Dance Double Bill Announced At Tipton Arena This July

A dance double-bill featuring two Edmonton dance artists, Kate Stashko and Deviani Andrea will be performed at the Tipton Arena (10828 80 Ave NW), on July 15 & 16. basin by Stashko and ESPARTANÆ by Andrea, both explore the human body - the strength, the taboos, and the power.

The venue, Tipton Arena located in the Whyte Avenue area, has been chosen both for its aesthetic interest (performers and audience will all be situated in the "basin" of the empty rink), and also due to Stashko's desire to see buildings recycled/repurposed, rather than left empty, underutilized, or torn down. Stashko hopes that the public's own memories in Tipton Arena will add an extra layer to their experience of seeing dance performed there.

Inspired by the French word "bassin", which can be used to mean both "sink" and "pelvis", the piece delves into how the pelvis can move, and the imagery, connotations, and taboos associated with this part of the body. The original score includes field recordings created by sound designer Raylene Campbell using an old metal basin, which are integrated into the sound design. basin aims to shake up some of the stereotypes associated with a female body and tries to ask questions like "what can this body do/not do, and why/why not?"

ESPARTANÆ, can be translated as "spartans". The dance presents the plurality (or kinds of) strength the character, Esparta, can feel and express. When the piece was conceived, "I was inspired by feminine thinking (Vanessa Rosales, Miriam Toews, Bell Hooks) to challenge the capacities of my own body and discover what physical strength looked like in my body. How is strength distributed in my body? What makes me feel strong?", says Andrea. Photo credit: Marc J Chalifoux

Tickets for this double-bill are $20, and available at TixontheSquare.ca or by calling 780.420.1757. Media Images Credit Marc J. Chalifoux.