January 21, 22, 23, 7:30 PM, January 24, 4 PM
Rock Steady - Katie Ward
ROCK STEADY
In life, things can get unstable. Rock Steady examines matter and energy, both at a molecular scale and figuratively, through conflict and interaction between personalities; – there is acquiescence, resistance and transformation. This is a dance about invisible energy producing something tangible and visible. Rock Steady humanizes and explores aggression and harmony - looking for the primordial connection between us as human beings, and that matter which makes up our molecular, energetic and emotional composition.
At times uncomfortable, beautiful, ugly, funny, arrhythmic, and dissonant - cells in a body become agitated with personality. Clashes and accidents of co-existence mirror the fundamental basis of our energetic links: we exist in a web of particles that are interconnected. Working physically from the energetic combinations of states produces different reactions and imbalances, resulting in something like ionization. Ward’'s work fits this metaphor like a glove. Fraught with tension and release, Rock Steady is an exploration of energy, resistance and flux!
KATIE WARD
An independent dancer and choreographer, Katie Ward lives and works in Montreal. In 2008, along with Thea Patterson, Peter Trosztmer, and Audrée Juteau, Katie founded an artists group: The Choreographers. They presented their first work: Man and Mouse in Montreal as well as in Halifax, New York, St Johns Nl and in Sherbrooke Qc. In 2007 and 2008 Katie presented Hawks and Doves at Tangente in Montreal, and during Les Printemps de la Danse. She was commissioned to create solo material for Peter Trosztmer as part of his piece ‘Completely Absolutely Perfectly’, (Tangente 2008). Her previous work, The Thrills: Wilderness Retreat was presented at Tangente (November 2005) and in 2004, Collapsible Uprisings was shown at Salle André Pagé, Studio 303, and at Pixel Project Series.
Katie has performed locally and internationally for emerging and established choreographers: Ruth Cansfield, Sarah Febbraro, Stéphane Gladyszewski, Dean Makarenko, Isabel Mohn, Sharon Moore, Tracy McNeil, Thea Patterson, Ben Read, Pierre Paul Savoie, and others. From 2004-2006 she toured in Stéphane Gladyszewski’s work, Aura. Katie also tours under the name Cat Pontoon performing a faux rockumentary at music festivals across Canada.
Katie's early performance education was with Winnipeg’s School of Contemporary Dance and Primus Theatre. Returning to Concordia University for part time studies she focused on dance composition with Silvy Panet Raymond, while pursuing side interests in visual art and art history. Other formative studies where with Ginelle Chagnon, Peter Bingham, Stephanie Skura and Chrysa Parkinson.
Choreographer = Katie Ward
Dancers = Allison Blakley + Audrée Juteau + Patrick Lamothe + Benjamin Read + Peter Trosztmer
Lighting = Lucie Bazzo
Sound design = Michael Feuertack
Dramaturgy assistant = Thea Patterson