Human Body Expression to Present The Canadian Premiere Of MOEM - BODY

Human Body Expression will present the Canadian premiere of the company's newest full-length work, MOEM - BODY, choreographed by Artistic Director Hanna Kiel. Featuring a diverse cast of five Canadian and five Korean dancers, MOEM - BODY is a celebration of the power of physical expression. Delving into the intricacies of body language and its deeply individual encapsulation of inherent physicality, knowledge, and life experience, audiences are carried into the world of ten unique characters. Through distinct and authentic facial expression and physical movement patterns, we see how one's past, present, and future is imprinted in our bodies. Transcending boundaries, MOEM - BODY celebrates the art of body language, inviting audiences to connect with the beauty of self-expression and our most primal means of communication.

MOEM - BODY was created through a major international collaboration with the Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance Festival), one of the world's largest dance festivals and the largest in Asia. The initial work-in-progress was presented at the dance: made in Canada/fait au Canada festival in August 2023, where it won the Audience Choice Award. MOEM - BODY as a 70-minute full-length work premiered in Seoul, Korea, on September 1, 2024, and then toured to four cities across Korea - Busan, Gunsan, Sejong, and Daegu - in Fall 2024.

Initially selected for Harbourfront Centre's 2024/25 Torque series, MOEM - BODY is the only dance project retained after the program's cancellation due to significant budget cuts. Thanks to Harbourfront Centre's support, the production will proceed with its Canadian premiere at the Fleck Dance Theatre.

The March 6 performance will be followed by an Opening Reception. The March 7 performance will be followed by a Q&A with the creative team.

About Human Body Expression

HBE was founded by Hanna Kiel in 2013. The company has been creating and presenting works in Toronto independently, and has been presented by DanceWorks, Toronto Dance Theatre, National Ballet of Canada, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, Toronto Dance Theatre, ProArte Danza, and Alias Dance Project. Since 2013, HBE has presented four full length works, Project L (2013), Armband (2015), Chasing the Path (2018), and Resonance (2019), alongside many self-produced shows throughout Canada.

About Hanna Kiel (Choreographer / Artistic Director)

Dora Award-winning choreographer Hanna Kiel hails from Seoul, South Korea, and relocated to Vancouver in 1996. Her early works were showcased at 12 Minutes Max, PlanB Singles and Solos Festival, Dancing on the Edge Festival, and Pulse at the Scotiabank Dance Centre. In 2007, she collaborated with Yoko Ono as a dancer and choreographer at Centre A.

Since moving to Toronto in 2008, Hanna has choreographed for organizations such as Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, Conteur Dance Academy, George Brown Dance, Ryerson Dances, School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Kenny Pearl's Emerging Artist Intensive, IGNITE, ProArteDanza, Ballet Jörgen, Alias Dance Project, The National Ballet of Canada, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, Toronto Dance Theatre, Dusk Dances, and Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in Calgary.

Her theatre collaborations include Cockroach by Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho) at Tarragon Theatre and Woking Phoenix by Silk Bath Collective at Theatre Passe Muraille. In 2012, she won Northwest Dance Project's international choreographic competition Pretty Creatives and served as an E-choreographer for Springboard Danse Montreal in 2015. Hanna is currently is a resident choreographer at Canada's Ballet Jörgen.

Dancers: Ryan Lee, Kelly Shaw, Clara Isgro, Jeffrey James Lapira , Rumi Jeraj, Minyoung Kim (김민영), Younju Kwon (권영주) , Hyoshin Kim (김효신), Yiseul Kim (김이슬) and Sarang Lee (이사랑).

Composer: Adam Campbell

Lighting Designer: Simon Rossiter

Watch the trailer for MOEM - BODY -

Tickets are available to purchase through the Harbourfront Centre box office, online, or by phone (416-973-4000), or in person during box office hours. Fleck Dance Theatre is located at 207 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5J 1A7. $35-$70 - PWYW, $28 - Senior & Arts Worker, $20 - Student.

To post a comment, you must register and login.