Burnaby dance artists are stepping into the spotlight at The Dance Centre.
The centre is presenting both in-theatre and online performances as part of its current season – and two of its upcoming November performances feature Burnaby dancers.
From Nov. 19 to 21, the centre’s Global Dance Connections series features Burnaby’s Mary-Louise Albert in Solo Dances/Past Into Present.
Albert had a successful 20-year career as a dancer before transitioning out of professional dance and into arts administration at age 46. She was the artistic managing director of the Norman Rothstein Theatre and the Chutzpah! Festival from 2005 until last year.
For the upcoming performance, Albert will revive three solos that she commissioned from leading Canadian choreographers more than 20 years ago, interpreted by a new generation of female dancers. Peter Bingham’s Woman Walking (away) will be danced by Livona Ellis; Tedd Robinson’s (oLOS) features Vanessa Goodman; and Allen Kaeja’s Trace Elements will be performed by Rebecca Margolick.
Albert herself, now 65, will return to the stage for the premiere of Phase 1 of Empreintes, a new solo work commissioned from Serge Bennathan.
“These solos that I commissioned have not been performed or remounted since I last performed them 20 years ago,” Albert said in a press release. “The process throughout, past and present, attests to the equal importance of dancer and choreographer to the creation of artistic work. As a dance professional, I feel strongly that it is important to revisit them and put them back in repertoire on Canadian dancers who have the versatility and desire to develop, enjoy and share them.”
The performances will be presented in line with public health guidelines and The Dance Centre’s COVID-19 protocols to very small, physically distanced audiences.
Scotiabank Dance Centre is at 677 Davie St., Vancouver. Tickets are $32, available through www.thedancecentre.ca.
Starting Nov. 26, The Dance Centre will continue its Discover Dance! series with a livestreamed performance featuring Vancouver-based TomoeArts and Burnaby’s Satsuki kai. The companies will be presenting nihon buyoh, or Japanese classical and traditional dance, ranging from theatrical kabuki to joyful folk-derived pieces and shin-buyoh, or “new” dances to popular music.
The performance will stream online at www.thedancecentre.ca until Dec. 10, and tickets are available on a sliding scale at free, $10 and $20.
