‘Balancing on the Edge’’ (BOTE) was Presented in association with the Harbourfront Centre Theatre in Toronto, on Nov 18/19th as part of Harbourfront's NextSteps 2016 series.
BOTE’s inaugural production featured circus artists:
Rebecca Devi Leonard, Natasha Danchenko, Brandy Leary, Holly Treddenick, Angola Murdoch, Diana Lopez, Rebecca Carney, Emily Hughes, Emmanuel Cyr, Sonia Norris, Erin Ball and Louis Wei-Chun Barbier showcasing a wide range of disciplines ranging from Aerial Rock, Fire and ladder to invented apparatus and object manipulation.
Our musical programme included works by:
John Cage, Iannis Xenakis, David Lang, and Montreal-based Nicole Lizée, with world premieres by California-based Scott Rubin and Toronto’s own Nick Storring. BOTE featured lighting design by Joe Pagnan with live projections by Evan DeRushie and video by Jason J Brown. Balancing on the Edge aimed to investigate what it means to be pushed to the limit from a wide range of perspectives through a synthesis of theatre, dance, multi-media, new music and new circus.
Photo credit: Kevin Green
“provocative, thrilling and thought-provoking.”
— Jeannie Punter. 2017 MusicWorks, Issue 127 Cover Story.
Cast/Crew
Circus Artists:
Rebecca Leonard (choreography/aerial bicycle), Natasha Danchenko (aerial bicycle), Brandy Leary (aerial rope), Holly Treddenick + Angola Murdoch (suspended ladder), Diana Lopez + Rebecca Carney (aerial rocks), Emily Hughes (aerial silks), Emmanuel Cyr (choreography), Louis Wei-Chun Barbier (juggling/dance), Sonia Norris (clown), Erin Ball (clown/aerial silks).
Musicians:
Thin Edge New Music Collective, Rachael Abramoff (viola), Suhashini Arulanandam (violin), Adam Cambell (percussion), Stacie Dunlop (soprano), Cheryl Duvall (piano), DJ P-Love (Turntables), Andrea Ludwig (mezzo sprano), Nathan Petitpas (percussion), Chelsea Shanoff (saxophone), Ilana Waniuk (violin), Dobrochna Zubek (cello).
Ghost Bicycle Dancers:
Eric Liu, Kelly Mullan, Dana Lerman, Rachel David, Sarah Stark, Jonathan Neville Hoining Chang, Emma De Bono, Meagan Gartlanster.
Music:
John Cage, Iannis Xenakis, David Lang, Nicole Lizée, Scott Rubin, Nick Storring.
Video: Jason J Brown
Projections: Evan DeRushie
Lighting Design: Joe Pagnan
Stage Manager: Charissa Wilcox
Rigger: Rebecca Leonard
Graphic Design: Kristin Messina
Media/Marketing: Terry Lim
Artistic Directors/Curators:
Cheryl Duvall, Rebecca Leonard, Ilana Waniuk
Photo credit unless otherwise noted by: Neal Kuellmer
Programme
Magma (2016)
Circus Artists: Diana Lopez, Rebecca Carney
Music: Nicole Lizée (b.1973) Phonographenlieder (2014)
String quartet, piano, percussion, voice, turntablist
Naked to the Sky (2016)
Circus Artists: Manuel Cyr, Louis Barbier
Music: Scott Rubin (b.1989) Naked to the Sky (2016)
Piano, percussion, saxophone, violin, electronics
Underneath (2016)
Circus Artist: Emily Hughes
Projections by Evan DeRushie
Music: Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001) Okho (1989)
Percussion trio
-Intermission-
Ascension (2016)
Circus Artists: Holly Treddenick, Angola Murdoch
Soprano-Stacie Dunlop
Music John Cage (1912-1992) Aria & Fontana Mix (1958/1959)
Soprano + tape
Excavating Meaning (2016)
Circus artist: Brandy Leary
Music: Nick Storring (b.1981) Amanhã (2016)
Piano, percussion, saxophone, cello, 2 violins
Ghost Bicycle (2016)
Circus Artist: Rebecca Leonard, Natasha Danchenko
Jason J Brown-video
Music: David Lang (b.1957) Cheating, Lying, Stealing (1993)
Bass clarinet, cello, piano, percussion + 2 antiphonal brake drums
