| The RED Letter, Dec 2008 |
Table of Contents
1. Words from Lisa Pijuan-Nomura
It is December. Wishing you all the most wonderful holiday season from all of us at GirlCanCreate! Lisa Pijuan-Nomura P.S. Book Lady will return in January with more of her brilliant reviews. Check out workshops by Sarah Selecky at www.sarahselecky.ca
2. An Interview with Older and Reckless Dance ArtistsOlder and Reckless was started by Claudia Moore in June of 2000. As a platform for senior established artists to take chances in performance, it has featured some of Canada’s finest choreographers. I have corresponded with some of the feature artists to find out their ideas about dance along with advice to the next generation. Please note that due to a change in programming Maxine will not be performing, but I really enjoyed her response so I decided to include it!
Would you say that as we get older, we become more reckless? Claudia: Aren't most artists reckless, like pirates looking for treasure at all costs? Michelle Silagy: I’ve made a decision to mature as a full time working artist within a society that undervalues art . Depending on point of view, this is either a dangerous decision, (or a necessary one,) for a practicing artist. It is both. I walk the line of creating in an environment that undervalues art each day. Doing so appears reckless — most days it is, because most days, I have to disregard the potential consequences that this decision may bring. Advice to emerging artists? Michelle: get inside the studio as much as possible and practice. Be part of creating high standards in performance. Be aware of what is going on in the world around you dig into dance history — art history. Surround your self with artist that challenge you and are willing/able to walk a focused path of creativity with you. Follow your heart. View everything you see with openness. Maxine Heppner: There is a lot of pressure in contemporary arts training to “find one’s own voice”. Forget it. Do what you are interested in as fully and completely as you possibly can. The only way to emerge, and then keep emerging, is to Practice a Lot, and pay attention to what aspects of “practicing” you most connect with, also what aspects are most difficult, then just keep practicing. What you connect with and what is difficult will keep changing, the important thing is to pay attention. As years go by you will get better at what you do and others will recognize what they call your voice. I don’t say anything here about your enjoyment. I think that that is something to check out every year or two...asking yourself if this arts practice gives you some satisfaction — if it’s all hard and not satisfying then either change your focus to other aspects of your practice or move sideways for a while applying what you know to something else - get really good at skating if you are a dancer who likes to run around in circles — AND if you are influenced by another artist or other artworks, examine them the way you do your practice — try them out for yourself and find out what most connects and what is most difficult but live up to this mantra “DO NOT COPY them!!! “ And (this bit of advice sounds self-contradicting but becomes clear when you try it!) Simply by making yourself “not copy” even as you actually do the other artists’ form you will be deepening your own. Claudia: Keep going! OLDER RECKLESS #15 For 3 nights only! An intimate evening with some of Canada's most celebrated choreographers. Followed by a party: food, drink and a chance to talk about the work. Québécois artist, Deborah Dunn, who will be performing excerpts from her choreography, Four Quartets, which is based on Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot. William Yong will perform a beautiful solo excerpted from Michelle Silagy’s work Necessary Velocity, inspired by the writings of naturalist D’Arcy Thompson. Lina Cruz, also from Quebec, will be showing a solo work. Claudia Moore will be presenting a commissioned duet that she created for her longtime collaborators Tom Brouillette and Jennifer Dick. December 4th - 6th Dancemakers Centre for Creation, Distillery Historic District, Tickets $15 ($12 CADA, Students, Seniors) Box Office, Reservations, Information:416-504-6429 ext. 30
3. Feature Dance: Ôs by Lucy Carmen Gregoire
In the world premiere of Montreal choreographer Lucie Carmen Gregoire's latest work, Ôs, a quintet of dancers awake and discover the music of their inner bodies. The performers play each other like instruments: an arm is a harmonica, hands tap chests, and boots become drums. The dancers' syncopated breathing and expressive vocalization bond into a joyous communal micro-society. They move in compelling waves of sculptural connection, in mutual support of each other. Lucie Carmen Gregoire has once again chosen Toronto for the premiere of her new work. Ôs launches the dynamic and young Krea Movo company, recently founded by Gregoire, and completes her trilogy of choreographic works which began with the two parts of You said woman? As choreographer and artistic director of Krea Movo company, Lucie Carmen Gregoire encourages dialogue with the public through a lively and engaging artistic voice. She offers energizing art that inspires positive values, and strives to project a choreographic vision that connects with and speaks to people, bringing them together. "Lucie Carmen Gregoire is a name to remember... For the last few years, she has been building a reputation in Toronto and garnering raves for her work. She's the kind of dance artist you can't take your eyes off." Philip Szporer, Hour (Montreal) Featruing Lucie Carmen Gregoire, Elissar Hanna, Gotta Lage, Elise Legrand and Andrew Turner Thursday December 18 8:00 PM - Doors open at 7:30 PM The Theatre Centre PRICES : $15 - $18 http://www.theatrecentre.org
4. Feature Music: The Gospel Christmas Project
Uplifting and inspiring in equal measure, Andrew Craig's critically acclaimed Gospel Christmas Project was one of the most talked-about and celebrated holiday productions of 2007. Reimagined as contemporary Gospel masterpieces, experience over 20 of the world's favourite Christmas carols like you have never heard them before. Performers include Jackie Richardson, Alana Bridgewater, Kellylee Evans, Chris Lowe, Sharon Riley, Faith Chorale and Craig. This special holiday concert will warm your heart and lift your spirits. Sunday December 7, 2008 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm
5. Feature Festival: Festival of Lights
Join honourary parade leader Olivia Chow and a cavalcade of costumed characters, giant puppets, stiltwalkers, and firebreathers in a luminescent lantern-lit carnival parade in Toronto’s legendary Kensington Market. Journey through narrow streets, encounter surprise theatrics on rooftops and in storefronts – revel in a fiery solstice send-off at Bellevue Square Park. Bang a drum or a pot or pan, ring a bell, sing a song, carry a lantern, wear a costume...this is a participatory event! Come celebrate the return of light! The Parade begins at 6pm Sharp Meet at the intersection of Oxford and Augusta (just south of college) and go with the flow! PLUS... MAKE YOUR OWN LANTERN TO CARRY IN THE PARADE Create a unique bamboo and paper lantern. The Festival is Free! For more information, call 416-598-3729
6. Feature Visual Arts: Ruth Adler : Finding GroundFinding Ground is a continuation of Ruth Adler’s work with colour, circular shapes and pattern. In this series of works on paper Adler explores the meaning of ground; literally, metaphorically and physically, employing both abstract and figurative imagery. Adler’s masterful digital drawings combined with text, sewing and fabric create pictures that evoke both familiar and foreign grounds. November 27 till December 14 Lonsdale Gallery Wednesday to Sunday 12:00 to 5:00
7. Holiday Craft Shows!I always love getting ready for holidays by going out to local craft shows. This year both Dave and I will be selling our wares at the Sassy Little Craft Show and at the Artisan Gift Fair for the last weekend before the holidays. Hope to see you there!
The Sassy Little Craft Show December 6 and December 7 7:00 p.m. to midnight Two great nights of crafty goodness, please note that each night will have different vendors! GirlCanCreate and Nomura Photography will be there for both nights! Once you're done shopping, saddle up to the bar for some drinks and holiday cheer and good times! http://www.christarowley.com/thesassylittlecraftshow/Home.html
Holiday Trunk Show Sunday December 7 12:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m. the workroom is happy to host a special holiday trunk show filled with special handmade treasures perfect for you and the ones you love.
City of Craft 2008 December 13 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 50+ craft vendors, community groups, installation artists, workshop leaders & satellite participants http://cityofcraft.com/2008/cityofcraft/
Artisans Gift Fair Every Weekend in Decmeber! (GirlCanCreate and Nomura Photography will be there on the last weekend before Christmas, December 20 and 21st!) http://www.artisansgiftfair.com/
8. Classes, Workshops and ConferencesDialects of Momentum 23rd / 24th January 2009 Dovercourt House, 805 Dovercourt Road, Toronto 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. lunch) Fee: $125, $100 if you register with $25 deposit by 5th January 2009 Experienced dancers/movers who have contact improvisation experience who are interested in integrating CI skills into their vocabulary. Using Contact Improvisation (CI) as a foundation, we will create ways to improvise dancing in duo, trio, and ensemble. A detailed survey of CI essentials, with a focus on efficient, effortless use of technical skills, will develop a facility for, and availability to, changing physical states and levels of touch and weight. We will work with strategies for improvising or how we improvise the way we improvise, as well as finding ways of embodying our imagination in movement. Come prepared for focused playfulness within committed practice. The warm–ups will consist of exercises that pertain to the theme of the ATC and are an integral part of the weekend. Ray Chung is a performer, teacher, researcher, engineer, and artist who has worked with Contact Improvisation and improvisation since 1979. He uses Contact Improvisation as part of improvisational performance practice and integrates other movement forms into his work, including martial arts, bodywork and Authentic Movement. He regularly collaborates with dancers, musicians, and other artists, and has worked with Nancy Stark Smith, Steve Paxton, Lisa Nelson, Peter Bingham, Andrew Hardwood, Chris Aiken, and others.
9. Call for EntriesExpo 2010 Shanghai All Canadian artists are invited to visit the web site http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/Shanghai2010 for information on how to submit their completed application for Canada’s cultural program at Expo 2010 Shanghai. The Web site also includes the eligibility criteria and the criteria that will be used to evaluate applications. The criteria were established by Cirque du Soleil after consultation with the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts. Deadline for submissions is 15 December 2008. Vernissage-danse #143: Live! Studio 303 is currently seeking artists for the Verni #143 on February 21st at 7pm and 9pm. The evening's theme is Live! (Everything exposed DIY, musicians on stage, sound created by performers, work without the invisible magic of theatre technology, no hiding behind lighting and sound cues.). PARAMETERS : The submission deadline is December 8th 2008. Edgy Women 2009 Studio 303 is seeking short works for the 2009 edition of EDGY WOMEN. Although this is an open call, we are specifically interested in the following themes/categories: Radical Circus - content-driven work by circus artists or inspired by circus conventions, which can be presented with little tech support. The Edgy Challenge - 8 artists are given a prop, a sound effect, a theme, and will be challenged to create a 5-minute piece in 3 weeks for a public performance March 15th at the Sala Rossa. Participatory projects, films, installation or relational work are also of interest. Deadline: DECEMBER 15th Format: 1 page max, by email only : edgy@studio303.ca Please tell us who you are and help us visualise the project(s) you are proposing. You will be contacted by Jan 15th if your submission is retained. About Edgy Festival dates:
10. Upcoming Performances of InterestDecember 2 – December 14 December 9 December 10 December 11 – December 13 December 14 December 16 December 17 December 20 December 21
11. Photography by Dave Pijuan-Nomura
Check out more of Dave's work at nomuraphoto.etsy.com
12. Last Thought“There are two ways of spreading light... To be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it” |
A haiku for you dear readers!
