Grasshoppa Dance Exchange

Wednesday March 11th - Ottawa Hop

We've been invited to hop at the Famous Five sculpture on Parliament Hill on Wednesday March 11th at 1:00 pm in celebration of the 80th year anniversary of the declaration of women as persons.

Rehearsal is this Sunday, March 8th at 3:30 pm. Meet at the Famous Five Sculpture on Parliament Hill, just east of the Centre block, behind the East block. We'll rehearse for approximately an hour on Sunday or until we are done.

For the Wednesday hop we'll meet at noon at the flame on the hill, and hop at 1:00 pm for about as long as it takes. The site is still a bit icy, so please wear sturdy footwear and clothes appropriate to playing in the snow. If anyone has any billowing skirts or ball gowns they feel like dancing in, please bring.

Please contact Renata for more info.

Tuesday, July 1st - Montreal Hop

A HOP IS MOVING TOO!

This next July First, while a lot of city ramblers will be moving from a home to another, HOP dancers will also be moving, from place to place. On the sidewalk of a neighborhood still to be determined, we will be part of this big moving-happening.

The core idea goes like this: a body moves another one, over a short, medium or large distance. If a body is not beeing moved or is not moving another one, it stays in place, takes the pose, waiting to be moved or to find someone to dislocate. Contact-improv dance will surely be part of our dances, might you be or not an experienced contact dancer. Welcome to all of you who have to chance not having to move to a new place this year. (And who knows, our dance party might end up over a yummy pizza, like real moving people).

When / where: July 1st at 14h00 @ Studio Fleur d'Asphalte, 6847 St. Hubert Street (between Beaubien & Jean-Talon metro stations)

Tuesday, April 29th - Ottawa Hop

This is for International Dance Day!

Meet at 11:00 am at City Hall Plaza on Laurier Street. We'll do one Hop in the plaza at noon, score by Renata Soutter, and then cross the road to Confederation Park where Julie Anne Ryan will lead a score. Wear red. Dress weather appropriate (sunscreen or rain coat).

All are welcome. Bring your grandma, your children, your friends. We'll be joined by students from Sylvie Desrosiers modern dance program for this Hop.

Postscript: This event was a hoot! Mark took some photos while he was making music, and they can be found on our photos page.

April 27, 2008 - Montreal Hop

1:00pm - 2:00pm. Place des Arts Esplanade, 175 St. Catharine St. West. Montreal, QC

Dancers! Freaks! Observers!! All those hoping to see and/or take part in some mad public dance action; "Pas de danse, pas de vie!" is coming up, and grasshoppa has once again been invited to create a work to be performed in the esplanade at Place Des Arts!!

We have approximately 15 dancers at the present, but the more the merrier, so please come and join us if you can!! (For this project, dancers constitutes anyone who loves to move, no technical training required, and those who would be comfortable performing outdoors rain or shine!)

This project will be performed on Sunday, April 27 from 1 - 2PM. Though dancers will have to arrive at 11am at Place des Arts.

We require that you also make it to at least two of the remaining jams to create the piece: Wednesday, April 16: 18h to 21h; Thursday, April 17: 18h30 to 21h; Wednesday, April 23: 18h to 21h; (Ability to add Thursday, April 24 6:30 to 9PM and / or Saturday, April 26, 9AM-Noon as well)

If you have conflicting schedules with these practices, please contact us before bailing, we do not want to lose you!! If you have conflicts with the schedule, please contact us, we do not want to loose anyone!!

Invite your friends, dancers (trained and not!), actors, from children to adults, people who are pregnant and people with disabilities, there is a place for everyone!

Please confirm your attendance with Stephanie or James via e-mail or phone - James Kendal 514-603-6155 blindmeridian@gmail.com, or Stephanie Bernard 514-504-1537 Sbernard_creation@hotmail.com.

All practices are held at Studio G the Place des Arts, you go to the Security, and it's three stories underground. We look forward to dancing with you all to celebrate dance, in the outdoors!!

April 12, 2008 - Folk Festival Springboard pre-festival

Location: Library and Archives, 395 Wellington Street.

Arrive at 1:00 pm to warm-up and learn the score. We'll meet just inside the main doors, or outside weather permitting. Hop at 2:00 (for about fifteen minutes) then again at 3:00 (for another approx. Fifteen minutes). Wear a little red.

February 2008 - Ottawa Winterlude Hop

Friday the 8th, meet at 3pm on the canal at 5th Avenue rest area. Should we wear skates? Please wear at least one visible red item.

Maureen is simmering the score and can offer this and a short warm-up then.

Postscript: This event was FUN! Mark took some photos while he was making music, and they can be found on our photos page.

Montreal Hop - Monday, November 26, 2007

Fleur d'asphalte is very happy to have Maureen Shea come and give an intensive work shop on the art of Hopping!

Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Location: Fleur d'asphalte

Street: 6847 St-Hubert

City/Town: Montreal

The Dance Farms:

'The Floor is my friend' practices.
the articulation of the senses, individual expression and group communication.
Improvisation will become our common language while movement patterns and choreographic skills will also be explored.
Movement scores for Hops will be created collectively. Participants will explore all aspects of this work.

Workshop cost: 100$ for the week or 25$ per class. Places are limited please make sure to register in advance. Thank you!

Contact: info@fleurdasphalte.com

Montreal Hop - April 29, 2007

Danseurs recherchŽs!!!

Dans le cadre de Pas de Danse Pas de Vie, Grasshoppa Dance Exchange recherche des danseurs pour un HOP gigantesque sur l'esplanade de la Place des Arts. Le hop aura lieu dimanche le 29 avril en aprs-midi.

Grasshoppa Dance Exchange est dŽdiŽ ˆ l'improvisation structurŽe en lieu public.

Deux ateliers prŽparatoires (dance farms) seront offerts par Stephanie Bernard et Karine Rathle (dates et lieu ˆ dŽterminer).

Vous tes tous bienvenus ˆ venir Hopper avec nous!!!

Dancers wanted!!!

Grasshoppa Dance Exchange is looking for dancers for a gigantic HOP on the esplanade of the Place des Arts for Pas de Danse, Pas de Vie. The hop will be on Sunday, April 29th in the afternoon.

Grasshoppa Dance Exchange is dedicated to structured improvisations in public places.

Two dance farms (workshops) will be offered by Stephanie Bernard and Karine Rathle (dates and places to be determined).

All are welcome to come and Hop with us!!!

Contact:

Karine Rathle (514) 554-5636 karine@kproduktions.com

Stephanie Bernard (514) 504-1537 sbernard_creation@hotmail.com

GDE at THE 2006 LUMIERE FESTIVAL - Saturday August 12

Mark your calendars! The Lumiere Festival is a magical event that you will not want to miss. Perfect for people of all ages (please leave your pets at home). Starting at 6 pm, there will be amazing lantern installations to see and fabulous performers to watch. This year performers will be acoustic so keep an eye open for some interesting performer collaborations. With the help of artistic director, Maureen Shea, Lumire 2006 will have new and exciting lantern installations and fanciful themes to be explored.

Please participate in the festival by carrying your own lantern. In July and August we will open our Lumiere studio where you can come and attend a lantern making workshop. At our workshops you will have the choice of building and decorating your own lantern (choose from a variety of lantern types) or working on some of the community lanterns that will be featured at the festival. We are also able to offer Lumire lantern workshops (at our location or yours) or lantern supplies for organizations. Additionally, lantern making parties are available at the CCCC. Call 745-2742 or in June check our new website at lumiereottawa.com for workshop details.

We encourage you ALL to come in costume - fancy masks, International costumes, circus, butterfly & fairy wings, king and queens - let your imagination soar!

Remember, the flat route in Stanley Park makes it an accessible event for seniors and strollers. In 2005, many community members invited friends and family for Lumire parties and picnics. We will remain open until 11 pm this year so that more people will be able to enjoy the event. Look for our free lantern making table at the Crichton Community Council Family Picnic on June 11th!

Maureen Shea is thrilled to be returning to Bologna, Italy this June 14-18 to offer four days of Dance Farms leading up to two Hops as a part of FEST-Festival. Many thanks to the FEST-Festival organizers and The Canada Council for their support. For further information: www.fest-festival.net

'Diffusion', a CANADA DANCE FESTIVAL commission.

[Postscript] 'Diffusion' was a huge success! Thanks to everyone involved for making it such a special event. Photos can be seen at the Canada Dance Festival's official photo site, and at Flickr (tag: grasshoppa).

Canada Dance

'Diffusion' magnifies the Hop experience by involving dozens of performers in the presentation of live dance scores in Ottawa's urban environment. Five different Hoppenings will take place over five days of the 2006 Canada Dance Festival (June 2-10, 2006) for unsuspecting onlookers on street corners, crosswalks, bridges, crowds and in suburbia.

The 'how' of how 'Diffusion' comes together is as essential as the Hoppenings themselves: essentially a community exchange, 'Diffusion' includes dancers and non-dancers from many community and arts organizations performing movement scores. In sharing a common goal and language, 'Diffusion' is what Hoppens when these Hoppas come together.

Five 'Dance Farm' workshops will be held over the winter and spring of 2006 in preparation for 'Diffusion' (once a month from January to May). Visits to the Hop sites will be arranged at this time. Supplemental practice sessions will take place closer to the performance dates.

This Grasshoppa Dance Exchange project is directed by Maureen Shea. Facilitators include Grasshoppas: Amy and Walter Kubanek, Jason Sonier and Renata Soutter.

Baobab / Akpokli "Kpanlogo Party"

As guests of Baobab Tree, the Hoppas do something different and bring the "crosswalk" score indoors! It takes place Saturday, April 29, 2006 at the Glebe Community Centre. See: The Baobab website for more details.

DANCE FARM & HOP as part of the International Conference on "Dance and Human Rights", organized by the Congress on Research in Dance (CORD), the Arizona State University and the UniversitŽ du QuŽbec ˆ MontrŽal, taking place November 10-13, 2005, in Montreal. The MAI (MontrŽal, arts interculturels) is pleased to invite Montreal's dance community and all those with movement experience and/or a physical practice to join the Grasshoppa Dance Exchange for this incredible one-of-a-kind experience.

Inspired by the theme of the "Basic Needs", this Dance Farm workshop will bring together participants from different backgrounds to explore how rhythm, spatial relationships and movement research provide tools for empowering social experiences.

Facilitators: Maureen Shea and Amy Kubanek

Date: November 10, 2005

Place: "La Piscine", 840 Cherrier Street, Montreal (at the Agora de la danse)

Time: Workshop: 1 - 4 pm

HOP: 4:30 - 5 pm (near the Agora de la danse and the site Conference)

Participants: 30 maximum

Attire: comfortable for movement, soft-soled shoes or running shoes, weather-suitable outdoor clothing for the HOP that will follow the Dance Farm.

Registration: on line at CORD Conference: www.cordance.org

To sign up click on "REGISTRATION" and select "Pre-Conference 1/2 Day Workshops Nov. 10, Option A: Dance Interventions". See also "SPECIAL EVENTS" for a description of the workshop.

Fees: Regular $35 US / Student $25 US (before 9/15) - Regular $40 US / Students $30 US (after 9/15).

Please note that all amounts are in US DOLLARS.

General information: Guilaine Royer

MAI (MontrŽal, arts interculturels), 3680, Jeanne-Mance Street, # 103, Montreal (QuŽbec), Canada, H2X 2K5, Tel.: (514) 982 1812 , Fax: (514) 982-9091, art@m-a-i.qc.ca, www.m-a-i.qc.ca

A RARE EVENT: ANNOUNCED Hops!!

In collaboration with the MAI (Montreal, arts interculturels) and PEYO (Parc Extension Youth Organisation, Montreal), and following a series of Dance Farms led by Maureen Shea and Amy Kubanek, Hops will take place...

-At the corner of Parc de la Fontaine and Cherrier Streets (Montreal), Thursday, November 10, 2005, 6pm
-At PEYO, 419 Saint-Roch Street (Montreal), Friday, November 25, 2005, 6pm

A Remembrance Day Hop will take place November 11 in Montreal, with a score created by Amy Kubanek. This is the second year that this score will be performed at this time. Interested in participating? Contact the Exchange at grasshoppadance@yahoo.ca for Dance Farm time and practice locations.

Ottawa independent dance artist, Louise Boucher *, is presently Dance farming a Hop that will take place on the stairs of a downtown Ottawa location. Here are just a few words from Louise on the intention of the York Stairway piece:

To create a live artwork integrated to an architectural device
To transform a standard passage way into a creative place
To transform a formal place (there is an official NCC vignette at the bottom of the stairway) into an informal one
To use our dancers' bodies to add moving sculptures to the place
To add a soundscape to the environmental landscape
To offer the stairwell users moments of surprise, joy, reflexion, grace...

* Louise N. Boucher has combined dance and humanities for the last 20 years. Her choreographies are structured from improvised movements, starting from free movements which are then set, organized and rehearsed until a polished finish is obtained. Her inspiration comes from the numerous world wide artifacts and art works she had been in contact with through her involvement in various museums.

Her background includes Authentic Movement with Wendy Philpott, Movement Improvisation with Peter Ryan, Contact Improvisation with Andrew Harwood, and many other classes and workshops taken in Montreal and Ottawa with professional dancers/choreographers such as Marie Chouinard, Eugene Lyon, Jennifer Mascall and Elizabeth Langley. She has a Master degree in anthropology. The Stairwell Hop is her first Grasshoppa activity.

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