Janelle Escott
Special to The Morning Star
The snow is beginning to fly, and the winter is gently settling in for its long season, but for Ballet Kelowna, autumn is still vibrant and in full swing.
The dance company is preparing for the kick off its 2018-2019 dance season with its newest collection of contemporary ballet inspired by the ephemeral harvest season. Autumn is a mixed program featuring three performances with two company premieres and the reprise of an audience favourite.
Emerging Canadian choreographer, Alysa Pires, will be showcasing two of her original contemporary pieces: In Between, developed through The National Ballet of Canada’s Choreographic Workshop and later premiered last January as part of The National Ballet’s Five Creations, and MAMBO, the returning audience favourite set to a vibrant soundtrack of swing, jazz and Latin tones. The mixed program will open with the company premiere of Schubert choreographed by John Allyne, who just last year brought the highly successful A Streetcar Named Desire to the Performing Arts Centre stage.
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For Pires, the shift in Vernon’s weather perfectly accentuates the feelings evoked in her latest creation, In Between. Native to Vancouver Island and living in Toronto, Pires’ contemporary piece reflects on the push and pull of being divided between the two places.
“In Between is inspired by nature’s power, by water and storm,” she says. Her childhood experience of growing up on Vancouver Island plays a pivotal role in the creation of In Between, with ebb and flow of the ocean and the temperate coastal climate inspiring the tumultuous soundtrack, which was composed by her husband, composer Adam Sakiyama.
“The program incredibly physical,” says Pires. “The audience will see contemporary as a broader spectrum and Ballet Kelowna’s dancers are great at showcasing their range.”
Pires’ evocative choreography will also be closing the program with the audience favourite, MAMBO, a stark contrast to the mercurial In Between. Sweet, silly and uplifting, MAMBO captures the essence of the autumn season and holding on to the joy of it.
“MAMBO is a piece for the Okanagan,” she says, crediting her family’s immigration as inspiration for the contemporary dance. Set to music by legends such as Dean Martin and Perry Como, “this is the soundtrack of my family’s immigration.
“When we think of ballet, especially contemporary, we think of it as serious and traditional. I try to make work that connects to every day experiences.”
Pires’ reprise of MAMBO is a upbeat, joyful and celebratory end to Autumn’s mixed program.
“That’s the wonderful and tragic thing about dance,” says Pires. “It’s ephemeral.”
Suitable to the overall theme of the program, Ballet Kelowna’s Autumn will be a remarkable farewell of the fall season as we embark on our own transition and welcome deeper and darker weather in the coming weeks.
Ballet Kelowna’s Autumn will be presented at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre as part of the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Society’s Spotlight Dance Series on Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 for adults (with senior and student discounts available) and can be purchased online at www.ticketseller.ca or at the Ticket Seller Box Office.
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