Current
Future collaborations are in the works with Larry Graves and DRUMHAND, and with visual environmental artist Marc Walter for an interarts site-specific collaboration.
Flesh and Spokes (2015; 30 min)
Choreographer: Renata Soutter, in collaboration with the dancers. Music: Jesse Stewart. Dancers: Sylvain Bouchard, Bella Bowes, Emma Bryans, Robert Chartier, Amelia Griffin, Moni Hoffman, Jessie Huggett, Julie Anne Ryan, Liz Winkelaar. Costumes: Rebecca Rowe. Lighting: Darryl Bennett
Presented by GCTC in association with Ontario Scenes at GCTC, May 8-9, 2015.
Exploring equality, beauty and power, the pillars of Soutter’s choreographic process, emotions and the body are mined to reveal limitations. They are what makes us human. We all have them and the dancers flow through movement explorations of curiosity, resistance and acceptance to crack open change. An abstract circular landscape that breeds interconnectedness weaves shapes, patterns and human need into a powerful dance work that shakes perceptions down and opens hearts to celebrate our shared differences. Original sound score composed and performed by Jesse Stewart – the first composition ever created for and on a wheelchair.
Watch an excerpt of this piece on Propeller’s YouTube channel:
Samuel Blais-Gauthier of TFO 24.7 produced a great piece on Propeller in May 2015 called “Propeller Dance : de la danse sans limite” (dance without limits):
Deliverables (Remount 2015, 2012; 20 min)
Choreography: Shara Weaver with much collaboration from all of the dancers. Dancers: Sylvain Bouchard, Geoff Dollar, Amelia Griffin, Jessie Huggett, Liz Winkelaar, Steve Wint. Music Composition: Dominique Saint-Pierre
Presented by GCTC in association with Ontario Scenes at GCTC in 2015, and premiered at Richcraft Theatre Ottawa in 2012.
A humourous dance theatre take on the dysfunctional workplace … a playground of comradeship/isolation, motivation/subjugation and the hunger for power. Don’t forget your coffee cup!
Watch an excerpt of this piece on Propeller’s YouTube channel:
Spasticus (2014; 8 min) Under Development into 20 minute work. Watch for news on performance in June 2016
Choreography: Liz Winkelaar with collaboration with all the dancers. Dancers: Sylvain Bouchard, Bella Bowes, Rob Chartier, Amelia Griffin, Jessie Huggett, Shara Weaver. Music: Ian Dury
Created as part of the Emerging Choreographers Program. Premiered at Ottawa Dance Directive (ODD) March 2014.
Being remounted in 2015-2016 season!
Propeller gives Ian Dury’s irreverent ‘spastic’ anthem legs and wheels in this anarchic, joyous, dark, sexy, funny, and explosive rocking tribute to the man and his cause – a new civil rights movement. Chains are forged and shaken off, bodies find movement, spirits soar, and the oppressed rise up, proudly declaring, “I am Spasticus!”
As We Go (2015; 10 min) Work in progress, Under Development
Choreographed and Performed by: Renata Soutter and Nathalie J. Music: Bach, performed by cellist Brandon Wilkie
Presented by GCTC and performed in Fuse at the GCTC Studio Theatre, February 12-13, 2015
As We Go is a new work-in-progress duet co-choreographed by two dance artists. The piece takes classical and contemporary dance movement and lines and extends these through the use of crutches as physical extensions of the dancers’ limbs. The crutches in this context make the dancers both vulnerable and powerful, giving traditional feminine balletic lines a “Transformer”-like quality and bestowing the ability to leap and run in slow motion, suspended on the crutches. The crutches also signal the need for support and the struggle between ideas of perfection and human realities of injury and aging. The piece will be developed and brought to production in 2015-2016.
Watch an excerpt of this piece on Propeller’s YouTube channel:
Dream a Little Dream (2014; 20 min)
For ages 8+ (also suitable for adult events)
Choreographer: Sonsheree Giles. Music: Caroline Penwarden. Dancers: seven performers from the Propeller Dance Company
Inspired by the euphoria one might feel through exercise such as running or dancing, this piece indulges in the physicality and joy of dancing to music. You will notice everyday gestures (a hand wave, a high five, a shaking head) in layered and echoing patterns being deployed and explored. Social dances (the twist and various partner dances) filter through the non-linear meanderings in playful movement. The piece experiments with the use of voice by using words randomly, without their normal meaning, to become a sound element along with the music; leaving interpretation open to the audience members.
This piece was created thanks to the support of the US Embassy and in collaboration with MASC.
Watch an excerpt of this piece on Propeller’s YouTube channel:
Drifting Up (2013; 20 min)
Choreographer: Renata Soutter, in collaboration with the dancers. Music: Dominique Saint-Pierre. Dancers: Melissa Addison-Webster, Kirsten Andersen, Robert Chartier, Jessie Huggett, Amelia Griffin, Liz Winkelaar. Video: Shaun Elie
Performed at Registry Theatre (Kitchener); GCTC Studio Theatre, premiered May 31, 2013 in Propeller Dance’s Aqueous show at Centrepointe Studio Theatre.
A luscious sensual space created on stage where dancers are the waves and the sea, emerge as gods and goddesses to battle through tumult and trail, finding solace in each other and pulling through grief and loss to fill themselves with healing and love.
Watch an excerpt of this piece on Propeller’s YouTube channel:
Ebb and Flow (2013; 15 min)
Choreography: Shara Weaver with much collaboration from all of the dancers. Dancers: Melissa Addison-Webster, Bella Bowes, Rob Chartier, Amelia Griffin, Moni Hoffman, Liz Winkelaar, Steve Wint. Music Composition: Dominique Saint-Pierre. Video: Shaun Elie. Prop Concepts: Shara Weaver
Performed at Registry Theatre (Kitchener) Daniel’s Spectrum Theatre for Tangled Arts KidsFest (Toronto), and premiered May 31, 2013 in Propeller Dance’s Aqueous show at Centrepointe Studio Theatre.
Ebb and Flow is sensual, soothing, comedic and uplifting… enhanced by beautiful video projections integral to the work. “The lifts by both men and women, the hip hop breaks (courtesy of Steve Wint), projected quotes and dance party are great fun.” — Elemental Dance Current article by Mercedes Déziel-Hupé, April 1, 2015.
Watch an excerpt of this piece on Propeller’s YouTube channel:
Out of the Box (2012 duet version, 2013 youth version; 10 min)
For ages 8+ (Not available in 2015-16)
Choreographers: Jessie Huggett and Renata Soutter. Dancers: Amelia Griffin, Jessie Huggett
Performed at Centrepointe Studio Theatre, Daniel’s Spectrum Theatre Tangled Arts KidsFest (Toronto) and numerous other venues.
Dusk Dances Ottawa commissioned a youth version for five dancers (Amelia Griffin, Jessie Huggett, Ada Tsang, Heather Croisier, AJ Tyson) who performed the piece in Strathcona Park. The piece has also been performed at the Aviation Museum Theatre during Propeller Dance’s children’s show, Propeller Avenue.
Imagine a world where being yourself is a good thing; a world where people don’t put you in a box. If you ever feel boxed in, fight back… find your friends, build your community, be ready to deconstruct and build up again, and have fun and dance through the process!
Watch an excerpt of this piece on Propeller’s YouTube channel: