{"id":103437,"date":"2024-04-18T09:47:09","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T13:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=103437"},"modified":"2024-04-18T14:00:01","modified_gmt":"2024-04-18T18:00:01","slug":"preview-junior-festival-offers-may-long-weekend-arts-performances-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/04\/18\/preview-junior-festival-offers-may-long-weekend-arts-performances-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | JUNIOR Festival Offers A May Long Weekend Of Arts & Performances For Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"JUNIOR
JUNIOR Festival at Harbourfront (Photo: Brian Medina)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

JUNIOR, Toronto\u2019s International Children\u2019s Festival, offers a May long weekend of theatre, dance, music, storytelling and other activities to pique the imaginations of the younger set. The festival takes place at Harbourfront Centre from May 18 to 20.<\/p>\n

May 19 is designated as Enhanced Accessibility Day, and will feature ASL\/DSL interpretation, described audio and introductory notes, touch tours, a relaxed guide and \u201cZen Den\u201d quiet spaces for select events.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt JUNIOR, we believe growing up is a journey of self-discovery,\u201d says Nathalie Bonjour, Harbourfront Centre\u2019s Director of Performing Arts, \u201cand one of the most compelling ways to facilitate this lifelong exploration is through the transformative power of the arts. In our mission of enhanced accessibility and inclusivity, we welcome children of all ages and their families to connect to the world, their community and themselves through multidisciplinary arts and cultural events that encourage children to delve into their imaginations and ask big questions, all while having fun!\u201d<\/p>\n

The lineup includes both free and affordable ticketed events.<\/p>\n

\"L-R
L-R (clockwise): Afrique en Cirque (Photo courtesy of the artists); CORPUS Transhumans (Photo courtesy of the artists); Ariko (Photo courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Festival At A Glance<\/h2>\n

Ticketed Events<\/h3>\n

Finding Home: A Salmon Story Upstream (Ontario)<\/strong>
\nTheatre Direct and Animacy Theatre Collective (All ages)<\/p>\n

Two best friends, who also happen to be salmon from Lake Ontario, drift apart as one of them gets ready to make the big \u201cchange\u201d upstream. A story told with humour kids can appreciate, and music from a live band.<\/p>\n

Make Me Dance (Norway)<\/strong>
\nPanta Rei Danseteater (Ages 8+)<\/p>\n

Audience participation is encouraged in this immersive and energetic dance theatre production, featuring three dancers and a musician.<\/p>\n

Robot Song (Australia)<\/strong>
\nArena Theatre Company (Ages 8+)<\/p>\n

11-year-old Jupiter May befriends a singing robot, and discovers different ways of relating to the world. The multimedia performance incorporates video, live animation, and animatronics.<\/p>\n

Yassama And The Beaded Calabash; Yassama et la calebasse aux cauris (Ontario)<\/strong>
\nLua Shayenne (Ages 3+)<\/p>\n

Yassama and the Beaded Calabash is the story of a young girl who helps save her village from drought, with a message about respecting and protecting Mother Earth that\u2019s inspired by African oral traditions. The performance includes song, dance, and live drumming.<\/p>\n

\"Dancer
Dancer Lua Shayanne tells the story of Yassama and the Beaded Calabash (Photo: Dahlia Katz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Free Events: All Ages<\/h3>\n

Experts Radio Lab (Scotland)<\/strong>
\nAlice Mary Cooper<\/p>\n

A drop-in, pop-up kids show in a set modelled after an 80s-style radio studio, where kids are the interview subjects on anything they\u2019re interested in. Artists Alice Mary Cooper and Geraldine Heaney will conduct the interviews in front of a live audience.<\/p>\n

Transhumance (Ontario)<\/strong>
\nCORPUS<\/p>\n

Canadian dance\/theatre company CORPUS brings a flock of playful fuzzy sheep to an interactive paddock where audiences can interact with them, and feed them.<\/p>\n

BENCHED (Denmark)<\/strong>
\nUppercut Dance Theater<\/p>\n

Street meets contemporary dance in an outdoor performance based on the idea of what happens when life puts you on the bench, and out of the game.<\/p>\n

Bust A Move! Dance Demo (Australia)<\/strong>
\nBAMDance<\/p>\n

BAMDance is dedicated to enabling people of all abilities to express themselves. Experience isn\u2019t necessary for this fun and inclusive event.<\/p>\n

Bollywood Dance Demo (Ontario)<\/strong>
\nBroken Dance Entertainment<\/p>\n

Broken Dance Entertainment specializes in South Asian dance styles, and fusing Asian and Western choreography. They were a finalist on Canada\u2019s Got Talent, and encourage audience participation at their dance party.<\/p>\n

All Nations Juniors + First Fire Dance (Tkaronto, Ontario)<\/strong>
\nToronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre<\/p>\n

Toronto Council Fire\u2019s All Nations Juniors is a First Nations Pow Wow-style youth drum group that includes Dakota, Anishinaabe, Chippewa, Cree and Haudenosaunee member, joined by First Fire Dance. The performance remixes four dance styles: contemporary, break dancing, hip hop and traditional hoop dancing.<\/p>\n

Rhythms of North India (Ontario)<\/strong>
\nToronto Tabla Youth Ensemble<\/p>\n

The Toronto Tabla Youth Ensemble will perform both contemporary and classical music with North Indian rhythms. Audience members will learn about how the tabla works, and its thousand year old history.<\/p>\n

Quand On Chante (Ontario)<\/strong>
\nAriko<\/p>\n

The Lefaive sisters from Lafontaine, Ontario, form a family band characterized by fiddles and vocal harmonies. Their music is rooted in French-Canadian traditions, incorporating zydeco, bluegrass and popular music.<\/p>\n

A Musical Journey Around The World!!! (Ontario)<\/strong>
\nMoskitto Bar<\/p>\n

The music of Moskitto Bar fuses Ukrainian, Middle-Eastern and French Celtic music, adding a circus performer in the tradition of Ukrainian folk dance.<\/p>\n

Afrique en Cirque (Quebec)<\/strong>
\nCirque Kalabant\u00e9<\/p>\n

Yamoussa Bangoura and Cirque Kalabant\u00e9 bring daring stunts, human pyramids, costumes and dance based on the traditions of Guinea, in West Africa. Accompanied by live Afrojazz and West African drumming.<\/p>\n

Fay & Fluffy\u2019s Storytime (Ontario)<\/strong>
\nFay and Fluffy<\/p>\n

Drag stars Fay Slift and Fluffy Souffl\u00e9 bring drag story in an inclusive environment, where the focus is on fun and culturally diverse books, songs, and laughs.<\/p>\n

Tipi Showcase: Storytelling (Tkaronto, Ontario)<\/strong>
\nToronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre<\/p>\n

A storyteller will relate the history and meaning of the iconic Tipi, using the Native Women Resource Centre Tipi, focusing on healing that comes from Indigenous culture, ceremonies and collective bonds.<\/p>\n

Kids and parents will also get the chance to participate in a variety of hands-on workshops in various disciplines.<\/p>\n