The Guangdong Modern Dance Company (GMDC) together with Vancouver’s Goh Ballet presents Select Works/Mustard Seed, a world premiere collaboration as part of the 2014 Vancouver International Dance Festival. The production’s name refers to a Buddhist metaphor, in which a grain as tiny as a mustard seed can reveal the wonders of the universe. GMDC resident choreographer Liu Qi’s motions reflects this depth of meaning through a game of physical interactions, whose fluid movements gradually reveal a world of delicate, layered, and ever-changing relationships.
Mustard Seed will be performed by dancers from both companies in an evening of vibrant energy and technical wonder.
[Goh Ballet; photo by David Cooper]
“Performances like this are why the Vancouver International Dance Festival exists,” according to Barbara Bourget, Artistic Director. “In this evening we bring together artists of different place, age, style, and experience to share the stage in a unified expression. I think the chemical reaction of this cultural exchange will be an enormously rewarding experience for artist and audience alike.”
[GMDC in Voice After; photo by Li Jianyang]
Founded in 1992, Guangdong Modern Dance Company is mainland China’s first professional modern dance company. Based in one China’s most flourishing regions, the company has attracted some of the finest and boldest artists in the country. Works created by its dancers, resident choreographers, artistic directors, and international guest artists have won critical acclaim and overwhelming audience responses around the world.
Since its establishment in 1978, The Goh Ballet has been fully committed to offering the highest caliber of education to young ballerinas and pre-professional dance artists. From its studios at Main and 8th in Vancouver, The Goh Ballet Academy has become an internationally-renowned leader in training and performance productions.
In addition to the collaboration, each company will perform select pieces from their celebrated repertoires, including Voice After from GMDC (also choreographed by Qi), and Walspurgisnacht Ballet from Goh Ballet, choreographed by George Balanchine. This is sure to be of the dance festival’s highlights, one not to be missed!
Vancouver International Dance Festival presents Guangdong Modern Dance Company with Goh Ballet Select Works/Mustard Seed
Dates: March 7 and 8, 8 pm
Venue: Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, 600 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Tickets: $50 to $60; available online or via phoning 604.662.4966
