Shaping Sound returns with more narrative show So You Think You Can Dance alum Wall performing in show he choreographed
The wildly popular dance phenomenon Shaping Sound returns to Calgary and Edmonton next week after only two short years away.
The So You Think You Can Dance troupe which transitioned from the TV sensation to the stage will perform with choreographer Travis Wall and dancers Nick Lazzarini, Teddy Forance and the incredibly delightful, versatile Lex Ishimoto.
Back this time with less glitz and glam and more of a textured, narrative substance, Wall’s new vehicle After the Curtain is a different show from the others.
The opening number’s Roaring Twenties esthetic, with flappers and suspenders, features a writer/director ( Wall) recounting the opening night of his production and the tragic events that would ensue. Wall wrote obsessively for four months, designing the story to catapult audiences into deep places and dark spaces. After the Curtain’s twisty-turny plot angles and triangles, depictions of substance abuse and suicide plus so much more has toured extensively this past year to great acclaim.
I asked Travis Wall about their upcoming show:
Q What’s this show about?
A After The Curtain is a tragic love story, with an ultimately uplifting and hopeful ending. It is the story of a director, Vincent, played by me, and his fight to find his creative voice after his one true love has died. It is a show within a show and you get to know all of these characters very intimately and find out how they all relate to one another. By the end, the audience is attached to each character, wanting to know more.
Q Describe how the show demonstrates the development of your choreographic process of moving the So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) phenomenon from TV to stage? How has your thinking evolved through that transition?
A As a choreographer and dancer, I am continuously grateful for SYTYCD and shows similar to this that help put dance in the spotlight. Because of SYTYCD, I was able to transition from being a dancer to a choreographer. They gave me the platform to do so and to go on and win two Emmys. Creating for the stage is definitely very different from creating for TV/film. For camera work, you can almost tell the viewer where to look but for stage, it requires a lot more nuance, transitions are harder, narratives are harder, but it is also so much more rewarding.
Q Describe how the company has matured even more with After the Curtain, both in developing concepts and choreography.
A As a choreographer, I have matured and, as dancers, we have all matured. The company started almost six years ago and, as a team, we have really gone through a lot, and really we did it all together. We are true storytellers now. Our other show was more about glitz and glam, which is great, but this one really allows us to dive deep into a story and connect to audience members on another level. Also, our technical elements are way more sophisticated. This show has projection, big sets and I ( get to) fly — twice!
Q Who contributes what to the show? Giving SYTYCD winners a chance to perform is a huge opportunity to showcase young talent. What do the winners bring to the overall tenor of Shaping Sound? And could you tell our readers something about Lex Ishimoto?
A Lex was actually a part of the company before he appeared on SYTYCD. We all encouraged him to audition last year, knowing he is one of a kind. His talent is limitless. However, Taylor Sieve is brand new and is doing incredibly. It’s great that we are able to provide a platform for dancers like Taylor to take the stage after being on TV and giving all the fans who were glued to their screens, watching week to week, a chance to see their favourite dancers live on stage.
Calgary performances at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium run Jan. 19-20. Edmonton performances at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium run Jan. 16-17. Tickets available at albertaballet.com.