Still Spaces Available in our first workshop of the year!!!
Congolese and Bollywood Dance Workshop!
Tuesday October 27th, 7:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/1536185753338141/
*photo by David Ward*
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/// WHAT IS THIS
A one-time workshop co-hosted by CAST and Le Projet Rencontres!
Led by three Projet Rencontres ensemble members, Farah Fancy, Junior Padingani and Kens Mukendi, this will be a workshop exploring Congelese and Bollywood dance styles for all skill levels in a fun atmosphere!
This workshop is part of an effort to raise funds for Le Projet Rencontres / The Encounters Project upcoming public performance in January.
CAST (Concordia Association of Students in Theatre) is co-hosting this event as part of our 2015-2016 workshop series, and is offering 10 spaces to current Concordia Theatre students for free on a first come first serve basis!
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//// OK! How do I sign up?
Tickets are 20$, 15$ for students/artists. Please bring cash on the day of! There are 22 spaces available in total.
You can come as early as 6:30 on the day of to sign up but if you don’t want to risk it filling up, you can reserve a place in advance email: theencountersproject @ gmail . com.
CAST Is offering 10 free spaces for current Concordia Theatre students! If you are a Concordia Theatre student and would like to reserve a space, email: writetocast @ gmail . com
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///// What should I bring?
-comfortable clothes you can move in
-water bottle
-cash for your ticket if applicable
-cash to purchase baked goods that will be available
-note that shoes are not allowed in the concordia theatre studios, if you have to wear shoes (because of orthotics or a similar reason) please make sure they are clean
-if you wish you can also bring a cash donation for le projet rencontres/ the encounters project that will go towards putting on the show and offering it PWYC.
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////// Where is this?
The workshop will take place on the 7th floor of the JMSB building on Concordias downtown campus, in studio 7.270.
The JMSB building is location on the corner of Guy and Maissoneuve. From the elevators studio 7.270 is located down the hallway on the right.
JMSB is fully wheelchair accessible, acessible bathrooms are located on the 7th floor, and an accessible gender neutral bathroom with a change table is located on the 6th floor and is acessible by elevator.
The closest metro is guy-concordia on the green line.
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///// What is Rencontres/Encounters?
Rencontres/Encounters (R/E) is an engaged, intercultural research-creation project, whose aim is to R/E-evaluate, R/E-envision and R/E-imagine performance as a means to build relationship across different values and life experiences. R/E aims also to offer possibilities for transformation in understanding of others and otherness in a range of community contexts. The R/E believes that another person’s perspective can be better understood (though never even close to fully understood) through storytelling, dialogue, and through performance of oneself, and of another.
R/E asks, “What Are We Not Talking About?”
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/// Who are the Artists?
KENS MUKENDI KAKONA is a video artist, dancer, percussionist, acrobat, tightrope walker and trapeze artist from Kinsasha in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kens is small, thoughtful and kind, though powerful and passionate; he fled Kinsasha 5 years ago, when his life was at risk due to uprisings surrounding his film, “Général Rebel.” As artist, filmmaker and director of the troupe “The Béjarts”, Kens was an advocate of civic education through theater and film. The company’s main objective was to push Congolese citizens to be active participants in rebuilding the country. He worked relentlessly in dangerous situations to use the arts to confront social justice issues and work directly with the public to find solutions. Then in an effort to expose to the world to the plight of his country, Kens toured Europe in 2007/2008 as actor, acrobat and musician for the show Kabudi, by Don Tshimbanda and in Tozali mpe Bana for the project La Caravane des dix mots. In 2009, Kens moved to Canada and joined the Company Collectif Moyo, performing in Muselebende, CongoDrama, and Who/Nani/Qui (in conjunction with Concordia University). Recently Kens has been seen as a performer and musician in Bulatour, a collective creation for the Prelude Project of Conseil des arts de Montréal, and in the 2012 performance of TETSUO for Théâtre à l’Envers. Kens continues his work in film and the arts as dedication to social ustice, not only in his birth country, but for all without a voice around the world
PADINGANI WA PADINGANI JUNIOR is Encounters’ resident expert in improvisation and Central African Dance. Junior was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kananga in 1972. There he absorbed the rich music, rhythm and dance traditions of his Luba tribe. With a desire to expand his artistic repertoire he spent months at a time with each of the Congo, Hemba, Balubakat, Pende and Songe tribes learning their songs, practices, traditions anddance. At the same time he learned the foundations of theatre through the workshops
of the National Institute for the Arts. As a culmination of his experience he founded Company Cosmos, where his passion to use the arts to sensitize and socially engage the public in issues relevant to the community was brought to the foreground. In 2001, Junior moved to Canada to find a better life. Longing to be connected to his homeland, he founded 16T Theatre and Troupe Convergence Mitshitshi where he choreographed and performed in work such as Maurice Tétrault de Odette Girouard as part of the Festival international de théâtre de Mont-Laurier. Later he joined the Company Collectif MOYO, choreographing and performing in notable projects such as Village de Bonne Espérance at the MAI in 2009, and subsequently
CongoDrama, and Who/Nani/Qui (in conjunction with Concordia University.) He continues to teach dance as he feels it demonstrates the true heart of his people.
FARAH FANCY is Encounters’ movement specialist in Afro-Cuban Dance, Folk Dance, Ballroom and Flamenco, & specialist in intercultural communication. Farah was born in Saskatchewan to parents from Pakistan and identifies as Muslim. For over 15 years Farah has been using the arts as a mechanism to communicate about equality, rights, personal histories, self actualization and community bridging. She is rooted in working with cross cultural populations to promote the arts to a diversity of communities, and outreach to new audiences to overcome emotional and cultural barriers related to integration. Thus far she has created over 15 theatre forum performances for over 1000 women on topics of systemic and conjugal violence; was the lead choreographer for a performance project, Rights Here!, that engaged young people in dialogue about human rights; was co-choreographer for the workshop production Who/Nani/Qui; and has choreographed and directed 3 ethnographic productions: It’s a Wonderful world (2007), Our World, a Musical Ethnodrama (2012), Les Quatre Saisons du
Bonheure (2014) with artists who identify as having physical or mental disabilities. She is also the past consultant for Northern Lights School of Dance and the Young Ballet of the Yukon, past president of the Dance Movement Therapy Association in Canada and Board Member of Diversité Artistique Montreal.
With an interest in the artistic discourse between heritage forms and how Canadians relate them to their personal philosophy, culture and daily lives, Farah co-founded with Julio Hong, Le Groupe Herencias. She acts as the Executive Director and is the General Manager for the Afro Cuban Association of Montreal. Together Farah and Julio have developed a cultural heritage exploration arts program implemented in 7 schools in Vaudreuil, Dorion. Farah hopes to continue to spread the use of the arts for the promotion, exchange, and acceptance of cultural heritage through performance, art education, training, and creative arts therapies. With this aim she has produced 3 professional public performances, including Yemayo (2012), Café con Leche (2012), and The Aristocrat (2013) choreographed by Julio Hong; and a number of music and dance productions across Quebec by local diverse artists for a number of cultural events and festivals.