Review: HEARTBEATS: Signature Programme 1 (Fall for Dance North in partnership with TO Live)

In its ninth season, Fall for Dance North, in partnership with TO Live, unveils its latest mainstage series: HEARTBEATS: Signature Programme 1. Showcasing four distinct contemporary dance pieces, this programme brings together a diverse array of artists from all around the world, while still highlighting Canadian companies and talent. This programme asks its artists to dive into the realms of love and human connection.

I am going to start with the finale work, Heart Drive, choreographed by Marne & Imre Van Opstal and brought to life by Ballet BC, as it is worth every penny of the unheard-of $15 ticket price. Heart Drive brings a raw sexual energy to the stage. The ambiance—mirroring that of a rock concert with its light-panelled side and overhead walls and fog—sets an electrifying mood before any movement begins. The dancers' attire, shiny black pleather leotards with bare legs, adds a layer of intrigue as we occasionally hear the bodysuits rustle. The attire's lack of gender specificity subtly fuses the dancers' individual identities, creating an intriguing unity

And the movement! The dancers start by lining the back of the stage in a bevel, and slowly move forward, shifting into different sections. As they gyrate and thrust, the raw, sexual energy eventually transitions into intimate duets of stunning partnering. Dancers appear almost ethereal, effortlessly lifted and twirled as though lighter than air before being gracefully grounded. This piece dives into themes of love, connection, pleasure, stigmas and taboos of today around sex and sexuality.

In the pre-show chat, Medhi Walerski, the artistic director of Ballet BC, highlighted the company's incredible recent growth. They've moved into a dedicated space, and notably, they've committed to full-year contracts for dancers for the next several years, thanks to donations—praiseworthy considering how rare such contracts are in today's dance landscape. Kudos to Ballet BC for these strides! I am so proud to hear this from a Canadian company and an incredible one at that.

Prior to this, is a solo work titled Mascara by Mozambique-born, Toronto-based artist Pulga Muchochoma. A video introduction, a screen that drops before the curtains open, has Pulga introducing the piece, talking about his experience of being an immigrant in Canada and his struggle with cultural dance expectations. He candidly reveals that his movement style was once dubbed "too African" in Canada, but "too contemporary" in Mozambique. Mascara (meaning 'mask' in Portuguese) beautifully addresses the need to navigate his identity in the dance world. He states that he wants to make the audience feel uncomfortable in the work, as he did in Canada.

Beginning with a mask, the still, expressionless face sets an unsettling tone. This evolves into a dynamic solo with a chair, effortlessly integrated as an extension of Pulga's body, either held out far in his hands or tangled in the different rungs. With live on-stage accompaniment by Kobena Aquaa-Harrison, the piece didn’t make me feel as uncomfortable as I imagined it would (in a good way), as Pulga is such a beautiful mover and evokes a sense of familiarity and warmth for me personally as I have watched him dance with Toronto Dance Theatre for many years.

Yet, this piece puts forth an important reminder to meet dancers where they are. We do not need to assign descriptors or expectations of movement from dancers based on where they were born or places where they have trained. I am so happy to see Pulga working as an independent artist.

Bliss, choreographed by Johan Inger, performed by Gibney Company, and danced to the score of Köln Concert by jazz pianist Keith Jarrett Inger is a meditative journey. This piece felt as though the dancers themselves were lost in the sheer joy of their movements—fluid, technical, yet heartwarmingly genuine. Watching them flow around the stage was a delight. Memorable moments include dancers seamlessly stepping over rolling bodies, and a section in which the whole ensemble ends up on stage, first kicking at the floor, as if happily dancing in their own bedroom, before one by one joining in the group choreography. It's a piece you can't help but lose yourself in.

Lastly, all the way from London, UK, we have the Candoco Dance Company, performing Jamaal Burkmar’s I think we should start over. Never did I think I would see or hear a dance piece done to a podcast by Bobby Lee and Rick Glassman! This piece brings together a duet that uses the sounds of podcasts and audio recordings as their backdrop. I even recognized a clip of Joe Rogan discussing the Big Bang (this had me wondering if he is as controversial of a figure in the UK as he is here, although it was a non-controversial clip). In terms of movement, this was not my favourite piece as it felt very one-note and the dancers didn’t feel as connected as I would have expected taking in the audio clips, but overall the concept itself was intriguing.

That concludes HEARTBEATS: Signature Programme 1 of Fall for Dance North! Stay tuned for my take on the second programme! This festival, a veritable treat for Toronto, offers an unbeatable blend of quality and affordability. Don't miss out on these exceptionally priced tickets!

HEARTBEATS: Signature Programme 1, presented as part of the Fall for Dance North in partnership with TO Live, is playing at Meridian Hall (1 Front St. East, Toronto Ontario) again on October 5th, 2023 at 7:30pm. All tickets cost $15 and can be purchased online here.

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Photo of Heart Drive, Choreographed by Marne & Imre Van Opstal and performed by Artists of Ballet BC. Photo by Michael Slobodian.

Written by Deanne Kearney
DeanneKearney.com @deannekearney