With this freezing cold weather hitting Toronto, and my having just returned from visiting Australia, it’s a good time to focus on places like it, with much nicer climates.  Harbourfront Centre in Toronto’s worldstage program presents some amazing theatre and dance throughout the year, and coinciding with my interest in all things Australian, they’re presenting famed Australian dance troop Splintergroup next week.

Splintergroup were formed in 2004 by performers who first met at the Australian Dance Theatre.  It’s a flexible collaborative performance group, so the members vary at any given time.  Their first work, Lawn, debuted in 2005 and was the hit of the Sydney Festival. In 2007 they were nominated seven times in the Dance Australia Critics Survey, including for Best New Work and Highlight of the Year.

At Harbourfront they’re presenting a work called roadkill.  I’m really looking forward to seeing this group, who are described by various reviewers as ‘intensely physical’, using ‘obscure movement’ and ‘dark overtones’.

For those dancers in the Toronto area, Splintergroup will be holding a Masterclass, presented in partnership with Series 8:08 on February 1 from 10 am – 1 pm at Dovercourt House.  During their Masterclass they will focus on contemporary technique including a technical class dealing with floor work, release and ways to build choreography through the exploration of themes.  Splintergroup will use their distinctive physical dance, and will be referencing roadkill throughout the Masterclass.

To register for the Masterclass, which is open to professional dance and performance community members, as well as senior dance students. To register, please contact atc@series808.ca