For the Love of Dance

Bah Ooh Chah

A jazz/contemporary dance duet

Choreographed by Elizabeth Emond-Stevenson

Performed by Audrée Papineau-Chartrand and Lois Chan

Bah Ooh Chah is a playful reclamation of space sculpted by two performers and their movement and connection to each other, the audience and the music. I invite you to watch, listen and feel your way through the dance.

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​Elizabeth Emond-Stevenson is the body behind TAKE UP SPACE. An emerging franco-ontarienne dance artist & writer from Orléans, ON, she searches to manifest the unique possibilities unfolding within a spatial/energetic/musical landscape and is fascinated by the many ways an idea can be transmitted through art. She creates, performs and collaborates through connections between people, places and artforms.

Kaleh-ro-ro

A Persian dance

Choreographed and originally performed by Maria Sabaye

Presented here as a solo by Liz Winkelaar.

The dance is about a naughty girl who mischievously confides in her aunt: "I am six months married and seven months pregnant. What am I to do dearest auntie?" Her aunt expresses her shock while the girl playfully grooms herself to prepare to party.

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Maria Sabaye is a Persian dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She draws on Persian literature, folklore and miniature paintings to create movements and a unique style of storytelling. Khaleh-ro-ro is based on theatrical games played by Iranian women in villages and is inspired by the work of Enjavi Shirazi, a pioneer in folklore research in Iran.

Batu Nritya and Sitar Magic in Dance

The Indian classical dance styles of Oddissi and Kathak

Presented by Saveeta Sharma

Odissi is a Classical Indian Dance form from Eastern, coastal India. It is a highly devotional dance style which tells stories pertaining to ancient scriptures and Hindu deities. Mudras (hand gestures), Adavus (footwork), and Abhinaya (facial or theatrical expressions) are used to tell these stories with precision and prowess.

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​Kathak is a form of classical Indian dance, popularized in northern India by bards of traveling performing artists known as Kathars (or storytellers). Through the use of incredibly elaborate footwork, challenging spins, and upper body movement, Kathars tell ancient tales from Hindu scriptures and mythology.

Three Layers

Mambo Jazz, Rueda Salsa, and Urban Bachata choreographed by Linh (Vu Hai) Nguyen.

Latin music and movement practices are gaining more attention worldwide. The three pieces presented are just little tastes of the diverse and flavourful Latin genres. In her choreography, Linh focuses on preserving unique elements of Latin social dances (e.g. structured improvisation) and movement vocabulary (e.g. mambo footwork) while exploring novel spacing arrangements and formation changes.

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Captivated by the rhythm of salsa, Linh started dancing salsa and other Latin social dances in 2014. Since then, she’s trained with many local and international artists including Masacote Entertainment from Boston and Latin world champion Anya Katsevman from NYC. In the last two years, Linh has shared her passion and knowledge by choreographing routines and running weekly practices for uOSalsa, a university club. Her work has been presented to hundreds of people at major Latin congresses in Montreal, Toronto, and of course locally in Ottawa.

Étoile et Ocean

A theatrical contemporary dance solo choreographed and performed by Chelsea Passmore

When you’re transported back

To another time in your life

By dream or otherwise

It’s an unreal time

It feels different

And yet the same

You have grown stronger

But you’re weakened just the same

Are we dreaming?

Structured improvisation by Frithjof Lutscher and Isabelle Michaud, directed by Lola Ryan

“Are we dreaming” is inspired by the iconic Zen philosopher Alan Watts, who presents an original approach to one's experience of dreaming with a typically wry challenge at its conclusion. The music allows us to embody the arc of sleep and dream, it supports our desire to explore the nuances of the dream state in dance, and it mirrors the more

forceful elements of nightmare realities.

Our ‘style’ is structured improvisation. The movement is improvised in every moment, unforeseeable, unplanned, yet rooted in highly disciplined practice within the constraints of timing, phrasing and momentum. It follows the flow of our bodies in space and time with the intention to be fully present with each other.

Bloom

A heels choreography by Laura Bacic

Bloom is a celebration of female sensuality through dance.

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Laura was born and raised in Ottawa and first put on a pair of heels in 2015. Since then she has sought out training in Toronto, Los Angeles, and New York City. In August 2016 she attended the Galen Hooks Method which completely changed her view of dance. Laura learned valuable insight about herself as a dancer and performer that changed her approach to dance and she started to pursue the art seriously. She loves to create choreography for the female body and will often utilize sharp, clean lines and stillness in her movement. Laura is grateful to have had the opportunity to train with Galen Hooks, Aisha Francis, and most recently Kaela Faloon with the Sensual Heeling company. She hopes to be able to continue empowering women through dance regardless of where life takes her.

Lighten Up

A choreography modified for a chair by Kathleen Legassick

I created this piece a month after having knee surgery, while in recovery. My goal for this work was to find simplicity in my movement and have a genuine reaction to my feelings in that moment. “Lighten Up” is about being honest and kind to yourself and simply finding joy in the little things. A special thank you to Sarah Hopkin for your outside eye and input to this piece.

I was born and raised in Ottawa Ontario where I trained at the Canadian School of Dance for 15 years. I now hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ryerson University’s Performance Dance Program. Throughout my career I have had the honour of working and performing with companies and choreographers including; Peggy Baker, Bouchardanse, ProArteDanza, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, David Earle Dance Theatre, Chartier Danse, Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie, Gadfly, Louis Laberge-Côté, ACE Dance Theatre, Kylie Thompson Dance and Transcen|Dance Project.  I was fortunate enough to be involved in Dusk Dances Festival 2018, where I toured across Ontario and Quebec. In 2017, I performed in The Movement Gallery at the Odd Box Theatre as well as Dark Horse Dance Projects at the School of Dance. Most recently, I was one of this year’s Peggy Baker Dance Projects RBC Emerging Artists.

Thillana

A Thillana in Bharata Natyam Style of Indian Classical Dance choreographed and directed by Sheela Rao, performed by four of her students.

Today’s performance is called Thillana. Thillana is performed at the end of a Bharatha Natyam (classical recital). It brings out the full beauty of an abstract dance creation. The intricate rhythmic pattern brings out ecstasy and joy in the dance. The many poses in the dance are taken from poses on temple walls. In Thillana, there are many delicate and enticing movements of the eyes, eyebrows, neck, and body. The various combinations of intricate and difficult steps are done in three different speeds......a visual treat to the eyes.

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​Sheela Chandrashekar is the founder and director of Rathi School of Dance. Sheela’s mandate is to nurture the authentic traditions of classical Bharatanatyam and produce performers, choreographers and teachers who will continue to preserve and create traditional and contemporary works in this style of Indian classical dance.