia Fraser and everyone at the School for the gifts you have given us all! – SBM Music, Light and Dance (May 2, 2019) Choreography: Hanna Kiel, in collaboration with the dancers Music: Who Loves You?, La Petite Mort, and Who To Love?, Romare (Archie Fairhurst) Lighting Design: Noah Fever Costume Design: Cara Johnson Dancers: Morgyn Aronyk-Schell, Noah Blatt, Yiming Cai, Emily Fonda, Justin Fraser, Heather Jefferys, Ryan Kostyniuk, Kari Labrentz, Gwendolyn Mitchell, Chelsea Mulholland, Chloe Sandrelli, Lucie Schmidt, Claire Whitaker

In this piece, dancers explored individual styles, capacity, and all kinds of physical possibilities; then we brought them together with one overall theme which is our love for dance.

I would like to thank Patricia Fraser for this wonderful opportunity. Special thanks to Natasha Poon Woo and Kelly Shaw for your help, and to Tanveer Alam for assisting in rehearsal. A very special thanks to this incredibly generous and talented group of young dancers for such a beautiful and memorable process. – HK

– INTERMISSION (15 min) – coyote, Scorpion > that river (May 2, 2019) Choreography: Julia Sasso, in collaboration with the dancers Music: Mexicali (Simple Symmetry Remix), Polo & Pan (Paul Armand-Delille and Alexandre Grynszpan) Lighting Design: Noah Fever Costume Design: Cara Johnson Dancers: Arin Aronyk-Schell, Charlotte Cain, Juliette Coleman, Ben Cox, Lyla-Jean Dezall, Claire Hotchkiss, Lara Kennedy, Evan Kimber, Sydney Klippenstein, Alexander Koren, Christina Litt Belch, Marina Mendez, Hannah Pilon, Michael Rayson, Adèle Ross, Denver Scott, Hannah Smith, Trista Willbond, Leah Wilton, Kurumi Yoshimoto, Yael Zifroni

The Beast. poster Children speak. eat from the sand. Chiapas, Oaxaca, Quintana, coyote, pollero. Scorpion follows the woman, bam Scorpion swallows kills flies and coils Scorpion blocks entrance Skull dances in plastic. every day celebrates. come to this border And California and Los Angeles, that river – from Mexicali, lyrics by Polo & Pan

Thank you to the dancers, and to Devanté Senior and Jillian Warawa for their contribution to the process. – JS National Spirit (1976) Choreography: Danny Grossman Choreographic Reconstruction/Rehearsal Direction: Eddie Kastrau Music: American anthems and marches, John Phillip Sousa Lighting Design: Noah Fever after Peter Anderson Costume Design: Cara Johnson after Cheryl Lalonde Original Costume Design: Mary Kerr Dancers: • Jordan Alleyne, Maggie Armstrong, Elanne Boake, Haley Dimeck, Kiah Francis, Kaelin Isserlin, Jeanne Lewis, Aryana Malekzadeh, Jianna Neufeld, Andrea Rojas Ortiz, María Isabel Salgado, Samantha Visneskie (May 2, 3, 10) • Caroline Bentley, Cassidy Boone, Rebekah Cunningham, Kéïta Fournier-Pelletier, Sophia Hassenstein, Sebastian Issighos, Rhianna Kelba, Aryana Malekzadeh, Ambre Orfao, María Isabel Salgado, Grace Simpson-Fowler (May 4, 9, 11) As a child growing up in the United States, I was profoundly moved by the films of Charlie Chaplin. From him, I learned how personal and political views can affect art. Most of all, I learned about the power of humour. National Spirit was choreographed in 1976, a few years after the Vietnam War ended. It has been performed for over 40 years to cheers, boos, and laughter in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia, England, Wales, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Israel. – DG Vena Cava (1998) Choreography: Christopher House Rehearsal Direction: Rosemary James Music: Open Veins, Robert Moran Lighting Design: Noah Fever after Roelof Peter Snippe Costume Design: Cara Johnson after Lori Trez Endes Dancers: Morgyn Aronyk-Schell, Noah Blatt, Yiming Cai, Emily Fonda, Justin Fraser, Heather Jefferys, Ryan Kostyniuk, Kari Labrentz, Gwendolyn Mitchell, Chelsea Mulholland, Chloe Sandrelli, Lucie Schmidt, Claire Whitaker (Tanveer Alam - understudy) Solos: • Ryan Kostyniuk, Lucie Schmidt (May 2, 4, 11) • Noah Blatt, Gwendolyn Mitchell (May 3, 10) • Noah Blatt, Chloe Sandrelli (May 9) Vena Cava is a classic kinetic work by Christopher House, set to the dynamic music of composer Robert Moran. A tour de force of lightning-fast, rhythmically thrilling dancing, the choreography is a “dramatic and exhilarating showcase” (The New York Times) of “high energy, high-flying contemporary movement” (Toronto Star). Thank you to Nicole Rose Bond, Peter Kelly, Patricia Miner, Megumi Kokuba, Jake Ramos, and Margarita Soria for their rehearsal assistance. CHOREOGRAPHERS MASSIMO AGOSTINELLI is a Montreal-based contemporary choreographer and international master teacher of Bouffon. He has been one of Cirque du Soleil’s top artistic trainers since 2004. He teaches Bouffon and facilitates at international creative conferences and corporate workshops, and he gave a TEDx talk in Lille, France, in 2016. He has taught and choreographed for five Canadian dance and theatre schools. He is Artistic Director of his troupe Bouffon de Bellefeuille, and his dance troupe Écho.

DANNY GROSSMAN is a renowned Canadian choreographer, performer, and teacher of modern dance. His unique artistic vision and extensive repertoire integrate humour, beauty, athleticism, and social commentary. In 1977, he formed his own company, creating a repertoire of more than 60 works. His awards include: The Dance Ontario Award, the Dora Mavor Moore Award, the Jean A. Chalmers Award, the Muriel Sherrin Award, and The Toronto Arts Foundation’s William Kilbourn Lifetime Achievement Award. He was recently inducted into the Dance Collection Danse Encore! Dance Hall of Fame.

Born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland, CHRISTOPHER HOUSE has been Artistic Director of Toronto Dance Theatre since 1994. In addition to contributing over sixty works to the TDT repertoire, he has created choreography for Ballet BC, Lisbon’s Ballet Gulbenkian, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, The National Ballet of Canada, Peggy Baker, and Guillaume Côté. He is an Associate Dance Artist of Canada’s National Arts Centre, and a Member of the Order of Canada.

Dora Mavor Moore Award winner HANNA KIEL is originally from Seoul, South Korea. She spent many years in Vancouver pursuing choreography and presenting work. Since moving to Toronto in 2008, Kiel has continued working as an independent dance artist, choreographing for numerous companies and schools. She is one of the founders of The Garage, a dance development and exchange collective group, and the Artistic Director of Human Body Expression.

SHARON B. MOORE creates as a choreographer, director, and writer for dance, theatre, film, and circus. Recent works premiered in New York, Nashville, San Francisco (O.D.C. Theatre), and Russia. Alongside Canadian composer/director Derek Aasland, she runs Cinetic Creations, a company dedicated to picture-wide movement worlds for feature film and large scale theatrical works. Cinetic’s work has received multiple Dora Mavor Moore nominations for choreography, production, performance, and lighting, as well as a Dora Award for outstanding female performance.

JULIA SASSO is an award winning choreographer, teacher, performer, and artistic mentor. Her choreography has been commissioned and presented throughout Canada, in the U.S.A., and abroad. She performed internationally with Toronto’s Dancemakers for sixteen seasons, and continues to create and perform independently. She is a Resident Choreographer and core faculty member in The School of Toronto Dance Theatre’s Professional Training Program, and also teaches in York University’s Department of Dance. juliasasso.com Anita Bostok & Norman Hathaway Exceptional Real Estate Services We’re Your Neighbours, We’re Here For You 416-788-7653 | www.BostokHathaway.com |Sutton Group - Associates Realty Inc. The School of Toronto Dance Theatre gratefully acknowledges our supporters:

GOVERNMENT

STUDENT FINANCIAL AID & BURSARIES The Walker Wood Foundation Arts Access Fund

KATHRYN ASH SCHOLARSHIP FUND BLG Foundation

WINCHESTER PRIZE Lindy Green & Sam Chaiton

CORPORATE SUPPORTERS & PARTNERS

FOUNDATIONS Jackman Foundation Lindy Green Family Charitable Foundation The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation

COMMUNITY PARTNERS Blooming Canada’s National Ballet School Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre Citadel + Compagnie Dancemakers DanceWorks Down Syndrome Association of Toronto Harbourfront Centre Humber College Peggy Baker Dance Projects Steam Whistle Brewing Toronto Dance Theatre United Way of Greater Toronto United Way of Ottawa

SPECIAL THANK YOU Cylla von Tiedemann David Evans of East Toronto Orthopaedic & Sports Injury Clinic Board Members Volunteers The School of Toronto Dance Theatre also gratefully acknowledges the support of the following individual donors:

CHAMPIONS – $5000 + Ross Blundell Norah L’Esperance Bulmash-Siegel Fund Brigid Brady Krista Lin Karen Green Shannon Carson Heather MacPhail Lindy Green & Sam Chaiton & Richard Wilson Coralee McLaren Wendy Chiles Richard Miles BENEFACTOR – $1000 + Paul DeAdder Elizabeth Moginot Patricia Fraser Kathleen Fairbarns Philip Murphy & Peter McKinnon Philippa Flint David Nash Susan Macpherson Jim Fregeau Yvonne Ng & Robert Steiner Joseph Guss Mollie Oates-Johnson Laura Ryan Shana Hillman Angela Petrovik Marnie Temple* Sandra Janzen* Louise Plunkett Leslie Wood Michael Jones* & Allan Gillespie Michelle Yeung* Ron Kaplansky Sonja Popovich & Michael Minchella Ruth Kates* Krista Posyniak Amy Khan Edward Powers PATRON– $500 + Areti Kiriakis Lucy Rupert Sue Ash-Lindsay Louis Laberge-Côté Jade Sakamoto Lorne Fox* John Letters Julia Sasso Irene Koren Janet MacInnis Ludivine Sawka Gail Lilley Philip Moller Katrin Schmidt Kathleen Lippa Karen O’Brien Lincoln Shand Ben Louie* Deborah O’Connor Karen Smith Joan Moore Gail Packwood Lilya Sultanova Louise Smith Kenny Pearl Mateo Galindo Torres Heather Snell Carol Richardson Betty Xie Peter & Lois Turk Anuschka Roes* Maria Williams John Sharpe IN HONOUR OF MICHELLE Roger Sinha YEUNG’S BIRTHDAY PARTNER - $250 + Jini Stolk Angie Aranda Peggy Baker Kristina Udegbunam* Kyla Dhanraj Arei Bierstock* Andrea Vagianos Elizabeth Kay Rita Bilerman & Zis Parras* Betsy Klug Karin Coles Toby Vigod Shirley Lee Heather Dunford* David Walden Christina Macheras Lucille Fournier Phyllis Whyte* Stephanie Miletic Marie Gadula Jae Yang Stephanie Yu Christopher House Jamie Young Ama Hysi * MONTHLY DONORS Nenagh Leigh FRIEND – UP TO $99 Alison Loat Anonymous Selma Odom Mary Asselstine Special thanks to all the Susan Parker Barbara Bentley supporters of the James Polk Lindsay Cader MOMENTUM 2019 Brian Sambourne Jason DeCourcy Opening Night Mary Jane Warner Steven Del Degan Fundraiser Jessica Wilson Annette Dimeck Janice Forsythe SUPPORTER – $100 + Hagit Fry Francisco Alvarez Cynthia Gonsalves Ryan Baker Peter Kelly Barbara Bentley Bonnie Kim Carol Bishop-Gwyn Courtney Labrentz Cynthia Bliss Cheryl Lalonde Donations listed as of May 1, 2019 What your contribution means to The School of Toronto Dance Theatre All donations help the School develop young, emerging artists today. Your donation will directly benefit our students and allow us to continue to deliver inspired training. Please consider donating today: schooloftdt.org/donate

$100 The cost of band aids for the year! $150 The cost of a Dance Adventure guest lecture by a noted visiting artist $250 The cost of a teacher and accompanist for a 90 minute core curriculum class or a scholarship to the winter term of our Young Dancers’ Program $300 The cost of one Outreach class for a local high school $1000 The cost of a leadership scholarship for a worthy senior student $5000 The cost of a one week residency with an internationally renowned visiting guest artist $10,000 The cost of sending our third year students to participate in the Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT Charitable Registration 10796 2771 RR 0001

WINCHESTER STREET THEATRE REVITALIZATION The School of Toronto Dance Theatre and Toronto Dance Theatre would like to thank the following funders who have contributed to the capital improvements being made to our home at 80 Winchester Street:

The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario Heritage Grant Program For more information about these capital improvements, please contact: [email protected]

CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

PRODUCTION TEAM BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jess Wilder Gail Lilley Directors: Production Manager President Allison Bone Steven Del Degan A. J. Morra Ama Hysi Lorne Fox Stage Manager Treasurer Jessica Wilson Marie Gadula Rebecca Walsh Secretary Assistant Stage Manager Leslie Wood Noah Fever Past-President Lighting Designer

Cara Johnson Costume Designer LEADERSHIP ARTISTIC STAFF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Patricia Fraser Susan Macpherson Louise Plunkett Artistic Director Artistic Associate Student Services & Financial Aid Officer Michelle Yeung Patricia Miner Managing Director Artistic Associate Colin Frotten Communications & Andrea Roberts Engagement Manager Admissions & PROFESSIONAL Records Manager Veshani Sewlall TRAINING PROGRAM Social Media & Rosemary James Digital Marketing Intern Christopher House Training & Artistic Advisor Performing Associate Reception: Yiming Cai Resident Choreographers: Ambre Orfao Sharon B. Moore Julia Sasso Chiaki Nemoto Darryl Tracy Bookkeeping

FACULTY AND GUEST ARTISTS (2018-2019)

Massimo Agostinelli Christopher House David Norsworthy Elizabeth Auclair Rosemary James Kenny Pearl Peggy Baker Pam Johnson Jillian Peever Danielle Baskerville Allen Kaeja Jake Ramos Trish Beatty Karen Kaeja Andrea Roberts Johanna Bergfelt Eddie Kastrau Julia Sasso Nicole Rose Bond Hannah Kiel Jarrett Siddall Susie Burpee Susan Macpherson Michelle Silagy Wendy Chiles Robert McCollum Ofilio Sinbadinho Jennifer Dallas Patricia Miner Darryl Tracy Patricia Fraser Sharon B. Moore Debbie Wilson Sarah Fregeau Sahara Morimoto Christine Wright Colin Frotten Jeff Morris Danny Grossman Megan Nadain

ACCOMPANISTS (2018-2019) FACILITIES STAFF

Normand Babin Gregg Kittell Cleaning Staff: Tita Evidente Director of Operations Berlinda Ramos Larry Graves Jake Ramos Laurie Hood Brandon Moe Michael Menegon Facilities Associate Jake Oelrichs Isabella Carelli Jay Sussman Technical Director Ian Wright Stich Wynston Zac Mansfield House Technician The School is passionately committed to training and education in the art of contemporary dance. Through our professional programs we dedicate ourselves to investing in the artistic potential of youth for the development of the art form.

Specifically: • The School strives to train and educate students in all aspects of their artistic development. • The School serves the art of contemporary dance by providing well-trained dance artists who will contribute to creative development and progress in the professional field. • The School encourages the professional development of faculty and guest artists so that they may further their artistry and provide excellent and relevant instruction to all students.

The School of Toronto Dance Theatre’s Professional Training Program is approved as a vocational program under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005.

The School of Toronto Dance Theatre is affiliated withToronto Dance Theatre (Christopher House, Artistic Director). For more information about the company, please visit: tdt.org. For more information on the Winchester Street Theatre, please visit: winchester.tdt.org

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF TRADITIONAL LAND The School of Toronto Dance Theatre would like to acknowledge the sacred land on which we operate, the site of human activity for over 15,000 years. This land is the traditional territory of many nations: the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land and to share our space with all peoples – those indigenous to Turtle Island and those from the world.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES & EVENTS May 12, 2019 - The School of Toronto Dance Theatre Graduation

July 1-26, 2019 - Summer Intensives (ages 12-16, and 16+) Our Summer Intensive Programs provide unrivalled technical training to help develop any motivated dancer. Working with highly regarded faculty, dancers will participate in challenging, energetic classes in an unforgettable training experience.