Guelph Dance Defines Gravity in the 18th Annual Guelph Dance Festival!

We are thrilled to announce the lineup for the 18^th Annual Guelph Dance Festival, June 2-5, 2016. Bigger and better than ever, Guelph Dance will host 18 dance companies in 9 performances in 5 venues! We promise to define gravity in new ways this season, with dances on ice to dances in trees. We know there is something for everyone, with ticket prices ranging from, well, FREE to $30.

Here’s a little taste of what’s on offer this year. We encourage you to read the full details on our website. 

 

IN THE PARK

The wildly-popular, pay-what-you-can In the Park series features four companies this year:

·  Aeriosa, from Vancouver, performs “Birds Land Too,” a part-aerial, part-land piece that is derived from the behavior of birds
(photo right: Nicholas Podbrey)

·   Ferenc Feher travels from Hungary to perform “Tao Te,” an explosive male duet

·   Mississauga-based Frog in Hand brings “Dragon,” a piece that includes theatrical sword work

·   the local Hidden Heart Collective performs “Oblivion Shift,” exploring missed connections

These four companies perform in Exhibition Park on Thursday, June 2 at 7:00 pm, Saturday, June 4 at 12:00 pm, and Sunday, June 5 at 12:00 pm, and – new this year - at Hanlon Creek Park on Friday, June 3 at 5:30 pm.

ON THE STAGE

The On the Stage shows take place on two different stages this year: the Cooperator’s Hall at River Run Centre and the University of Guelph’s Gold Ice Rink. Ticket prices range from $15-30.

· Le Patin Libre, a Montreal-based ice skating dance troupe, is featured in On the Stage A, on Friday, June 3, 8 pm. Performing at the University of Guelph’s Gold Ice Rink, this company exploits the idea of glide in its full-length piece “Vertical Influences.” (Photo right: Le Patin Libre (Alicia Clarke)

·  Julia Sasso dances (Toronto) and Suzanne Miller & Allan Paivio Productions (Montreal), both long-time members of Canada’s professional dance community, perform in On the Stage B, Saturday, June 4, 8 pm (River Run Centre). Sasso’s group performs “Sporting Life,” a piece that mirrors our fragilities and perverse lust for violence. Miller & Paivio bring “The Water Project: THIRST,” which reflects on the perilous crisis of water as a global issue.

 

IN THE STUDIO

Sara Porter is featured at our In the Studio event, taking place at the Guelph Youth Studios on Saturday, June 4, at 4:00 pm. In this intimate performance, sure to sell out quickly, Porter performs “Sara does a Solo,” a fearless account of an aging body and reflective mind. Ticket prices range from $15-20. (Photo right: Sara Porter (Tamara Romanchuk)

LOCAL INITIATIVES
Local Initiatives, Guelph Dance’s commitment to fostering the local dance community, features Capacitance, a multidisciplinary, improvisational performance produced and curated by Guelph dancer Lynette Segal. The show takes place on Sunday, June 5, at 2:00 pm at the Guelph Youth Studios, and is pay-what-you-can.

YOUTH MOVES

Festival favourite, YouthMoves, features 9 youth dance companies from across Southern Ontario in a professionally-produced performance at the River Run Centre, Sunday, June 5, at 4:00 pm. Youth Moves is the place to see the next generation of dance artists in action, before they’re famous! Tickets range from $15-20.

WORKSHOPS, CONVERSATIONS, YOUTH & TEEN DANCE DAYS

There are several educational opportunities throughout the Festival, including free post-show chats following In the Studio and Local Initiatives; a free pre-showchat facilitated by Sara Porter before On the Stage B; an ice dance workshop with Le Patin Libre at 9:30 am on Saturday, June 4 ($20); a workshop in Skinner Releasing Technique with Julia Sasso at 9:30 am on Sunday, June 5 ($20); Youth Dance Day on Friday, June 3, with a full afternoon and evening of dance activities ($32); and Teen Dance Day on Saturday, June 4, with a full morning and afternoon of dance activities ($45).

Photo Below: Dance Market (Lydia Summerlee)

DANCE MARKET

The fun and interactive Dance Market is back at Exhibition Park this year, following the Saturday and Sunday In the Park performances. Stick around after the show to participate in short demos given by area movement practitioners. It's the perfect way to try out yoga, pilates, gyrokinesis, and more!

TICKETS
Tickets for all ticketed events, including workshops and youth and teen dance day, can be purchased through the River Run Centre Box Office (www.riverrun.ca; 519-763-3000). In the Park, Dance Market, and Local Initiatives are all pay-what-you-can events. More information about the gravity-defining 18^th Annual Guelph Dance Festival can be found on our website at www.guelphdance.ca.  Mark your calendars and purchase your tickets now so you don’t miss Guelph’s premier dance event of the year!

Look for our poster around town! Thanks to Gareth Lind for the design. 

Photo: Julia Sasso dances (Nicole Rivelli)