DanceHouse set to light up the night with eight-story video REBO(U)ND, April 29 to May 8
Gravity-defying dance work to be projected on tower by English Bay
REBO(U)ND, a giant eight-story video ready to light up the night starting International Dance Day, is a metaphor of resilience and a beacon of hope in pandemic times.
Choreographed by Caroline Laurin-Beaucage, and performed by Montréal Danse, the massive video will be projected onto a tower wall near Davie and Denman streets. The multimedia public-art project marks DanceHouse’s first foray into presenting dance in the form of a large-scale outdoor projection.
For 10 days, starting April 29, the seven-minute projected performance will run on a continuous loop.
Taking place in silence, REBO(U)ND is a choreography of suspension, featuring bodies on the verge of escaping gravity. REBO(U)ND reveals the ephemeral moment when the dancer floats, between momentum and fall, between freedom and imbalance, while the body seems to defy space and time. The projection plays with perceptions, and seems to defy notions of time, gravity, scale, and space. REBO(U)ND is a vibrant tribute to dance, sharing the feelings of abandonment and freedom.
Produced by Laurin-Beaucage, Montréal Danse, Lorganisme and Hub Studio, the dance-video projection is the first of its kind in Vancouver.
Projected as it is on a prominent wall by English Bay, REBO(U)ND welcomes all passers-by into the world of dance—bringing the art form out of theatres and studios and literally out onto the streets. The multimedia project is meant to be a celebratory moment for artists, local businesses, and neighbours to rebound from the past year’s challenges.
“We could not be more thrilled to have this project come to fruition,” added Francesca Piscopo, Artistic Associate & Community Engagement Coordinator for DanceHouse. “Our mission has always been to bring dance into new lives and new communities. I can not think of a better way to do so than to - quite literally - light up the night with the beautiful expression that is REBO(U)ND.”
DanceHouse artistic director and cofounder Jim Smith says REBO(U)ND came onto his radar two years ago, when a Quebec dance agent showed him the loop. At the time, presenting a large-scale outdoor public installation seemed beyond the mandate of the organization, which has made its name bringing top-flight dance talent to this city’s stages. “Fast-forward to June 2020. Theatres were closed, upcoming live seasons cancelled, and we were looking for alternative ways to present dance and engage with our community. REBO(U)ND had found its moment,” Smith says.
You can watch the projection on your next evening beach stroll. REBO(U)ND screens nightly from April 29 to May 8, beginning 30 minutes past sunset (8:57 pm on April 29, advancing to 9:10 pm on May 8) and ending each night at 10:30 pm. You can find it on Denman Street between Pendrell Street and Morton Avenue, with a number of great viewing locations listed on the DanceHouse website.
Find more info here.
This post was sponsored by DanceHouse