A professional dance company based in Vancouver will hold two performances and a dance workshop at Powell River’s Art Centre next week.
Co.ERASGA Dance has toured extensively in major cities around the world, however, the opportunity to bring its work to smaller communities is something choreographer and company founder Alvin Erasga Tolentino said he is passionate about.
“It’s the first time the company is coming to Powell River and my goal is to come engage with the community and share the art of dance through performances, workshops and dialogues,” said Tolentino. “That’s really important to be doing at this time.”
The dance and workshop are being offered to the community on a by-donation basis as the tour is funded through federal, provincial and municipal arts programs, including Canada Council for the Arts and Powell River Council for Arts and Culture. Utilizing these available funds is vital to the health of the local arts community, according to Donna Lytle, an organizer of the event.
“It's really important for smaller communities like Powell River to take advantage of the federal and provincial government arts funding available for outreach,” said Lytle. “Companies like this would normally be performing only in large centres nationally and internationally.”
The company will perform Tolentino’s work Tracing Malong, which incorporates a traditional Southeast Asian fabric into the dance. Tolentino was born in Manila, Phillipines, and said his work and the company honour and explore cross-cultural Asian heritage.
“Tracing Malong is coming back to my Filipino roots and honouring the indigenous life and culture,” he said.
Malong is considered one of the indigenous fabrics from the Philippines and is also found in other parts of Southeast Asia, according to Tolentino.
“The fabric really is the core of the dance production where I pay an homage to this artifact,” said Tolentino. “These kinds of textile works are slowly diminishing in the indigenous communities, mainly because a lot of the elders are dying and they are not being woven anymore.”
Exploring these concepts as a living history was part of the challenge in creating the work, he said.
“They are being kept in a museum but how do I bring it to life as a contemporary artist for a contemporary time so that it doesn’t become static but continues its activity to the life of the people?” he added.
Tolentino said he hopes bringing the dance to Powell River will build connection and discussion.
“It’s really opening an opportunity,” he said. “We wanted to be here at home in British Columbia and bring our work to smaller communities, engage a professional piece of work and have a conversation.”
Tracing Malong performances take place at 7 pm on Tuesday, April 24, and Wednesday, April 25.
