Unveiling Shadows | Joshua Taliani
review, dance Triss Niemi review, dance Triss Niemi

Unveiling Shadows | Joshua Taliani

Taliani expertly leads the audience on a journey through krump, bounce, and other hip-hop or street styles; vogue femme and hands performance; and the intersection of these styles with his contemporary dance background as well as his First Nations cultural practises. I use expertly here in the senses that he is (1) a phenomenal technician of all these styles, (2) an exceedingly evocative storyteller, and (3) the master of the world this work takes place in

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The House | The House of Alexander
review, dance, cabaret, ballroom Ofa Fanaika review, dance, cabaret, ballroom Ofa Fanaika

The House | The House of Alexander

The House to me spoke to Pasifika and Asian communities and the need for the creation of contemporary rituals, spaces and practice. Culture is a living thing. We need to evolve with the time and the needs of our people. In The House their cultural pride is on their sleeves and smiles, even from members who have been ousted by their families, still respectful of their roots. Work like this gives permission for all diaspora queer folk to know and believe that culture, gender and sexuality need not be mutually exclusive and can exist together in harmony, even in excellence.

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Betwixt | Pink Matter Culture
dance, review Tristan Niemi dance, review Tristan Niemi

Betwixt | Pink Matter Culture

Every aspect of this work is deeply purposeful. The sequence of the stories speaks to the relationship between the elements. We see the water dance with the air, who in turn fuels the fire, who in turn cleanses the earth, before spirit comes and weaves them all together. Each story is so raw and specific to the performer it belongs to but is told in universal ways.

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Betwixt | Pink Matter
dance, review Zac Burns dance, review Zac Burns

Betwixt | Pink Matter

Betwixt invited the audience into the ‘In Between’: a space where words connected to movements and movements connected to music to tell unfinished stories to unsuspecting listeners. Through an enthralling combination of spoken-word poetry and dance, Pink Matter produced a fresh storytelling experience that pulled at the heart and compelled the mind.

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