On May 27 and 28, Union Station’s West Wing will be the site for INFLORESCENCE, a series of performances by the city’s up-and-coming dance stars, including the apprentices of the National Ballet of Canada.
The Fall For Dance North Festival brings the cutting edge of global dance to Toronto each fall. For a weekend in May, they’re showcasing the next generation of Toronto’s dance talent in a free series of performances downtown, as well as three filmed commissions.
INSTACOMMISSIONS
Along with the live performances at Union Station, dance fans can check out three brand new dance works via social media. Toronto Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director, Andrew Tay, directs company members in original Instacommisions filmed at Union Station. They will be released on the FFDN and Union Instagram pages.
- Tuesday, May 23: Spring 1, featuring: Erin Poole and Roberto Soria; Costumes by: DISÉIYE
- Thursday, May 25: Spring 2, featuring: Peter Kelly and Zuri Skeete; Costumes by: Angela Cabrera
- Saturday, May 27: Spring 3, featuring: Megumi Kokuba and Yuichiro Inoue; Costumes: DISÉIYE and Angela Cabrera
Dance at Union
The programming is free, but seating is limited, and issued on a first come, first serve basis.
- Where: Union Station West Wing — reference this map.
May 27
The National Ballet of Canada RBC Apprentices are showcased in practice and performance, with three opportunities to see them at work.
The RBC Apprentices of The National Ballet of Canada are: Ethan Clarisey; Connor Hamilton; Isabella Kinch; Hamish Lowe; Lindy Mesmer; Jordan Micallef; Keira Sanford; Pravda Tranfield; Taïs Vinolo;
Oliver Yonick
Company Warm-Up 11:30 a.m. — 12:45 p.m.
Watch as professional dancers go through a company class and warm-up, led by Robert Binet, and accompanied by a live pianist.
Performances
Two performances will feature the same program.
Performance #1 2:00 p.m. — 3:00 p.m.
Performance #2 5:00 p.m. — 6:00 p.m.
- Sugar Water (World Premiere) by Alyssa Martin
- Vida by Carmen Romero
- Excerpt from Swan Lake by Karen Kain, Christopher Stowell and Robert Binet after Erik Bruhn, accompanied by a live pianist
- 4 for 5 by Natasha Powell
- Ever New by Robert Binet
May 28
The morning features emerging choreographers from the dance educational institutions in Toronto, while the afternoon spotlights the choreography and works by the artists of Ballet Creole and their Artistic Director Patrick Parson.
Dancers Warm-Up 12:00 p.m. — 1:00 p.m.
The audience will observe a professional dance class (with the artists who will perform at 2:00 p.m.), led by Canada’s National Ballet School’s Contemporary Teacher Keith Morino, accompanied by a live pianist.
Performances 2:00 p.m. — 3:00 p.m.
Performances from three of Toronto’s dance schools, where audiences can take in the next gen of the city’s dancers and choreographers.
Toronto Metropolitan University, Performance at the Creative School
- honey by Natasja Macdonald
- A Silent Movie by Meg Blackwell and Molly Tiernan
- People we Meet by Gisele Ardosa
- Anemoi by Olivia Okonkwo
York University, School of the Arts Media Performance & Design
- Sway by Christiano DiDomenico
- Askeemee Moda by Victoria Kuronen
- Shadows of Discernment by Devyn Rappaport
Canada’s National Ballet School — Company Life Program
- Transience by Ian Parsons
- Infinite Ache by Simon Adamson De Luca
Ballet Creole Company Warm-Up 5:00 p.m. — 5:45 p.m.
This professional company warm-up is led by Ballet Creole’s Artistic Director, Patrick Parson, and accompanied by a live drummer.
Ballet Creole Performance 6:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.
Toronto’s longstanding bastion of contemporary Afro-Caribbean dance, Ballet Creole, will perform a program of dance celebrating the culture of the Malinke people of Guinea in West Africa. Toukande means “gathering of the people”, and the program was created by Patrick Parson in collaboration with choreographer and musician M’Bemba Bangoura for this performance. This will mark the company’s debut with FFDN.
The dancers: Yuhala Muy; Alistair Graphine; Chelcia Creary; Kirk Easy; Taelor Coleman; Shavaun Brown
The musicians: Amadou Kienou and company
The full Fall For Dance North Festival returns from September 26 to October 7, 2023. Find out more [HERE].
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