Today I was totally excited to do some dancing in WIthrow Park at the 20th annual Dusk Dances festival. As it turns out, the Dusk Dances evening is a series of dance performances all over the park - not happening simultaneously but one after the other and the entire audience moves together around the park to watch each performance.
So I spent the first 15 minutes in the park very confused. Once I joined the big group of people listening to a band (No dancing in sight. Apparently, there's an opening band), I got on track for an evening of six very different dances. Each dance was better than the last. So feel free to skip the first one, but definitely do not miss the last three.
So I spent the first 15 minutes in the park very confused. Once I joined the big group of people listening to a band (No dancing in sight. Apparently, there's an opening band), I got on track for an evening of six very different dances. Each dance was better than the last. So feel free to skip the first one, but definitely do not miss the last three.
The above is a picture of the first dance. The dancer was extremely impressive but I can't say that I loved the dance. I just didn't get it.
There were some odd props that were supposed to have some significance but I couldn't see it. First, she had this white confetti that the dancer spread all over herself and the ground. Then there were these plastic flowers sticking into the ground (which you can see in the photo above), which the dancer fell in at one point, then plucked and moved to a different area and stuck back in the ground. Finally, there were balloons. About six small white balloons were tied to the dancer's skirt. The dancer periodically removed each and let it go. Don't ask me what any of it meant.
After the performance, I looked in the program - the description said, "La Vie is a glimpse into a treasure that disappears in the blink of an eye. It's a path forward, letting the past settle, and moving towards the unknown, not without fear, but with willing eyes. The terrains of our lives vary from rivers, to meadows, to mountains, but the pounding of our own heart is something we should always remember to trust." Yeah, I didn't get that.
There were some odd props that were supposed to have some significance but I couldn't see it. First, she had this white confetti that the dancer spread all over herself and the ground. Then there were these plastic flowers sticking into the ground (which you can see in the photo above), which the dancer fell in at one point, then plucked and moved to a different area and stuck back in the ground. Finally, there were balloons. About six small white balloons were tied to the dancer's skirt. The dancer periodically removed each and let it go. Don't ask me what any of it meant.
After the performance, I looked in the program - the description said, "La Vie is a glimpse into a treasure that disappears in the blink of an eye. It's a path forward, letting the past settle, and moving towards the unknown, not without fear, but with willing eyes. The terrains of our lives vary from rivers, to meadows, to mountains, but the pounding of our own heart is something we should always remember to trust." Yeah, I didn't get that.
Read more about each dance and the festival by clicking "Read More" below.
After the third dance, my phone died. So I don't have any more pictures to share unfortunately. But it's pretty much a miracle that my phone has been charged and with me to take pictures on the other days.
Overall, I enjoyed my evening. The last three dances were fantastic, and even though I didn't get the first one, I was impressed by the dancer and her dancing.
I might have enjoyed the evening more if I had understood what it was going to be and wasn't looking forward to dancing myself. I love to dance so I guess that's no surprise. I still have 33 days left, so I think I'll manage to get some dancing in before the big day...and after.
After the third dance, my phone died. So I don't have any more pictures to share unfortunately. But it's pretty much a miracle that my phone has been charged and with me to take pictures on the other days.
Overall, I enjoyed my evening. The last three dances were fantastic, and even though I didn't get the first one, I was impressed by the dancer and her dancing.
I might have enjoyed the evening more if I had understood what it was going to be and wasn't looking forward to dancing myself. I love to dance so I guess that's no surprise. I still have 33 days left, so I think I'll manage to get some dancing in before the big day...and after.
The second dance was a mask dance, that combined an Indonesian mask dance and a Cambodian mask dance. It was really cool. Although it got weird when they finished dancing in the their masks, the music changed from traditional drumming to modern hip hop-ey-type music and the dancers started doing some choreographed modern dance moves.
In the third dance, there was not a lot of dance. Four women did a whole lot of running. As I watched it, I did feel like I was understanding the story. But I found the dance a bit boring - too much synchronized and purposely non-synchronized running.
The next three dances were fantastic! The fourth dance was hilarious. I laughed the entire time. "Inner City Sirens, Part II" is described as "Reigning World Champions in the sport of pairs synchronized swimming for petite pools! ...." Yes, the two "dancers" were in hilarious super hero swim outfits and swim caps with rubber ducks cut into the centre of the forehead. They did an impressive and splashy synchronized routine in the tiny inflatable pools, accompanied by a percussionist who occasionally used a dog's squeaky toy with total sincerity and a guy with a loud speaker making really strange noises. Ending with the two swimmers storming off and the percussionist and loud speaker guy finishing the performance in the two turtle pools.
Dance number five was an energetic African dance piece with lots of drumming, bright red and yellow costumes, and incredible dancing. It made me want to do some African dancing. There was a lot of clapping and shouting (by the audience).
The final dance of the evening was a bit far, but well worth it. It was almost dark at this point (around 9:00 pm) but the "stage" was created using a ton of little lights on each side. The 40 dancers in the piece each brought a light and created the back boundary of the stage. Children and people of all ages were the dancers, and about 10 singers came out near the end and harmonized with the recorded music to create a really beautiful effect.
The program put it beautifully - "Incandescent [the name of the piece], a thoughtful, visually stunning portrait of both the individual and the collective human experience, is inspired by the lyrics of Leonard Cohen's Anthem, 'There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.'"
Now that one I got.
The festival in Withrow Park is on every night this week, starting at 7:00 pm and ending on Sunday night. If you get a chance, check it out. Or check and see if any Dusk Dances are coming out your way.
In the third dance, there was not a lot of dance. Four women did a whole lot of running. As I watched it, I did feel like I was understanding the story. But I found the dance a bit boring - too much synchronized and purposely non-synchronized running.
The next three dances were fantastic! The fourth dance was hilarious. I laughed the entire time. "Inner City Sirens, Part II" is described as "Reigning World Champions in the sport of pairs synchronized swimming for petite pools! ...." Yes, the two "dancers" were in hilarious super hero swim outfits and swim caps with rubber ducks cut into the centre of the forehead. They did an impressive and splashy synchronized routine in the tiny inflatable pools, accompanied by a percussionist who occasionally used a dog's squeaky toy with total sincerity and a guy with a loud speaker making really strange noises. Ending with the two swimmers storming off and the percussionist and loud speaker guy finishing the performance in the two turtle pools.
Dance number five was an energetic African dance piece with lots of drumming, bright red and yellow costumes, and incredible dancing. It made me want to do some African dancing. There was a lot of clapping and shouting (by the audience).
The final dance of the evening was a bit far, but well worth it. It was almost dark at this point (around 9:00 pm) but the "stage" was created using a ton of little lights on each side. The 40 dancers in the piece each brought a light and created the back boundary of the stage. Children and people of all ages were the dancers, and about 10 singers came out near the end and harmonized with the recorded music to create a really beautiful effect.
The program put it beautifully - "Incandescent [the name of the piece], a thoughtful, visually stunning portrait of both the individual and the collective human experience, is inspired by the lyrics of Leonard Cohen's Anthem, 'There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.'"
Now that one I got.
The festival in Withrow Park is on every night this week, starting at 7:00 pm and ending on Sunday night. If you get a chance, check it out. Or check and see if any Dusk Dances are coming out your way.