2019 Dance Days Rough Cuts

They may be masked, hidden or exposed by light. They are precise, they rarely devolve. They never emote. They are a blank canvas of abstract gesture, time and space. They are just a version of themselves, once a version of someone else. They are looking for the pleasure in the emptiness.

Mahaila Patterson-O’Brien is an emerging choreographer in Vancouver, BC. She holds a BFA (Hons.) in Dance from SFU School for the Contemporary Arts and studied at the School for Contemporary Dancers in Winnipeg, MB, and at The University of Winnipeg. Patterson-O’Brien participated in Dance Victoria’s inaugural Summer Choreographic Lab in 2017 under the mentorship of Wen Wei Wang. Her choreography often revolves around abstract gestures and projections.

Self Portrait is a study of identity as an ever-changing and imperfect narrative based in memory. Created in residence at EDAM Dance.

Julianne Chapple’s work explores surreal imagery, objecthood and memory. Drawing on a history of performed movement including circus acrobatics and performance art as well as classical and contemporary dance forms, the edges of the body’s mobility is explored and exploited often to the effect of depersonalizing and fragmenting the human form.

untamed donkeys is an outdoor performance created by Adhana with seven dancers of Indian origin. It premiered in Oslo, Norway in June 2016. After a five-city Norwegian tour, the piece played a variety of public squares in New Delhi, India for six more performances. untamed donkeys is a reaction to recent crimes against women in India. Adhana challenged himself to get at the root of this behaviour, questioning what would motivate a man to behave to inflict sexual violence. Using images from the performances and solo movement, Adhana will introduce the audience to the work.

Sudesh Adhana was born and raised in Faridabad, India. He studied contemporary dance at the National Academy in 2009. He has also studied traditional Indian dance genres, Chhau and Kathakali. An early project by Norwegian choreographer, Sølvi Edvardsen brought him to Norway. Now based in Eina, Norway, Adhana works as a freelance dancer and choreographer. He will perform MAN by Norwegian choreographer Sølvi Edvardsen on January 25, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. at the McPherson Playhouse.

The City of Victoria’s Indigenous Artist in Residence, Lindsay Delaronde will show a section from her second Indigenous Showcase entitled Supernova that plays the Belfry Theatre in early January. Supernova emerged through research into Indigenous mythology and creation stories. In this excerpt of the larger work Delaronde will share performances that invite new pathways for healing the spirit.

Delaronde was born and raised on the Kahnawake reservation and has lived on Canada’s west coast for 13 years. She is a multi-disciplinary artist and facilitator of traditional workshops and holds Masters in Fine Arts and in Indigenous Communities Counseling Psychology from the University of Victoria.

The Choreography Walk, created by Justine A. Chambers, is a 60-minute walk through downtown Victoria during Dance Days 2019. The walk will begin and end at the Atrium. Four local dance artists have been commissioned to develop choreographies for the walk. Participants and passers-by will reconsider how they move in and are moved by the world around them in relation to architecture, street life, urban planning and natural topography. Walkers won’t stop to watch the choreographies. Instead each work will be experienced on approach and in passing.

Inspired and informed by Horton’s personal experience, Concussion uses dance, music and voice to evoke the disorienting, frightening experience of coping with multiple concussions. Ping pong balls scatter around the stage, representing disparate memories, and anyone whose life has been touched by concussion—or indeed by brain conditions such as dementia, stroke, or traumatic brain injuries—will relate to this nuanced, at times humorous, and always-honest tale of memory, loss, trauma, making connections, and accepting change.

Concussion was graciously supported by Dance Victoria’s 2018 Chrystal Dance Award, and premiered in Berlin in August 2018 at ada studio.

Performances:
January 24 • Thursday • 7:00 pm
January 25 • Friday • 7:00 pm
January 26 • Saturday • 7:00 pm