‘Personal statements’ explore deep themes as DJD hits full Velocity
In the new Decidedly Jazz Danceworks production Velocity, dancers will play giant bass strings that have been strewn across the stage. They’ll engage in a “sensual” battle where they use cymbals as shields. In another scene, a trumpet comes to life in a meditative piece that touches on death. In yet another segment, a bird takes flight.
In short, there’s a lot going on in Velocity, a show that offers a celebration of movement and sound and the exploration of deep themes. But it’s also important to note that the above performances only represent a fraction of what the show will offer.
Those four pieces were choreographed or co-choreographed by Catherine Hayward, an 11-season veteran of Decidedly Jazz and the artistic director for this particular show.
Velocity will feature six additional pieces choreographed by the other six dancers of the company.
“For someone who is less familiar with going to dance shows, the great thing is there is a variety,” says Hayward. “The show runs just over an hour. So in that time, you’re going to get a sense of 10 different ideas which can be really exciting for a new audience member.
“And for someone more seasoned, I think in these dances there are deeper layers for someone who has seen many dance performances to dive in deeper, where they can look for those layers or look for those nuances or shifts that the choreographer was after within their short piece.”
Each piece will have its own style, dynamics and rhythm with choreography informed by a wide variety of influences, Hayward says.
“Life experiences, creatures, trees, robots, rhythmic conver- sations and the music,” she says. “The dancers were given no real parameters aside from working with jazz music. So they were given free rein in terms of their ideas and what they could explore in this show.”
With all of the DJD dancers dancing to their own beat, it may seem like the show might lack a certain cohesion. But while the show may have a slightly more casual vibe than other DJD productions, Hayward says Velocity is actually a deeply personal statement from the company, with each piece revealing the inner workings of the dancer/choreographer.
While it may be a touch simplistic to say that the enthusiasm showed by individual dancers for this task suggests there is a choreographer lurking in every dancer — sort of like those actors who want to direct — it is safe to say DJD didn’t have to exert too much pressure to find participants.
“At the end of last season, I put forth to the dancers to submit a proposal for the show, not knowing how many dancers would be interested,” Hayward says. “It turns out they were all excited to try. So there is varied experience in terms of choreography within the company. Some have been doing it for many years, some people are new. But they all showed an interest in working on choreography. That’s ultimately is what led to everyone participating.”
A dancer’s attraction to choreography is a natural progression, Hayward says. The Winnipeg-born dancer says her own path is a case in point.
“It’s my 11th season with DJD, but for the past 13 years living in Calgary, I’ve choreographed at least one piece since being here, if not more,” she says. “Working with my peers, working with professionals, working with students, working with children. What happened to me over time was that I had an interest in being involved in the dance community in a deeper sense. I knew if I started working on the choreographic process, that would give me more insight into my dancing and make me a better dancer. Anything you work on is another tool in your tool belt and makes your experience richer in the form you are working on.”
Velocity, which runs from Nov. 16-26, is the first dancer-choreographed show to be performed at the $26-million DJD Dance Centre, which opened in 2016. Having seven cooks in the kitchen, so to speak, can be stressful, but it’s also worked to bring the dancers closer together.
“Switching those roles and working with your peers, ultimately, I think we’re learning more about each other and how to work together really well,” Hayward says. “I think, for the next show in the new year, we’ll have a deeper connection to each other as a group.”
Velocity will be performed at the DJD Dance Centre from Nov. 1626. Curtain time is 8 p.m. Matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Visit decidedlyjazz.com for a schedule and ticket prices.
The dancers were given ... free rein in terms of their ideas and what they could explore in this show.