on air is supported by Lindy Green & Sam Chaiton
on air is a conversation between three women forcibly yet delicately exploring generational difference, the juxtaposition of real and virtual, and the state of being in-between; partly there, partly not – the absent presence. Through play and relationship, the dancers and audience approach the uncertain and unanswerable together.
Run time is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes.
Post-show talkback: February 19, moderated by Dedra McDermott
Live captioning: February 23, 24, 25 (Livestream only)
Choreographer
Heidi Strauss creates dance-based experiences to examine human behavior from different perspectives, using relationships as a basis to consider our current social and environmental moment.
Read more +She is interested in challenging how we see/experience performance by shifting the physical perspective of the audience, creating immersive, installation, ambulatory, site-sensitive and digital works for theatre and non-theatre environments. A multi-Dora Award winning choreographer and the Artistic Director of adelheid, Heidi believes in creating opportunity for emerging artists interested in performance and choreographic development through adelheid’s re:research programming. She has been a resident artist at the Factory Theatre, The Theatre Centre, Harbourfront Centre, and currently at The Citadel. Heidi has been commissioned by/choreographed for Toronto Dance Theatre, Mocean Dance, The Frankfurt Opera, The Canadian Opera Company, Volcano Theatre, and the Stratford Festival. She is a recipient of the KM Hunter Award for Dance.
Choreographer: Heidi Strauss with the performers
Performers: Syreeta Hector, Jane-Alison McKinney, Amanda Pye
Projection Designer: Jeremy Mimnagh
Composer: Joshua Van Tassel
Lighting Designer: André du Toit
Costume Designer: Alana Elmer
Metcalf Foundation Intern: Dedra McDermott
Vocal Coach: Fides Krucker
Producer: Rachel Penny
Voiceover text by Lillian Titus
on air is made possible with the support of:
Lindy Green & Sam Chaiton
The Canada Council for the Arts
Citadel + Compagnie Creative Incubator Program
Special Thanks:
Luke Garwood, Rebecca Picherack, Art Spin, Orillia Centre for Arts and Culture, National Ballet of Canada Open Space program, Laura Phillips, Crystal Lee, Adrien Whan, Simon Rossiter, Charissa Wilcox, Mairi Greig
I began exploring this feeling of being-in-between in late 2019, coinciding with the loss of my father. What can and can’t be controlled, and what to let go of were questions I was asking. Then the pandemic hit. And as our world slipped into a new era, the dancers and I began to look at these departure points in ways that were immediately personal. This work was created in collaboration with the artists.
Production
Production Manager: Kit Simmons
Consulting Production Manager: Aaron Kelly
Stage Manager: Laura Cournoyea
Head Technician: Eli Stefura
Livestream
Director: Jeremy Mimnagh
Camera Operators: John Lauener, Michael Mortley
Switcher: Jordan Calcafuoco
Sound Engineer: John Gzowski