Integrate Arts Festival- Highlights For Movement and Dance Lovers

The Integrate Arts Festival (formerly known as “Off the Grid Arts Festival”) is back this year and is hosting a number of events in and around Victoria August 25-27.The event included an en masse art crawl (a movement in large groups from gallery space to gallery space) and acted as a celebration of small galleries, artist-run centres, and alternative arts.

Broken Rhythms Society wanted to highlight some of the works in this festival that feature dance or movement and we highly encourage everyone to go and see as much as they can and to enjoy the entire festival.

For more info, go to Interatedarts.ca

HOW IT WORKS

The Integrate Arts Festival map will guide the public to a variety of exhibitions and events at participating galleries, publicly accessible studios, and various sites throughout the city. You can access the map using the Integrate brochure (found at participating locations) as well as on the Integrated arts festival website.

COST

Everything is FREE! All participating galleries, parties, events, and performances are free during the festival crawl. Some public galleries will revert to admission fees or ‘by donation’ on Sunday.

Spaces: Performances by Véronique Emmett

Véronique Emmett is a dance artist from Victoria, BC that will be performing three site-specific performances which are to be held on the afternoon of Saturday August 26th.

Spaces explores how we as individuals are influenced by our own environment and the spaces that we find ourselves in, and in turn how we can influence these spaces through movement. Each performance is held in a different location providing different elements and influences for movement and creation.

Three site-specific performances:
12:30PM – 1:00PM / August 26
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria – 1040 Moss Street.

2:00PM – 2:30PM / August 26
The Coffee Lab – 2612 Bridge Street.

3:30PM – 4:00PM / AUGUST 26
Commercial Alley – Located between the 500 block of Yates St. and Bastion Square.

Facebook event here

PDA • Public Displays of Affection

Other featured artists Laura Gildner will be offering a walking tour. It starts at 1pm at the Integrate HQ. Here is a brief description from the artist:

“Public Displays of Affection is a participant-driven performance work by Laura Gildner that will tour between selected Integrate exhibitions in the downtown core on Saturday, August 26th beginning at 1pm. Linking galleries together via personal connections to space, PDA will examine layered intersections between the body, identity, and art as they relate to urban geography.”

Facebook event here

Habitat: A Performance by Courtney Chaney

Courtney Chaney, will be performing her work Habitat on Saturday August 26 from 7-9pm at the Integrate HQ.

Habitat focuses on the relationship between human and nature by allowing the viewer to encounter an exposed vulnerability within the space as the performer embodies a fetus or seed through direct contact with composted soil.

Facebook event here

Broken Rhythms Victoria Society overarching vision is “To Support and Encourage the Local Victoria Dance Community” and “To be involved in community events that feature dance and/or movement based works” Broken Rhythms is not associated with Integrated Arts society.

June 28, 2017June 28, 2017

Home

UNIVERSAL HORRORS at The Toronto Fringe

Winners of 5 pick of the fringe awards Broken Rhythms brings the classic horror movie genre of the 1930s, 40s, 50s back to the stage through dance and in 3D. Cult classics such as Dracula, Wolfman and Frankenstein all make an appearance in this multimedia show that will both surprise and seduce, and is certain to send shivers down your spine.

“Its momentum, tension and sheer nerve will have you transfixed.” – CVV Magazine, Erin Anderson

“Stunning” CVV Magazine, Leah Callen

PERFORMANCES

Date	Time
7th July	1:45pm	Tickets
9th July	10:30pm	Tickets
11th July	5:00pm	Tickets
12th July	1:45pm	Tickets
13th July	5:15pm	Tickets
14th July	7:30pm	Tickets
16th July	3:30pm	Tickets

March 8, 2017March 8, 2017

Universal Horrors at the Historic Roxy Theatre

Less than a week until Broken Rhythms Victoria’s newest work Universal Horrors premieres at Victoria’s historical Roxy Theatre (the new space for Blue Bridge Theatre ).

The Roxy Theatre is the perfect site to pay homage to movies of the past while celebrating the diverse arts space it has become. With the old-fashioned marquee and the smell of popcorn, the UNIVERSAL HORRORS audience will get the full going-to-the-movies experience while supporting the local arts scene.

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Artistic and executive director Dyana Sonik-Henderson along with the board of directors decided to go full out on this production. Using the old movie theatre location as a type of grand site-specific work—even having a cheap Tuesday option (with the price being the same as a 3d movie at the local Victoria cineplex) $13.25.

Universal Horrors travels through the black-and-white age of silent monster films all the way to talking, colour and special effects iconic movies. The result is several short works that bring the classic horror movie genre of the 1930s, 40s, 50s back to the stage. Cult classics such as Dracula, Wolfman and Creature from the Black Lagoon all make an appearance in a show that will both surprise and seduce, and is certain to send shivers down your spine.

Universal Horrors combines all the elements Broken Rhythms has worked on and has become known for. We incorporate the theatrics, musicality, storytelling and multi-layer connection to audiences. We want the audience to be engaged with all their senses while they watch us on stage.
Universal Horrors is scheduled to tour to Toronto in July.

Show dates: March 14, 16, 17, 18 7:30 p.m. nightly with a 2 p.m. matinee on the 19th (Cheap Tuesday just like the movies $13.25) on March 14.
Location: The Roxy Theatre (2657 Quadra Street)
Tickets: $25 in advance/$30 at the door or online www.bluebridgetheatre.ca Website: www.brokenrhythmsvictoria.com

August 28, 2016August 28, 2016

Broken Rhythms Victoria Fringe 2016 Picks!!

As some of you know Broken Rhythms has enjoyed touring the Fringe circuit. This year we wanted to share our picks for the Victoria Fringe 2016!!

CAFE SOAP OPERAS!

Cafe Soap Operas, is a six-part episodic sitcom, set in your favorite local coffeehouse. For fans of Community, How I Met Your Mother, Friends or the like, look no further! $9/$11

7:30 and 9:30
Thurs – Fri – Sat, Aug. 25th-27th
Thurs – Fri – Sat, Sept. 1st – 3rd

Show runs 35-45 minutes

2%Jazz Coffee 1-1701 Douglas st

Cafe Soap Operas!

*Will hook you in for more episodes

Sky Corner

Sky Corner is a collaboration of three new works written and directed by Hannah Ockenden, Joanie Papillon and Natalie Shaw. Movement and voice are combined to bring this fresh album to life and offer ponderings on why we’re here, where we’re going and what it is that we do in-between.

PG 14+Regular $11/ St & Sr $9 Show Dates & Times:
Aug 25 – 9:30pm
Aug 26 – 5:15pm
Aug 28 – 9:30pm
Aug 29 – 7:30pm
Sept 3 – 3:30pm
Sept 4 – 7:30pm

Sky Corner

An Improvised Quentin Tarantino 2

Pick-of-the-Fringe winner Paper Street Theatre is back with a double barrel of Tarantino – this time against the backdrop of the Old West

PG 14+
Coarse Language /Adult Themes/ Violence
Improv, Western, Comedy
All Seats $11

Show Dates & Times:
Aug 25 – 6:45pm
Aug 26 – 10:15pm
Aug 27 – 2:30pm
Aug 31 – 10:15pm
Sept 1 – 8:15pm
Sept 3 – 8:45pm

An Improvised Quentin Tarantino 2

*Amazing Victoria arts improve group!!

Luciterra Dance Presents (Im)position

Simultaneously “I am position” and “imposition”, Luciterra Dance Company’s 2016 production is a theatrical story of love, conflict, aggression and sensuality.

Showtimes:
Sunday Aug 28 – 4:00pm
Tuesday Aug 30 – 8:45pm
Wednesday Aug 31 – 9:15pm
Thursday Sept 1 – 5:00pm
Friday Sept 2 – 8:30pm
Saturday Sept 3 – 2:00pm

Luciterra Dance Presents (Im)position

Bushel And Peck

Two of Canada’s most celebrated Fringe artists, comedian Alastair Knowles (of 14-time BEST-OF-FEST winners James & Jamesy) and choreographer Stephanie Morin-Robert (For Body And Light) mix a hilarious and extravagant comedy cocktail celebrating love on the edge of humanity.

All Seats $11
intrepidtheatre.com

Showtimes:
Sat. Aug 27 – 4:30pm
Sun. Aug 28 – 5:30pm
Tue. Aug 30 – 7:00pm
Fri. Sept 2 – 5:00pm
Sat. Sept 3 – 10:15pm
Sun. Sept 4 – 5:45pm

Bushel And Peck

*always blown away by Stephanie Morin-Robert Fringe work.

**Broken Rhythms Victoria supports all fringe performances. We usually focus on movement based Fringe shows and Victoria companies that we have worked with. We would love any feedback brokenrhythmsvictoria@gmail.com.

August 6, 2016

Why eye LASHES?

A quick history behind LASHBASH

With Lashbash just around the corner we at Broken Rhythms wanted to give you some more information about the company and answer the question…Why Lashes?

Lashbash is the name chosen for our fundraisers, as it is a look back at Broken Rhythms before the company could afford elaborate props and costumes. The Eyelashes were added last minute to Broken Rhythms’ first work “Spark” as a way of uniting the dancers on stage.

DSC_1804_2 — Founding member Naomi Graham in “*SPARK*” in full lashes

In 2012 the artistic director of Broken Rhythms (Dyana Sonik-Henderson) being new in her role accidentally had her dancers show up in full costume with lashes at a casual Victoria Fringe meet and greet event. Fringe artists commented on the genius of the marketing power of the lashes. The audience might have not remembered the show name, but when buying tickets they asked for “the show with the crazy lashes”.

Though Broken Rhythms has moved away from having lashes included in every project, we have developed a fondness for what they represent for the company. So every year we give thanks to Lashes that allowed audiences to find us during Fringe and it is a reminder of how Broken Rhythms has developed.

Party with us AUGUST 13!!

Location: Dance Victoria, 2750 Quadra St
Date: Saturday August 13th
Tickets: $30 $35 with lashes @brownpapertickets.com
Times: Silent auction starts at 7pm, show to follow

We love to hear from you: brokenrhythmsvictoria@gmail.com

Share any Lashbash photos #LASHBASH16

November 25, 2015

Broken Rhythms’ new work 1518 To premier at Convergence Contemporary Production

Broken Rhythms’ new work 1518

To premier at Convergence Contemporary Production

When: Friday @7pm

Where: Glenlyon Norfolk School Theatre

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/convergence-contemporary-ballet-company-broken-rhythms-performance-tickets-18846677921

As part of the premier performance of Convergence Contemporary Ballet company, Broken Rhythms has been invited as guests to join this company as it premiers two new works: “1518” and Grey Matter. Convergence will premier three new works: Andante, Shift and For Now I Am Winter.

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The Inspiration behind “1518”

The inspiration comes from the historical story of the dance epidemic or dance plague of 1518. It was traced back to a lone women, Frau Troffea, who stepped onto a narrow busy street of Stasboug, France, and began to dance. This plague lasted over a month, spreading to over 400 people and caused many deaths from exertion. The dancing was contagious and uncontrollable, rather than joyful; the afflicted dancers were said to have expressed fear and desperation and at times called out for help.

Broken Rhythms is excited to bring this story to life for the upcoming Convergence Contemporary Production. Designed in the style of a Operatic Ballet with a rhythmical contemporary twist, the company dancers—Naomi Graham, Carlene Brick, Meagan Saulnier, Caleigh Hunter, Christina Plaschka, and Lauren Fortier—all eventually succumb to the music and allure of the movement.

* Choreographer and Artistic Director Dyana Sonik-Henderson

Dance_at_Molenbeek — ÇPilgrimage of the Epileptics to the Church at MolenbeekÈ | ÇDancing ManiaÈ | ÇThe dance at MolenbeekÈ Pieter Breughel the Younger, painting.

November 4, 2015November 4, 2015

NOVEMBER Ballet, Premiers, Birthdays and Belly Dancing 2015/2016

November is filled with DANCE and we wanted to share all the upcoming events that you and the dance lovers in your life won’t want to miss.

Ballet Étoile presents: Art In Motion II

Ballet Étoile Saturday, November 7, 2015 at 7:30 PM – Sunday, November 8, 2015 at 2:00 PM (PST) Victoria, BC

Love the concept and I always enjoy Ballet Étoile’s movement and performances around Victoria. This is the best way to start off Dance November.

Description: A collection of new, original dances brings to life some of history’s most celebrated artworks. Famous paintings and sculptures by Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Johannes Vermeer, Gustav Klimt, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock and more are reinterpreted and reborn through evocative and innovative choreography.

Tickets:http://www.ticketrocket.co/event/details/85450/ballet-%C3%A9toile-presents-art-in-motion-ii https://www.facebook.com/events/525141504317702/

Ballet BC | 30 Special 30th Anniversary Presentation

Choreographed by Stijn Celis New Work, Crystal Pite, Solo Echo, Cayetano Soto Twenty Eight Thousand Waves

Venue: Royal Theatre (805 Broughton Street at Blanshard)

Performances: Fri. Nov. 13 • 7:30 pm Sat. Nov. 14 • 7:30 pm

I go over to Vancouver whenever I can to attend workshops and see Ballet BC perform so I am over the moon that they are once again part of the Dance Victoria 2015/2016 season.

Description: Choreographer Celis has had a prolific career, creating a number of greatly acclaimed works for many major European dance companies. Pite’s Solo Echo is reflective, soft and very human: against a backdrop of whirling snowflakes, duets emerge and disappear, each leaving just a whisper. Soto’s work was an audience favourite when it premiered in Ballet BC’s season in 2014: “A fast-driving but meticulously sculpted vision of wrapping and unwrapping forms. No one creates pas de deux in the endlessly innovative ways Soto does.” Georgia Straight

So many extras for this show including free admission if you are 30 and a pre–show chat with Ballet B.C artistic director Emily Molnar. Go to http://www.dancevictoria.com/performance/ballet-bc-30/#sthash.j6KIiPFa.dpuf

Convergence Contemporary Ballet Company

(premier show with Broken Rhythms)

The performance on Friday, November 27th @7pm

Location: Glenlyon Norfolk School Theatre

You can say you were there first at Convergence’s premier performance. Artistic Director of Convergence and owner of Westcoast Academy of Performing Arts, Dana Fry, brings together the Victoria dance community to explore the talent on the island. Broken Rhythms (my Rhythmical Contemporary Company) has been invited to perform at this event and will be showing two new works.

Description: Convergence Contemporary Ballet Company’s show marks the emergence of a new voice for contemporary ballet in Victoria. They are performing three new works: Andante, Shift and For Now I Am Winter. Broken Rhythms is also premiering two new works, 1518 that took place that year in Strasbourg, and Grey Matter, a truly unique work encapsulating the rhythmical contemporary style Broken Rhythms is recognized for.

Tickets: http://www.convergence.dance

https://www.facebook.com/events/428867543974492/

Harem hosted by Sacred Centre Dance

Saturday November 28, 2015 8:00 pm

McPherson Playhouse, Victoria BC

Looking for something a little different? Harem, hosted by Sacred Centre Dance, will perform their unique contemporary fusion belly dancing at McPherson. I have seen them dance at different venues and events around Victoria and am excited to see them again.

Description: In his sixth production, artistic director Nath Keo choreographs in Turkish, Egyptian, fusion and contemporary belly dance styles in homage to the harems of the Ottoman Empire and their history of cultural fusion. This heady blend of popular and eclectic world beat music, Keo’s signature style and loads of sass from the Sacred Centre dancers will change your notion of what it means to be in a harem.

Tickets available at

http://www.rmts.bc.ca/events/harem-2015-mcpherson-playhouse

https://www.facebook.com/events/1042907969067465/

*This post was written by artistic director of Broken Rhythms Dyana Sonik-Henderson to share dance shows happening in November. Please let me know if any Dance performances were missed and follow Broken Rhythms Victoria on facebook for more posts about dance events in Victoria.

(feedback is welcome at brokenrhythmsvictoria@gmail.com)

June 15, 2015June 15, 2015

Breaking the Rhythm – The Evolution of Rhythmical Contemporary

When you are in it, it’s really hard to see the bigger picture. Learning Dyana’s unique style isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s hard to feel comfortable or graceful in the movement. That is, until you see it within context. I imagine an elaborate mandala swirling around in her head as she sets her movement on us. It’s a complex set of patterns and rhythms that collectively create her award winning style.

One of the rehearsal techniques that Dyana used for Spark! and Grim was to film us as we ran pieces in order for us to watch it in playback to see how we were moving collectively. This gave us the opportunity to watch the character development evolve, to fine tune our movement to reflect the group as a whole. It was a visual tool where we learned to parrot each other and observe how each of us interacted with the movement and music.

We didn’t do this for Seven.

Not until after the Fringe did we really grasp the bigger patterns that occur as we danced together. I think Volatile Reaction was the best and most striking example of this. Bouncing on my heels with a relaxed neck felt awkward and unflattering. But I committed to it, I found anger in it, and I just went for it. Watching it in playback I saw the building ‘pulse’; I could tell that when we did this together, it created a sense of tension and a buildup. I can see now why this was a crowd favorite.

Watching the show after the fact really brought perspective to the trust we have in this style and the direction we are given. The four of us who perform Seven became intimately connected to each phrase of movement for what it was. Instead of seeing the movement, we were taught to feel the movement, to feel each other, to feel the rhythm (or the absence thereof). This way of learning was ideal for a show that is centered around emotion and I think too, for learning and embodying the rhythmical contemporary style.

As a founding member, this was my third full length show, but for the other three, it was their first. In all honesty, I think it made us stronger as a group because Dyana got to build three new members with the experience of two seasons behind her. But I think that’s the point. The company is supposed to build, evolve, and improve. We wouldn’t be successful otherwise. And because the style is unique to Dyana and Broken Rhythms, dancing with her is really the best way to grow in this company.

As a choreographer and director, Dyana has grown in leaps and bounds. She has fine-tuned her abilities as a leader; balancing her kind and generous spirit with direct communication and an authoritative presence that still manages to be warm and welcoming.

In remounting some of our old favorites from Spark! and Grim, I’ve been watching Dyana carefully balance deconstructing some of the more sophisticated rhythmical contemporary movements to reflect earlier versions of her style, all the while infusing her growth and development of the style with dances from the past. What I’ve also observed, from Dyana and I especially, is how much of ourselves is attached to each dance; remounting old pieces has surfaced a lot of memories, feelings, and experiences that we went through in our first two years. It will be nice to see our audience’s reaction to our old work and new guest dancers at #LASHBASH

Seven was a reflection of a hard year of lessons in letting go (not only for Dyana, but all of us I think). Dyana likes to keep her cards close, but I’ve been picking her brain a bit about what’s next for us following the Edmonton Fringe this summer. Although vague hints and little crumbs are all I am getting at this point, I can tell you she has a renewed sense of playfulness and joy emanating from her movement. But don’t worry; if you are as attracted to the dark side of her expression of movement, I don’t think that’s gone anywhere. Be prepared, Victoria, big things are brewing in the creative mind of Broken Rhythm’s director. No pressure, Dy!

– Naomi Graham

March 24, 2015March 24, 2015

Meet… Paige Brar

Paige may be the youngest member of Broken Rhythms but her nickname of “Gramps” would make you think otherwise! Paige loves cardigans, sewing, deals on RubA535 and polysporne and in rehearsal she is the one who will put off doing big jumps and going down to the floor as much as possible! She goes hard on stage but will defiantly be needing a long hot bath right after to rest those sore “old” muscles!

Help support Paige and Broken Rhythms by giving to http://dancevictoria.com/support-us/dance-accelerator-broken-rhythms/

Now here’s what Paige had to say about Broken Rhythms and SEVEN…

Being able to Dance with Broken Rhythms has been one of the most amazing gifts in my life! I work harder than I ever had before (8 hour dance rehearsals are almost a norm), and I get to be a part of making beautiful art with some wonderful women. We are all so very different and but have really created a little dance family. We laugh A LOT, share our lives together and with the show SEVEN we cry together too.

I am excited to take SEVEN on tour to the Edmonton Fringe Festival for so many reasons. I am excited to show what cool things are happening in Victoria for dance, to perform for a totally new audience

and to experience what it is like to tour with the company! I am looking forward to re-working and connecting back into the show. SEVEN is a show about the seven stages of grief, any grief, it’s up to the individual, the dancer and each audience member to decide what that grief is. Grief is a confusing thing, with constantly changing emotions and feeling, and this show really demonstrates just that. In so many ways I connected to this show, we lost my uncle suddenly almost a year ago and I received that news mid-rehearsal and then only a few months later we lost my aunt to cancer. I spent the entire show process, rehearsals to performances, living out my grief through dance. It has been incredibly challenging, therapeutic, painful, and freeing all at the same time.

SEVEN was my first big production with Broken Rhythms, before that I was a part of a few smaller shows, including my first official show with ‘Bounce Around the Building’. This is how I knew I was now dancing with a totally different type of company, a company who would try just about anything for the opportunity to perform and share what we love to do! We did a sight specific work, which means we created a dance based around an unexpected location, we danced in the office of Dance Victoria. I had recently moved back home and now was doing this really cool piece with lights and shadows in a carpeted corner of an office! We got to perform the same piece 4 times that night and each time we performed I was more and more certain that this was where I was meant to be. I am meant to be dancing and performing what I love and am proud of with an amazing director and group of dancers. I can’t wait to see what we do next and to be on the road to Edmonton Fringe Festival!

– Paige

March 19, 2015March 19, 2015

Meet… Meag Saulnier

Meag is funny, caring and the fashionista of the company! You can’t miss Meag on route to rehearsal in either her head to toe Jamaican track suite or a pair of fabulous leggings! Meag has this amazing air of confidence to everything she does, in a photo shoot she created her own jump, a “Ninja Jump”, exclaiming it with such confidence it took the rest of the company a minute or two to realize that didn’t exist! But Wow! Check out that awesome shot!

Help support Meag and Broken Rhythms by giving to http://dancevictoria.com/support-us/dance-accelerator-broken-rhythms/

Now here’s what Meag had to say about Broken Rhythms and SEVEN…

Dancing with Broken Rhythms is inspiring, freeing and innovative.

Being able to find a company as an adult dancer has been something I have been yearning for.

BR is constantly experimenting with new endeavors which really pushes the envelope for me and I love how our repertoire expands.

I have many favourite moments from Seven pre-show rituals-putting on our “suits”… To the moment we were all sitting around the balloon at the start of the first piece and we all started crying!

I am looking forward to touring Seven. After last years Fringe the show felt not over. It will be exciting to perform for a new town and my hope is that it is the first of many!

Dance is physical exercise yet it is also touches one on spiritual and emotional levels.

There is a linguistic component as well that comes from the rhythmicity of the music one moves to. Dance is a universal language crossing ethnicities,ages,sexes and abilities;breaking barriers and creating opportunities for social justice. Dance is used in every culture for celebration and grieving. These are some of the many reasons why I love dance.

I love dancing with Broken Rhythms as I feel a deep connection with the dancers and feel liberated by the animalisitc movements that Dyana has choreographed.

– Meag