Although the Royal Winnipeg Ballet is the oldest continuously operating ballet company in North America, it is also continually pushing boundaries and exploring the art of dance in every way possible. Their newest productions opens this week, and Ballet and the Band is set to awe audiences with live music and groundbreaking choreography.
Ballet and the Band features not one but two world premiers, and sees the RWB in a new setting at the Club Regent Event Centre. The show runs from Thursday, March 28th to Saturday, March 30th (all at 7:30pm), and you can purchase your tickets here! With three different pieces, this production has something for everyone, and is the perfect celebration of Winnipeg’s artistic talent.
Next of Kin, Philippe Larouche
Next of Kin is collaborative world premier, pairing the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s innovative choreography with the talent of the Bros. Landreth. The Bros. Landreth are a Winnipeg alt country and rock band that have taken the Canadian music scene by storm, and won the Juno award for Album of the Year in 2015. “Next of Kin looks at the intergenerational impact of addiction. The story follows Brother, a desperate man in his late twenties, who has been battling with addiction since his teens. As his marriage and his relationship with his sister are affected, he spirals into darkness.” The Bros. Landreth worked closely with Larouche in the creation of this piece, and rediscovered elements of their own music in the process. Philippe “took our music and found a connective tissue between songs that we had never even realized shared a common thread. He built a story from that music and used the rhythm of the human body to express it on stage in a way that is mesmerizing… It’s special, it’s earnest, and it’s something that we are tremendously excited to share with not only our fans, but with anyone who appreciates art.”
Larouche’s choreography cuts to the heart of human emotion, and this exploration is a meaningful look at an often-ignored disease. What I find particularly interesting about this piece is that there will ASL interpretation at all three shows for the Bros. Landreth lyrics- this is an absolutely fantastic way to make ballet and the arts as accessible as possible. After seeing Larouche’s interpretation of the RWB’s history in For Bye and About, I am incredibly excited to see more of his work.
Note: Next of Kin does deal with self-harm and addiction; it may not be suitable for all audience members.
Bare, Jera Wolfe
Bare is also a world premier in Ballet and the Band, and is not to be missed! Choreographed by Jera Wolfe, Bare is a study of human tendencies. “What is it to be truly seen? To embrace the beauty and darkness of our successes and failures. We can put on a mask and guard our feelings from the world. What happens when we take this mask off?” Wolfe’s choreography is grounded and emotional, and is incredibly moving no matter what the story is.
Wolfe, who is of Métis heritage, is an up-and-coming choreographer who has taken the dance world by storm. His choreographic works have been presented by several notable organisations, including the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Jacob’s Pillow, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. He is also a choreographer, performer, and an Associate Artist with Red Sky Performance.
Miroirs, Mark Godden
Miroirs is a five-part ballet from Mark Godden, an award-winning choreographer. It premiered here in Winnipeg, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet toured it across Canada, receiving wide acclaim. I was lucky enough to see it in Our Story and I am thrilled to see it again! Paired with two world premiers, it is a wonderful look to the RWB’s storied past!
Will I be seeing you at Ballet and the Band?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin’
