Adrian Russouw, Rumi Jeraj and David Hodgson in Rhythm Playground by Rumi Jeraj. Photo: Kendra Epik.

PRESENTED BY DUSK DANCES INC.

‘MOVING PARTS’ is CO-PRESENTED WITH DANCEWORKS.

PREVIEW ON JULY 30TH / OPENING NIGHT ON JULY 31ST.

Dusk Dances 2023 is curated by Sylvie Bouchard, with curatorial support by Sofi Gudiño.

2023 will mark 30 years since Dusk Dances’ very first event in 1993, and the last year under the leadership of Festival Director and Founder Sylvie Bouchard who will step down at the end of 2023.

Hosted byFly Lady Di (Diana Reyes).

Free dance workshops, accompanied by DJ Fly Lady Di:

• House dance workshops with Raoul Jiggyman Wilke (July 30, August 1 and 3)

• Vogue workshop with Danah Rosales (July 31, August, 2, 4, 5 and 6)

RHYTHM PLAYGROUND

Choreographed by Rumi Jeraj

Performer: Rumi Jeraj
Bass: Adrian Russouw
Saxophone: David Hodgson
Music Composition: Lester Young, Count Basie and Thelonious Monk
Carpenter: Sophie Moynan

Witness tap dancing in a playground of space and sound, bound by rhythm but still free to play in time. Space and swing come together to welcome you to an evening of dance and music. Sit back, relax and enjoy a conversation spoken in the language of Jazz between Rumi Jeraj (tap dancer), Adrian Russouw (bass), and David Hodgson (saxophone).

Thank you to Tegan Dietsch, Vincent Marchesano, Victoria Miller, Jonny Morin and Cori Giannotta.

A Dusk Dances premiere.

NO RETURN

Choreographed by Michael Mortley

Performer: Michael Mortley
Understudy: Jael Jones Cabey
Live Spoken Word: Jäjé
Poetry Writer: ‘Door Way of No Return’ by charles c. smith
Music: ‘War Orphans’ by Charlie Haden
Costume Designer: Michael Mortley
Rehearsal Director: Mellissa Bertrand
Outside Eye: Wind In the Leaves Collective through the CRP process

An interpretation of return. A return to self, a return to the place my body called home not just where the heart is. A place that holds no judgment for who you are and what you chose to be. No Return... no way back, just forward, through all adversity forward.

First premiered at Dusk Dances in Barrie, Hamilton and Repentigny in 2022.

TRADITIONAL HOOP DANCE

Choreographed and performed by LISA ODJIG (July 30 to August 2).
Choreographed and performed by RIVER CHRISTIE-WHITE (August 3 to 6).

Hoop Dance is a traditional medicine dance of the Hopi Nation, originally from Southern Arizona. The dance is characterized by its focus on storytelling through the use of traditionally made hoops. The dancers use the hoops to represent the different aspects of creation we all set around us, while observing the dance, many will likely see different formations they recognize from their life journey.

First premiered at Dusk Dances in 2002.

MOVING PARTS

Co-presented with DanceWorks

Choreographed and directed by Denise Fujiwara
(Fujiwara Dance Inventions)

Performers: Sylvie Bouchard, Jen Hum, Mayumi Lashbrook, Michael Mortley,
Lucy Rupert and Brodie Stevenson
Music and Song Arrangements: Phil Strong & Laurel MacDonald
Music Director: Laurel MacDonald
Sound Designer: Simon Outhit
Vocal Leads: Annabelle Chvostek, Mike Evin and Laurel MacDonald
Bass: David Woodhead
Ukulele: Eve Goldberg
Choir Conductor: Cathy Nosaty
Choristers: Lilan Chao, Ruth Danziger, Colleen Didur, Howard Druckman, Lynne Evans, Julia Grant, Alan Hahn, Carolyn Heath, Jennifer Kim, Ray Kinoshita, Luka Korven, Kathleen Kraft, Bev Kreller, Denise Lambert, Debbi Leith, Johanne Pulker, Sasha Pulker, Susan Slottow, Holly Small and Jennifer Wakefield

Lighting Designer: Emerson Kafarowski
2019 Lighting Design by Jareth Li

Costume: Val Calam
ASL Translator: Thurga Kanagasekarampillai
Aikido Sensei: Greg Angus, Naka Ima Aikikai
Stage manager: Sooji Kim

Song and composer credits:
    • Mad World - Roland Orzabal (1983)
    • That’s Enough - Thompson Family
    • 911 for Peace - Anti-Flag
    • Love Learn Listen - Laurel MacDonald & Denise Fujiwara
    • Rise Up - Parachute Club (1983) (Billy Bryans, Lauri Conger, Lorraine Segato and Steve Webster with lyrics contributed by Lynne Fernie)
    • Here Comes the Change - Kesha Sebert

Choreography created with original cast members: Rebecca Hope Terry, Miko Sobreira, Gerry Trentham, Lacey Smith, Alaine Hutton and Lauren Gillis.

We find the world in difficult times with people becoming increasingly polarized. Fujiwara is curious about how to embrace complexity and conflict with skill and grace, and how to stay open and kind in the midst of tumult. To be in harmony means to be in amity and peace. With Moving Parts, we are investigating these questions in three-part harmony, with a choir of moving singers.

These performances are dedicated to the memory of Phil Strong.

An excerpt of ‘Moving Parts’ was first presented at Dusk Dances 2019.