Dance Victoria Footnotes 64 (Winter 2020)

Footnotes Dance Victoria’s subscriber newsletter Footnotes Sponsor

Season Sponsor

ISSUE 64 • WINTER 2020 • Dance Days + The Trocks + Kidd Pivot + Ballet BC + more…

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

February 4 • 8:00 pm Royal Theatre

LEAD SPONSOR

Running Time: 2 hours (including 2 intermissions)

Kidd Pivot February 7 + 8 • 7:30 pm Royal Theatre

LEAD SPONSORS

Running Time: 90 minutes (no intermission)

Ballet BC March 13 + 14 • 7:30 pm Royal Theatre

LEAD SPONSORS

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo by Zoran Jelenic

Running Time: 132 minutes (including intermission)

Dance Days: It’ll move you!

Free classes all over town Rough Cuts • Metro Studio + Intrepid Theatre Club January 31 – February 9, 2020

Read ’ ws our shoam progr notes online!

2 Footnotes • Issue 64 • Winter 2020

Dance Victoria Board: President

Susan Howard

Vice-President Andrew Newcombe Treasurer

Emily Zeng

Directors

Stacey Horton Robert Millar Colin Nicol Kirsty Thomson

Staff: Executive Producer

Stephen White

General Manager

Bernard Sauvé

Operations Manager

Shireen McNeilage

Marketing Manager

Tracy Smith

Accounting

Julie Collins

Production Manager

Holly Vivian

Events Manager

Pamela Sanderson - Hire a Somm

Graphic Design

Rayola Creative

Advertising Sales

Bonnie Light Advertising

If you’d like to volunteer for Dance Victoria, please visit DanceVictoria.com and complete the online volunteer form.

Studios and Office: 111 – 2750 Quadra Street Victoria, BC V8T 4E8 250-595-1829 DanceVictoria.com for trailers, tickets and more information Footnotes is written by Tracy Smith and Stephen White (unless otherwise noted).

Dance Seen Whiskers on Kittens

BY STEPHEN WHITE

I FEEL A BIT JULIE ANDREWS — “these are a few of my favourite things,” but regardless, I’ll say it: two of my favourite days of the year are fast approaching and no, they have nothing to do with whiskers on kittens. In 2020, these favourite days are January 31 and February 1. You’ll read about them in the centrespread of this Footnotes edition.

I’m very excited about the calibre of work and the artists that we’re presenting at Rough Cuts during Dance Days. In my early years at Dance Victoria, I was frustrated that our Dance at the Royal series couldn’t accommodate exciting new work that I was seeing in smaller venues throughout the year. You see, despite Victoria being a smaller city, we have one of the largest dance series in the country. Most of our dance presenter colleagues sprinkled across the wide white north are presenting dance in venues that seat 100 to 500 people. As a consequence, a lot of work created in places like Vancouver are built with this in mind. You know the myth that goldfish grow to the size of their tank?

But when it’s done well, this smaller scale work in an intimate setting can be very powerful.

And that’s what we have lined up for you later this month.

Helen Walkley’s John is haunting, performed with such skill by Josh Martin (currently dancing at his peak) and the wonderful Billy Marchenski. A + A with former Ballet BC dancers Alexis Fletcher and Andrew Bartee is sinuous and compelling; these dancers are so well matched that they seem as one. Los Angeles’ Arun Mathai in Sujit Vaidya’s OFF CENTRE is one of the finest Bharatanatyam dancers I’ve ever seen, dexterous with exacting gestural articulation.

One of our Artists in Residence, Lindsay Delaronde (Kahnawake, Mohawk) has been doing important work with four local indigenous women over several months and we’ll see the result.

And finally, two women that have participated in our Choreographic Lab (Angela Mousseau and Kelly Hobson) have been given access to Vancouver dancers and studio space to each create a work in a week that they’ll share on Saturday, February 1.

And the best is that all these pieces are FREE (donations gratefully accepted). After performing for about 20 minutes, all of the artists return to the stage and engage in a conversation about their process. You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions and make comments. It really is a rare and wonderful experience. It’s like opening brown paper packages tied up with string!

I hope you’ll join us. FN

Stephen White photo © Tracy Smith. Dance Days images (clockwise from top left ): Helen Walkley's John by Chris Randle. Alexis Fletcher and Andrew Bartee in A + A by Cindi Wicklund. OFF CENTRE by Paul Elliott. #MMIV by Elowynn Rose.

Dance Victoria brings the World’s Best Dance to the Royal Theatre and supports the development of new dance for the international stage from its studios in Quadra Village. Dance Victoria is a nonprofit charitable society.

DanceVictoria.com

DanceVictoria.com • 3

Successful Fall Season About 8,000 people attended our first two programs at the Royal this season: Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Ukrainian Shumka Dancers’ Nutcracker (4 performances). Dance Victoria has close to 1,230 subscribers and 35 cash sponsors for its 2019/20 season.

Pre-Show Chats Presented by

With support from

Pay Your Age

FREE to all Ticket Holders Join us for free pre-show chats at 6:50 p.m. prior to our shows at the Royal Theatre. On February 4, Raffaele Morra (Trocks name: Lariska Dumbchenko), Ballet Master and Senior company member, will discuss the crazy popular all-male ballet troupe Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and the evening’s program. Writer and co-creator Jonathon Young will give us insight into the dance theatre creation, Revisor, prior to the performances on February 7 and 8.

Sponsored by

Our popular Pay Your Age is open to anyone aged 12 to 29. A limited number of Pay Your Age tickets are available for each performance so act quickly. Pay Your Age tickets are subject to a $5 Royal and McPherson Box Office fee. 250-386-6121.

Phone and walk-up orders only. Proof of age required.

PLEASE NOTE: PYA tickets for Kidd Pivot are SOLD OUT.

Night Moves Culture. Conversations. Cocktails.

Title Sponsor

Membership Sponsor

Event Sponsor

Unforgettable experiences in rare places at one low price. Looking for an exceptional night out with friends? Night Moves, for 30 to 45 year olds, delivers a complete evening out starting with discounted tickets to a Dance Victoria Saturday performance at the Royal Theatre followed by a free after-party with specialty cocktails, music, dancing and delicious catering. The best deal is a three-show membership, but single tickets are also available!

Proof of age required. DanceVictoria.com

Please send my receipt to:

Yes! I want Dance Victoria to thrive!

Ballet BC Dancers Emily Chessa and Gilbert Small in Romeo + Juliet. Photo © Michael Slobodian.

Please accept my donation of: o Visionary o President’s Circle o Patron o Supporter o Associate o Friend o Surprise us!

$2500+ $1,000 – 2,499 $500 – 999 $250 – 499 $100 – 249 $10 – 99 $______

Please recognize my/our name in the house program as: NAME/ORGANIZATION

NAME/ORGANIZATION

ADDRESS

CITY

PROVINCE

POSTAL CODE

EMAIL

PHONE

How to donate: Thank Mail: Return this form with a cheque to: you!

Dance Victoria Society 111 – 2750 Quadra Street, Victoria, BC V8T 4E8 Phone: 250-595-1829 with your credit card in hand Online: Donate over our secure page at DanceVictoria.com In Person: at Dance Victoria Studios (we’ll give you a tour) or at the Royal and McPherson Box Offices Dance Victoria is a federally registered charity and will provide a tax-deductible receipt for all donations $10 and over. Charitable # 87377 5522 RR0001

4 Footnotes • Issue 64 • Winter 2020

Free classes Friday, January 31 to Sunday, February 9, 2020 It’ll move you for 10 days in January and February!

Dance Days is a city-wide 10-day celebration of dance with workshops, performances, conversations and the chance to experience free dance classes in a variety of styles: afrobeat, seated dance, flamenco, ballet and more. Look for the complete calendar of classes at DanceVictoria.com.

Experience the World’s Best Dance at the Royal Theatre with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo in Le Lac des Cygnes (Swan Lake, Act II), Go for Barocco, and Paquita on February 4, and Kidd Pivot in Revisor on February 7 and 8. What a week of dance!

Mobilefriendly le schedu online

ROUGH CUTS: PRODUCER’S SELECTION

January 31 + February 1, 2020 • Metro Studio Theatre (Quadra at Johnson) See new works-in-progress by the west coast's hottest choreographers. These performances are FREE, but donations are appreciated to help feed new work. Limited seating. RSVP at DanceVictoria.com.

A+A January 31 • Friday • 5:30 – 6:30 pm Choreographers & Performers: Alexis Fletcher, Andrew Bartee Alexis and Andrew spent a month in residency at Dance Victoria Studios creating A + A, which premiered at the Chutzpah! Festival Vancouver in November 2019.

Alexis Fletcher is a dance artist and independent choreographer who has danced with Ballet BC for the past 14 years. She co-produces The Dance Deck, a grassroots performance series with her husband, Sylvain Senez.

Andrew Bartee is a dance artist, maker and educator based in Vancouver and Seattle. He has toured nationally and internationally with Ballet BC, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Whim W’him, and Kate Wallich + The YC. Want to attend? RSVP to rsvp@dancevictoria.com with “A + A” in the subject line.

Presenters’ Roundtable February 1 • Saturday • 11:15 am MacPherson Playhouse Lobby • Free Join facilitator Dr. Allana Lindgren in an enriching conversation with local dance artists and visiting dance presenters.

Limited capacity. Want to attend? RSVP to rsvp@dancevictoria.com with “Roundtable” in the subject line.

Photos: Helen Walkley’s John by Chris Randle, Alexis Fletcher and Andrew Bartee’s A + A by Cindi Wicklund. Roundtable discussion by Tracy Smith.

John (Excerpt) January 31 • Friday • 3:30 – 4:30 pm Choreographer: Helen Walkley Performers: Josh Martin, Billy Marchenski | Composer: James Maxwell John is a memoir of Helen Walkley’s oldest brother who disappeared from Vancouver in May 1969, never to be heard from again. Walkley sourced from family letters dating from 1959 to 2010, leading up to his disappearance.

Helen Walkley is a Vancouver contemporary dance who has lived and worked in Germany, the Netherlands and the U.S. She is a certified Laban Movement Analyst and has an MFA in Interdisciplinary Studies from SFU. Want to attend? RSVP to rsvp@dancevictoria.com with “John” in the subject line.

DanceVictoria.com • 5

#MMIW February 1 • Saturday • 2:00 – 3:00 pm Choreographers: Lindsay Delaronde & Indigenous Women’s Performing Arts Collective Performers: Lindsay Delaronde, Cheryl Henhawke, Nicole Mandaryk, Elowynn Rose Curiosity brought these artists together to explore Indigenous stories of injustice into the realm of movement and a shared vision healing violence through dance, performance and storytelling.

Lindsay Delaronde was raised on the Kahnawake reservation. She is a multi-disciplinary artist and facilitator of traditional workshops and holds an MFA in Indigenous Communities Counseling Psychology from UVic. Indigenous Women’s Performing Arts Collective gathers to heal intergenerational and historical trauma from the impacts of colonization.

Want to attend? RSVP to rsvp@dancevictoria.com with “#MMIW” in the subject line.

OFF CENTRE (Excerpt) February 1 • Saturday • 4:00 – 5:00 pm Choreographer: Sujit Vaidya Performers: Curtis Andrews, Arun Mathai and Sujit Vaidya Reflecting on the disorientation of immersing himself in the ideas of an ancient art form while living in today’s world as a gay man, Sujit Vaidya creates OFF CENTRE from a deeply personal space.

Sujit Vaidya was the first South Asian artist to receive the Vancouver City’s Mayor’s Award for Best Emerging Dance Artist in 2010. He is an independent Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dance) artist and has performed in Canada, U.S., Europe and India.

Want to attend? RSVP to rsvp@dancevictoria.com with “OFF CENTRE” in the subject line.

Photos: #MMIW by Elowynn Rose, OFF CENTRE by Paul Elliott. Video/stills of Angela Mousseau’s and Kelly Hobson’s works by Lyle Almond.

Clown for Hire February 1 • Saturday • 6:00 – 7:00 pm Choreographer: Angela Mousseau Performers: Ellie Bishop, Ted Littlemore, Esrael Haile “I have built a career out of self-deprecating humour and I don’t want to do that anymore. Do you understand what self-deprecation means when it comes from somebody who already exists in the margins? It’s not humility, it’s humiliation. I put myself down in order to speak, in order to seek permission to speak, and I simply will not do that anymore. If that means my comedy career is over, then, so be it.” — Hannah Gadsby, Nanette Want to attend? RSVP to rsvp@dancevictoria.com with “New Works” in the subject line.

What Remains of Chelsea Jane (Excerpts) February 1 • Saturday • 6:00 – 7:00 pm Choreographer: Kelly Hobson Performers: Ana Laura Aranda Garcia, Erick Alexis Aguirre Cisneros, Esrael Haile, Makenzie Svenson, Anna Lawrance, Natsumi Tsuruta, Noah McKimm, Jared Middleton Writing: Chelsea Jane | Music: Hank Pine This work is based on the writing of Vancouver Island-based writer Chelsea Jane. Haunting and raw, this is a visceral interpretation of grief in the shadow of the overdose crisis.

Angela Mousseau and Kelly Hobson participated in a two-week Choreographic Lab intensive at Dance Victoria Studios this past summer with Artistic Directors Justine A. Chambers and Susan Elliott. For Dance Days, they will share works they further developed from the lab. Mousseau is a 2002 graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where she majored in modern dance. She is on faculty at Dansko Studios, Boston Dance Collective, Westcoast Performing Arts Academy, the Victoria Academy of Ballet, and resident choreographer of Convergence Contemporary Ballet.

Hobson is a dance artist, choreographer, teacher, actor and musician and the Artistic Director of the Victoria School of Contemporary Dance and founder of Dance Berserker Dance.

Want to attend? RSVP to rsvp@dancevictoria.com with “New Works” in the subject line.

6 Footnotes • Issue 60 • Winter 2020

Dance Victoria News At Dance Victoria’s Annual General Meeting on November 3, 2019, Board President Susan K.E. Howard and Executive Producer Stephen White summarized Dance Victoria’s 22nd season. Dance Victoria has had a strong and steady increase in box office revenues and subscription sales over the past five seasons. Box office revenue has climbed 43% and subscriptions are up 23%. The Board thanked Kari McLay and Susan Porter who stepped down, but remain on Dance Victoria’s Resource Council.

Susan Porter is a Chartered Professional Accountant who began her career with Thorne Riddell (now KPMG). She honed her skills in the private and public sectors before launching her financial management services practice in 1997. Susan has worked extensively with nonprofits and is an alumnus of the Institute of Corporate Directors’ NotFor-Profit Governance Essentials program. Volunteerism has been a constant throughout her 30-year career. She has served on boards and committees for various organizations including the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, the Capital Mental Health Association,

School District No. 62 (Sooke), and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC. Kari McLay will continue in her role as Producer and chief fundraiser for the annual Cherish: A Glamorous Evening of Fashion and Philanthropy in support of Dance Victoria and Victoria Women’s Transition House. She is owner of Tulipe Noire Clothing and a Clean Beauty advocate for Santa Monica-based Beautycounter. She is academically trained as a clinical Social Worker with a business ethic to give back to her community. She served on Dance Victoria’s Board of Directors and is the Reception Lead Sponsor for our Dance at the Royal series.

Other members who stepped down are René Peloquin and Nikki Sieben. Members elected Emily Zeng as the new Treasurer who is continuing in her two-year term. Stacey Horton and Robert Millar were elected as new Directors. Directors continuing in their two-year terms are Andrew Newcombe as Vice-President, and Kirsty Thomson. Directors re-elected for two-year terms are Susan K. E. Howard and Colin Nicol.

Dance Victoria is fortunate to have the support of many people.

Thank you. It means a lot to us and to the dance community in Victoria. The following have donated to our Fall Donor Campaign.

(October 1 – December 11, 2019).

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE Mavis Begg Vivian Love John & Susan Pallett Melany & Tye Startek PATRON Anonymous Dr. Frank & Brenda Jagdis Bill Graham &Helen McDonald Joan McNeely Roy Nikaido Jennifer & Paul Sobkin Patricia Taylor SUPPORTER Anonymous Norah Garyali Mark & Diana Gillis Andrea Katz Ryan Mullins Sharon Walls & Warren Magnusson ASSOCIATE Anonymous x 4 Ardor P. M. Bond Christine Dalziel Mavis DeGirolamo & Bill Corbin Peggy Firstbrook Jodi Ganton Ben & Carla Levinson R. Joan Penny Terry Phipps Paula & Luc Sauvé

FRIEND Tracey Farrington Gordon D. Fulton Evelyn & Jim Hoffman Betty Person Connie Phelan Susan Jacobs Yvan Jean Proulx NUTCRACKER KIDS DONORS (not acknowledged in Nutcracker program): Anonymous x 4 Pamela Abra Sean Guist Holly McDonald Mackenzie Mekelburg 2M Consulting Ltd Harbour City Kitchens Kenneth Seidman Gail Squire We are pleased to acknowledge the generous support of the Royal and McPherson Theatres Society for waiving box office fees on the 150 tickets we were able to provide to Victoria Women’s Transition House.

A special thank you to Melissa O’Shea, Box Office Manager.

Business Cards Rack Cards & Post Cards Newsletters & Calendars Brochures & Flyers

609 Dunedin St., Victoria BC V8T 2L7 250-590-2998 www.fastracprinting.com

DanceVictoria.com • 7

New Funds at Victoria Foundation Make Dance More Accessible Spring Raffle Proceeds from our raffle support the many artists whose projects are developed in our studios and then performed across the country and around the world. Tickets will first be on sale at the Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo performance on February 4, 2020 at the Royal Theatre. The amazing prize packages include:

Two new funds have been established at the Victoria Foundation that will make dance classes and performances more accessible for local dancers.

The Dancer Access Program, established by Patty Pitts (above left) at the Victoria Foundation, supports the purchase of tickets to each Dance Victoria presentation as well as Dance Victoria programs for adult dancers facing financial barriers. The structure of the program is unique in that a dance instructor will be selected annually to submit the names of potential Dancer Access Program recipients.

Dancers must be at least 18 years or age; have a passion for dance; and face financial barriers that prevent them from purchasing tickets to dance performances and/or workshops.

“I’ve been an adult dancer for several years, first at Raino and now at Seda Dance, and often heard how many of my fellow dancers couldn’t afford to see the visiting performers who inspire them,” explains Patty. “That prompted me to approach Dance Victoria about setting up a fund to provide tickets, so income wasn’t a barrier to seeing professional performances.”

The Arabella and Robert Award for Dance, established by Arabella Martin and her partner Robert Britten (above right) at The Victoria Foundation, supports an international dance training scholarship enabling Canadian dancers to continue their full-time professional dance training at a recognized international dance institution. Dance Victoria Society will publicize an annual application process in parallel to its Chrystal Dance Prize – Training. A committee of dance professionals, including Arabella, will consider the submissions and select a winner. The competition will be open to applicants from across Canada that have been accepted at a recognized international professional dance training program in a subsequent year. The eligibility guidelines will be consistent with DV’s Chrystal Dance Prize – Training guidelines.

“As talent often doesn’t come hand-in-hand with money, many dancers need funding to realize a dancing career,” explains Arabella.

“We feel that it is vitally important to give back to this community, and I really believe “Art is food for the soul” and it needs to be nourished!” FN

• GRAND PRIZE: Vision Travel Package $2,500 gift certificate for a travel package from Vision Travel.* *Redeemable only with Martina Peladeau at Vision Travel at 116 – 4480 West Saanich Rd. Victoria, B.C. Valid only on cruise, tour and package bookings with a minimum value of $1,250 per person. Subject to booking fees of $100 per person plus GST. (Value $2,500) • PACKAGE 1: Victoria Athletic Club One-year membership at Victoria’s premiere fitness facility, the Victoria Athletic Club at the Grand Pacific Hotel. (Value $1,100) • PACKAGE 2: Beautiful You Lifestyle Package Package includes a shopping spree at Tulipe Noire Clothing premium fashion on Oak Bay Avenue, Outlooks for Men, Hughes Clothing, Beautycounter skincare products, and a styling & products package from Carreiro Studio Salon on Broad Street or at their new location at Broadmead Village.

(Value $1,150) • PACKAGE 3: Luxe Interior Design Package A $1,000 gift certificate and complimentary interior design consultation with a talented Luxe Home Interior Designer.

(Value $1,000) Tickets are $10 each or a book of five for $40. With fewer than 2,000 printed, your odds are great, plus you’ll be supporting Victoria’s vibrant dance community.

Draw: May 12, 2020, 2:00 pm at Dance Victoria Studios. Licence #122099

RAFFLE PARTNERS

8 Footnotes • Issue 64 • Winter 2020

Sell your home.

Support Dance Victoria.

Dance at the Royal Best Seats. Best Prices. The World’s Best Dance.

Subscribers can buy additional tickets at Dance Victoria any time of the year and save up to 20%. DanceVictoria.com. All performances at the Royal Theatre.

Choose a DFH realtor below and mention Dance Victoria when you buy or sell your property. Ten percent of the realtor’s commission helps bring The World’s Best Dance to our community.

Maureen Vincent maureenvincent68@gmail.com 250-656-0131 John Melvin john@johnmelvinproperties.ca 250-477-7291 Peter Crichton crichton@islandnet.com 250-477-7291 Rosemary Tulett homes@rosemarytulett.com 250-477-7291 Dorothee Friese dorothee@shaw.ca 250-477-7291

LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO COMIC BALLET

February 4, 2020 • 8:00 PM Mixed Program A perfectly polished parody of the highest order with excerpts from Swan Lake (Act II), Go for Barocco and Paquita. “A heady mix of high art and comedy, while preserving the magic of the ballet.” – Globe and Mail

BALLET BC CONTEMPORARY March 13 + 14, 2020 • 7:30 PM Romeo + Juliet Medhi Walerski’s fresh and thoughtprovoking retelling of the classic story, set to Sergei Prokofiev’s original score, profoundly resonates today. Dance Victoria experienced this production at its premiere in Vancouver and were moved by its beauty and innovative choreography.

Terry Moore tlmoore@shaw.ca 250-477-7291

CONTEMPORARY DANCE THEATRE

TANIA PÉREZSALAS COMPAÑÍA DE DANZA CONTEMPORARY

February 7 + 8, 2020 • 7:30 PM Revisor

May 1 + 2, 2020 • 7:30 PM Mixed Program

Sold out in Vancouver at its premiere—and tickets are going quickly for the performances at the Royal! Nine Kidd Pivot dancers embody the recorded dialogue of some of Canada’s finest actors, exploring conflict, comedy and corruption in the potent relationship between language and the body.

Mexico’s leading choreographer brings a mixed program of contemporary works, Ex-Stasis and 3. Catorce Dieciséis, with intense theatricality and breathtaking imagery: a joyful feast for the senses!

KIDD PIVOT