Raven Grenier
Wolverine is about the notion of the shapeshifter being that lives in the house beneath the waters. It is about celebrating all gender identities that identify with the concept of the Gitxsan nochnoch Wee sim no sik, and femme power through the context of prince hood. Wolverine is queer. How can this project restore the queer Adawk, stories since the time of the ice. This is a research-based project with an all BIPOC femme and genderfluid or queer identifying persons collaborative team at the core of artistic research and vision for documenting the project. Wolverine is a choreographed trio with Gudeloch and the princess, EP in the works, and focuses on attire and queer expression through modelling as the human shapeshifter form of Wolverine, and breathes fire into the celebration of supernatural camp. The piece deals with themes of jealousy, conflict resolution, and polyamorous relationship dynamics.
Spanonchnonga is an analysis and approach to mental health diagnoses through a non western lens. Specifically, with the artistic director's personal experience with schizophrenia and seeing and hearing supernatural beings, and being accompanied by voices through the cultural relevancies of her Gitxsan roots. It is also a theoretical response to Alica Elliot's a Mind Spread Out On the Ground in the spoken words elements and soundscape. Through digital design, lighting and special effects, dance, and sound, experience the experience of being taken over and transported to Spanochnonga a place where monsters used to go that were once nochnochs until they were summoned.
Geneviève Johnson
The film explores the action of walking as a metaphor for the construction of our personal identity. Since walking is a constant recovery from falling forward, it becomes an image of building, affirming and re-affirming one's identity in each step taken. From singular individuals to connected trio, support is created through which growth and transformation can happen. No matter the language, no matter the gender identity, accepting oneself as who they are, without judgement, gives us all the freedom to become who we desire to be and change the world one step at a time. Credits: Choreographer: Geneviève Johnson Dancers: Samantha Letourneau, Sofina Johnson, Geneviève Johnson Soundscape: Geneviève Johnson Music: Sofina Johnson Cinematography & Edit: Geneviève Johnson
in and out traces – left gathered forgotten remembered – memory – embodied memory: the world shared out and in conversation Credits: Choreographer: Geneviève Johnson (part of the choreography was created in a workshop with Donna Redlick) Dancer: Geneviève Johnson Music: “Sand” from album Reho by Patrick Graham & Nicholas Williams Cinematography: Stefan Johnson Edit: Geneviève Johnson
A Song of Years is a poem in motion acknowledging the cycle of life. It evokes the unwrapping of our past to reveal our presence in the present moment. It offers a metaphor of the aging body dancing as it is now, letting go of what once was, sharing a lifetime of embodied memories. Through explorations of functional movement, the use of balance to create visual beauty and performative tension, and his commitment to sharing tangible and intangible archives, Tedd Robinson invested the creative process with a unique sensitivity that weaves itself into the choreography. He would wish for the audience to experience their own story with this work, drawn from the poetic metaphor of their own life. Credits: Choreographer: Tedd Robinson Dancers: Holly Bright & Geneviève Johnson Music Composer: Charles Quevillon
George Stamos
This short dance film features soft, puckish, intimate interactions in lush foliage, accompanied by voice work inviting the viewer into the journey. Inspired by childhood memories of time spent in nature with friends while tuning into the fifth dimension, Potrero Hill (walking with Sara) is an intergenerational communion infused with love and mutual support. Performers: Sara Shelton Mann, George Stamos Director of Photography/Camerawork: Chani Bockwinkel Editorial Consultant: Alison Murray Director/Sound Designer/Editor: George Stamos This work was created with the support of RT Collective (rtcollective.ca) and the financial assistance of the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. Special thanks to Sara Shelton Mann for her teachings and generosity.
Evann Siebens
Orange Magpies - 2017 4K Video + Projection Mapping 6 minutes long Collaboration with James Gnam + Vanessa Goodman In Orange Magpies, dancers in bright orange utilitarian jumpsuits move through the landscape of Vancouver. Fast, sharp editing, match-on-action techniques, and a driving beat create a structural danced film. Projecting the images and familiar locations overtop the neoclassical architecture of the Vancouver Art Gallery is juxtaposed with the acknowledgement that these dances were shot on sites that are unceded and the traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations.
2018 16mm Colour + B&W film 8:26 minutes long Time Reversal Symmetry is part of LOoW – a collaboration between artists and scientists at TRIUMF: Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics. Shot on 16mm film, Siebens uses pedestrian movement to represent the oscillating dance between matter and antimatter. Piano Sonata in A flat major by Beethoven Performed by Angela Hewitt Featuring Evann Siebens + Pina Bausch the dog Camera assistance – Sunshine Frere TRIUMF physicist – Mark Scott LOoW – Randy Lee Cutler + Ingrid Koenig
Gesture - 2015 HD Video / Interactive installation with 9 iPads 5:09 minutes long A touch, a swipe, a double tap. Hand choreography results between three generations of women’s hands, performing and expanding on our everyday screen signals. The wrestling and shivering of a mother/daughter gesture refers to off-screen conflict in the same way a show-tune drummed out invokes tap-dance play. Inside the screen and out, the effects of time and age are pondered while simultaneously giving you the finger… MIMMiC (Mobile Interactive Modular Multiscreen iPad Canvas) Commissioned by On Main Gallery and Paul Wong Projects With assistance from Pascale Theoret-Groulx