Ballet BC Returns to the Royal Theatre After Successful European Tour
Royal Theatre, March 15 + 16, 7:30 pm
After its successful UK tour to London’s Sadler’s Wells and theatres from Brighton to Newcastle, Ballet BC will return to Victoria’s Royal Theatre with innovative works by three next-generation contemporary dance makers. When Emily Molnar became Artistic Director of Ballet BC, she had a vision for the company: to develop and create new work and reach new audiences.
Molnar is a former member of The National Ballet of Canada, Ballet BC, and Ballet Frankfurt, and Artistic Director of Dance at the Banff Centre. Under her leadership, Ballet BC has become a leader in the creation, production and education of contemporary dance in Canada. Bold and innovative, the Company is a hotbed for the creation and performance of new works – more than 45 – by Canadian and international choreographers. Over the past two seasons, Ballet BC has toured to Europe and the U.S. playing to standing ovations and critical acclaim.
The company brings three very different contemporary ballet works to Victoria. A brand new creation by Molnar called To this day inspired by three songs from Jimi Hendrix’s Blues album that draws on the idea of finding one’s voice. Molnar collaborated closely with the dancers to create the movement phrases, taking inspiration from important moments in history from when the Hendrix songs were made: landing on the moon; Woodstock; Martin Luther King; the radical art collective; the Gutai group in post-war Japan and more. With Molnar, the dancers examined how their personal stories sat inside of those concepts.
Beginning After by Cayetano Soto is a hauntingly beautiful exploration set to Handel’s Giulio Cesare and Arianna in Creta that questions “Which reality is going to be your truth?” showcasing Soto’s skill and artistry like never before. Caught between memory and truth, driving choreography set to Handel’s exquisite score explores the often ambiguous, murky space between the two. Watch an excerpt of Soto’s Beginning After. Soto served as Resident Choreographer for Ballet BC from September 2015 to April 2018.
Petite Cérémonie by Medhi Walerski is an audience favourite, commissioned specifically for Ballet BC. The sensitive and sometimes funny episodic work is like a quirky essay about the ways we can “box ourselves in.” Walerski’s choreography was created out of responses from the dancers after asking them “what life in a box” meant to them and how restriction can be a constraint and opportunity. White boxes on the stage and movement phrases represent people’s thoughts and both the connection and autonomy they need. Dance Europe calls Walerski “an original voice” who makes dances that are “out of this world…a dreamlike experience. A dream you never want to wake from.” Walerski created Romeo + Juliet this year for the company, which was supported in part by Dance Victoria’s Chrystal Dance Prize. Watch an excerpt of Walerski’s Petite Cérémonie.
Full Media Release available here.