Fall for Dance North (FFDN) has announced the mainstage events for its 9th annual programming. FFDN will take place at various venues throughout Toronto from Sept. 26 to Oct. 7, 2023. Ticket prices remain the same at $15 for all seats.
“Fall for Dance North’s 9th anniversary season celebrates beauty and resilience, with dance creations by local and international choreographers, giving space for diverse perspectives and deeply vulnerable stories,” says Ilter Ibrahimof, FFDN Artistic Director in a statement.
“This year’s festival sees a return to our festival roots, with a heavy emphasis on dynamic live performance, while continuing to expand our digital offerings for global audiences. The programming directly reflects themes of moving forward together – a study of how the human body moves and bends to help us reset and build shared communities for a sustainable future full of love and courage.”
Highlights
- Work from choreographers from Mozambique, Sweden, South Africa, Israel, The Netherlands, the UK, the US, and Canada;
- Four international dance companies presenting Canadian premieres;
- A sneak preview of the CBC docuseries Swan Song, in partnership with the National Ballet of Canada, before its broadcast premiere in November;
- A short film dance series (Sept. 27 & 28) with two live screenings followed by online streaming;
- Other digital programming for both local and international audiences.
Signature Programmes
There are two Signature Programmes in the Festival that will take over Meridian Hall from October 4 to 7.
HEARTBEATS: Signature Programme 1
- Candoco, a leading disability-inclusive dance company from the UK, perform a new work by British dancemaker Jamaal Burkmar;
- Gibney Company of New York City (in their Toronto debut), known for their combination of impressive physicality and storytelling, perform Swedish choreographer Johan Inger’s renowned piece Bliss;
- The Toronto premiere of Heart Drive by Dutch duo Imre and Marne Van Opstal performed by Ballet BC;
- A solo work with live music commissioned from Toronto-based Pulga Muchochoma.
UNBOWED: Signature Programme 2
- A piece created by Gibney Company associate artist Jesse Obremski, Light-Print, performed by TMU School of Performance’s Dance Department;
- The in-person premiere of My Mother’s Son from brothers Mthuthuzeli and Siphesihle November (first presented virtually at FFDN’s 2021 festival);
- Gibney Company performs Oh Courage! by Tony Award-winning choreographer Sonya Tayeh with live music by The Bengsons from Brooklyn;
- The Toronto company debut of Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black (UK), celebrating dancers of Black and Asian descent, with NINA: By Whatever Means, also created by Mthuthuzeli November, highlighting the music and activism of the late Nina Simone.
Along with the Signature Programmes, the festival offers other opportunities to experience dance.
- Charlotte Ballet, formerly led by The National Ballet of Canada’s Artistic Director Hope Muir, performs Ohad Naharin’s interactive KAMUYOT, presented in-the-round (Sept. 26-30) in two different venues (Toronto Metropolitan University Theatre and Holy Blossom Temple);
- The NIGHT/SHIFT series returns in partnership with Citadel + Compagnie to present new live works by nine Ontario-based dancemakers at The Citadel from Oct. 5-7, (performances will also be livestreamed).
Other in-person and digital events will be announced in August. Festival packages and individual tickets are on sale now [HERE].
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