PERFORMING SERIES

Blueprint Series #2
RE Tangled

RE Tangled

Featuring guest artists in residency Anna Protsiou and Anastasia Evsigneeva in the culmination of a two week mentorship residence. Anna and Anastasia's residency and mentorship with NDH Rouge-gorge creation company artistic co-directors Edward Poitras and Robin Poitras has been focused on further developing their artistic practices through movement research toward RETANGLED, a remix of Anna and Anastasia's original duet entitled TANGLED, and toward a new creation LUNAR STANDSTILL (working title).

Graduates of the School of Contemporary Dancers in Winnipeg, Anna and Anastasia have worked closely together since they first met in 2015. Inspired by ideas of connectivity, conjoined twins and the nature of deep relationships, Anna and Anastasia embarked on their first contemporary dance creation TANGLED a year ago. The planned premiere of TANGLED  for spring 2020 in Winnipeg was postponed due to COVID-19.

TANGLED began with movement explorations realized while they were physically bound together via their long hair which they united into one pony tail emanating from the crown of their heads. As well as this physical connection they explored emotional states relating to their close proximity. Their inspiration was also fed by their interest in the significance and cultural specificity of hair as a symbol of knowledge and identity.

BLUEPRINT #2 while focused on RETANGLED, will also offer a glimpse of a new creation entitled the LUNAR STANDSTILL, the full realization of both works will be presented in NDH STREAM OF DANCE FESTIVAL in spring 2021.

Where: Instagram Live
When: Saturday, July 18th at 2pm

**This is a free performance

Photo Credit: Orange Slice Photography

Anastasia Evsigneeva is a contemporary dancer, contortionist, circus performer, and graduate (2019) of the Professional Program of the School of Contemporary Dancers, with a BA Honours in Dance. She was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Anastasia is from a very artistic family. Her mother is a former dancer and choreographer, and her father was a mime with the circus when he was younger. Anastasia is a combination of dance and circus with her own vision of contemporary art. Starting to dance early on in her childhood, she became a soloist in a Modern Dance Theatre “Camertone” in her home city. To enrich her dancing, she decided to learn some “cool tricks” without plans of pursuing a circus career. She visited a circus studio called “Search”, and fell in love with the circus art form. Since then, circus has become her second passion in life. Her dance training is enhanced by the intense contortion, hand balancing, aerial hoop and partner acrobatics training, helping her broaden the opportunities in her artistic career.
 
After moving to Canada, Anastasia has successfully established professional connections in Winnipeg. Throughout her post-secondary program, she has had the chance to work with different choreographers from across the country, among those are: Jennifer Mascall, Davida Monk, Marc Boivin and others. In February 2019 during the last year in the program, Anastasia was commissioned as a dancer to perform original work by Paula Blair 11 DAYS…24.75 hrs. In June 2019, Anastasia had a chance to perform with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra with Odette Heyn projects. In July 2019, she took part in a choreographic process with Roberto Mosqueda and Ilse Torres, performing in Leon and Guanojuato in Mexico. Among other recent shows, Anastasia took part in the Emerging Artist Initiative with Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers, choreographed by Jolene Bailie. Since 2015, Anastasia has continued her training in contortion and hand balancing under the guidance of Samantha Halas, Anna Ivaseva, Kimberley Craig and Liz Cooper.

Recently, Anastasia has started experimenting as a pole artist. She enjoys combining different forms and genres of art. Grotesque, avant-garde, and going to extremes, is something she likes to explore in her work. In August 2019 Anastasia came to Regina to start learning a silk dance technique under Robin Poitras’ guidance. Working with Robin has brought inspiration to her dancing. After returning from the project she started to create and choreograph a duet titled TANGLED in collaboration with Anna Protsiou. The work on the duet has developed into the idea of creating a short dance film in Summer/Fall 2020. Anastasia continues to explore her creation processes under the direction of Robin Poitras. In July 2020, Anastasia travelled to Regina, SK with Anna Protsiou to remount TANGLED, and start a new creation. The two-week period in July is just the beginning of Anastasia’s year-long artistic residency at New Dance Horizons.

 Anna Protsiou is a dancer and circus artist who is currently residing in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She immigrated to Canada from Thessaloniki, Greece in 2014. Anna graduated with a Bachelor Honors Degree in Contemporary Dance from the School of Contemporary Dancers’ Professional Program, an affiliated program with the University of Winnipeg. Anna started dance at age of seven training in ballet, but her love for contemporary dance took over when she became a teenager. Since then, she has participated in many workshops and intensives, and has performed in multiple shows. Some of her recent performances include works by: Odette Heyn and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Stephanie Ballard and the Winnipeg Preservation Initiative, Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers and Peter Quanz. She has also worked with out of province choreographers such as Harold Rhéaume and Le fils d'Adrien danse in Quebec City, and in Toronto for the New Blue Dance Festival. In the summer 2019 she participated in Creando Lazos a Traves De La Danza with Ilse Torres and Roberto Mosqueda in Mexico.

Circus has always been a fascinating genre for Anna. She began her circus journey by training in contortion and hand balancing with her coach Samantha Halas. Anna was fortunate to have such amazing guidance and support that allowed her to develop contortion and hand balancing skills. She recently started practicing and performing aerial hoop under the guidance of Liz Cooper and Kimberly Craig, as well as pole. Some highlights of her performances as a circus artist include Heartache Hotel with Frostbite Circus, Stage Frights with One Trunk Theatre, Legends of Horrors with Hit and Run Dance Productions in Toronto, as well as multiple public and private events. Anna finds the limitless possibilities of a moving human body powerful and mesmerizing. She enjoys improving her skills and spends most of her days training. She would love to pursue a more multidisciplinary career gearing towards dance and circus arts.

Photo Credit: Dania AboAoun

Anna has a deep connection with dance, and loves to portray feelings and emotions that cannot be expressed through words. In addition to performing, she loves teaching dance, contortion, acro and flexibility for kids, adolescents and adults. Anna is extremely inspired by the idea of merging different art forms, dance, circus and photography and discovering new possibilities for creation and collaboration.


Anna is currently working on a new creation, TANGLED, with Anastasia Evsigneeva, with whom she has created an exceptional partnership with. She is extremely excited to work on the remount of TANGLED as well a new creation under the direction of Robin Poitras starting summer 2020. Anna looks forward to this special opportunity of being in artistic residency and a part of New Dance Horizons’ 2020-2021 season.

Stream of Dance 2020
Virtual Presentation

STREAMOFDANCE.CA

WELCOME FROM NEW DANCE HORIZONS
Artistic & Managing Director Robin Poitras
 
On behave of New Dance Horizons (NDH) Board of Directors and Staff, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to old and new friends to STREAM OF DANCE 2020, our first ever virtual programming. 
The festival will be available on our site from April 23rd through to June 1st with ongoing additions. If you are on NDH email list you will receive updates when new programming content is added.  If you’re not on our email list you can sign up under the tab, support on our web site. Sign up and we’ll can keep you posted.
 
The festival offers 4 distinct programs including a tiny world’s fair, in partnership with Art Gallery of Regina, Streaming Dance on Film in partnership with RPL Film Theatre commencing Friday, May 1st through Sunday, May 3rd, a special International Dance Day program to be launched on April 29th and a 5 - part radio series each Saturday afternoon in May. The radio series is part of our Plain A.I.R residency with CJTR. 
 
NDH is an arts organization that has been invigorating Regina and a number of Saskatchewan communities with ongoing creative art experiences from classes, workshops, public dance parties, secret garden tours and community processions to residency activity with local and guest artists to internationally acclaimed dance performances for more than 3 decades.  
 
At the heart of NDH is creation and NDH/Rouge-gorge
(R-g), the organizations creation base. R-g is led by guest Co-Artistic Directors Edward Poitras with Robin Poitras. 
 
We are grateful to all the partners, funders, supporters, volunteers, Friends of NDH, and to all artists and all who join us in making this virtual experience possible.

Running Piece
by Grand Poney

Running Piece es une œuvre pour danseur et tapis roulant, une machine à voyager sans se déplacer. Sur ce dispositif à l'espace réduit, un homme fait du surplace, forcé à toujours aller de l'avant. Il traverse les états et situations qui définissent notre humanité. Sur la voie de la civilisation ou sur le trajet du boulot, nous sommes les joggeurs de bonne volonté, les multitaskers trop perfromants et les retardataires compulsifs qui l'animent, Runnine Piece abordenotre propension à sans cesse courir après notre souffle, exaltant le culte de l'être occupé.

Running Piece is a work for dancer and treadmill. On this confined yet infinite space, a man travels without leaving, constantly forced to go forward. He moves through the situations and moments that define us. On the path of humanity and civilisation, or on the transit to work, we are the high hope joggers, the overly capable multitaskers, the compulsive lateness sufferers. Running Piece substantiates our proneness to constantly chase our tails and our pursuit for the divine sublimity of busyness.

Where: University of Regina Shu-Box Theatre | Riddell Centre | 3737 Wascana Pkwy

When: Wednesday, November 6, 2019 - 8:00 PM
Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 1:30 PM

Ticketing: 

• Adult: $30
• Student/Senior: $20
• U of R Student with ID/Children 13 and Under: $10
  
  

MOT DU CHORÉGRAPHE
La courroie cyclique de Running Piece me fait penser à l’ouroboros, ce symbole circulaire qui présente un serpent mangeant sa propre queue. Ce paradoxe, où la vie et la mort se nourrissent l’une l’autre, m’évoque cette idée perverse qui veut que nous arrivions à maitriser le temps. Dans le petit circuit fermé de nos drames quotidiens, cette quête de rendement ultime nous y aura plutôt assujettis. À vouloir profiter de chaque instant, cette denrée si abondante qu’est le temps nous file pourtant entre les doigts.

ARTISTIC STATEMENT
Running Piece’s endless belt reminds me of the ouroboros, the cyclical symbol of a snake eating its own tail. This paradox, where life and death mutually feed on each other, reminds me of our perverse desire to somehow master time. In the closed circuit of our daily dramas, this quest for ultimate productivity has rather enslaved us to time. By trying to grasp every single moment, the abundance of this commodity ironically slips between our fingers. 

CRÉDITS

Idée originale Jacques Poulin-Denis
Interprète James Gnam
Chorégraphie Jacques Poulin-Denis avec Manuel Roque
Musique originale Jacques Poulin-Denis
Dramaturgie Gabriel Charlebois Plante
Costumes Marilène Bastien
Électronique Samuel Saint Aubin
Vidéo Joel Morin Ben Abdallah
Œil extérieur Sophie Corriveau
Lumière Erwann Bernard
Direction technique Liam Lett

Running Piece est une coproduction de l’Agora de la danse qui a été réalisée grâce au soutien financier du Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, du Conseil des arts du Canada, du Conseil des arts de Montréal et de Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique.

​Résidences de création : Centre de Création O Vertigo, Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique, Recto Verso, Danse Danse, Arsenal art contemporain Montréal, Musée d’art de Joliette, Théâtre Hector-Charland, Agora de la danse.

CREDITS

Created by Jacques Poulin-Denis
Dancer James Gnam
Choreography Jacques Poulin-Denis with Manuel Roque
Original music Jacques Poulin-Denis
Dramaturgy Gabriel Charlebois Plante
Costumes Marilène Bastien
Electronics Samuel Saint Aubin
Video Joel Morin Ben Abdallah
Outside eye Sophie Corriveau
Lights Erwann Bernard
Technical direction Liam Lett

Running Piece was coproduced by the Agora de la danse and made possible thanks to the financial support of the Canada Arts Council,
the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Montreal Arts Council and Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique.

Creative residences: Centre de Création O Vertigo, Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique, Recto Verso, Danse Danse, Arsenal art contemporain Montréal, Musée d’art de Joliette, Théâtre Hector-Charland, Agora de la danse. 

Jacques Poulin-Denis
© Dominique T. Skoltz, 2014

Jacques Poulin-Denis is a composer, choreographer, director and performer. Undertaking projects that blur the boundaries between dance, music and theater, he creates humanistic and uncanny works that are both sensorial and thought provoking. To gently knock the spectator off center, he puts forth the strength within the vulnerability of the characters he brings to life.Counting over twelve different productions, Jacques Poulin-Denis’ work has been seen in over twenty cities across Canada, as well as in the United States, Europe and Asia. He is an artist in residence of l’Agora de la danse in Montreal, and was awarded a two month residency in Berlin during the Tanz Im August Festival, as well as several choreographic research periods in Montreal, Victoria, Vancouver, Bassano and Seoul.
He develops an interdisciplinary approach to creation, which he regularly teaches through workshops and master classes. He is a close collaborator of choreographer Mélanie Demers and has been active with her company, Mayday, as a composer and performer since 2006. Jacques Poulin-Denis is the winner of an Isadora Duncan Dance Awards, San Francisco in 2004 and a Saskatoon Area Theater Award in 2009.

​James Gnam
​Dominique T. Skoltz

James Gnam is an award winning dance artist based in Vancouver and Montreal. He is the artistic director of plastic orchid factory, a founding member of Left of Main as well as an associate artist with MAYDAY and Grand Poney. He trained at the National Ballet School of Canada and from 1998 to the present, has performed in the works of Crystal Pite, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, Jiri Kylian, Barak Marshall and collaborated in the creation of new work with Lee Su-Feh, Jacques Poulin-Denis, Melanie Demers, Vanessa Goodman, Peter Bingham and Tedd Robinson. With plastic orchid, James collaboratively devises interdisciplinary work that has been supported by Opera Estate in Bassano Italy; Circuit-Est in Montreal; Centre Q and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa; Mile Zero Dance in Edmonton; The New Forms Festival, The Vancouver Art gallery and SFU Woodwards in Vancouver.

HINKYPUNK
by FakeKnot

HINKYPUNK is an unidentified identity - an archetype, a hero, the unreachable. HINKYPUNK is the idolized/idealized version of the self, a distant mirage of the here and now. HINKYPUNK is the most real that real can get. HINKYPUNK is the glamorous façade leading the construct of cultural identity. HINKYPUNK is the faceless face we look for and who shapes what we become. HINKYPUNK is a 50 minute solo dance work that is based on the notion of how identity is conflated with iconography and pop culture.

Where: University of Regina Shu-Box Theatre | Riddell Centre | 3737 Wascana Pkwy

When: Thursday, October 24, 2019 - 1:30 PM
Friday, October 25, 2019 - 8:00 PM
​
There will be a talk back reception in the CRUSH space following the Friday evening performance.

Ticketing: 

• Adult: $30
• Student/Senior: $20
• U of R Student with ID/Children 13 and Under: $10

Purchase of a HINKYPUNK ticket will allow patrons 19 years of age an older to attend the Wigs on Fire Kiki Vogue Ball following the Talk Back and reception on Friday, October 25.

HINKYPUNK by FakeKnot
Choreographer: Ralph Escamillan
Interpretive contributors: Kevin Fraser, Rachel Meyer, Sara Formosa, Ted Littlemore,
Cassandra Naud
Performers: Ralph Escamillan
New Media Projection & Lights: Chimerik似不像 
      Sammy Chien - New Media Artist 
      Andie Lloyd - Assistant Designer, production assistant and operator for lights, sound and video.
Composer/ Sound design: Stefan Seslija
Dramaturge: Justine Chambers 
Costumes: Sonja Maus
Set Design: Peter Boulanger
Other acknowledgements: Co-Produced by Push Festival (2018)
and funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.
Residencies – The Dance Centre, Boca Del Lupo, Plastic Orchid Factory and R Space. 

​Ralph Escamillan is a queer, Canadian-Filipinx performance artist/choreographer/teacher and community leader based in Vancouver, BC. His arsenal of performance skills include a variety of street dance styles, ballroom, contemporary, circus, and drag. He graduated after 4 years in Modus Operandi, Vancouver’s contemporary dance training program, in 2015. He’s apprenticed with Kidd Pivot and worked with Vancouver companies: Company 605, Co.Erasga Dance, Kinesis Dance Somatheatro, Out Innerspace Theatre and is currently on contract with Wen Wei Dance. In the commercial industry, hes worked with choreographers including AJ Aakomon, Luther Brown, Paul Becker and Tucker Barkely, as well as artists Victoria Duffield and Zendaya Coleman, and was a guest dancer for Janet Jackson’s “Unbreakable” tour in 2015. With his company FAKEKNOT he creates work that strives to understand the complexities of identity using sound, costume and technology. The founder of VanVogueJam, Ralph shares his passion for Vogue/Ballroom culture at his weekly by-donation class and vogue balls, acting as a beacon for the queer dance form in Western Canada.

BLUEPRINT SERIES

BLUEPRINT SERIES #1
KUDRO

PHOTO CREDIT: GARRY WASYLIW

KUDRO
A work in progress by choreographer, Connie Moker Wernikowski, media and sound artist, Garry Wasyliw, and dancer, Katrina Currie. 
Supported by Canada Council for the Arts and Saskatchewan Arts Board. 

This BLUEPRINT is a sneak preview of Kudro, which will be shown in completion January 17 and 18 at U of R Shu-Box Theatre in a full performance of Connie Moker Wernikowski’s recent work.

Where: 2207 Harvey St
When: Saturday, September 28th at 1pm and 3pm

**This is a free performance

Connie Moker Wernikowski holds an Honours BA in Dance from York University and an M.Ed from the University of Regina. Connie has been actively contributing to dance in this province for over 40 years. She moved to Regina in 1975 to be a company member and teacher with Regina Modern Dance Works. Her professional career, centred in Regina, has included work as an artistic director, dance teacher, dance educator, professional dancer, choreographer and mentor. Connie is a master teacher of contemporary dance technique. She has taught numerous movement and arts education classes at the University of Regina, and has mentored many young dancers who now have careers in dance. Her choreography has been shown internationally. She has developed performances for school children audiences. Connie performed as part of New Dance Horizons InTemp Company and has toured through Canada as an independent soloist. In recent years Connie has created new choreographic works annually. Connie was Artistic Director of Youth Ballet and Contemporary Dance of Saskatchewan (YBCS) from 1994 to 2009. Her work at YBCS has left a significant legacy in ballet and contemporary dance training and in providing performance opportunities and development for young dancers. In 2018 Connie was a short list nominee for a Saskatchewan Arts Award for Arts and Learning.
Watch for a full performance of Connie’s recent work titled Full Tilt which will be held January 17 and 18, 2020 at the Shu-Box Theatre, University of Regina.

Katrina Currie (nee Wernikowski) graduated from Canada’s National Ballet School in 1997. She went on to apprentice with the National Ballet of Canada in 1997/1998. With Guillaume Cote, Katrina performed the Swan Lake Pas De Deux at Canada’s Governor General Awards in honour of Karen Kain in November 1997. After a decision to move into the world of contemporary dance, Katrina attended the School of Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers. She studied there for one year and was named an honorary graduate of their professional program in spring 1999.  She also studied in Hamburg Germany with special invitation by John Neumeier. She went on to dance with Ruth Cansfield Dance, which was a renowned Winnipeg contemporary dance company. Katrina has danced the work of several international and Canadian choreographers including John Neumeier, Rudy Van Dantzig, Brent Lott, Ruth Cansfield, Robin Poitras and Connie Moker Wernikowski.  She performed at the ImPulsTanz Vienna International Dance Festival in 1999, and also performed a solo by Ruth Cansfield opening the FIND Festival in Montreal. Katrina now lives in Regina with her husband and four young children and works as an Occupational Therapist for Prairie Valley Schools.

Garry Wasyliw began his working career as an engineer.  This background in applied science has been the basis for a study of the development of digital technologies with their ability to democratise music recording and video practices.  He has regularly played keyboards and radio braodcasts in a local improvisational band, The Miscibles.  Garry has composed, performed and, recorded music for television through the 291 Film Company.  He has also composed and performed music for dance performances, many of them being for pieces choreographed by Connie Moker Wernikowski.  Garry has recently completed a Master of Fine Arts degree through the Interdisciplinary Studies Program at the University of Regina.  His research was a study of the synchresis between sound art and expanded cinema.  His final MFA project was an installation titled ”Relativity”.  During this time he was employed as a technician on an installation of Atom Egoyan’s Steenbeckett.  Garry currently serves on the board of Neutral Ground Contemporary Art Forum.