Troika’s In Living Colour at Earl Cameron Theatre next month
Next month, don’t miss out. Troika will go live with In Living Colour, a show featuring up-and-coming dancers and choreographers.
An island-wide audition created the cast of more than 50 young male and female performers from In Motion School of Dance, United Dance Productions, DanceSations, Somerset School of Dancing, Vision School of Dance and people “who just enjoy dancing”.
Together, they will present Troika’s fifth Young Choreographers’ Showcase at Earl Cameron Theatre starting on April 13.
“The idea was to get a chance to [highlight] all of the dancers across the island, so that we can be under one roof instead of just working individually under the respective dance schools,” said Shanna Henry who, with Sacha Dill, is the show’s creative director.
“It allows the dancers to understand that it’s not just them within their own dance schools. It gives them a wider perspective as to what's going on outside of their classes.
“It also gives them an opportunity to work with choreographers, and dancers that are studying dance abroad.
“It gives them that opportunity to explore and to enhance their creativity as movers and also the gumption to possibly go forth and be a creator or a director in the future.”
The performers range in age from 13 to 27. The showcase is valuable as it gives them “the opportunity to find their own uniqueness as dancers and creatives” in a way they are not likely to do in a lesson.
“It gives them the opportunity to not have to follow someone else’s instructions. It gives them more room to explore, to see what they have the uniqueness to do,” Sacha said.
Daryn Fox, 14, and Honour Minors, 18, are both part of Troika’s FYE showcase.
Q: How long have you been involved with Troika?
DF: I have been involved in Troika for just about a year now.
HM: I first worked with Troika for the musical The Colour Purple [in 2016], then most recently I did last year's FYE Troika showcase.
Q: What got you interested in dance/choreography? What dance school are you with?
DF: At the age of three I started at The Somerset School of Dancing which is where my mom went. As I grew up I fell in love with dance more and more and I started hip hop at United Dance Productions at the age of seven. Every year after that I added a class at UDP while still doing ballet at SSOD. At ten I left SSOD and went to UDP full time.
HM: I've danced since I was three years old so I've always been quite interested in performing. I believe my passion for dancing and creating pieces, as well as the dance community, has helped me stick with it throughout the years. I've danced with SSOD for the majority of my life, and currently I dance at In Motion.
Q: Is this your first workshop?
DF: This is my second workshop with Troika. My first FYE showcase was last year’s Resurgence, which was Troika’s first show since the pandemic.
HM: No, this isn't my first time dancing with Troika for their FYE showcase, however it is my first time choreographing a piece for the show.
Q: Are you to perform in the show also or just teach?
DF: This year I am just performing in the showcase. I am in seven different dances with six different choreographers with all different styles of dance.
HM: I will be in around four show pieces, and I've taught one dance for the performance. It is called Ring Out, which is one of the key lyrics that's repeated in the track for the piece.
Q: Having Troika to showcase young artists like yourselves is wonderful because….?
DF: I love what Troika is doing by showcasing young talent from all over the island because it gives the island a chance to see several different dancers from different backgrounds and different disciplines all come together dancing and having fun without the rivalry of coming from different dance schools.
HM: Having Troika to showcase young adults like myself is wonderful because it allows us to collaborate with other dancers in different schools, and experience what it is like to put on a professional show for the public!
People were chosen more for their “performance quality” than their technical skills, she added.
In keeping with the title, each choreographer was asked to choose a colour to go with their chosen song.
“We wanted to do something a little bit different,” Sacha said. “So the colour represents a mood – blue would be sadness, for example – and the dance would be based around that mood.”
Dancers had to learn the choreography “within a short period of time”. At the moment, rehearsals are going at full steam.
“We know that dancers may be at different technique levels. So for them, it's mostly who has the performance as well as the drive to want to participate in such an intensive workshop programme,” said Shanna.
“It gives more room for us to push [them] and explore more with [them] so that when [they dance outside] Bermuda [they] will understand that it's more than just what you receive here.”
The Saturday show is almost sold out. Anyone who is interested in seeing In Living Colour should get their ticket now.
“Being that last year was such a success with the two nights that we’ve added an additional night so be prepared to get your tickets early,” Sacha said.
Troika founder Seldon Woolridge promised the show would not disappoint.
“I think every year the choreographers elevate [and the] dancers elevate as well. I think every year we look at ways that we can improve the process and improve the learning and development experience, which is why we have this.
“It allows everybody to stretch their creative mindset as opposed to just throwing something together.
“So every year we look at ways that it can be elevated and I think these girls as creative directors have done an amazing job in guiding the process and pulling all the pieces together, guiding the choreographers and ensuring the quality of the show remains of high calibre.”
Troika Bermuda’s In Living Colour FYE Young Choreographers’ Showcase runs April 13, 14 and 15 at 8pm at Earl Cameron Theatre. Tickets start at $40 and are available at www.bdatix.bm
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