About This Show

Fast Forward provides opportunities for choreographers working in all dance forms to workshop 25 – 35 min pieces on a shared bill curated around a theme.

In March, Fast Forward’s theme is ‘‘Connection.’’ Company Oxana Chi will present Neferet iti. Kalamandir Dance Company will present one to(o) many colors.

Neferet iti (Company Oxana Chi)
In this dreamlike fusion performance, Oxana Chi embodies the Egyptian Pharaoh ‘‘Nefertiti,’’ whose statue lingers on the Berlin’s museum island since 100 years, raising questions of diasporic belonging, cultural colonialism & freedom. Weaving a rich choreographic tapestry made of West African, Egyptian & European motifs & danced to an atmospheric soundscore by international musicians, this piece invites us to rethink contemporary dance through the lense of Afropean aesthetics. The piece premiered at the Dance(a)Summer12 Festival in Berlin & was shown at the Bielefeld Biennale for Afro-contemporary Dance (DansArt), Taipei Fringe Festival, SIPA Festival (Java) and Performance Project @ University Settlement NY. It features live music by Layla Zami.

one to(o) many colors (Kalamandir Dance Company)
‘‘Loneliness is a sign that we are in desperate need of ourselves.’’ — Rupi Kaur
Through the Contemporary Indian aesthetic & storytelling, Kalamandir dancers collaborate to create a vision based on influences of writer Rupi Kaur & world music. Brinda & dancers work together to explore the various implications of loneliness as a state of being. The lack of connectedness or communality with other beings affect us in different ways. It’s our creative desire as contributing members of society to navigate that space & discover different colors within us. Toronto-based photographer & writer Rupi Kaur uses Instagram to post her poetry about survival, womanhood, abuse, love & loss. These are some of the different chromas that make up the blank canvas of our lives. She recently published a book of poems, titled Milk And Honey, & much of this presentation is based on excerpts of her work. ‘‘Rupi’’ also means colors.