Propeller Gives Dance An Extra Edge In Two Evocative Works At Ottawa Art Gallery

If you are a fan of art-based community making, creative collaborations, and contemporary dance that changes things up - then you won't want to miss PICTURE THIS, a Propeller Dance and Ottawa Art Gallery co-presentation with live music by award-winning, innovative composer-musician Jesse Stewart.

Propeller gives dance its edge by presenting an integrated cast of artists with and without disabilities, and this time the title work PICTURE THIS, has evolved from a community art project involving the Psychiatric Survivors of Ottawa and The Royal. Director and choreographer, Shara Weaver comments, "The immense creativity and openness of this group to explore and express their lived experiences through dance - most for the first time - makes for an intensely personal work."

PICTURE THIS will also include Spasticus, a work of the Propeller Dance Company, conceived and created by dance artist Elizabeth Winkelaar. Winkelaar explains her piece, "Punk rocker Ian Dury took language used to label people with disabilities and wrote Spasticus Autisticus, a "war cry for freedom." We interpret its historical context-the lives of people who were confined, isolated, sterilized, and excluded. Slides of the wall at the old Provincial Lunatic Asylum at 999 Queen Street in Toronto and the walls created by the dancers represent historical and social obstacles faced by people with disabilities. But in the end, Spasticus Autisticus celebrates solidarity and liberation."

PICTURE THIS takes place Thursday, October 25 and friday, October 26 at 8:00 pm at the OAG.

Tickets are 10$ or PWYC available through Eventbrite at at the door.
For all accessibility requests and questions please contact Stephanie: public@oaggao.ca

Propeller Dance is known for its great big, powerful art that depicts a humanity in which audiences can recognize themselves. Propeller's creation process incorporates and highlights each dancer's ideas and explorations from the beginning, and does not tokenize content for the sake of political correctness. Routinely enlightening, sometimes enraging, and always engaging, Propeller is renowned for defying traditional notions in the dance world. Led by Artistic Co-Directors Shara Weaver and Renata Soutter, Propeller Dance is now in its fourth year as Great Canadian Theatre Company's (GCTC) Company-in-Residence.

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