The final show in this year’s dance series at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre demonstrates how to blow off some workplace steam.
Merging dance, multimedia and live taiko drumming, Shay Kuebler’s Karoshi, which takes the stage April 12 at 8 p.m., physically and visually expresses extreme cases of conflict caused by the contrast between personal want and societal need.
Creator and lead dancer Kuebler brings a unique vocabulary of contemporary and hip hop dance combined with extensive martial arts training and turns out a high-kicking, karate-chopping, back-flipping sensational performance, said Amie Roussel, the centre’s dance outreach coordinator.
“Karoshi boasts a visceral cleverness that any member of the workforce might find familiar while being utterly impressed by daring drops, leaps, and punches delivered by an outstandingly athletic cast,” added Brian van Wensem, the centre’s audience development coordinator.
A Japanese term that translates literally to “death from overwork,” Karoshi’s definition includes death from illness, stroke, heart attack, and suicide brought on by extreme working conditions.
“Kuebler takes anger management to the next level in this explosive and darkly funny program set to the tone of suffocating pressures of Japanese business in the early 90s,” said Roussel.
Kuebler opens the show seated at his computer, the typed words illuminate across his face. All at once the computer takes over and the two go head to head in battle, complete with chop-socky sound effects.
Continuing the riff on Japanese culture, an anger booth is rolled onto stage. Kuebler steps into the clear box and proceeds to exorcise all of his daily rage with maniacal choreography, leaving the audience feeling oddly relieved and strangely satisfied when he emerges disheveled and out of breath.
“With an all-male cast dressed in business suits, Kuebler puts to work his trademark of visually stimulating patterns. He takes risks that shatter expectations, with the cast of six men propelling each other to feats one never thought possible of the human body,” said Roussel.
Video projection by Josh Hite creates vivid worlds for the dancers to take full advantage of, taking the audience away to subway scenes and scrolling stock market stats. Kuebler plays up the culture of the land of the rising sun by blending live taiko drumming performed by Jason Overy, with an edgy mix of electronica.
“Catchy sound clips and superb lighting also give the show a cool multimedia feel,” said Roussel.
Tickets for Shay Kuebler’s Karoshi are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and $20 for students and are on sale now through the Ticket Seller at 250-549-SHOW (7469) or online at www.ticketseller.ca.
