MI YOUNG KIM DANCE COMPANY
presents
Kaksori
November 9th and 10th, 8pm
PREMIERE DANCE THEATRE
207 Queens Quay West, Toronto
Tickets: $20-$28
Box Office: 416 973-4000 or www.harbourfrontcentre.com
A DanceWorks CoWorks Series presentation
The Mi Young Kim Dance Company is proud to present Kaksori, a striking collection of Canadian-infused traditional Korean works, featuring four World Premiere dance pieces and a Canadian Premiere musical performance. The company’s Artistic Director Mi Young Kim is the choreographer of two of the exciting progressive World Premiere dance works, Kak Seo Ri Taryung and Essence of the Queen, highlighting her unique style of melding traditional Korean dance with current Canadian culture.
Kak Seo Ri Taryung is a work that fuses Korean tradition with the modern element of Bboys! The Korean-Canadian Bboy group Sekma will feature their new signature piece, drawing inspiration from Korean folklore tale of Poomba. The word Kaksori (or Kak Seo Ri) means beggar or busker in Korean tradition. The Kaksori would perform for money on the street, and Kim ties this in to the modern Bboy, creating a dynamic piece. Essence of the Queen is a piece inspired by traditional Korean court dances set to a Shaman dance rhythm originating from the Kyunggi region of Korea, providing a forward combination of cultural dance. Again, taking her individual style of combining cultural elements, Kim explore the two different dance worlds of the Korean Court, and Shamanism, providing a dynamic infusion two styles.
Kaksori deputs two bold new solos by emerging choreographers from Canada¹s vibrant Korean community, both of whom studied under Kim. Sinawi, a rounded barrel drum dance solo by Hye Ran Chung, is the first performance of it’s kind in Canada. Tale of Hwang Jin Yee, a solo by Jeong Hee Min, exploring the tragic love story of a geisha and her lover. A rare performance offers the exclusive Canadian premiere performance of P’iri by Hansoo Chung. Chung, having just moved to Canada, will introduce us all to the P’iri, the Korean bamboo oboe, in a majestic and stimulating performance.
This dynamic evening of music and dance also features Jeuk Heung Mu, an improvisational work inspired by the teaching of Mi Young Kim, and two remounts of the Mi Young Kim Dance Company, Jang Go Chum, a Korean ribbon dance featuring Chris Baek with Samulnori, and Heart Beats featuring live drumming.
Mi Young Kim, founder and Artistic Director of the Mi Young Kim Dance Company, was born in Seoul Korea has been studying the art of traditional Korean dance since the age of six. Her father and first teacher, Yunhak Kim, is designated as a Korean National Cultural Treasure for his work in traditional Korean dance. Mi Young Kim is a renowned Korean artist, and has performed extensively in Asia, Europe and North America. She is a leading figure in the Korean-Canadian cultural scene as a dancer, choreographer, teacher and founder the Korean Dance Studies Society of Canada in Toronto in 1979. Her awards include Chief Artist in a Cultural Area from Korea Times Daily (1998), and Award in Artistic Achievement by The Korea Central Daily (1999). In recent years Mi Young Kim has shifted her focus to teaching traditional Korean dance to young Canadians and creating new works, based on traditional Korean movement with elements of modern culture.
Chartier Danse presents
Bas-Reliefs
A DanceWorks Mainstage presentation
Part of the NextSteps Series
November 29 - December 1, 2007 | 8pm
Enwave Theatre
231 Queens Quay West
Single Tickets: $27
Student/Senior: $17
Box Office: 416 973-4000
www.harbourfrontcentre.com
Using the great Canadian painter Betty Goodwin's pictorial work as a starting point, Bas-Reliefs is a multi-disciplinary collaboration from a stellar team of eleven artists from Toronto and Montreal who integrate their artistic visions into an extraordinary creation under the artistic direction of Marie-Josée Chartier. Bas-Reliefs reveals a spatial environment fraught with drama and contrasts, marked by a troubling humanity.
Part of the Bradshaw series, Chartier will also show the full length version of La Lourdeur des Cendres, a duet choreographed by Chartier from a commission of Four Chamber dance project and performed by Heidi Strauss and Darryl Tracy. This work as well was inspired by the painter Betty Goodwin.
Excerpts being shown as a part of the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre Free Concert Series
Tuesday, November 20th, 12 noon, Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen Street West
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre presents
A Story Before Time
A DanceWorks CoWorks Series Event
December 7-8 @ 7:30 pm
December 9 @ 2:00 pm
The Betty Oliphant Theatre
404 Jarvis Street, Toronto, Ontario
Tickets: $25 Adult
$18
Child/Student/Senior
$72 Family pack of 4 ($12 for each additional ticket)
$14 Group (10 or more)
Tickets: (416) 204-1082 or www.danceworks.ca/tickets.html
DanceWorks accepts VISA or Mastercard for ticket pre-sales and cash only at the door
TORONTO – Acclaimed choreographer Santee Smith presents A Story Before Time a family production of the Iroquoian creation story, featuring narration by Gemini Award-winning actress Tantoo Cardinal and text written by renowned playwright Drew Hayden Taylor. The age-old Iroquoian creation story comes to life through music, dance and theatre. A Story Before Time makes its Toronto premiere at the Betty Oliphant Theatre, December 7 to 9 as a part of the DanceWorks CoWorks Series.
The journey begins first in the glorious Sky World where the cosmos are brought to life through music and dance. It is when SkyWoman falls through the roots of the Celestial Tree to the Water World below that life on Turtle’s back takes shape. Animals by her side SkyWoman sings and dances her world into existence. Muskrat, otters, geese, chipmunk, raccoon and deer closely follow the actions of the battling twin brothers. Composer Donald Quan creates an exquisite musical score blending traditional Iroquoian social songs and contemporary music. Visually stunning, musically rich and theatrically compelling the spectacular production is entertaining and insightful for families and children.
The world premiere of A Story Before Time occurred as a co-production between Kaha:wi Dance Theatre and The Banff Centre for the Arts. Kaha:wi Dance Theatre is presenting A Story Before Time December 7 and December 8 at 7:30 p.m. and December 9 at 2:00 p.m., 2007 at The Betty Oliphant Theatre, Tickets are available at DanceWorks (416) 204-1082 and at www.danceworks.ca On December 7 at 6:00 pm Kaha:wi Dance Theatre will be hosting children activities prior to the performance at the National Ballet School studio including: Iroquois social dancing, singing and crafts. To register for activities contact Jessica Baran at Jessica@danceumbrella.net
Tantoo Cardinal, narrator for the production, has had roles in dozens of films including Dances with Wolves, Legends of the Fall, Black Robe, and The Education of Little Tree, and has been honoured with an Outstanding Achievement Award by Toronto Women in Film and Television for her appearance on “North of 60”.
A member of the Mohawk Nation, from Six Nations, Ontario, Santee Smith is the Artistic Director of Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. She attended the National Ballet School, and holds a masters degree in dance from York University. Her choreographic works, Kaha:wi and Here On Earth have toured nationally and internationally. Smith is a recent recipient of Canada Council for the Arts Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award. This year, her A Story Before Time was chosen as a highlight performance for the Council’s 50th anniversary celebration.
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