Live With Culture loves to take you behind the scenes and apparently so does choreographer and artistic director Santee Smith. Smith’s Kaha:wi Dance Theatre stages a pay-what-you-can dress rehearsal of its captivating A Story Before Time on Friday (January 15) at the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre.
I was so intriqued by the promo shot above that I put in a call to Smith who happily invited me to the National Ballet School’s Ivey House where the company is in rehearsals this week. The dance relates the Iroquois creation story, which comes to a head in a battle between twin brothers, the Holder of the Heavens, above centre, and the Bent One, above right, surrounded by a delightful animal posse.
Kaha:wi has been performing A Story Before Time since 2007 and is re-mounting the production this week in advance of IPAY Showcase 2010 in Pittsburgh, PA (January 20 -23). IPAY is the International Performing Arts for Youth network and doing well at the showcase could result in touring opporunities across the US for Kaha:wi. The Toronto-based company performed in Japan last fall and will be heading to New Mexico this spring.
At yesterday’s rehearsal, the dancers leaped and tussled in fluid, rhythmic waves as the story unfolded. Cheri Maracle, who is supremely comfortable in her role as narrator, peppered her delivery with wry asides that should have children and parents chuckling on Friday.
“It’s actually a very complex story,” notes Smith (above and below right), “so we’re just giving an overview of the tale. When we first performed the piece we got feedback from the audience that they would like the story to be woven into the dance and it seems to work well.”
WHERE/WHEN: A Story Before Time, January 15, 7 pm, at Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre (509 Parliament Street, 416.924.5657), Pay What You Can.
Top photo by Don Lee; rehearsal images by Christopher Jones
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