Looking for an apartment with a spectacular view? Look no further than Dance Innovations, the Dance Department’s annual festival of contemporary choreography.
From the engaging interplay of bodies in “White Light”, to the flowing fabric of the ethnically-themed “Silence”, to the merry “Bach Dual”, York’s dance artists are showcasing their creative talents in two series. The Apartment and The View are running until March 19 in the intimate Joseph G. Green Studio Theatre located in the Centre for Film & Theatre on York’s Keele campus.
The Apartment, directed by York dance professor, alumna (BFA ‘77) and award-winning choreographer Holly Small, features inspired collaborations by fourth-year and graduate students. This collection of original works ranges across many different performance traditions, from ballet, First Nations and Persian dance to performance art, hip-hop and jazz dance. A common point of departure for the creators of these pieces was the photo mural, titled The Apartment at Abars, created by visual arts student Amy Friend, which has been installed in the lobby of the Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts.
The View spotlights the third-year repertory class performing original choreography by alumna (BA Hons.‘73) and York dance instructor Carol Anderson, and the York Dance Ensemble (YDE), under the artistic direction of Susan Cash (BFA ‘78). The YDE’s ambitious program includes works by Cash as well as dance legend Patricia Beatty; hip-hop choreographer Leon Blackwood; York instructor Terrill Maguire; dancer/choreographer and alumna Yvonne Ng (BFA ‘87); and York graduate student Su-Lin Tseng.
Dance Innovations is simply staged with stimulating works in solo, pairs and group performances on alternate nights. Catch The View on March 18, at 6pm and March 19 at 8pm, and The Apartment on March 18, at 8pm and March 19, at 6pm. Access to this apartment with its incredible views is an affordable $8 (cash only) at the door. For more information, call the Dance Department at ext. 58030.