Watching contemporary dance and physical movement performances is like viewing abstract paintings.  Both genres demand and sometimes challenge the viewer.  The best of them may bring order to your emotional chaos.

Last night at Fluid Festival, I was mesmerized by the athleticism, emotionally imbued insect and creature inspired crawling, sidlings, creeping and jumping that brought a rawness to the jagged journey of the dancers.

In the program we are told Children by choreographer Nigel Charnock the enfant terrible of British Physical Theatre is one of two electrifying pieces to be presented.  Some of the soundscape is certainly jolting with a repeated high pitch sound that trembles between a song and a scream interspersed with familiar love songs of other eras and ending with an opera aria. But as I watched Louise Lecavalier and her struggle with Patrick Lamothe, to find the emotional security we all crave from childhood, like most of the audience I was inert, silent and spell bound. During the 10 minute pause before the second piece A Few Minutes of Lock – as in Eduard Lock founder of La La Human Steps where Lecavalier was his muse for many years – the buzz in the house was as loud as any after game gathering in a sports bar.

The second piece was a challenge to Lecavalier’s body memory as she danced with Calgarian Keir Knight in a piece from her past.

Consistently Lecavalier has shown us the future not only in dance but for the longevity of dancers who choose the physical movement path.

Tonight Friday October 21^st is your last chance to see Fou Glorieux’s current tour.  Take it in at the Grand Theatre and stay for the artist’s chat.  That’s what Canadian festivals are all about – the insights into the artists thinking and process.

from Tim Christison