| THE SWIzZLeSTiCK THEATRE
mandate: research and develop the ancient ritual art of Stilt-Dancing through performance and community outreach aesthetic: a fusion of dance, theatre and design with costume considered as kinetic sculpture style: based on ritual, traditional and modern ideas inspired by the Festival/Carnival Arts venue: dance and theatre stages, television studios, raves, corporate events, parades, parks, malls, churches and the street. The SwizzleStick Theatre grew out of Christopher Pinheiro's work with the “Island to Island” cultural exchange between Toronto Island's artist community Videocabaret Theatre and Trinidadian Carnival artists. (Christopher's bio) In 1995, having served as a leading teacher and designer with Shadowland Theatre, he began the leadership of the company’s troupe of stilt performers to bring their discipline into productions outside of the carnival arena and to develop this unique performing art. The troupe first performed as “SwizzleStick Theatre” in 1997 and was federally incorporated as a non-profit under that name in February 2000. SwizzleStick creates and performs full-scale theatrical productions and participates in a wide variety of parades and performance events. Our performers also work as teachers in schools and communities. Our first large scale outdoor performance “Harvest “was developed through a workshop process, featuring 22 performers, (half drawn from the community) with senior artist facilitators and community supporters working backstage. Six performers were children. THE SWiZzlEsTIcK THEATRE - PERFORMANCE HISTORY (selected) Artistic Performances by the company Clown Blue, comissioned by Toronto Public Library in association with Textile Museum of Canada Multiple performances at Carnivalissima, Harbourfront, 2007 Mirage, Hot & Spicy Festival, Harbourfront, 2004 DALIGALA, Bambu by the Lake, 2003 Dogon,a Bolt from the Blue, Toronto TV1, 2003, Caribana 2003, Harbourfront, 2000 Carnival, the Spirit and the Soul , 2001 (Carnival Arts Conference special performance) Harvest, Dufferin Grove Park, 2000 Water Sequence, Caribana King and Queen of the Bands competition, 1999 ScaredyCrows fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists (offsite), 1998 Ancestral Spirits, fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists (Dusk Dances), 1997 Artistic Performances featuring SwizzleStick Theatre performers The Aviator, Circus Orange, directed by Rebecca Carney, 2007 Les Girafes, Compagnie Off, directed by Philippe Freslon, 2005 One Love, Many Arts, Toronto Island Mas Band (playing King of the Band), Caribana, 2003 Blood Wedding, directed by Rhoma Spencer, York University, 2001 In the Depths of my Palais, Canboulay Dance Theatre, choreography by Ronald Taylor, 2000 Right of Passage, Shadowland Theatre, 2000 The Elemental Circus, conceived and directed by Geoff Currie, 1999 Metamorphosis, SAFMOD collective (Cleveland, Ohio), choreography by Young Park and the collective, 1999 Monster Midway, conceived and choreographed by Bill Coleman, 1997 Artistic Performances featuring children Children of the Crossroad, First Night Toronto 2000 Loon Quartet, TVO Kidstuff, 2000 Birds of the Dawn, Festive Earth Fall Fair, 1999 Jardin du Printemps, Toronto Eaton Centre, 1997 (Harvest, above, and Rainforest, below, also featured children in performance.) Stilt Teaching and Festival Arts Workshops Project Random, Scarborough, 2007 through 2008 Villaway Community House, Scarborough, 2007 Afrofest Children's Village workshops, Queens Park, Toronto 2006 and 2007 Participate (local youth arts resource centre), Tilsonburg, 2005 and 2003 Secret Life of Plants St. Jamestown, 2004 Art Starts (community arts centre), central west Toronto, 2003 Caribbean Dance Ensemble, Scarborough, 2002 Clay & Paper, stilt workshops for Night of Dread, Dufferin Grove Park, 2000 Shaugnessy Public, Scarborough, 2000 and 2001 Toronto Waldorf School, Thornhill, 2000 Queen Alexandra Public, east Toronto, 1999 Rain Forest, Dundas Public, east Toronto, 1998 Shadowland Festival Arts Workshops, Toronto Island, 1997 to present Parades, Corporate and Public Events and Site Animation Milk Children's Festival, Fashion Cares, “Lord of the Rings” Opening Gala (film), Smirnoff Fashion Awards, Caribana (many events), Ashkenaz Festival, City of Toronto Millennium, Celebrate Toronto, Parade the Circle (Cleveland Museum of Art), CN Tower Anniversary, Metro Zoo Gala, Divas and Dreads/Hot and Spicy/Festival of India (Harbourfront), Royal Winter Fair, Dora Awards, Kensington Festival of Lights, Night of Dread, Royal Bank Awards, First Night, Festive Earth, Toronto Blue Jays (Skydome), Indo-Canadian Awards, Urban Music Awards, Carifete (Montreal), Sunfest (London), Fiesta Days (Oshawa), International Cycling Festival (Hamilton), and many others Arts Council Support 2005 Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council (Multi-Arts) 2004 Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation (for stilt workshops) 2003 Entering Into Print Dialogue (Community Arts Ontario/Laidlaw Foundation) 2001 Toronto Arts Council 2000 Ontario Arts Council (Integrated Arts and Dance Initiatives) Laidlaw Foundation 1998 Ontario Arts Council (Arts in Education) 1997 Canada Council (Theatre) |