Peggy Baker Dance Projects Presents Stereophonic, 2/27-3/3

Peggy Baker Dance Projects will present Stereophonic, a mixed bill of five multi-dimensional contemporary dance works choreographed by legendary dance artist Peggy Baker, including three world premieres, and re-interpretations of two landmark solos. This stunning evening features acclaimed pianist John Kameel Farah and a company of exquisite dancers - Peggy Baker, Sarah Fregeau, Benjamin Kamino, Sean Ling, Sahara Morimoto, Andrea Nann - and runs Wednesday, February 27 -- Sunday, March 3 at the Betty Oliphant Theatre.

The centrepiece of Stereophonic is the world premiere of Split Screen Stereophonic wherein Baker stretches her already highly-acknowledged artistry. For the first time in her career, she choreographs duets that explore intimate male-female relationships, investigating the chemistry of the personal and private worlds between men and women. For Split Screen Stereophonic, she examines these worlds from the women's perspectives; but she turns it up a notch by placing two couples simultaneously on a stage cut into right and left halves. These duets juxtapose striking variations and parallels in the relationships. Both women are caught up in a constant negotiation with their partners, veering unstably from intense connection to breakdown and collapse. With a spectacular 40-year career that included two decades of creating and performing solos, this is a major step in Baker's evolution as a choreographer, as she tackles a timeless theme in collaboration with the extraordinary artists of her ensemble.
Choreography: Peggy Baker. Dancers: Sarah Fregeau, Benjamin Kamino, Sean Ling, Sahara Morimoto. Music: Knuckleduster (Robert Lippok, Debashis Sinha). Costumes: Jennifer Dallas. Lighting: Marc Parent. Set: Larry Hahn.

Also premiering is Aleatoric Solo No. 1. This work for dancer Sahara Morimoto is a spin-off of Baker's 12 dancer/12 hour event created for Nuit Blanche 2010, Aleatoria. The word 'aleatoric' means 'randomly' and describes the chance procedure employed for this collaboration between Baker and Morimoto. Drawing from the ten works from Baker's repertoire that Morimoto has danced, brief sequences of movement were sampled to create an original distillation that embodies Morimoto's history in Baker's work. Each performance pairs Morimoto with improvising musician John Kameel Farah.
Choreography: Peggy Baker. Dancer: Sahara Morimoto. Improvising Musician: John Kameel Farah. Costume: Jennifer Dallas. Lighting: Marc Parent.

The final premiere on the program will be a new solo, choreographed and performed by Baker herself - an examination of the ironies, frustrations, and emptiness of absence and loss.
Choreography: Peggy Baker. Dancer: Peggy Baker. Lighting: Marc Parent.