Incantations

choreographers, Peggy baker, nova bhattacharaya, josé navas

Incantations is an intimate and satisfying duet program of music and dance

Nova breathes rich life into the spectrum between classical bharatanatyam and contemporary dance in this highly evocative and entertaining evening of dance and live music. Ed Hanley is a master percussionist whose compositions for dance are recognized for their sensitivity and virtuosity.

THE Programme

Sanctum (1991) is Peggy Baker’s seminal 1991 duet for dancer and musician. Created as a duet for herself and percussionist Ahmed Hassan, Peggy Baker gifted this work to Nova as part of The Choreographer’s Trust project in 2003.

maskura (2001) is Nova's signature creation, recognized as a ground-breaking work of contemporary bharatanatyam, it has been performed at the Canada Dance Festival, Vancouver’s Dancing on the Edge and the Kalanidhi International Dance Festival.

Calm Abiding is José Navas’ acclaimed solo, daringly combining high emotion with strict formalism. Premiered at the 2006 Canada Dance Festival, it is pure dance and complete abstraction fuelled by the belief that the simplicity of movement can be more powerful than many words. Calm Abiding is co-produced with the National Arts Centre and Compagnie Flak.

Aditi (2010) is a powerful portrait of a woman engrossed in a private ritual and her expression of confinement and release.

3 tabla solos played live by Ed Hanley during the transitions between dances.

PRESS

"(In Sanctum) Bhattacharya was the contained goddess, casting her formidable power outward." Globe & Mail

"Bhattacharya is adept at transforming the unmistakable bharatanatyam dance vocabulary into contemporary dance. In maskura, she is clothed in a severe widow's weeds, black dress. The title means "requiem" and the movement is a slow study of loss and remembrance." Globe & Mail

"Nova Bhattacharya's solo performance of Calm Abiding shows the power of simplicity ... the piece alternates between fast and slow segments, but throughout her performance, (she) exudes an entrancing personal intensity." eye Weekly