Moving Cultures Dances

Moving Cultures is a presentation of four professional performances that celebrate different cultures and the art of storytelling through dance. The program is designed for grades 6 through 12 and will run Tuesday, February 27th to Friday, March 1, 2007 at Peterborough’s historic landmark, the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre located downtown Peterborough. Each class will receive a study guide that includes the personal, historical and cultural significance of each performance. Students will be able to ask the performers questions about their craft and culture at the end of each performance. The program will run approximately one hour and 15 minutes. Through Moving Cultures, students will be exposed to dance performance and dance creation along with the ideas and concepts behind using movement as a medium for artistic expression.

Christine Friday-O’Leary is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer from Teme-Augami located in Northern Ontario. She has toured with several dance companies across North America and is a recipient of numerous dance awards.
Her solo dance piece entitled Spirits, Beings and Life Forces will combine First Nation traditional and contemporary dance forms to explore how Anishnaabe (Ojibway) teachings and legends shape and influence one’s character.

Richa Khandelwal Bhat is a dancer, journalist, and filmmaker from New Delhi, India, and now resides in Peterborough. She is an experienced dancer with a four year diploma in the classical Kathak dance form.
Her solo performance entitled Krishna will focus on devotional Kathak dance fused with North Indian dance folk forms. The performance will depict the different roles Krishna assumes for his devotees.

Wes Ryan is an actor, dancer and choreographer residing in Peterborough. Wes has appeared in several 4th Line Theatre Productions. Wes teaches dance workshops at P.C.V.S and has written scripts for the Kawartha Montessori School.

Kate Story is a performer, writer and choreographer who creates original performance works, with elements of dance, theatre and performance art, that have been presented in Peterborough, Toronto and her native St. John’s Newfoundland.
50 yrs. + Forever is a duet written and choreographed by Wes Ryan featuring Kate Story. The piece is a love story presented through a combination of theatre, oral narrative, and various forms of contemporary dance.

Mayelin Lovet-Semmler graduated from the School of Arts in Havana, Cuba with a bachelor’s degree in modern dance and folklore. She has toured France, Haiti, and the United States with several professional dance companies. Mayelin now resides in Peterborough.
Orange will draw upon traditional West African and contemporary dance forms to create a work full of colour and energy.

Born in Berwick, Nova Scotia in 1961, Bill Coleman studied dance at the Doreen Bird School of Theatre Dance in London, England. His professional career started in 1979 with Sir Anton Dolin of the Dublin City Ballet. Since then, he has created over 50 works. Bill Coleman’s work has been presented in Scotland, Italy, Singapore, Russia, throughout the United States and Canada. Mr. Coleman will perform old school hoofing in the style of Sandman Simms and Bunny Briggs. This is a non-taught, rhythmic style that was practiced throughout the vaudeville era. Unlike Hollywood tapping, such as Fred Astaire, there are few film records of this style, as it was performed mainly by black tappers. It was developed on street corners in the same manner break-dancing was developed in the 70’s.