York Dance Ensemble Centre Stage at Betty O.

TORONTO, March 23, 1999 -- The York Dance Ensemble (YDE), York University's spirited young repertory company, winds up its 11th season on April 10 and 11 at the Betty Oliphant Theatre with a showcase concert spotlighting dancers on the brink of their professional careers. Under the artistic direction of Luc Temblay, the show features exciting new works created for the company as well as restagings of challenging pieces by faculty and guest choreographers.

Luc Tremblay's parting gift at the end of his term as artistic director is a special work for a dozen dancers titled Le Temps Suspendu, with costumes by designer Denis Joffre.

"The piece relates to rituals of transformation, which everyone goes through in one way or other, using a personal or collective path to achieve this," explains Tremblay.

Also on the program is Tremblay's Kabbale, a highly structured work of pristine clarity and almost mathematical precision that challenges and showcases the zestful physicality of the Ensemble's young dancers.

Time and Again, by York professor and independent choreographer Holly Small, features the entire ensemble of 14 dancers. Embodying youthful exuberance and intense emotion, Time and Again is an engaging collection of duets, trios and full ensemble pieces inspired by Chopin's 24 Preludes, performed live by prize-winning pianist, York music student Yashar Nazarian.

Quebec City-based choreographer, Lydia Wagerer, who was artist-in-residence at York last fall, has created especially for the Ensemble, Cavalcade, a highly-charged kinetic work set to music by Jimmy Smith.

Other highlights include PinPoints, Susan Cash's choreographic response to contemporary musician John Cage, and Ensemble member Monique Harris' Engaging the Source, a playful work for four dancers.

The York Dance Ensemble is a dynamic young company featuring outstanding performers and choreographers from York University's Dance Department. Since its creation in 1988, the YDE has worked with many noted Canadian and international choreographers including Karin Greenhead, Bill Coleman, Phyllis Lamhut, FranHoise Sullivan and Carol Anderson.

The York Dance Ensemble showcase is presented with the support of Le Bureau du QuÈbec ý Toronto.

The YDE appears at the Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St. for two performances only on Sat. April 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun. April 11 at 2:00 p.m. Admission is $12; students and seniors, $8. To reserve tickets, phone the Box Office at (416) 973-4000. For program information, phone the Dance Department Hotline (416) 650-8030.

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For further information please contact:

Carol Bishop
Communications, Faculty of Fine Arts
York University
(416) 736-2100 ext. 20421
email: cbishop@yorku.ca