I've experienced Ballet Creole's athletic artistry myself, so I can easily endorse their upcoming show - from press releases:
Celebrating their 20th Anniversary Season of Dance
Ballet Creole
present Sankofa
A Retrospective of Ground breaking Afro-Caribbean and Contemporary Dance
Fleck Dance Theatre
April 15th - 17th 2010
Toronto, ON – Like most Arts organizations, Ballet Creole has gone through changes in
organization, dancers and administration. But this Season is one of the promise coming out of artistic, financial, funding and ultimately economic challenges, and the Spring Season of Dance ushers in a new era for the company.
Sankofa transforms in celebratory reverence to dances of the past, present and future in constant poly- rhythmic flow. The result is a seamless synergy of contemporary African and Caribbean modern dance and music. Sankofa is a testament to the transcendent power of drums, mesmerizing union of contemporary dance and polyrhythmic African / Caribbean dance aesthetics connected through time. The Dancers and musicians become communicators of a lasting tradition featuring works by Artistic Director Patrick Parson and Associate Choreographer Gabby Kamino.
After a premiere to thunderous applause last year, “Drum MasQ / TRANS-formation” returns and promises to titillate through visual athleticism and live accompaniment by Creole Drummatix. Set against the backdrop of live traditional African and Caribbean music the work unites dancer to musician and the audience to ethereal visual transcendence, the visual mapping of the dancers through space in virtuosic grace and athleticism.
“Dancing Spirits” into the traditions and connections of the past, is remount of a collaborative ballet interwoven with traditional Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian influences. The ballet evolved from an exploration of the shared cultural ancestry of Trinidadian-born Patrick Parson and collaborators Consuelo Herrera from Cuba and Newton Moraes from Brazil. This rousing work explores their shared ancestral/spiritual traditions in Diaspora linking it to its origins in Africa.
About Ballet Creole
In its 20th Season, Ballet Creole comprises an ensemble of professional dancers, musicians and a School offering professional and community recreational programs. Ballet Creole School is the
first of its kind in Canada to offer a technically diverse dance Professional Training Program geared to a variety of culturally diverse dance techniques, for aspiring dancers in Canada and abroad. The school also provides recreational dance and music program to the community level.
Part of the outlook for the years to come is about engaging community, artists and audiences. Mr. Parson is assertive that Ballet Creole be integral in the education and development of artists from culturally diverse backgrounds. Ballet Creole artists perform in an average of over 250 schools in a given year and have been in continual partnership with Prologue to the Performing Arts.
Ballet Creole acknowledges the generous support of the Canada Council, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Trillium Foundation, Next Steps and FK Morrow Foundation and TD Financial
20 Years of “Tradition, Progression,and Foresight”
Celebrating their 20th Anniversary Season of Dance
Ballet Creole
present Sankofa
A Retrospective of Ground breaking Afro-Caribbean and Contemporary Dance
Fleck Dance Theatre
April 15th - 17th 2010
Toronto, ON – Like most Arts organizations, Ballet Creole has gone through changes in
organization, dancers and administration. But this Season is one of the promise coming out of artistic, financial, funding and ultimately economic challenges, and the Spring Season of Dance ushers in a new era for the company.Sankofa transforms in celebratory reverence to dances of the past, present and future in constant poly- rhythmic flow. The result is a seamless synergy of contemporary African and Caribbean modern dance and music. Sankofa is a testament to the transcendent power of drums, mesmerizing union of contemporary dance and polyrhythmic African / Caribbean dance aesthetics connected through time. The Dancers and musicians become communicators of a lasting tradition featuring works by Artistic Director Patrick Parson and Associate Choreographer Gabby Kamino.
After a premiere to thunderous applause last year, “Drum MasQ / TRANS-formation” returns and promises to titillate through visual athleticism and live accompaniment by Creole Drummatix. Set against the backdrop of live traditional African and Caribbean music the work unites dancer to musician and the audience to ethereal visual transcendence, the visual mapping of the dancers through space in virtuosic grace and athleticism.
“Dancing Spirits” into the traditions and connections of the past, is remount of a collaborative ballet interwoven with traditional Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian influences. The ballet evolved from an exploration of the shared cultural ancestry of Trinidadian-born Patrick Parson and collaborators Consuelo Herrera from Cuba and Newton Moraes from Brazil. This rousing work explores their shared ancestral/spiritual traditions in Diaspora linking it to its origins in Africa.
About Ballet Creole
In its 20th Season, Ballet Creole comprises an ensemble of professional dancers, musicians and a School offering professional and community recreational programs. Ballet Creole School is the
first of its kind in Canada to offer a technically diverse dance Professional Training Program geared to a variety of culturally diverse dance techniques, for aspiring dancers in Canada and abroad. The school also provides recreational dance and music program to the community level.Part of the outlook for the years to come is about engaging community, artists and audiences. Mr. Parson is assertive that Ballet Creole be integral in the education and development of artists from culturally diverse backgrounds. Ballet Creole artists perform in an average of over 250 schools in a given year and have been in continual partnership with Prologue to the Performing Arts.
Ballet Creole acknowledges the generous support of the Canada Council, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Trillium Foundation, Next Steps and FK Morrow Foundation and TD Financial
20 Years of “Tradition, Progression,and Foresight”
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