Photo Flash: Danceworks Presents the World Premiere of CHASING THE PATH
By: A.A. Cristi
DanceWorks, Toronto's acclaimed and longest running contemporary dance series, is proud to present Human Body Expression with the world premiere of Chasing the Path, a lyrical, high-energy dance work that investigates the beauty and pain of memory. Choreographed by Human Body Expression Artistic Director Hanna Kiel, who taps into her own personal experience of loss for this full evening quartet, Chasing the Path is performed by a cast of four of Toronto's most prominent dance artists and runs Thursday March 15-Saturday, March 17, at Harbourfront Centre's Fleck Dance Theatre as part of the NextSteps dance series.
Chasing the Path explores the beauty and pain of memory, asking how we move into the present moment while still feeling pain from the past. Along with Dora Award-nominated choreographer Hanna Kiel, dancersLuke Garwood, Ryan Lee, David Norsworthy and Kelly Shaw bring their own life journeys into the process. They embody how memories shape us, and unfold in our daily lives, often in unexpected ways.
When recalled intellectually, memories can play like a film - frozen, speeded up, replayed or recreated. Memory is also embedded in the body. An external event may activate a hidden memory, triggering a surprise physical or emotional response. In Chasing the Path, Kiel seeks to connect experience, memory and life choices that make us who we are today. Catch a snippet of rehearsal here:https://vimeo.com/256022743 .
Founded in 2013 by Seoul-born choreographer Hanna Kiel, who arrived in Vancouver in 1996 and moved to Toronto in 2008, Human Body Expression (HBE) strives to break the mold of traditional dance aesthetics to create hybrid movement forms and cultivate artistic individuality. HBE seeks to tell stories and explore narratives that pulse from the very heart of human feeling; that are touching, arousing, disturbing, exciting, and everything in between. Kiel draws on the ever-evolving distinctive personal dance style that she has developed over more than two decades as a dance professional. Her company aims to present technically strong and accessible choreography with high production values, inspiring audiences of all backgrounds to become more engaged with dance. Kiel has choreographed for ProArteDanza, Ballet Jörgen, Alias Dance Project, The National Ballet of Canada and Toronto Dance Theatre, among others. HBE's first full-length work, Project L, was nominated for two 2013 Dora Mavor Moore Awards: Outstanding Choreography and Ensemble. Recently, Kiel's choreography Welcome to Our Home - Tangled, presented by princess productions' dance: made in canada/fait au canada this past summer, won that festival's MainStage Audience Choice Award.
DanceWorks began as a collective of independent dance artists in 1977 and has grown to become Toronto's leading presenter of independent dance. DanceWorks offers seasons of eclectic, exhilarating choreography programmed to intrigue, challenge and enthrall. DanceWorks adds to the theatrical experience with Carol's Dance Notes and post-performance conversations with artists. http://www.danceworks.ca.
Photos by Sam So
Hannah Kiel's CHASING THE PATH
Hannah Kiel's CHASING THE PATH
Hannah Kiel's CHASING THE PATH
Hannah Kiel's CHASING THE PATH
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