SPRING BALL at Toronto Dance Theatre

Toronto Dance Theatre's spring double bill, highlighting East Asian choreographers from diverse dance backgrounds, is as welcome as the blossoming of spring. The two trios run the gamut from serious to carefree, but both highlight dance as a way of connecting between present and past selves, or between stranger and host.

KIOKU NO MA memory間The winning sequence is choreographed by 18-year-old TDT veteran dancer Yuichiro Inoue, which references the Japanese terms Ki (writing or writing) and Oku (remembering or recalling). company. The memories shown by the dancers (Megumi Kokuba, Peter Kelly and Roberto Soria) are written through shadows, and the dancers create spinning sculptures. They initially move in sync, slowly desynchronizing as the clock ticks. They extend the poles in various combinations and hold each other at the point of collapse.

The most striking aspect of KIOKU NO MA is its use of light and shadow, especially during Kokuba's solo. These light and shadow effects are so interesting and memorable that I wish the costumes (designer Valerie Kalam) were more integrated into the visual world of the show. As the kokuba turns, the bright light that illuminates it casts a large, clear shadow, projecting its form into negative space. You may find yourself watching a shadow instead of a dancer, a projected memory instead of a present action. At some point, the shadow dancer seems to move slightly differently than the person in front of them, so it's impossible… or is it? Later, the shadow used in the duet is hazy, indistinct; it brings the dancers together and then disappears altogether.

Even more memorable is KINAJ's (Kin Nguyen and AJ Velasco) epic Aliens, in which three otherworldly creatures (Neil Lordson Tangkuangco, Ayano Okubo and Matthew Morales) attempt to explore Earth after a shipwreck. The aliens sport a cyber raver (designer Juliet Chan), a metal that highlights different aspects of each of them. Chan's funky aesthetic features two-thirds of the can't-see/speak/hear evil trinity, with soft-hatted glasses, pant legs full of big hats, and a metal chin like the invention of a diabolical orthodontist. When we enter the space, they rotate inside a circle made of standing light bulbs; The light bars are half spaceship, half tanning booth. Dancers spin as if controlled by gears, changing direction by touch.

KINAJ takes full advantage of the angular potential of the Winchester Street Theatre's large, bright dance space. Moving as one, the aliens act out a prison break scene where they help each other escape from blinding lights and walls. They walk around the room, reminiscent of a suspenseful, high-stakes video game, before coming to rest in front of the audience. When they are able to take a second to breathe and take stock of their situation, acts of self-discovery and communication begin and the atmosphere changes from fear to productivity. Go up to the audience

Okubo rhythmically scrapes his long, pointed fingernails together as if using a musical washboard, much to his delight.

From a combined trio, they separate completely, each taking a line, finding individuality and joy in their repetitive expressions and movements. Eventually, the bleacher segment becomes a concert of syllables and exclamations that call for emotional rather than physical participation on behalf of the audience. It has been suggested that we may even be able to communicate with interplanetary beings through art, simple or complex.

The contemplative mood of KIOKU NO MA memory間 and as we rule the warm weather, the playfulness of EATERS makes for an interesting combination. Their shared bond can make you feel alone over time or in the universe.

Neil Lordson Tangkuangko, Ayano Okubo and Matthew Morales in THE DIVIDED by Kendra Epic