VIDF - Rob Kitsos & Dancers

Tonight, I saw my first show at the VIDF, Rob Kitsos & Dancers. Rob Kitsos & Dancers perform WAKE, exploring the perspective of individuals and groups living within an urban environment and the interactive physical language inspired by the city.

I watched a group of dancers gather together in a group, form a tight-knit community walking in unison at the beginning. The group starts to scatter in a myriad of different directions, some pairing with others as a few danced in solo. I saw the stress and confusion portrayed of living in a city. Some dancers run fast. Others were watchers, watching the performers rolling and jumping over over each other. I could feel the hectic moments of racing, being pulled and pushed forward backward and in all directions. The group came together dancing, arms together, in a circle only to break apart again to jump and twist in different directions. The physical language living in an urban environment seemed rather cold, fast and scary at times. I could see no emotion in their faces, only the physical aspect of the race, sometimes solo, in duet or groups. Sweat dripped from the dancers' foreheads as they collapsed at the end. Two dancers in front bounced off the floor only the end with a resounding thump again. Exhaustion seem to set after the physical fast pace struggle of urban life in the city. In the end, the dancers slump down on the floor where they stood. Don't we all feel like that sometimes? Losing sight of ourselves in pursuit of our everchanging dreams, changing partners/groups, stopping, turning, making leaps and sometimes falling.

Mezquita (one night March 6, 2009)

A Tale of 1001 Flamenco Nights featuring artists direct from Southern France and Spain

From the people who brought you "El Sonido del Silencio" in September of 2008, an unforgettable evening of flamenco fire, dance, and song awaits to tell you the tales which have been resonating through the passages of time for centuries. As the creative nature of Peña Bulería's events have always found a way to create some of the most memorable and innovative flamenco experiences in Vancouver for the past 6 years, this event will prove to be no exception! Featured artists include Pirouz de Caspio (Producer/Singer) and Cristo Cortes (Singer), Manuel Gutierrez and Kasandra La China on Dance, Jose Vega and Ali Golbabai on Guitar.

For more information, please visit: http://www.flamenco.ca/

For Tickets and Box Office please visit: http://www.kaymeekcentre.com/ or call 604.913.3634

2009 VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL DANCE

Photo Courtesy of VIDF

2009 VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL DANCE CELEBRATES FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF BUTOH
March 3-April 4, 2009

VANCOUVER, BC— Butoh turns the big 5-0, adventurous music and dance groups collaborate, and world-renowned dance artists from six countries take to the stage in the 2009 Vancouver International Dance Festival (VIDF), which runs March 3-April 4 at locations around the Lower Mainland, including the Roundhouse Community Centre (RH), Centennial Theatre, the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, and the Scotiabank Dance Centre.

“Butoh has always embodied challenge and change as well as incessant curiosity about who we are and why we are here,” said VIDF Executive Director Jay Hirabayashi, referring to the evocative and sometimes controversial artform that emerged in post-war Japan. The 2009 VIDF celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of butoh with performances by Yoshito Ohno (who appeared in butoh’s first performance, Kinjiki (Forbidden Colours), in 1959); workshops and a lecture-demonstration by butoh progenitor Natsu Nakajima; and three multidisciplinary premieres by Kokoro Dance. “In this year’s festival, we have programmed works that embody challenge, change, and curiosity about the human condition.”

The 2009 VIDF kicks off with Two Night Stand, a multidisciplinary collaboration with Barbara Bourget and Jay Hirabayashi, Juno-nominated Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq, guitarist Tony Wilson, percussionist Dylan van der Schyff, cellist Cris Derksen, pianist Lee Pui Ming, and filmmaker Clancy Dennehy (8:00pm, March 3-4, RH). Renowned dancer-choreographer Jérôme Bel (France) and Thai classical dancer Pichet Klunchun (Thailand) perform their humourous cross-cultural 2005 duet Pichet Klunchun and myself (8:00pm, March 5-7, RH). Toronto’s Nova Bhattacharya pushes the boundaries of contemporary bharatanatyam in Primary View (10:00pm, March 6-7, RH).

In the second week, butoh takes centre-stage in Flower, a new duet by Yoshito Ohno (Japan) with collaborator Lucie Grégoire (Montreal) (8:00pm, March 10-11, RH), the latter of whom performed audience-favourite Eye in the 2005 VIDF. Louise Bédard Danse (Montréal) explores the colours and textures of the art of Vancouver-based artist Marianna Gartner in Finally, You Are (Enfin vous zestes) (8:00pm, March 12-14, RH). Mascall Dance (Vancouver) performs WhaT,?, a creative collaboration between accomplished dance artist Ron Stewart and Jennifer Mascall (10:00pm, March 13-14, RH).

In the third week, music and dance enrich each other in stunning collaborations. Five choreographers, six dancers, and one choir converge in Dancers Dancing and the Vancouver Cantata Singers’ Voices in Motion, Bodies that Sing (8:00pm, March 17-19, RH). Kokoro Dance and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra build upon their previous collaborations in the rebel (8:00pm, March 20-21, RH). Direct from Spain, lightning-fast Flamenco footwork and exquisite music take centre-stage in two special performances by María Juncal, heralded in Europe as “the Flamenco sensation of the 2008-2009 season” (8:00pm, March 19-20, Centennial).

In the fourth week, Kokoro Dance reimagines Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Prometheus mythology in F, a multidisciplinary work for three dancers and three actors incorporating digitally-manipulated film by visual effects editor Paul Furminger and set design by Peter Eastwood (8:00pm, March 24-28, RH). In The Cell, MOVE: the company debuts new choreography by six local choreographers (8:00pm, March 25-28, Shadbolt). In the final week, Martha Carter—mmHoP premieres Twisted, a group work exploring dance, scoliosis, and personal transformation, (8:00pm, April 1-4, Scotiabank).

The 2009 VIDF is presented by the Vancouver International Dance Festival Society and Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad.

For more information about the 2009 VIDF, please call the VIDF office at 604.662.4966 or visit www.vidf.ca.