Dancemakers 40th Anniversary Season Presents AROUND by Michael Trent

Dancemakers marks its 40th Anniversary season with the World Premiere of AROUND, the spring home show, created by Michael Trent and Dancemakers, and for the first time on the mainstage, artists from the company's Emerging Dance Artist Project (EDAP), doubling the size of his company to ten dancers.

AROUND will continue Trent's exploration of boundary-pushing performance through contemporary aesthetics, cross-disciplinary dialogues and collaborative engagement, the hallmarks that inform the creative process at Dancemakers. AROUND delves into the disconnect between symmetry, perfection, uncertainty and ambiguity. Presented in the round, a floor to ceiling veil will encircle both the audience and performers providing an intimate space for exchange.

Founded in 2009 by Trent, EDAP is an intensive training program to ease the transition between academic practice and full time professional life for contemporary dance artists. Over five years the project has taken many forms providing cross disciplinary training for 42 participants in summer intensives, weekend workshops, training scholarships with Dancemakers, and creation/performance presentations with the company. This year's format expanded to include the opportunity to collaborate with Trent and the company artists over a six-week period on a major new creation.

"I've worked with young artists for most of my career. The exchange feeds my curiosity by placing it in conversation with theirs," said Michael Trent, Artistic Director, Dancemakers. "This project gives me the opportunity to work with twice as many dancers as usual, offering new avenues for exploring the body's relationship to presence through critical mass and density."

Dancemakers has contributed to the development of a distinctive and dynamic voice for Canadian contemporary dance for forty years. Working through contemporary, cross-disciplinary and collaborative approaches, Dancemakers provides rich exchanges with the public through performance and conversation. Since 2003, the Dancemakers Centre for Creation has supported the development of the field through specialized programs for dance artists.

DANCEMAKERS 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON presents AROUND Created by Michael Trent and the Dancemakers CompanyRobert Abubo, Amanda Acorn, Ellen Furey, Benjamin Kamino, Simon Portigal; and Lee Gelbloom, Andrew Hartley, Jolyane Langlois, Anna Mayberry, Riley Sims from Dancemakers "Emerging Dance Artist Project"

Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell • Composer: Christopher WillesCostume Designer: Vanessa Fischer • Stage Manager: Laura Cournoyea

March 26-April 6, 2014 Opening Night-Thursday, March 27 @ 8pmTuesday-Saturday @ 8pm, Sunday at 4pmDancemakers Centre for Creation, 9 Trinity Street, Studio 313, Distillery Historic District Tickets $25 adults, $20 students and arts workers Preview Performance on Wednesday, March 26 is Pay-What-You-Can "Past, Present, Future" Fundraiser Thursday, April 3 @ 6:30pm, $50 - details to comeTo book tickets or for more information, visit www.dancemakers.org

Dancemakers' 40th Anniversary Season Presenting Sponsor is BMO Financial Group Dancemakers' Emerging Dance Artists Project is supported by the Hal Jackman Foundation.