Creating ambitious new works from the world’s most celebrated choreographers, Ballet BC is a leader in the creation and production of contemporary dance in Canada. Under the artistic direction of Emily Molnar­ – former member of The National Ballet of Canada, Ballet BC and Frankfurt Ballet – the Company actively fosters collaborative and creation-based ballet.  Bold and innovative, their distinctive style and approach furthers the boundaries of contemporary dance, and has been rewarded with significant international touring and critical acclaim.

At CDF 2016 they will perform a mixed program including: Emily Molnar’s 16 + a room; Solo Echo, choreographed by Crystal Pite; and Sharon Eyal’s Bill.

In 16 + a room, Emily Molnar, Ballet BC’s Artistic Director, has created a dynamic world for 16 dancers set to a driving musical landscape by German composer Dirk Haubrich. Inspired by the writings of Jeannette Winterson and Emily Dickinson, this compelling work displays Molnar’s unique choreographic language through a complex study of time, transition, and stillness, where the space between is as important as the space occupied; where one is left with the feeling of both liberty and disappearance.

Based in Vancouver, and celebrated globally, Crystal Pite explores recurring themes of acceptance and loss with Solo Echo, a work originally developed for Nederlands Dans Theater. Inspired by two sonatas for cello and piano by Brahms—creative touchstones for the artist throughout her career—and the poem “Lines for Winter” by Mark Strand, Pite continues her lifelong artistic exploration of tension and its resolution. Solo Echo moves from aggression to yearning, from the individual to the collective, travelling the pathways from conflict to acceptance.

Tel Aviv-based Sharon Eyal is one of the hottest choreographers today. Former Resident Choreographer of the Batsheva Dance Company and now Artistic Director of her own company, L-E-V, Eyal’s signature style and daring, sensual language requires of dancers an intricate and precise expression of the body. Working with frequent collaborators Gai Behar and Ori Lichtik, in Bill, Eyal combines dance, music, and design into an instantly recognizable whole of raw, unexpected beauty created with equal parts ebb and flow. Premiered by Batsheva Dance Company, Bill showcases Eyal’s trademark shifts from large group to smaller ensemble; which in turn morph into breathtaking solos.

PRESENTING SPONSOR :

Anndraya Luui