Tonight Royal Winnipeg Ballet presented a performance by Q Dance (artistic director Peter Quanz) that was invigorating and insightful. The small theatre at the Gas Station Arts Centre was the perfect venue of intimacy; you felt that you were right there beside the dancers experiencing their passions.
The first piece, Quantz by Quanz, was performed to a flute concerto by Johan Joachim Quantz, a distant relative of the artistic director. This dance generated the feeling of the elegance of the Baroque period. So much action - "sound and fury" by the dancers - but it produced a grace that transcended this earthly realm.
The second piece, Double Bounce, was delightful and whimsical. It was performed to a recording of David Lang’s “these broken wings, III” by the quintessential New Music ensemble, Eighth Blackbird. Very good stuff! I had the sensation that I was watching the creation and expansion of non-Euclidean self imaging geometric shapes. (btw, I think that’s a good thing!)
The final piece, Murder Afoot, was a narrative that was a spectacular multimedia event. It was entertaining and wonderfully humourous. It used video very effectively, including live feeds of the dancers from a different angle than the audience was seeing them on stage; as well as travelling through the Arts Centre following the dancers into the lobby, back stage, dressing rooms, etc.. Totally irreverent ballet that was most pleasurable. Pieces from various operas provided the music which was dramatic, and used to great effect to enhance the fun that was clearly being had by the audience and the dancers. Conjure a mixture of William Tell Overture, Bugs Bunny and love triangles, and that will give you just a start of what went on.
If you have tickets, don’t miss. If you don’t have tickets, that’s a shame because all performances are sold out – and this company is not one to be missed!
