A Dance Film by Rachel Meyer and Fahim Kassam

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About

About the Artist:

Rachel Meyer danced with Ballet BC from 2011-2017 and has returned this season as one of our 2021/22 Artists in Residence. Ballet BC is excited to support the work of current and past company dancers through the Artist in Residence program. Please click on the link below for her full artist bio.

About the Work:

do we die

an excerpt of "Mama, do we die when we sleep?"

As we age and change throughout our lives, we undergo an iterative process of defining and redefining our reality. It is a matter of survival, or comfort, or artistry. We seldom notice that any act of definition, however poetic, relies on establishing limitations. The path narrows as we go; our world shrinks, becomes more and more banal. There are less and less surprises.

Inspired by her two year old daughter’s question: “Do we die when we sleep?”, this work explores the emotion of wonder. Imagination and dream-space infiltrate responsibility and conformity, as some necessary invitation to possibility.

Credits:

Director: Fahim Kassam

Director of Photography: Cole Graham

Choreographer: Rachel Meyer in collaboration with the artists

Editor: Kerstin Juby

Performance: Stéphanie Cyr, Josh Martin

Creative Support: Heather Myers

Composition: James Maxwell, after Chopin, Berceuse op 57, D-flat Major

Costume Design: Kate Burrows

Set Design: Rachel Meyer

Set Construction: Sylvain Senez

Lighting Design for full length live performance: James Proudfoot

Post Production Producer: Kayan Choi

Colourist: Sam Gilling

Production Coordinator: Adam Maruniak

1st AC: Richard Dalgleish

2nd AC: Desmond May

Key Grip: Denis Gillen

Gaffer: Steve De Zwart

Special Thanks:

Ballet BC, Vancouver Civic Theatres, the Scotiabank Dance Centre, the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, the Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre, Left of Main, The Dance Deck, the Dancing on the Edge Festival, and the Canada Council for the Arts for their support in this work.

See Dance//Novella's Culture Days event here: bit.ly/3zFG4XZ

Links

• About Rachel Meyer rachelmeyer.ca
• About Ballet BC balletbc.com

Organizer

Ballet BC

Ballet BC’s Artist in Residence (AIR) aims to help nurture former and existing Company members with professional development opportunities in the fields of choreography, artistic leadership, rehearsal directing and teaching. As well, the AIR interacts with the artists and staff of Ballet BC through the sharing of their creative processes and by involving the Company in showings, artist talks and information about their upcoming shows. The presence and expertise of the AIR are valued at the Company as we create a collaborative environment for dialogue, exchange and feedback of creative ideas to better understand the future of dance and the role of the artist in society today.