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Fall for Dance North (FFDN) celebrates 8th Annual Festival at six Toronto for three weeks

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Toronto’s premier international dance festival shares its massive fall performance schedule

VANCOUVER, August 9, 2022 — Toronto’s premier international dance festival Fall for Dance North (FFDN) announces its return to in-person programming with its eighth edition from Sept. 17 to Oct. 8, 2022 – keeping all festival tickets at $15 for any seat. FFDN’s vast and diverse line-up of innovative programming will include 15+ world premieres from movement artists, musicians and filmmakers, presented at six venues across Toronto, in partnership with more than 13 arts organizations. In addition to the return of FFDN’s foundational indoor mixed programme at the festival’s home stage, Meridian Hall, featuring internationally celebrated artists, the festival will expand its programming to present a series of full-length and double bill presentations, both indoors and outdoors, while offering digital engagements to enhance the experience of the organization’s fast-growing local and global audiences. 

“This year’s annual festival represents a particularly thrilling evolution of FFDN, as we return to our signature venues at Meridian Hall, Theatre at the Creative School, and The Citadel for indoor performances, while also continuing to expand our organization’s footprint in Toronto and beyond,” says Ilter Ibrahimof, FFDN Artistic Director. “We are immensely proud of this edition’s vibrancy and diversity, which features a fulsome representation of performance genres – including tap, jazz, hula, contemporary circus, traditional Indigenous, ballet and screendance – created and performed by more than 200 acclaimed dancers, choreographers, directors, and musicians from across North America. We are elated to once again come together to celebrate a joyous mix of high-quality, accessible performance in a variety of inspiring environments, in collaboration with our longtime programming partners across Toronto.”

Zack Martel and Santiago Rivera photo by Bruce Zinger

The festival’s most anticipated presentation, ARISE: 2022 Signature Programme, at Meridian Hall on Oct. 6-8, will showcase a festival commission from visionary tap dancer Dianne Montgomery; a traditional Indigenous Hawaiian performance from Ka Leo O Laka | Ka Hikina O Ka Lā; a shared world premiere with Soundstreams of a new short film by award-winning actor and director Michael Greyeyes with live orchestral accompaniment; and the FFDN premiere of Canada’s National Ballet School, showcasing 110 ballet students in a monumental work by choreographer Jera Wolfe. 

This year’s striking line-up also includes the second season of FFDN’s popular outdoor performance series, Heirloom, with performances across Ontario from Sept. 17-25 and at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works on Sept. 20; a jazz-themed double bill presentation, Margarita & Family of Jazz, showcasing the work of FFDN’s 2021/22 John and Claudine Bailey Artists-in-Residence Natasha Powell and Kimberley Cooper, with their respective companies Holla Jazz (Toronto) and Decidedly Jazz Danceworks (Calgary) on Sept. 30 to Oct. 2; and the Canadian premiere of a full-length performance from Phoenix-based Indigenous dance collective, Indigenous Enterprise, on Oct. 7-8.

Additional festival presentations include the return of Night Shift, produced and co-presented by Citadel + Compagnie, which offers world premieres by nine emerging dancemakers from Toronto over three nights of in-person performances at The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance. And, for the first time, a short dance film series titled 8-Count with live, in-person screenings at the Betty Oliphant Theatre (Sept. 23) and the Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre at York University (Sept. 24), featuring world and Canadian premieres by director/choreographers Loughlan Prior (New Zealand), Zui Gomez (New York) and Roshanak Jaberi and Karen Kaeja (Toronto). 

A variety of free in-person and digital ancillary events will be offered throughout the festival, including the third season of the FFDN podcast Mambo; a social dance evening with a panel discussion on jazz dance at Union Station; a free concert series at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts with select artists from Indigenous Enterprise, presented in collaboration with the Canadian Opera Company; and various workshops, artist talks and more. 

For FFDN tickets and information, visit: ffdnorth.com

Work by Dianne Montgomery photo by Erica Cheah

Toronto Fall for Dance North Festival Highlights:

WEEK 1

HEIRLOOM series

World Premiere of In Blue Rooms by Zack Martel and Santiago Rivera (Solo un Duelo – Montréal), with live music arranged by Daniel Hamin Go (cello) and Michael Bridge (accordion) from The Royal Conservatory

Sept. 17: 4pm at FirstOntario PAC (250 St Paul St, St. Catharines)
Co-presented with FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

Sept. 20: 7:30pm at TD Future Cities Centre (550 Bayview Ave., Toronto) 
Co-presented with Evergreen Brick Works, as part of its Ignite Series

Sept. 22: 12pm at Leacock Museum (50 Museum Dr., Orillia) 
Co-presented with Arts Orillia 

Sept. 25: 4pm at Peterborough Square courtyard (340 George St. N., Peterborough) 
Co-presented with Public Energy Performing Arts

This year’s Heirloom performance series is sure to delight the senses. Rivera and Martel’s whimsical choreography at once blurs the lines of juggling, contemporary circus, dance and object manipulation to tell the story of separation and the journey of coming together, performed by four accomplished jugglers and dancers from Montréal. Live music by a musical trio led by Daniel and Michael accompanies the movement for this new full-length collaborative work, much like a witty repartee between music and physical storytelling.

8-Count: Delightful moments of dance cinema
Sept. 23: 7:30pm at Betty Oliphant Theatre (404 Jarvis St, Toronto)
Sept. 24: 4pm at Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre at York University (Ian MacDonald Blvd, Toronto)

FFDN’s new short dance film series, 8-Count, showcases the latest developments and talent of screendance, with live cinema screenings followed by a moderated discussion with the select filmmakers from the programme. Three dance films have been confirmed to date, with additional films to be announced in September. Films include:

Inklings, a world premiere from award-winning, New Zealand-based choreographer and filmmaker Loughlan Prior, and produced by Canada’s National Ballet School.

…Savannah?, a Canadian premiere by Gibney Dance Company artistic associate Zui Gomez (New York), which combines choreography, comedic tones, and groovy tunes.

Slipping, a world premiere by Toronto-based dance artists Roshanak Jaberi and Karen Kaeja, which captures a two-week creative residency in Val-Des-Lacs, Quebec.

Films included in the inaugural 8-Count series will be offered as free streaming on FFDN’s website, immediately after the second live screening on Sept. 24.

WEEK 2

Night Shift
Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 at 10pm, The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance

Night Shift is an annual series produced by Citadel + Compagnie and co-presented with FFDN, showcasing innovative and thought-provoking dance by a series of nine Ontario-based movement makers. This year’s works were curated by Penny Couchie, Christine Friday and Debra McDermott and will be presented in-person at The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance.

Featuring new works by Candace Kumar, Carleen Zouboules + Vania Dodoo-Beals, Kiyo Asaoka (Sept. 29); Ana Sofia Ontiveros Zolezzi, Samantha Sutherland, Stuti Mukherjee (Sept. 30); and Kieran Heralall, Mushtari Afroz, Ana Claudette Groppler (Oct. 1).

Co-presented with Citadel + Compagnie

Double Bill: Margarita & Family of Jazz by Natasha Powell (Holla Jazz) and Kimberley Cooper (Decidedly Jazz Danceworks)
Sept. 30 & Oct. 1 (7:30pm), Oct. 2 (2pm), Theatre at The Creative School (formerly Ryerson Theatre)

FFDN’s 2021/22 John and Claudine Bailey Artists-in-Residence Kimberley Cooper and Natasha Powell bring us two exciting new jazz works, each joined by their own live band. While Decidedly Jazz Danceworks offers the Ontario premiere of the gloriously joyful Family of Jazz, choreographed by Cooper, Powell and her all-female cast unveil the world premiere of FFDN-commissioned Margarita, inspired by the lives of chorus girls from the early 1900s.

Following each performance, audience members will be invited to jump on stage for social dancing with the performers, accompanied by DJD’s live band.

WEEK 3

ARISE: 2022 Signature Programme
Oct. 6 & 7 (7:30pm), Oct. 8 (2pm), Meridian Hall

World Premiere of Softly Losing, Softly Gaining by Dianne Montgomery – with live music

Kau Hea A Hiiaka by Ka Leo O Laka | Ka Hikina O Ka La – with live music

Zipangu, a short film by Michael Greyeyes, accompanied by Soundstreams’ Ensemble 

Arise, by Jera Wolfe, performed by 110 students from Canada’s National Ballet School

This evening will take dance enthusiasts on a journey through artforms and cultures. The programme will commence with an electrifying FFDN-commissioned world premiere by Toronto-based tap choreographer Dianne Montgomery, followed by the mesmerizing synchronicity of traditional Hawaiian Hula led by Kaleo Trinidad of Honolulu, and will conclude with the enchantment of a momentous ballet by Jera Wolfe, featuring over 110 professional dancers from Canada’s National Ballet School. The audience will also be treated to a new dance film by Indigenous theatre-maker and actor Michael Greyeyes, accompanied by a 13-member live string orchestra in an exciting partnership with Soundstreams.

Co-presented with TO Live

Indigenous Liberation
Oct. 7 & 8 (7:30pm) Theatre at The Creative School (formerly Ryerson Theatre)

In their Canadian debut, Indigenous Enterprise explores traditional dances passed on from their elders and reimagined for a new crop of award-winning performers. The Phoenix-based troupe combines dance and filmmaking, using projected animations to prelude the origin story of each traditional dance as it is performed. Their full-length production Indigenous Liberation is choreographed and performed by seven renowned Indigenous artists, and highlights a diverse array of pow wow dances to inspire and heal. 

***

Festival Packages are now available at ffdnorth.com – with single tickets going on sale on August 11, 2022 at 11am. Single tickets are available for $15 (+ fees & HST) per performance (except for Heirloom, which is ‘Pay What You Can’). The 2022 Festival Package includes three mainstage shows as a base (Margarita & Family of Jazz, ARISE: 2022 Signature Programme, Indigenous Liberation), plus any of the Heirloom performances and 8-Count live screenings. Box office services for FFDN 2022 is proudly managed by TO Live. For FFDN ticketing and package information, please visit: ffdnorth.com

Fall for Dance North gratefully acknowledges the generous support and vision of the following individuals, supporters, and partners:

About Fall for Dance North (ffdnorth.com)
Presenting its first festival in 2015, and inspired by Fall for Dance in NYC, Fall for Dance North is a commitment to support the professional dance community.  FFDN nurtures the dance audiences of the future, supports the creation of new work, educates the next generation, and connects the global dance industry with Canadian artists. Year-round activities and digital innovations are expanding to meet FFDN audiences where they live, play and explore. FFDN is an inclusive, accessible celebration of community made better through professional dance.

Important Details

Dates:
Sept. 17-Oct. 8, 2022

Mainstage Venues:

TD Future Cities Centre, Evergreen Brick Works
550 Bayview Ave., Toronto, ON

The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance
304 Parliament St., Toronto, ON

The Theatre at The Creative School (formerly Ryerson Theatre)
43 Gerrard St. East, Toronto, ON

Meridian Hall
1 Front St. East, Toronto, ON

Ticket Prices:

Festival Package, from $38.25 (+ fees + HST) (Base Package)
Single Tickets: $15 (+ fees & HST)
Heirloom Single Tickets, Pay What You Can
All other programming FREE

lead photo Zipangu dancer Gesilayefa Azorbo and Orchestra, photo by Ceinwen Gobert

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