Live Art Dance unveiled a season that moves from pretty and playful to deep and dirty in its exploration of opposites, artistic director Paul Caskey said Thursday.
The 2010-11 season features three world premieres and potent works from across Canada and China.
Paul-Andre Fortier’s Cabane is a wandering piece about shelter, how we use space and what we put into it. It’s been performed in parking garages, train stations and ballrooms and Caskey is scouting Halifax for unexpected stages. He’s got his eye on the Armoury, if he can convince the military to let a dance troupe in among the tanks.
“The nature of the work is to question our interaction with shelter,” Caskey said. “It’s a hot topic.”
Montreal Danse will be back in Halifax with Troglodyte Plastique, complete with masks found in a Dartmouth Value Village. Vancouver’s Wen Wei Wang returned to China for the first time in 20 years to create Under the Skin, which contrasts freedom in Canada with the emerging liberty in China.
Thursday’s season launch featured a sultry short from SINS (Sometimes in Nova Scotia) dancers Susanne Chui and Jacinte Armstrong. The troupe is bringing in reinforcements to take its series on the seven deadly sins to Xs (“excess”) with Vancouver-based choreographer Daelik.
Live Art usually only takes finished pieces, but Xs will be created at the Ross Creek Centre for Arts in the weeks leading up to its October run.
“Daelik has a multi-disciplinary background in theatre and dance,” Armstrong said. “He does contemporary dance rooted improvisation and contact improvisation.”
They also needed an “actor-mover,” so SINS turned to Cory Bowles. The Halifax artist dances with Verve Mwendo and played Cory on the Trailer Park Boys.
Tickets and subscriptions are available at 420-0003, liveart@eastlink.ca or via www.liveartproductions.ca.
2010-11 Lineup
• La ou je vis by Le Carre des Lombes, Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, Sir James Dunn Theatre.
• Xs by SINS, Oct. 7 to 9, Sir James Dunn Theatre.
• 24 Preludes by Chopin and The Rite of Spring by Company Marie Chouinard, Nov. 17, Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.
• Troglodyte Plastique by Montreal Danse, Jan. 20 to 22, Sir James Dunn Theatre.
• Cabane by Paul-Andre Fortier at various locations, Feb, 17 to 19.
• Salt Truck Follies, Live Art annual fundraiser, March 5.
• Under the Skin by Wen Wei Dance with Beijing Modern Dance Company, March 19, Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.
• Audible by 605 Collective, May 5 to 7, Sir James Dunn Theatre.
