Ballet Edmonton Launches New Season Of Contemporary Dance With Ouvrir

A new season of breathtaking contemporary dance is set to kick off as Ballet Edmonton brings Ouvrir to the Triffo Theatre stage on October 13 and 14.

Ouvrir is a mixed program of three works featuring pieces by Ballet Edmonton's own Artistic Director Wen Wei Wang, along with two celebrated Canadian choreographers in Gioconda Barbuto and Ethan Colangelo, whose work is electrifying stages across Canada and around the world.

The show opens with Thousand Memories, a world premiere from Wen Wei Wang, also in collaboration with the Ballet Edmonton dancers. This piece is a re-creation of Wang's 2018 work Last Words, which was a moving tribute to a beloved friend and patron of the arts in Edmonton. Five years later, this new work reflects on the passage of time, and is a poignant homage to the fragility of life and the ways in which we navigate loss while keeping precious memories alive.

The second piece of the evening is a reimagining of Gioconda Barbuto's Sum of All Parts, which explores the physical dialogue that develops in a collective atmosphere and reflects how we shape, shift, mold, and encompass space. Sum of All Parts was created in collaboration with Ballet Edmonton dancers both past and present.

Finally, audiences will be treated to another world premiere from dynamic young Canadian creator Ethan Colangelo. His new work creates a visual landscape where ideas meet and pull apart, creating a dream-like state that allows the audience to find places of connection and relatability. Composer and Ballet Edmonton company dancer Ben Waters created the original soundscape.

“Dance is a powerful form of artistic expression that goes beyond physical beauty,” said Ballet Edmonton Artistic Director Wen Wei Wang. “It can convey deep emotions and the substance of life and offer a profound connection between the performers and you, the audience. Ballet Edmonton's extraordinary dancers have the ability to bring the imaginations of all our creators to life on stage.”

Edmontonians can catch this season-opening performance at the Triffo Theatre at MacEwan University on October 13 and 14, 2023 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available online at: https://balletedmonton.ca/performance/ouvrir/.

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