Fall for Dance North Toronto announces its seventh season

I won’t claim to know a great deal about the exquisite art form of dance, but I am extremely grateful Fall for Dance North (FFDN) continues to keep individuals like me keenly interested in wanting to learn more as an informed audience member.

Recently I received a press release from the company detailing its seventh season fall 2021 announcement. FFDN nurtures the dance audiences of the future, supports the creation of new work, educates the next generation, and connects the global dance industry with Canadian artists. Its mission is to elevate the popularity of dance by presenting a diverse, world-class dance festival of established and emerging talent from Toronto, Canada and around the globe through accessible ticket prices. FFDN also supports Canada’s professional dance community, creates an inclusive atmosphere and inspires and educates new audiences and seasoned dance patrons.

Pencil in or electronically set your calendars now as September 11-October 29, 2021 marks FFDN’s seventh edition and Toronto’s largest festival line-up to date, showcasing a hybrid mix of electrifying in-person performances and original digital content for its local and global audience, including the world premiere of 10 festival commissions.

The innovative program will feature a collection of real-time, livestream performances from Toronto and films shot on location in India, Cuba and London, UK; the launch of a new outdoor performance series, Heirloom – performed in Toronto’s surrounding communities; the premiere of an interactive, jazz-themed photo and augmented reality exhibit at Union Station – curated by FFDN Artists-in-Residence Natasha Powell (Toronto) and Kimberley Cooper (Calgary); and a short documentary that follows the development of a new creation during a two-week, isolated residency in Orillia with Powell and 11 students from The School of Performance Dance program at Ryerson University. *The name of the university is currently under review by the Standing Strong (Mash Koh Wee Kah Pooh Win) Task Force*

Artistic Director of FFDN, Ilter Ibrahimof speaks glowingly of this year’s celebration:

“This year's hybrid edition of FFDN brings us one step closer to our vision for a new festival format fit for our changing and increasingly virtual world. “We are thrilled to partner with acclaimed filmmakers to elevate the quality of our digital dance presentation with striking original content produced specifically by FFDN for a worldwide audience. With our continued presentation partnership with Union Station and our new outdoor performance series Heirloom, we are excited to bring safe and sustainable in-person dance experiences to life.”

Ibrahimof acknowledges the tireless support and efforts of how incredible audience, supporters, board and team have been during these last eighteen months of the worldwide pandemic.  Through all collective efforts: “FFDN has not only weathered the storm but has emerged revitalized and ready to continue our work bringing the best of Canadian and international dance to as wide an audience as possible, in more places than ever and with a continued focus on accessibility.”

This year’s festival presents a strikingly diverse series of works from some of today’s finest artists.

Premiering on October 13, the 2021 Signature Program features a hotly anticipated, globally inspired three-part performance film directed by acclaimed Indo-Canadian filmmaker Vikram Dasgupta. The program captures the world premiere of Bloom from Canadian choreographer Aszure Barton performed by Cuba’s Malpaso Dance Company, filmed in Havana; and My Mother’s Son by South African choreographer Mthuthuzeli November (Ballet Black) performed with his brother and one of The National Ballet of Canada’s newest principal dancers, Siphe November, in their first-ever duet, filmed at the Battersea Arts Centre in London, UK; as well as a transcendent performance by the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble, filmed in Bangalore in the dynamic dance community, Nrityagram Dance Village, where dance is a way of life.

Additional livestream presentation highlights include an Ontario premiere of the full-length work +(dix) from Côté Danse, choreographed by Guillaume Côté, live streamed from Harbourfront Centre Theatre on Sept. 23; a double bill presentation directed by William Yong, featuring world premieres by Toronto choreographer Sara Porter and Dancemakers resident artist Danah Rosales, live streamed from The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance on Oct. 7; and a Canadian premiere of More Forever from U.S. collaborative duo, tap and jazz dancer Caleb Teicher and contemporary pianist and composer Conrad Tao, live streamed from Harbourfront Centre Theatre on Oct. 26.

To begin the celebration of in person ticketed events, Heirloom features performances by Lua Shayenne Dance Company (Peterborough); Arzoo Dance Theatre (Hamilton); Sandy Silva & Rick Haworth (Niagara); and Caleb Teicher & Nic Gareiss (Peterborough, Hamilton & Niagara) on the following dates:

Sept. 11: 1pm @ Millennium Park (130 King St., Peterborough) and 6pm @ Isabel

Morris Park (20 Concession St., Lakefield, ON) Co-presented with Public Energy Performing Arts

Sept. 16: 6pm @ Bayfront Park (200 Harbour Front Dr., Hamilton, ON) Co-presented with Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts Dance Theatre

Sept. 18: 1pm and 5pm @ Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery (1469 Pelham Rd., St. Catharines, ON) Co-presented with FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

Lua Shayenne (Toronto) creates work that radiates joy and a profound sense of connection to the moment. Driven by her commitments to social good and spiritual progress, Shayenne integrates dancing, live drumming, singing and storytelling from African and African diasporic traditions in her work.

Single tickets and festival passes are on sale Tuesday, Aug. 17 at ffdnorth.com. The Festival passes provide unlimited access to FFDN’s full line-up of five livestream and filmed presentation events. Passes will be available for an early bird rate of $35 from Aug. 17-23, after which they will be $45. Single tickets are $15 per livestream and filmed presentation events. Tickets for FFDN’s Heirloom dance series in Toronto’s surrounding communities are $15 per performance.

Developed in strict compliance with current public health recommendations, FFDN’s 7th Edition offers audiences performance options for all comfort and accessibility levels, through socially distanced outdoor live performances as well as livestream and filmed presentations.

For further information, please visit FFDN’s website: www.ffdnorth.com.

Photo +(dix) left to right: Rakeem Hardy, Guillaume Côté, Benjamin Landsberg, Martha Hart,Kelly Shaw by Marlowe Porter.