Preview
Alberta Dance Explosions Festival of Choreography
Runs February 10 to 26
Dancers’ Studio West
"It’s like coming to a buffet for the eyes, a buffet for the senses," says Damon Johnston.
The executive director of Dancers’ Studio West is referring to the annual Alberta Dance Explosions Festival of Choreography, which is celebrating its 23rd year this month.
Johnston should know. A veteran of the Calgary dance community and Dancers’ Studio West, he’s watched the festival grow and change over the years.
"I’ve had a history with this society (DSW) that goes back almost to its inception," he points out. "In the beginning, these guys had a big thing going on."
And in recent years he’s been working to make it even bigger.
Johnston, who spent three seasons with DSW when it was a new company, returned to work for the society in September 2000, and has collaborated with DSW’s artistic director, dancer-choreographer Michèle Moss, on the Alberta Dance Explosions for four years.
The festival has changed under the direction of Moss and Johnston. "We decided that we wanted to up the calibre of the festival," says Johnston, "and thereby make it a more important event for the dance community."
The festival, running Thursday through Saturday for three weeks, includes the talents of established and up-and-coming choreographers. Week One will include choreographic works by Polish choreographer Wojciech Mochniej, Melissa Monteros, Edgar Gilbert-Reyes and Amber Teodorovici, Elissa Houk, Lisa Calverley, flamenco-influenced Graziella and Rosanna Terracciano, Neah Kalcounis and Shelly Hering.
"We are attracting people like W+M Physical Theatre, (with Mochniej and Monteros), people like Erin O’Connor and Hannah Stilwell, and Michèle Moss herself, so it’s becoming a bit more sophisticated," says Johnston.
The sophistication mirrors the growth of talent in Calgary’s dance community and a greater local support for dance.
"We’re faring well," says Johnston. "One of the reasons for that, I think, is the BA dance program (at the University of Calgary). In its fairly short existence (it) has made a big impact on the local dance community. They’re generating dance artists and choreographers that are choosing to stay in our community."
Ten or 15 years ago, he says, "young aspiring choreographers and dancers would simply have to pack their bags at some point and move to the larger centres." Now, because they’ve chosen to stay, "they’re having substantial impact on the wealth of talent that we have."
Week Two of Dance Explosions will also include AfterShocks – a late-night mini-festival of short "challenging" works. The unusual lineup of artists includes One Yellow Rabbit’s Stephen Schroeder and actor Phil Sarsons, among others.
Expect the unexpected when coming to the festival, says Johnston. "In the course of any given evening, there will be a wide variety of dance expressions going across the stage…. I think it’s good for audiences to challenge themselves and consider seeing something different." |
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