A unifying dance
[attach]1573[/attach]The Toronto dance scene might be a thriving one but it is a divided one, says Niki Wozniak.
As the founder and artistic director of Desiraeda Dance Theatre — an emerging dance company set on creating pieces that incorporate contemporary and jazz works with theatre aspects thrown in — Wozniak says she often sees a chasm between different dance genres.
Classical, contemporary, modern, jazz and more commercial dance all have their place says Wozniak.
“I find that they are very separate,” says the Forest Hill resident. “The ballet scene compared to the modern scene compared to the modern scene …they don’t really intermingle a lot.”
With Desiraeda, Wozniak hopes to bring the genres together.
“We’re trying to … bridge a gap between those because it is accessible to a wider audience but it is still contemporary and not completely commercial.”
Desiraeda’s most recent production, Weight was inspired by the flick Closer, and focused on the complexities of modern day relationships.
The four-person piece starring Wozniak and dancers Laura Ovcjak, Matthew Montgomery and Tyler Evan Webb ran from April 29-May 1 at the Distillery District.
Wozniak, who choreographed the piece, hopes to flesh out the stories of Weight even further in an effort to tour the production across Canada at different dance festivals.
“It’s about two couples and their struggles with communication and betrayal. I guess what they are each looking for is a meaningful relationship,” she says. “In the end it’s not really a traditional love story ending where everyone lives happily ever after but it’s more that they learn from these experiences and in the end has a choice to grow from it or be broken.”
Wozniak, who grew up in Saskatchewan before studying dance in Montreal and New York City, co-founded Desiraeda in Toronto as a collective in 2007.
After artistic differences, the others went their separate ways, leaving Wozniak to run the company on her own.
“I have always wanted to be a choreographer. I’ve always had a passion for creating,” Wozniak says. “In a way it’s a platform for me to get my choreography out.”
Since then the small company — pretty much Wozniak is the only full time person running it — has worked to put on pieces that
involve contemporary, jazz and theatre aspects.
“We kind of work by show to show basis,” she says.
Wozniak hopes this inclusive aspect inspires other dance companies as it has already inspired those who have danced with her.
Ovcjak, who danced with Wozniak’s company for the first time with the production of Weight, was impressed with Wozniak’s company as it showcases more that one type of dance.
“Her choreography is quite technical,” Ovcjak says. “It’s a type of modern I have never quite seen before.
“I was blown away with her stuff.”
What impresses Ovcjak most is Wozniak’s blending of theatre — acting and movement but now words in her work in her pieces.
Wozniak’s work is different than musical theatre, which Ovcjak says often comes across too false and superficial.
They try to combine music, with dance, voice and acting … still it’s very stilted,” she says.
On the other hand, the themes in classical ballet such is the case of the National Ballet of Canada isn’t as relatable, or accessible as contemporary might be, Ovcjak says.
“With Niki’s work there is a character arch, a story line. It’s clever.”