'TransMigration' Travels to an Inner Place of Invention

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FLECK DANCE THEATRE
207 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario
/May 10th – 13th, 2012/

"TransMigration", © 2012 Kaha:wi Dance Theatre
/Click on image to Enlarge/

~ Kaha:wi Dance Theatre presents the World Premiere of TransMigration, a co-production with Planet IndigenUS, Harbourfront Centre, inspired by the paintings and life of iconic Ojibwe shaman-artist Norval Morrisseau, known as the “Picasso of the North”. Evoking Morrisseau’s visual language throughout, TransMigration melds traditional and contemporary dance, design and music, weaving a narrative that lives between reality and dreamscapes. ~

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"I go to the inner places. I go to the source. I even dare to say, I go to the house of invention where all the inventors of mankind have been.”  Norval Morrisseau


With the TransMigration world premiere around the corner, Kaha:wi Dance Theatre is in the midst of an exciting new creation. Not only is TransMigration a major new production, it heralds the first Kaha:wi Dance Theatre Toronto premiere since 2007.

“I’m thrilled to premiere TransMigration at Harbourfront Centre’s Fleck Dance Theatre and have the chance to connect with our Toronto audience,” states Artistic Director Santee Smith. “Toronto is our home and I’m very happy to be able to debut the work here before it reaches out to the world.”

Over the past few months, the creative focus for TransMigration has been on developing the musical score. Santee is very excited to be working with world-renowned musical supervisor Stevie Salas, at the Jukasa Studio on Six Nations along with Rob Lamothe. Click here to read up on these two music industry movers and shakers.

“It’s very creative mixing the future with the ancient,” says Stevie Salas, about working on the music behind TransMigration. “And that’s my thing.”

Stevie brings his heart and infectious energy to every single collaboration.

“I have been waiting for the chance to work with Santee for a while now,” he says. “She is a global Native and I like that because I know how hard it is out there. TransMigration is not just a great Native production that pushes the envelope, it is a world-class production and those of us who know Santee expect nothing less.”

The TransMigration score features many innovative indigenous musicians such as Tanya Tagaq, Vince Fontaine of Eagle and Hawk, Black Bear Singers and Cris Derksen among others. All amazingly talented artists making names for themselves in Canada and internationally.

As well as being a top-notch guitar player, Stevie Salas has experience scoring music.

“I have scored a few films preferring to work on indie films where I am allowed more freedom to be creative,” he says. “I have worked on some massive films with one being Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure, one of the most iconic music comedy films of all time. I not only did the guitar/band score, I also appeared in the films famous end scene as the hands of George Carlin in the big solo. Lately I have been working with several Seinfeld writers on their TV and movie projects including Live Free Or Die and I wrote and produced the intro song for Georgina Lightning’s Native film Older Than America.”

Now a permanent presence at Jukasa, Stevie says “the owner of Jukasa Studio, Kenny Hill built this three million dollar facility on the Six Nations Reservation to give Native people the chance to work in the same kind of studios that the biggest artist in the world use giving small budget productions a chance to compete sonically on the world’s stage.”

Being supported by Jukasa Studios is an incredible gift to Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. Music is such a huge part of Santee Smith’s vision for the company, as music moves her.

Kaha:wi Dance Theatre will be working at Jukasa Studios on completion of TransMigration score and on the up-coming Susuriwka – Willow Bridge production. In March 2012, Musical Director/Composer OKI will be traveling to Six Nations from Asahikawa, Japan to collaborate with Santee Smith and Six Nations musicians. Susuriwka – Willow Bridge will have its North American premiere at Planet IndigenUs in August 2012.

Source: www.kahawidance.org


TransMigration runs through May 10-13, 2012 as a part of NextSteps.

** As seen in Planet IndigenUs Newsletter **

For Ticket tickets & information click HERE.

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