Harbourfront Centre Dance 2005-2006 

Features Canada,Brazil,Finland,Japan,South Africa,

U.K.,U.S.A.,Venezuela

Box Office: 416-973-4000; www.harbourfrontcentre.com

TORONTO, Harbourfront Centre Dance 2005-2006 expands 

to present two bold and diverse series, The Premiere Dance Theatre (PDT)

 and The Harbourfront Centre Theatre (HCT) Series taking place in their 

respective on-site venues October 2005-May 2006. Building on our annual 

Parallel Ports event , this season sees the addition of two companies 

performing as part of the new HCT Series.  Opening the season this year 

is critically acclaimed South African choreographer /dancer Vincent 

Sekwati Mantsoe.  A co-production with DanceWorks, Mantsoe is the first 

of three offerings in the season that constitutes the new HCT Series.

Harbourfront Centre Dance 2005-2006 is a season steeped in nostalgia and

 memories. We see through the eyes of the international and local 

artists coming to our stages a world of longing and melancholy, of joy 

and hope and the endless possibilities for the future, says Harbourfront

 Centre Dance Programmer, Jeanne Holmes.

The seasons first half continues to delight audiences in November with 

the Latin sensuality of Venezuelas Danzahoy followed by Toronto Dance 

Theatre which teams up once again with The Hidden Cameras, presenting 

the world premiere of their latest creation. This is followed in 

December with the highly creative and powerful BJM Danse (formerly, Les 

Ballets Jazz de Montreal) showcasing an evening of work by 

internationally acclaimed choreographer Crystal Pite. Tickets for HCT 

and PDT Series range between $16 and $38 and are available through the 

Harbourfront Centre Box Office at 416-973-4000.

NOTE: Full season lineup follows this release. Public Information is 

available at www.harbourfrontcentre.com or at 416-973-4000.

The (new) Harbourfront Centre Theatre (HCT) Series launches October 20  

October 22 with Parallel Ports: Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe (Johannesburg) A

 co-presentation with DanceWorks. One of the voices of the new South 

Africa, Mantsoe merges ancestral rituals with the street dances of 

Johannesburg in a style that transcends influence. A magnificent 

performer who moves with contained grace and nobility, he invites his 

audience to travel with him on a joyful, spiritual journey. His two 

works NDAA (Awakening of the Self) and the Toronto debut of his latest, 

Ntu, celebrate the physicality of life with uplifting freedom and a 

brooding reverence.

The Premiere Dance Theatre (PDT) Series, the continuing original 

Harbourfront Centre dance season, embarks on an international 

exploration of contemporary dance Tuesday, November 8  Saturday, 

November 12 with Venezuelas Danzahoy featuring their new work Exodo. 

Created for the twentieth anniversary of Danzahoy, Exodo brings to life 

the universe of hidden emotions that cohabit in the heart of the 

violence and chaos of urban life in todays Latin America.   Venezuelas 

premier dance company visits Toronto with this vibrant work that 

flirtsintentionallywith the tango.

Exodo is underscored by the haunting sound of the bandoneon and the 

continuous music of Mederos, Gardel, Piazzola and Fedel. The music 

provides score to the fourteen, shadow-like dancers moving to the spirit

 of the tango.  Since 1980, artistic director Adriana Urdaneta has 

become a beacon of contemporary dance in modern Venezuelacreating a 

poetic mixture of humour, drama, lyricism, abstraction and fantasy. 

A torrent of red carnations falls across the stage and the black 

costumes of the dancers. A few glimpses of Exodo were enough to set the 

audience at the Lyon Biennale alight.  Lyon Figaro, France

Founded in 1980 by two sisters, Luz and Adriana Urdaneta, and Frenchman 

Jacques Broque, Danzahoy was born in a spirit of freedom, audacity and 

openess.  Grupo Corpo, who perform this spring as part of Harbourfront 

Centres PDT Series, and Danzahoy are two trailblazers of contemporary 

mestizo dance on the Latin American continent. Both share the same 

dynamism, creative drive and technical mastery.

The Premiere Dance Theatre (PDT) Series continues as Toronto Dance 

Theatre delivers another stunning world premiere Tuesday, November 22  

Saturday, November 26, with one of Canadas musical sensations, The 

Hidden Cameras.  Building on last years incredibly successful sold-out 

show You are the Same  a match made in heaven according to music critic 

Carl Wilson of The Globe and Mail  TDTs twelve dancers and The Hidden 

Cameras musicians will come together again to create an extraordinary 

community of performing artists. The physicality of The Hidden Cameras 

lyrics will be interpreted and extended by TDTs dancers through 

choreographed vignettes to each song, and the full-fledged pop army of 

musicians will create a rough-and-ready atmosphere for the often-controlled

 world of modern dance. TDT will present an eighty-minute dance and 

music concert directed and choreographed by Artistic Director 

Christopher House to music written by The Hidden Cameras frontman Joel 

Gibb. Performances are at 8 p.m.. Tickets are $17-$38.

BJM Danse (Montreal) presents The Stolen Show  the title of both the 

trilogy and the final piece of that trilogy  by internationally 

acclaimed Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite debuts in Toronto, Tuesday,

 December 6  Saturday, December 10. With BJMs new name, artistic 

orientation and its wealth of skills and experience, this renowned 

contemporary dance company has splendidly followed the path set out by 

Louis Robitaille, the troupes artistic director since 1998. 

Shortworks 24, Xspectacle and The Stolen Show are a veritable study of 

movement as well as a parody of art and entertainment.  Interwoven into 

this ironic choreography are masterful improvisations by the fourteen 

talented dancers of the Quebecois company. Powered by BJM Danses 

astonishingly versatile and courageous performers, Crystal Pites 

creation is an unflinching exploration of spectacle and expectation. 

Crystal Pites The Stolen Show is a remarkable gem of spirit and 

originality evoked by the mind of a learned master committed to 

eliminating the rivalry between conventional and contemporary and 

embracing the pure pleasure of dance.  Dalhousie Gazette Feb. 2005

The second half (2006) of the PDT Series unveils the works of eight 

companies beginning with Danny Grossman Dance ,Wednesday, January 25  

Saturday, January 28, 2006 followed by the world premiere of The 

Betrayal Project by Julia Sasso dances (Toronto) Tuesday, January 31  

Saturday, February 4.  February sees the Toronto debut of Pappa 

Tarahumara (Japan), performing its evocative work Ship in a View Tuesday,

 February 14  Saturday, February 18.  In March the Canadian premiere of 

Finlands Tero Saarinen Company takes place Tuesday, March 14  Saturday, 

March 18 followed by the return of the ever-popular Grupo Corpo hailing 

from Belo Horizonte in Brazil and featuring two new works Tuesday, March

 21  Saturday, March 25.

Toronto Dance Theatre returns Tuesday, April 4  Saturday, April 8 with 

the much-anticipated remount of Sly Verb, followed by the return of New 

Yorks Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE performing Tuesday, April 18  Sunday, 

April 22. Dancemakers concludes the PDT Series with its two-week 

showcase of creativity running Tuesday, April 25  Saturday, April 29 and

 again Wednesday, May 3  Saturday, May 6, 2006 and featuring pianist Eve

 Egoyan.

The HCT Series continues in 2006 with the Canadian Premiere of London, 

Englands Stan Wont Dance with Sinner, Thursday, March 30  Saturday, 

April 1. the HCT Series concludes the season Thursday, May 25  Saturday 

May 27 with Montreals Cas Public with its Toronto premiere of a new work--a

 co-presentation with Milk International Childrens Festival of the Arts 

- MICFA.                          

DanceSpeak: Post-show Talks

On the second night of each performance run, moderators from The Dance 

Current conduct an informal discussion with the evenings choreographer 

and company members. Free with purchase of tickets.

Dance On-line

Additional information about the companies in our season and other dance

 performances at Harbourfront Centre can be found on the Dance page of 

our web site. Visit www.habourfrontcentre.com and click on Performing 

Arts and then Dance.

Dance E-news

Keep in the dance loop with this free monthly electronic newsletter with

 details of all the great dance events year-round at Harbourfront Centre.

 To subscribe, follow the instructions at www.harbourfrontcentre.com/news.htm

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Media Contact: 

Bill Bobek; 416-973-4428