Vernon audiences will be treated to two unique dance performances this month, both thoughtful – and thought-provoking – explorations of our modern world.
In an Okanagan premiere, Shay Kuebler returns to the Vernon stage with Momentum of Isolation: Dance, Digital Art & Solitude Merged in Performance, March 16. Later in the month, Côté Danse shares X (Dix), a fusion of classical ballet and modern dance, inspired by the myth of Odysseus.
Both performances are part of the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre’s 2023-24 SPOTLIGHT Dance Series.
The newest production from Kuebler’s Radical System Art, Momentum of Isolation explores society’s digital addiction and the resulting social isolation and loneliness. With interactive video and sound shaping a digital world on stage, solo acts and ensemble pieces, puppeteering and stagecraft bring the inanimate world to life, together exploring how technology both empowers and disempowers us.
Weaving contemporary dance, hip-hop and martial arts with his signature athleticism and playfulness, Kuebler and his seven dancers deliver an engrossing, lively performance reminding audiences of our fundamental need for human connection.
“Shay Kuebler’s work is riveting to watch,” says Erin Kennedy, VDPAC’s Artistic Director. “This new performance is very playful and funny. It reminds us of the lessons learned during the COVID shutdown – to slow down, take the time to connect with family and friends, and smell the flowers.”
Momentum of Isolation by RSA from Radical System Art on Vimeo.
Kuebler has been making waves on the Vancouver scene for the past 15 years with his physical and inventive dance supported by rigorous technique.
“Since our last B.C. tour in early 2020, it feels like a gift to be returning to Vernon – a home-away-from-home for Radical System Art,” Kuebler says, noting the company’s first activity was a Vernon tour in April 2014 with Karoshi.
Momentum of Isolation explores the increasingly prominent issues of isolation and loneliness through “a creative and carefully balanced mix of satire, athletic dance, theatre and technology,” notes Kuebler, who will also conduct a workshop exploring movement methodologies, including martial arts and urban dance forms. “We believe that seeing this show live, on-stage, offers a thought-provoking, engaging and impactful experience for everyone.”
The lure of home
Conceived during the transformative time of the pandemic, when travellers were summoned home and the very concept of “home” gained new importance, Côté Danse’s X (Dix) comes to the Vernon stage March 27.
Inspired by the myth of Odysseus, andthe challenges of venturing far but always wanting to return home, in X (Dix), Guillaume Côté blends classical ballet vocabulary with contemporary forms to bring this legendary tale to life.
X (DIX) | Côté Danse from CAPAS • Label de danse on Vimeo.
A gifted ensemble of Toronto dance artists, including Natasha Poon Woo, Martha Hart, Kelly Shaw, Benjamin Landsberg and Rakeem Hardy, share a minimalist stage setting amplified by the surging and sculptural sounds of American experimental band Son Lu.
Purchase tickets today
Tickets for both Momentum of Isolation: Dance, Digital Art & Solitude Merged in Performance, Saturday, March 16, and X (Dix), March 27, are available through the VDPAC box office at ticketseller.ca or call 250-549-SHOW (7469).