MOonhORsE Dance Theatre's OLD & YOUNG AND RECKLESS TOGETHER Begins Today

The 37th edition of Older & Reckless brings critically acclaimed Canadian dance artists, both young and old, together in vibrant, physically inventive works. Presented by MOonhORsE Dance Theatre's Artistic Director, Claudia Moore, Old & Young and Reckless Together will hit the stage today, April 8-10, 2016 at Dancemakers Centre for Creation in Toronto.

In addition, Vancouver dance icon Joe Laughlin will host Move It! a workshop that invites participants back into their bodies, to everyone's first language: movement, April 3-4, 2016 at the Winchester Street Theatre. Move It! participants will have the chance to dance in a presentation at Old & Young and Reckless Together.

His & Hers co-directors, Jessie Garon and Jarrett Siddall (appearing courtesy of Toronto Dance Theatre), will perform an excerpt of a new twenty-five minute duet by master choreographer Serge Bennathan. This is part of a two-phase project that will also include remounted excerpts of work created by Serge during his seven years as Artistic Director ofDancemakers. Within Serge's work, are moments of unexpected intimacy, complex and emotionally driven, yet practical, and without gestures that are arbitrary or disconnected.

Motus O Dance Theatre has commissioned the uncompromising and unconventional, "bad girl" (The Globe and Mail) of contemporary dance, Malgorzata Nowacka, to create Transcending Arthropod Diapause. Diapause refers to the developmental delay in animals in response to regularly and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions. Mature male dancers James Croker and Jack Langenhuizen bring Motus O Dance Theatre's powerful and physical contact improv style - part dance, part theatre, part triathlon - to the stage to engage and entertain audiences of all ages.

Senior dance artist Joe Laughlin, artistic director of Joe INK, commissioned Amber Funk Barton - choreographer and recipient of the Iris Garland Emerging Choreographer Award- to create a solo for him. Both artists hale from Vancouver. Fun fact: Joe gave Amber her first dance job, and now he is interpreting her work! Joe will also lead the Move It! workshopApril 3-4 at the Winchester Street Theatre where community members of all ages and abilities are invited to come together to be inspired, empowered and motivated to move.

Recognized as a highly versatile dance artist known for crossing the boundaries of ballet and contemporary dance, John Ottmann took inspiration from a poem by Wislawa Szimborska to create Flesh and A Broken Whisper. Performed by dancer Justine Comfort - a graduate of the dance program at York University- to an original score by Erik Geddis, this tour de force solo charts the classic hero's journey, exploring the themes of sacrifice and survival.

Older & Reckless, an informal performance series, features work from OLDER artists who continue to grow more RECKLESS as time goes by. Older & Reckless and Young Together focuses on the collaborative work of intergenerational dance artists.

Conceived by Claudia Moore, Artistic Director of MOonhORsE Dance Theatre, Older & Reckless is "an intimate exchange for both the performer and the observer; exciting, terrifying, and lots of fun. The performances are followed by a party with music, refreshments and a chance to talk with the artists about work, process, and whatever else comes up!"

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Serge Bennathan is a critically acclaimed and award winning choreographer, writer, painter and poet. Artistic director of Toronto's Dancemakers from 1990 to 2006 he now lives in Vancouver where he created Les Productions FIGLIO. Among his latest creations are M. Auburtin, a full-length work co-produced by the Dance Centre and the Chutzpah Festival 2015, and Sable Island, created for Mocean Dance in Halifax to be performed at the Canada Dance Festival in 2016. Other recent work includes Just Words, a creation with Hilary Maxwell and Karissa Barry to premiere April 27th in Vancouver. In 2012, Bennathan was awarded the Rio Tinto Alcan Award for Elles and, in 2014, the Canada Arts Council's Jacqueline Lemieux Award.

Under the artistic direction of James and Cynthia Croker and Jack Langenhuizen, MOTUS O creates and performs works that bring magic, honesty and passion into communities of all sizes. With sixteen original productions to date, they're an inventive and entertaining company that engages audiences of all ages wherever they perform. MOTUS O has been touring Canada, the USA, England and Australia since 1990 offering high-calibre, accessible performances and workshops for children and adults.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Amber Funk Barton established herself as a professional dance artist in that city where she danced for various companies and choreographers, including: Joe INK, LINK dance, Judith Marcuse Projects, Lola Dance, Marta Marta Productions, Mascall Dance and Wen Wei Wang. She has also been featured as a guest artist with 605 Collective. As a choreographer Amber has presented her work in various venues in Vancouver and across Canada. In 2005, she was named the inaugural recipient of the Iris Garland Emerging Choreographer Award which led to her first production: Threefold, co-produced with The Dance Centre. Amber also completed a residency at The Dance Centre in 2006-2007 where she created the first draft performance of RISK, for which she was awarded the 2007 Holy Body Tattoo Emerging Artist Award.

John Ottmann's career spans 28 years and encompasses the roles and responsibilities of dancer, choreographer, teacher, rehearsal director and artistic director. A graduate of Canada's National Ballet School, Ottmann has worked with numerous companies including the National Ballet of Canada, Ballet British Columbia and Holy Body Tattoo. He co-founded the collective, Quorum, and has taught and/or rehearsal directed for organizations including Cirque du Soleil ("ZAIA"), Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, BJM Danse and La La La Human Steps. Ottmann's choreographic work has been shown at the Canada Dance Festival and the Vancouver International Dance Festival. Ottmann served as the Artistic Director of the Quinte Ballet School of Canada where he implemented his progressive approach to teaching and mentoring dancers. Presently he is also a course director at York University and working on a MFA degree in dramaturgy for dance.

IF YOU GO:

MOonhORsE Dance Theatre presents

Older & Reckless #37: Old & Young and Reckless Together

Curated by MOonhORsE Artistic Director Claudia Moore

Choreographic works by: Serge Bennathan, Malgorzata Nowacka, Amber Funk Barton, John Ottmann

Performers: Jessie Garon and Jarrett Siddall (appears courtesy of Toronto Dance Theatre), James Croker and Jack Langenhuizen (Motus O), Joe Laughlin, Justine Comfort (with an original score by Erik Geddis)

Friday April 8 at 8pm
Saturday April 9 at 8pm
Sunday April 10 at 2pm

At Dancemakers Centre for Creation, Distillery District, 9 Trinity Street, Studio 313, Toronto

Tickets: $30 GA | $24 CADA, Students & Seniors | www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2486419

Move It Workshop

Sunday, April 3: 5pm - 8pm
Monday, April 4: 11am- 2pm
Winchester Street Theatre, 80 Winchester Street

Register at www.moonhorsedance.com

Lead by Vancouver dance icon Joe Laughlin, Move It! is a workshop that invites participants back into their bodies. Community members of all ages and abilities are welcome. PLUS participants have the chance to perform at Old & Young and Reckless Together.

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