July 23, 2009
July 17, 2009
Review: Vancouver Sun on Dusk Dances/ Dancing on the Edge
Kevin Griffin in the Vancouver Sun writes:
By the Duck Pond in Queen Elizabeth Park
Performances this evening, and Saturday at 7 p.m.
VANCOUVER – Outdoor performances don’t get much better than Dusk Dances in Queen Elizabeth Park.
Take a warm summer evening, add music and dance in one of the city’s great parks and you get as close as possible to a perfect evening.
The four dance works on the program couldn’t have been more diverse. They ranged from contemporary to tap and included live and recorded music. Two were so site-specific it was a little eerie how well they fit into their outdoor settings.
That was particularly the case with Kaha:wi, pronounced ga-ha-wee. It was performed in a clearing surrounded by cedars and Douglas firs. Even though the sun hadn’t yet set, the trees were dense enough to keep out direct light. In the dusk, the beige and earthtones of the four women’s costumes glowed. It felt magical, as if a fairy or sprite might appear from behind a tree at any moment.
July 16, 2009
John Kim Bell performs at Planet IndigenUS
One of Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s dearest friends and advisors, Mr. John Kim Bell will be headlining the Planet IndinegUs Aboriginal music festival at the Harbourfront Centre this August. Mr. Bell will be opening the IndigenUs Festival, a festival bringing together top Aboriginal musicians from around the world, with a symphonic orchestra concert on August 14th, 2009 at 8:30 PM on the Sirius Stage at the Harbourfront Centre.
Mr. Bell’s roots as a symphonic conductor are well-known throughout Canada. He is the first Aboriginal person to conduct a symphonic orchestra in North America. He was the Associate Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic and has trained with such figures as famed conductor Leonard Bernstein.
You can find further information about the Planet IndigenUs Festival here.