Three Works going LIVE May 17 || 24 || 31 with a LIVE performance and Q&A in June.
WORK FROM HOME aligns with new approaches to exhibiting reflective of both the post-pandemic times we are living in and the continued currency of collective experience. In this new work supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Toronto Arts Council, Artistic Director Hoskins ushers his thirty years in the dance community into a phase of deepening collaborations, formalizing his dialogue with artists and exploring a shared avenue for creative pursuit. In this series of three works, dance artists Sully Malaeb Proulx, Mariana Medellin-Meinke, Sébastien Provencher, and Agustin Rodriguez Beltran draw from their immediate landscape, including their home environment.
The artist’s home often acts as a studio, a creative brave space where dancers can explore their physicality and impulses in response to themselves. This realm of creative embodiment is the driving force of WORK FROM HOME, nurturing the local seeds of creation into shared communication through dance. Dancers at home, contained by limited space, can discover unique sensorial/ emotional/ cognitive responses. It is this personal intimacy that WORK FROM HOME investigates – what is immediately at hand? what ignites creative movement? and what is the genesis of vital creativity?
COLLBORATORS
EPISODE ONE
May 17 8 pm EST 9min 30
Sully Malaeb Proulx – Dance Artist/ Collaborator Sully Malaeb Proulx was born in Toronto, Canada, where he trained with the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre. He was an honor graduate from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance where he worked with renowned teachers and artists from near and far. Sully has had the opportunity to train, dance and perform in Toronto, Montreal, New York and throughout Europe working with choreographers such as Hanna Kiel/HUMAN body Expression, Nicole Caruana/UANA DANS DA Hoskins/The Dietrich Group, Alyssa Martin/RockBottomMovement and MADBOOTS DANCE. Performance highlights include the Limon Company’s 70th Anniversary International Dance Festival (NYC), NYDA’s benefit concert Destiny Rising at the Joyce Theatre and Festival 10 Sentidos(Valencia, Spain). Sully is now back in Toronto working as a freelance dance artist.
EPISODE TWO
May 24 8 pm EST
Mariana Medellin-Meinke – Dance Artist/ Collaborator Mariana is a Mestizo artist of Mexican descent. In 2000 she moved to Canada for her dance studies – professionally training at La Escuela Superior de Musica y Danza (INBA), the Quinte Ballet School and at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. Mariana is an interpreter, creator, street artist and her artistic path is overall influenced by social and cultural understanding. Her main concern is to expand the art viewer demographics and to question value systems. She’s created art via performance, dance, installation in México, Canada, Palestine, Jordan and Germany. She has developed artistic and life-long relationships with Brian Solomon (Anishnaabe/Irish), Daina Ashbee (Cree/Dutch), Jumana Dabis (Palestinian), and with The Dietrich Group/DA Hoskins(Canadian). Mariana is a Dora Award recipient.
EPISODE THREE
May 31 8 pm EST
Sébastien Provencher – Dance artist/Collaborator Sébastien Provencher completed a degree in Dance at Université du Québec à Montréal, where he received the William Douglas grant during that time. He has been granted several times buy the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec and by the Canada Art Council, from whom he received a grant to complete the ATLAS program in Impulstanz Dance Festival in Vienna in the summer of 2016. He has danced in Montreal and Toronto for established and emerging choreographers such as Emmanuel Jouthe, Sasha Kleinplatz, Manon Oligny, Louise Bedard, George Stamos, DA Hoskins/The Dietrich Group,, Helen Simard and Social Growl Dance/Riley Sims.
Agustin Rodriguez Beltran – Dance Artist/Collaborator Agustin Rodriguez Beltran is a professional circus artist graduated from the National Circus School in Montreal. Born in Mexico, raised in Central America and currently in Montreal, Agustin specializes in various movement practices ranging from dance underwater to aerial acrobatics. Parallel to this, he’s assisted circus-related scientific research projects and has succeeded in the management of multiple creative works. Because of these varied ventures, he considers himself a creative handyman. Since finishing circus school, he’s been part of Cirque du Soleil’s BAZZAR, Le Monastere’s cabaret in Montreal, Contemporary Synchro Art, EZdanza, Théâtre advienne que jpourra, and other various independent producers from circus and dance. On the side, Agustin frequently works as a fine arts model, acrobatic coach, and artistic counselor. Agustin took part in Saint John’s International Circus Festival, and the 42nd edition of the notorious Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris performing his solo piece Angel’s Nature. The wonder of the day to day inspires Agustin to create, by nature. He’s a curious, ope, and polyvalet artist that jumps into the adventure to discover new perspectives and share his generosity with the world.
Omar David Rivero – Composer/ Collaborator
Omar David Rivero, also known as Driftnote, is a musician and multimedia artist whose work is centred around improvisation, interactivity, audio and visual installations as well as 3D imaging. Rivero explores questions of materiality and embodiment when looking at systems, reassessing methodologies of image making, archives, and self-portraiture.
Nico Stagias- Video Artist/ Collaborator/ Mentor
Nico Stagias is a Toronto based DOP, Producer, Director and Editor who has worked in television for the last 14 years. His education includes an MFA degree in Film Production at the University of British Columbia in Directing and an Honour’s BA in Communication Studies at Concordia University as well as at San Francisco State University in cinematography and lighting. Nico has twice won the award for Best Artistic Achievement in a short film at the Inside Out Film Festival and Best Audience Choice award at the Oregon Queer Film Festival. Nico’s video work for full the length dance piece entitled “TimeCode Break” helped garner the show a 2007 DORA Award for Best Production. Nico was also nominated for a Canadian Screen Award as editor for the documentary “Christopher House: Ahead of the Curve”. Nico has Directed, Produced, shot and edited over 20 promotional commercials for Nickelodeon TV. This campaign, which was shot in India, Malaysia and the Philippines, won two Silver ProMax Awards for Best Campaign and Best Comedic Campaign. Nico also partners in Border2Border Entertainment and has developed, produced, shot and directed two TV series and three stand- alone documentaries: I’m A Stripper (series), PopPorn (series), Studlebrity, Balls and Positive Youth. DOP and camera credits include work on shows like: Storage Wars Canada, Canada’s Worst Driver, Don’t Drive Here, Dinner Party Wars, Four Weddings, Bump! and Keeping Canada Alive.
