In The City: Toronto Dance Theatre’s Winter Double Bill

The first mainstage presentation of Toronto Dance Theatre’s (TDT) 23/24 season, a Winter Double Bill of pieces created by Fran Chudnoff (a dance maker, video artist, photographer) and Andrew Tay (artistic director at TDT).

Tay describes the duo of pieces as ‘shaped by vibrant, colourful aesthetics’ and as featuring fiercely queer aesthetics. Under his Artistic Direction, the work at TDT certainly crosses over into performance art and multidisciplinary mediums.

Fran Chudnoff’s FACE RIDER is a queer, indie sleaze swamp dump. Made in collaboration with Driftnote and Angela Cabrera, FACE RIDER is a diver on the edge of a high board imagining its body missing a rotation and smacking through the waters of transformation.

Andrew Tay’s Odd-Sensual seeks to create an intimate environment where performers explore the moment before the body finds release. Taking individual approaches, 4 dancers practice together in a sensorial playground fluctuating between meditative reflection, artistic edging and pleasurable possession.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Andrew and Fran this week. They shared some great details about their respective pieces, and invite us all to fully engage with their works.