Sylvie Bouchard and Marie-Josée Chartier in Photuris Versicolor / Photo by John Lauener / Costume design: Cheryl Lalonde

PRESENTED BY DUSK DANCES INC.

HOSTED BY BRAD BRACKENRIDGE
OPENING BAND GUARACHA Y SON
with free Salsa classes from master teacher MIKO SOBREIRA

The 21st Dusk Dances Festival returns to Withrow Park this summer with another week of exciting and entertaining dance works from Canada’s finest dance makers!

Recuerdos (taranto)

Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company
Choreographed by Esmeralda Enrique

Performed by: Esmeralda Enrique (dancer), Michael Kavanagh (guitarist), and Tamar Ilana (singer)

Recuerdos speaks of the strength and fluidity of our memories. But the cycle of life repeats itself and memories reoccur, if not in our lifetime then in the generation that follows. In this way, history gives us a chance at redemption, a journey that can be heartbreaking or rewarding, a journey of discovery.

Premieres this year at Dusk Dances.

Bella

Danny Grossman Dance Company
Choreographed by Danny Grossman

Performed by: Michael Caldwell and Meredith Thompson.

Bella was inspired by the opera music of Puccini.
In 1977, with the Puccini music and a mutual love of Marc Chagall’s
paintings, Danny Grossman and Judy Jarvis set out to make a duet
for themselves on top of, under and around a table.
When Mary Kerr arrived to design the sets and costumes, she took her inspiration
from the Chagall images they had been using and created a beautiful painted
horse as the centerpiece for this charming love duet.

First premiered at Dusk Dances 2007.

PhotURIs Versicolor

Choreographed by Sylvie Bouchard and Marie-JosÉe Chartier

Performed by: Sylvie Bouchard and Marie-Josée Chartier
Photinus appearance by: Michael Caldwell
Live insect-o-sonics: Philip Strong

Twin fireflies get separated at birth. After a journey apart, they find
each other again, in a cluster of trees, at Withrow Park. See how they grow
to become Photuris Versicolor, or as they like to call themselves, "femmes fatales!"

Premieres this year at Dusk Dances.

murmure de femme / Woman’s Whisper

Lua Shayenne and Company
Choreographed by Lua Shayenne

Performed by: Kassi Scott, Shireen Ali, Miranda Liverpool, Natasha Phanor, Lua Shayenne
Drummers: Walter Maclean and Yohan Francis

Murmure de femme | Woman’s Whisper is an ode to femininity
“Born to bear the weight of ceaseless adversities
I am she
Stalled in cyclic time
I remain – a woman
Rest your back against mine
Learn the rhythm of my breath
Listen carefully to every pulse in my veins
Memorize the cadence of my heart
In the flux of tempo and beats
We rise as one soul”
Lua Shayenne

Premieres this year at Dusk Dances.

Followed by a special presentation!

Dusk Dances is proud to present Disconcertante, a 30-minute work created by Tedd Robinson - winner of the 2014 Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts - for the masterful dancers of Cloud 9. Robinson’s choreography is beautiful, magical, touching, comical, theatrical, and truly captivating. You’re in for a real treat!

Disconcertante will be presented after our regular programming of short works.

Disconcertante

PRESENTED BY MOonhORsE Dance Theatre
Choreographed by Tedd Robinson

Performed by: Karen Kaeja, Graham Mckelvie, Claudia Moore, Ron Stewart and Linnea Swan

MOonhORsE Dance Theatre presents a Cloud 9 commission- Disconcertante - by award-winning choreographer Tedd Robinson. This 30-minute ensemble work to the music of Chopin will be performed by Cloud 9 founders Karen Kaeja and Claudia Moore with guest artists Graham McKelvie, Ron Stewart and Linnea Swan. Disconcertante premiered in June 2013 in partnership with Young Centre for the Performing Arts.

Founded by Sylvie Bouchard, Karen Kaeja and Claudia Moore, Cloud 9 bridges a much needed void in the Canadian dance scene - the creation of a senior dance ensemble. Cloud 9, currently an initiative of MOonhORsE Dance Theatre, commissions brilliant choreographers to create masterful ensemble works for dancers over 45 years of age.