Photography by ©Ann Ray
Digidance
Play
Toronto, Ontario
Presented by
Harbourfront Centre
An on-demand video of Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman's piece combining dance, theatre, music and song into a high-energy spectacle that explores play through the various stages of life, performed by the Paris Opera Ballet.
Alexander Ekman turns the historic Palais Garnier into a vast playground where every object is a plaything. Playing makes us happy, and Ekman believes we should always keep that childlike urge to jump into action and let our imaginations run free. Play combines dance, theatre, music and song into a high-energy spectacle that explores play through the various stages of life.
The dancers even dive into the orchestra pit filled with 40,000 plastic balls and transform into forest creatures that frolic with ropes and large white boxes. Festive and mischievous, the work draws viewers into a whirlwind of inventions while asking profound questions about the world. What happens to our games when we grow up? How do we rediscover that desire to play?
Harbourfront Centre presents Digidance with the intention of providing world-class dance performances to those who might still not be able to take part in the things they love out in the world.
This Digidance stream is an initiative of DanceHouse (Vancouver), Danse Danse (Montreal), Harbourfront Centre (Toronto), and the National Arts Centre (Ottawa).
After a dance career with the Royal Swedish Ballet, Cullberg Ballet and NDT 2, Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman decided to solely focus on choreography, often composing music and designing décor for his own pieces. Ekman created several works for NDT 2, including Flockwork (2006), Cacti (2010, nominated for the VSCD Zwaan Award 2010, National Dance Award 2012, and an Olivier Award in 2013), Left Right Left Right (2012), Maybe Two (2013), FIT (2018) and Four Relations (2020), and for NDT 1, Definitely Two (2013).
Ekman works worldwide with companies such as Cullberg Ballet, Compañia Nacional de Danza, Göteborg Ballet, Ballet de l’Opéra du Rhin, and the Royal Swedish Ballet. In 2005, at the International Choreography Competition of Hannover, Ekman was awarded first prize by the critics, and won second prize with Swingle Sisters. In 2014, Ekman created his own version of Swan Lake, receiving enormous attention worldwide. Ekman used 6,000 litres of water to create a real lake on stage. In 2015, he received the Swedish Medea Award for Inventor and Renewer, as well as the German theatre award ‘Der Faust’ the following year.
Ekman is known for his fast-paced timing, witty humour and clever transitions. He aims to create work that the majority can relate to and connect with. He creates pieces that both entertain and question the observer, aiming to surprise, and transform the atmosphere in the audience.
