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ProArteDanza Season 2012

PROARTEDANZA SEASON 2012 with choreography by Roberto Campanella, Robert Glumbek and Kevin O’Day. Presented by ProArteDanza at the Fleck Dance Theatre (207 Queens Quay West). Through Saturday (October 6), Thursday-Saturday 8 pm. $22-$39, stu/srs $20-$34. 416-973-4000. See listings.

Breath is essential to life, especially for dancers, who must regularly execute athletic moves gracefully without sounding winded.

But what if you cut off or limit that breathing? That’s the novel – and frankly scary – idea behind Expire, the 35-minute piece receiving its world premiere in ProArteDanza’s latest program.

“It’s a little disturbing,” warns Roberto Campanella, who choreographed the piece with Robert Glumbek. “You’re going to have people holding their breath, or trying to stop other people from breathing, all while dancing.”

Of course, limiting the dancers’ oxygen supply posed a challenge to the creators.

“In a sense, there is no movement without breath, and no breath without movement,” says Campanella, ProArte’s artistic director. “The idea has allowed us to explore how dance is connected to breathing. If you do a particular move, do you breathe in a different way than you’re used to?”

The title, with its double meaning hinting at both exhalation and death, suggests a bit of dark humour that the choreographer says is common in ProArteDanza pieces.

“But for some bizarre reason, that gets overlooked,” he says, laughing. “Our dances can be ironic and witty, but people generally talk about our intense physicality.”

That physicality will be on display in three remounts that round out the program: Decorum, Campanella’s passionate duet performed en pointe by dancers Tyler Gledhill and Kristen Dennis We Will…, a duet by Kevin O’Day for Glumbek and Mami Hata and Beethoven’s 9th, 1st Movement, a Campanella-Glumbek collaboration for an ensemble to dance.

Eventually, the company is looking to finish the other movements of the Beethoven symphony and make a full-length work.

“But we’re going to take our time on that,” says Campanella. “It’s not going to happen next year. We are trying to do justice to a composer we just have to bow down to.”

Launched in 2004, ProArte has carved out a nice niche for its fusion of ballet and modern, and its roster of dancers from both worlds. The company also runs a summer school for young student dancers, culminating in a show. But Campanella is aiming higher.

“Our artistic vision is really strong, but ideally I’d like to have two seasons – one in the spring, one in the fall – and the chance to tour, as well as a year-long student program.

“We’re almost there,” he adds. “Little steps.”

And the company’s open to doing novel things, such as their upcoming gig at the Young Centre’s Global Cabaret Festival, where they’re performing a work inspired by director Federico Fellini on October 12 and 13.

“It’s been a dream of mine to create something on Fellini,” says Campanella about his fellow Italian artist. “There’s lots of dance, actors, a pianist, archival footage – all in a cabaret style. And you’ll see the company in a different light, which is great.”

Interview Clips

Roberto Campanella on the loyalty of his ProArteDanza team and their process:

Download associated audio clip.

Roberto Campanella on co-choreographing with Robert Glumbek:

Download associated audio clip.

glenns@nowtoronto.com | twitter.com/glennsumi

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