Performing Arts Presentations
Comedy, music and dance are all part of this year’s slate of Performance Arts presentations throughout the school district. Organized by Michelle Reed, the district vice principal of music, and Gloria Cox, the vice-principal at A.L. Fortune, the line up promises a rich mixture of sound and colour!
The first group touring in SD83, October 23-31, will be Rain City Improv! Founded in 2021 by Taz VanRassel, Vancouver based Rain City Improv focuses on unscripted comedy theatre geared towards ages 5 to 18. Each performance is heavily inspired by audience suggestions and volunteers that make every show totally unique. Taz VanRassel has been committed to a life of improvisational performance since he was introduced to it in high school. In the last 25 years, Taz has performed for thousands of diverse audiences, establishing himself as an enthusiastic member of both the Vancouver and global improv community. While he has been performing in secondary, middle, and elementary schools since 2005 he is very excited to be venturing forward under his own umbrella of Rain City Improv.
The next group, Dirty Catfish Brass Band, will be touring schools with Grades 9-12. Dirty Catfish Brass Band’s aim is to inspire, create and instigate – but, mostly, they just want you on your feet. Undeniably tight, Dirty Catfish Brass Band deals in powerful phrasing and performances drenched with rhythm. Invoking the sounds of brass bands and funk ensembles, the collective dares to reimagine the streets of a prairie city as one that is hot, alive, and brimming with soul. Based in Winnipeg, the crew strives to surprise, challenge, and pay homage to the New Orleans tradition by giving it a new audience in an unsuspecting locale. From street corners to festival stages, and community celebrations to sporting events, DCBB use the power of music to bring joy to their audience. Get ready to move!
February 6-15 the Rainbow Dance Theatre will be visiting all schools with Grades K-8. Utilizing electro-luminescent (EL) wire, fibre optic fabric, black light and other special effects, the Rainbow Dance Theatre creates a world of wonder in their newest production, iLumiDance. Delighting audiences young and adult with its magic and humor, iLumiDance is a tour-de-force of virtuosic dancing and cutting-edge technology. RDT is excited to be able to present this sophisticated dance and technology show in a variety of performance venues.
Then from April 8-12 it will be the Black Dog String Quartet.
Formed in 2007, the Black Dog String Quartet is comprised of some of Vancouver’s finest young musicians. The group has appeared on the recordings of artists such as 54-40, Marianas Trench, Bleeding Through, and many others. Individual members have performed live on stage with some of the world’s top acts, including Rod Stewart, Kanye West, Sting, Michael Buble, Mariah Carey, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Video Games Live. Their solid classical background, high skill level, and collective open-mindedness set the Black Dog String Quartet apart as one of Vancouver’s most unique and versatile ensembles.
The final group to share its talent will be Grupo América who will be in district May 15-16 and touring high schools. Grupo América exploded onto the Canadian arts scene 24 years ago. This Vancouver-based dance troupe has been dazzling international audiences with their spectacular Latin Dance show, we have NEW routines from Panama, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Dominican Republic! Grupo América pushes stylistic boundaries by presenting a potpourri of dances, combining “sizzling” modern routines with beautiful traditional numbers. Their multitude of striking costumes sets them apart from any dance company you have ever seen, and you will be treated to a visual explosion of colour and glamour!
