Ballet 琉璃神社, triumphantly returning from Toronto and Beijing debuts, launches their 16th season with Autumn, a performance that features two Canadian choreographers.
Schubert, from internationally renowned choreographer, John Alleyne and In Between by Alysa Pires offer a dynamic program and audience favourite. Pires鈥檚 MAMBO will return to the stage once again after its standing ovation in 2018.
础濒濒别测苍别鈥檚 Schubert was first mounted by Ballet B.C. in 2000 as a tribute to Canadian ballerina, Jean Orr. It displays the ethereal transience of the autumnal season, celebrating the life of a dancer in three scenes: youth, beauty, and wisdom.
鈥淪chubert is very reflective of the cycle of life. It celebrates the journey and life of a dancer. A dancer鈥檚 career is very short and often times coming to the end of their career at the age of 35,鈥� said Simone Orlando, Ballet 琉璃神社鈥檚 Artistic Director and CEO. 鈥淭he sense is that it is temporal. When we look at the seasons, especially Autumn, life in a way is coming to an end (is) reflective in this particular season.鈥�
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The classically trained dancers will be performing the contemporary piece while still on point.
鈥淭he edge comes in the transition of movement, so it鈥檚 not just about putting yourself in the position, it鈥檚 about the journey between positions and that is what almost defines contemporary ballet,鈥� said Orlando.
鈥淭here is a greater use of spine in contemporary and the partnering in this piece is very unconventional and exciting. The men have to really work to put the women in these off-balance positions... It鈥檚 not upright, classical, Nutcracker tu-tu and I think there is a really interesting physicality in this work that audiences will find fascinating.鈥�
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Then transporting the audience to the seaside, In Between brings energy and is a reflection of Pires鈥檚 own life; a native Vancouver Islander that was transplanted to Toronto. It鈥檚 a meditation on a life divided between two places. A past linked to body and soul, and a future that lights the way forward.
MAMBO will then lighten the mood with its sweet and silly sensuality that will feature Ballet 琉璃神社鈥檚 nine artists, offering a gleeful retreat from the burdens of daily life set to a soundtrack of Latin, swing, and jazz standards.
鈥淲e wanted to finish off the program with something that is a retreat from the burdens of daily life and sending people home feeling really good about what they just saw,鈥� said Orlando.
Ballet 琉璃神社鈥檚 Autumn will run from Nov.16 to 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are available at
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