DANCE REVIEW

DANCE WORKSHOP STUDENTS OFFER WORKSHOP

July 10, 2008, Nanaimo Daily News

Reviewed by: Danielle Bell

Teens and adults explored body movement through dance workshops led by a Toronto-based choreographer on her first visit of its kind to Nanaimo.

Malgorzata Nowacka, artistic director with the Chimera Project, put 25 youth and adults into two workshop streams and created dance routines with participants of all skill levels. She works to "strip any misconceptions" of body movement.
"I think every single person had a different reason for coming," said Nowacka.

"In dance, you have to be so free, and forget that you're a person," she said. "We start out doing very goofy things to warm up."

The three and four-day workshops wrapped up on Tuesday. Interested participants will showcase their skills at a performance at the recreation stage at Beban Park tonight, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are available at the House of Indigo, Falconer Books and at the door.

The multi-disciplinary show also features local musicians and Chimera project professional dancers.

The Body Talk project, put on by the Crimson Coast Dance Society, fused hip-hop, ballet, modern dance and more in unconventional ways to move one's body. Nowacka said her class was open to "experimental risks."

"There was so much energy and chaos in the room," said Nowacka.

Nowacka said some people in class "were remarkably aware" of their body movement. Some participants never had any type of formal dance training.

"I'm always impressed with how quickly people pick up the shape of movement," said Nowacka.