This April the Grand Theatre will launch their newest, free community programs: The Artist in Motion Series and The Grand Masters Series.
The theatre has commissioned Christopher House, the Artistic Director of Toronto Dance Theatre, to facilitate an informal talk aimed at helping new audiences approach, appreciate, and become comfortable with the process of watching dance. This Artist in Motion talk will take place on Friday, April 15, at 5:30 p.m. at the Grand Theatre, Davies Lounge.
In the talk, House will draw similarities between dance and the visual arts to demonstrate how the skills people often use in appreciating painting, sculpture, or photography can be used to enjoy modern dance performances.
Grand Theatre offers free workshop on the Creative Process as part of The Grand Masters Series.
Christopher House’s residency will continue with an interactive working session aimed at exploring the creative process underlying the development and production of choreography on Sunday, April 17, at 11:00 a.m. at the Queen’s Dance Studios, 284 Earl St. House will present his approach to the creative process, particularly as it relates to his experience creating Severe Clear. During the session, he will engage participants in a variety of creative and/or choreographic exercises aimed at fostering their artistic development, and may also explore the different performance goals and/or production considerations relevant to various forms of dance and theatre.
Christopher House is one of Canada’s most respected dance artists, and joined Toronto Dance Theatre (TDT) as a dancer in 1979. He has been the company’s Artistic Director since 1994. House has contributed over sixty works to the TDT repertoire including Glass Houses, Four Towers, Early Departures, Vena Cava and Chiasmata. He has created works for Lisbon’s Ballet Gulbenkian, the National Ballet of Canada, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and Ballet British Columbia, among others, and directed two collaborations with Joel Gibb and The Hidden Cameras. House is a three time Dora Mavor Moore Award winner for Outstanding New Choreography and is an Associate Dance Artist of Canada’s National Arts Centre.
This new program complements the already active Masterclass programs for dancers offered throughout the season. The Grand has also recently released three-tiered online materials to help educate audiences about watching dance.
- In the “sy.nop.sis” guide, patrons will learn the brief history and importance of the art form, along with basic vocabulary.
- The “ed.u.cate” guide is a resource tool to assist teachers preparing their students to experience performance through relevant connections with in-class learning. The guide provides student engagements that may support the curriculum objectives of the classroom.
- Lastly, the “pre.view” gives show-specific information that helps prepare audiences for their ticketed event.
Currently, modern dance and classical ballet guides are available at www.kingstongrand.ca/education. A full line-up of Artist in Motion and Grand Masters Series events will be presented in 2011-2012.
Both events are free admission, however, to secure a spot you must RSVP by April 11 to mahady.wilton@sympatico.ca. The Grand Theatre is located at 218 Princess St., and more information can be obtained by telephone at 613-530-2050 or online.
The Grand Theatre would like to acknowledge its 2010-2011 Grand Theatre Presents sponsors. The Four Points Sheraton Kingston is the Official Hospitality Underwriter, Kingston Life is the Official Print Media sponsor and CKWS is the Official Television sponsor.
Media contact information: Julie Fossitt, Marketing Administrator for the Grand Theatre, at 613-546-4291 ext. 1143 or jfossitt@cityofkingston.ca.
