DanceWorks, Toronto's longest running contemporary dance series, proudly presents the first show of its 39th season: the world premiere of Woven, a Tribal Crackling Wind production choreographed by award-winning Artistic Director, choreographer Peter Chin. A major new work that reflects the spirit of traditional weaving communities, Woven premieres tonight, September 24, and runs to Saturday, September 26 at 8pm nightly at Harbourfront Centre Theatre as part of NextSteps. Tickets are now on sale.
Woven is inspired by the intertwined threads of woven art in Cambodia (Phnom Penh), Indonesia (Flores), Mexico (Oaxaca) and Canada (Toronto). Chin worked directly with weaving communities in these locales and gathered his international ensemble from those same four countries.
A fascinating meditation that leads towards a deeper connectivity with all things seen and unseen,
Woven combines live music (Toronto percussionist
Debashis Sinha), a back-strap weaver (Toronto's
Caleb Bean) who works on stage over the course of the presentation and five dancers:
Marina Acevedo (Mexico),
Chy Ratana (Cambodia),
Kassi Scott(Toronto),
Boby Ari Setiawan (Indonesia) and
Kathia Wittenborn (Toronto). As such,
Woven explores traditional weaving practices, the revitalization of lost traditions and working collaboratively with nature.
One of Chin's most ambitious works to date,
Woven is booked for an international tour to Oaxaca, Mexico following its DanceWorks' world premiere in Toronto.
Peter Chin is the artistic director of interdisciplinary Toronto-based dance company
Tribal Crackling Wind, a distinctive creative force, bringing riveting ritual-based events to acclaim in its native Canada and internationally. Described as a "renaissance man," Peter Chin is a choreographer, composer, designer, writer, director and performer of dance and music. He creates works that are inspired by the Asian paradigm of "Total Theatre." Born in Jamaica of mixed Chinese, black and Irish ancestry, Peter Chin is also a true multicultural soul and his rich heritage plays out through the company's repertoire, giving it a genuine international and global character. His themes have been timely and seminal in Canadian art over the last 30 years, coinciding with the country's evolving identity as an (imperfect) global exemplar for multicultural societies and immigration practices. Chin's works have been presented across Cananda at major dance and music festivals, as well as in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Singapore, Holland, Jamaica, Mexico, Columbia and the United States. He is the recipient of numerous awards including four Dora Mavor Moore Awards for dance ("Outstanding New Choreography" for
Stupa, "Outstanding New Choreography" for
Northeastsouthwest, "Outstanding New Choreography" and "Outstanding Performance" for
Bite), as well as the Muriel Sherrin Award for international achievement in dance and a Gemini Award for his performance in the film
Streetcar, among others.
http://www.tribalcracklingwind.ca/
DanceWorks began as a collective of independent dance artists in 1977 and has grown to become Toronto's leading presenter of independent dance. Strong in the belief that dance has the power to illuminate, engage and transform all who participate, DanceWorks offers seasons of eclectic, exhilarating choreography programmed to intrigue, challenge and enthral. DanceWorks adds to the theatrical experience with Carol's Dance Notes post-performance conversations with artists. DanceWorks is the administrator of the CanDance Network and Dance Ontario Association.
