Compound Rite
2023 Dance Mainstage Project
November 23 – 25, 2023 | 8:00 PM
Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre
SFU Goldcorp Centre For The Arts, 149 W. Hastings St., Vancouver
TICKETS: Students + Underemployed $5 | Seniors + SFU Alumni / Faculty / Staff $10 | General $15
Now, at a new junction more than a hundred years later, we are rethinking The Rite of Spring (Stravinsky, 1913) – the primitive rituals of pagan Russia that celebrate the advent of spring, of a young girl chosen as a sacrificial victim, who dances herself to death. Compound Rite is a sincere attempt to record and reaffirm the positions of our bodies in the current temporal, ecological, and technological spaces, and to imagine a phenomenon or situation that transcends The Rite of Spring’s themes of fear and dualism, seeking a new spring in a post-metaphysical world. Working with the media of bodily movement and its material extension, nomadic folk dances gravity, intricate choreographic score, sculptural composition, and the theory of spheres, Compound Rite unfolds a performative landscape – liturgical and formal that holds but not restrains. This ongoing project is developed within the course CA326/327 Repertory.
Credits
Director and Choreographer: NiNi Dongnier
Composer: Igor Stravinsky
Vocalist: Lane Shi Otay:onii
Performers: Abby Blanchard, Ashley Sankaran-Wee, Beatrice Keller, Charlotte Samuel, Emily Lee, Emma Miebach, Gaby Galindo, Hannah Latta, Isabella Onorato, Jeya Thiessen, Kaitlyn La Vigne, Katie Schauerte, Krystal Tsai, Lauren Butterfield, Lily Wallman, Olivia Johnson, Polina Olshevska, Reese Magnayon, Ruby Henderson, Sonja Kwantes, Vivien Dang
Music Direction and Sound Design: Mauricio Pauly
Sound Design: Jackson Adrian
Lighting Design: Irene Weng
Fabricator: Uroš Šanjević, Niloufar Samadi
Rehearsal Assistant and TA: Caroline Liffmann
Stage Manager: Zhengyi Wu (Joy)
Graphic Design: Sixuan Tong, Shisi Huang
Photographer: Chris Randle, Kunning
SCA Production Manager: Emily Neumann
SCA Technical Director: Ben Rogalsky
GCAPES Technical Director: Miles Lavkulich
SCA Communication: Brady Cranfield
Special thanks to: SCA Dance Faculty, SFU DSU, Isa Spector, and Jade Manns.
*Sir Simon Rattle conducts the London Symphony Orchestra in Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, recorded live at the Barbican Centre on Sunday, September 24, 2017.
Biographies
NiNi Dongnier
NiNi Dongnier is a choreographer and artist originally from Inner Mongolia. Her practice fuses choreography, moving image, technology, and painting. She activates embodied perception and memory, tracing an intuitive path. She choreographs bodies and the various materials that expand the body, exploring its metaphysical, and concrete relationships to the temporal, ecological and technological fields where she locates. She crystalizes them into tactile kinesthetic or visual forms, generating performative landscape. The exploration of existence, eros, landscape, migration, ritual, sanctity, and ephemerality run through her works. She immerses herself in cross-border nomadic thinking, and embraces the dissonance from various philosophies, seeking to think beyond the dualisms. Dongnier’s works has been presented by The Watermill Center, Movement Research at the Judson Church, La MaMa|CultureHub, Media Art Xploration, New York Live Arts, Mana Contemporary, Shanghai International Dance Center, China National Theatre for the Performing Arts, and others. She is currently an assistant professor at SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts.
Mauricio Pauly
Mauricio Pauly is a composer, improviser and producer of hybrid music. He has collaborated with writers, designers, programmers and theater-makers. His music has been featured at festivals such as Ultima, Warsaw Autumn, Darmstadt, Le Bruit de la Musique, Images Sonores and Open Ears Festival. Recent releases include The Threshing Floor (w/ scapegoat), Charred Edifice Shining (w/ Distractfold), and The Difference is the Buildings Between Us (w/ No Hay Banda). Upcoming and recent releases include an album of improvised hybrid music with pianist Eve Egoyan which toured across Canada in the fall, another with Ondes Martenot, violin and electronics trio Añez-Liboiron-Pauly and another with Belgian duo Piovesan-Stragier. He was a Fellow at Civitella Ranieri and Harvard's Radcliffe Institute and Composer-in-Residence at Villa Romana in Florence. He is an Associate Professor of Music & Sound at SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts in Vancouver since 2020.
Jackson Adrian
Jack is a sound artist, multimedia author, and amateur philosopher currently living on the unceded and stolen land of the Sto:lo Kwikwetlem people. Primarily working in experimental electronic music, Jack's aesthetic influences range widely from online collections of hip hop and dance music to deep grottoes of texture and noise.
Lane Shi Otay:onii
Otay:onii (Lane Shi) is a multifaceted artist. Her artistic practice spans across music, sound design, installation art, and film composition. She is the lead vocalist and keyboardist of the punk spit band Elizabeth Colour Wheel.
Caroline Liffmann
Caroline Liffmann is a performance maker, choreographer and educator with a home base in contemporary dance. Her work is influenced by over 20 years of dance practice and performance, as well as training in facilitation, conflict transformation and trauma-informed practice. Guided by relationships and a sense of play, Caroline is interested in absurdity, magical realism, humor and delight. Her approach is collaborative, grounded in improvisation, and often embraces a DIY ethos, creating for the stage, the screen, outdoors and neighborhood spaces. Caroline bridges her creation and facilitation practices through community-engaged dance, and has worked extensively as a dance, arts and museum educator with children, youth and families. She is a collaborating performer with Myriad Dance Projects and Foolish Operations. Originally from the prairies, Caroline lives and works on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Uroš Šanjević
Uroš Šanjević completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus on glass studies at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. He also holds a Master's degree in the same field from the National Korean University of Arts in Seoul, South Korea. Šanjević has actively participated in various international exhibitions and programs, including showcasing his work at the Stedelijk Contemporary Museum of Art in Amsterdam. He has contributed to numerous publications in journals, news outlets, books, and online media.His extensive experience in the arts and culture realm includes serving as the artistic director of the Culture Center on the South Korean island of Nami. He has worked as an assistant scenographer for various theatrical productions and contributed to the scenography of the Beijing Expo 2009. Currently, Šanjević draws inspiration from the Ebru technique, also known as "The Art of Marbling." He combines this traditional method with digital print, video work and performance to create a contemporary expression of his spiritual exploration and research into the traditional medicine experiences originating from aboriginal cultures of Brazil and Peru.
Yifang (Irene) Weng
Yifang graduated from SFU Theatre Production and Design (Honors) and currently based in the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθk wəy ə m(Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, which she also calls home (Vancouver). Irene's knowledge and experience span across Lighting, Set, projection, sound, and production management. As a person who has multiple cultural backgrounds and bi-language skills, she loves, welcomes, and wants to create diversified artworks. Recent work includes: Borrowed Time with Inverso Productions (Lighting Design, Technical Direction), Grafting with Blackout Art Society (Lighting Design), Strange Joy for the SCA (Assistant lighting design), and Bloom for Mascall Dance (Lighting Design).
Zhengyi (Joy) Wu
Joy is a SFU Theatre Production and Design Alumni. Joy is working hard to improve her ability and knowledge in lighting and stage management, she is also doing research on voice and emotional expression. She wants to be part of the team which makes a really good show known around the world in the future.
Niloufar Samadi
Niloufar Samadi is a director, performer, singer and puppeteer based in Tehran, Iran. She studied bachelor of Puppet Theatre in the Tehran University of Art, Iran. She is interested in the intersections of puppets with visual arts and science. Her works seek to examine the relation between the body of performer and the body of puppet, new experience in digital media, the use of game and ritual in social practice performance. Niloufar is currently a MFA graduate student in SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts.
Abby Blanchard
Abby Blanchard (she/her), originally from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on Treaty 6 territory, is in her fourth year of the SFU Contemporary Arts dance program. Abby is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with this talented and energized group of artists through this production process.
Ashley Sankaran-Wee
Ashley Sankaran-Wee (she/her) is a second-year dance and communication student who resides on the traditional and unceded land of the Musqueam, Squamish, Coast Salish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations. She wishes to explore her past, present and future through dance and media, to interpret, learn, and appreciate the mercurial world.
Beatrice Keller
Bea Keller (she/her) is a fourth-year student at Simon Fraser University’s dance program! She resides on the traditional land of the Coast Salish peoples–Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations, commonly known as Vancouver, BC.
Charlotte Eve Samuel
Charlotte Eve Samuel (they/them) is an interdisciplinary dance artist and guest on the unceded, traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations. They are in their fourth year of study at the SCA. Charlotte feels very fortunate to be afforded spaces with their peers to explore all the various facets of Contemporary art and the unique practices of the school’s faculty and visiting artists!
Emily Lee
Emily (Yen Chi Lee) is a second year student at SFU and is passionate about the performing arts, movement creation, and collaborations with other disciplines. She had the honor of working with NiNi Dongnier this past summer and performing in her show Silent Flight. Emily is grateful for her mentors and peers that inspire and expand her love for the arts.
Emma Miebach
Emma Miebach, originally from Oregon, grew up studying ballet at American Ballet Academy. Now she is a contemporary dance artist studying at Simon Fraser University on the unceeded territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil- Waututh), and xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations.
Gabriela Galindo
Gabriela Galindo immigrated from Mexico to Vancouver, BC in 2014. She is currently a practicing dance artist in the School for the Contemporary Arts at SFU, where she pursues a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Kinesiology. Gabriela aspires to continue exploring her physical and artistic potential in various dance styles and how her cultural background can influence her contemporary arts practice.
Hannah Latta
Hannah is a passionate dance artist residing on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations. She is a second year dance student at SFU who is devoted to exploring her creative potential through choreographic framework as well as score based movement. She is excited about pursuing her passion for dance and exploring her capabilities throughout her studies here at SFU.
Isabella Onorato
Isabella is from Bowen Island, B.C, and currently in her 3rd year of dance at SFU. She is grateful to study, learn, and move on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations. Isabella is excited to continue her studies and explorations in various areas of her life. She is delighted to have been given the opportunity to research this piece with her fellow peers.
Jeya Thiessen
Jeya Thiessen is a second-year dance student at Simon Fraser University located on the unceded and traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. She enjoys exploring movement forms and delving into improvisation and performance. Jeya is grateful to be a part of this production and hopes to continue engaging in creative collaborations in the future.
Kaitlyn La Vigne
Kaitlyn La Vigne (she/her) was born in Vancouver and raised in Surrey, British Columbia, on the traditional territories of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt and Tsawwassen First Nations. Kaitlyn continues to explore and find curiosity in her own movement practice and choreographic work as she moves towards completion of SFU’s dance program. Kaitlyn aspires to take her work and appreciation for movement into more therapeutic practices within her community.
Katie Schauerte
Katie Schauerte is a third year dance major at SFU. Born in Yellowknife NT, she has been dancing since she was little. She is the Dance Student Union president for the 23/24 season, and she is eager to learn in dance and help others to improve their journey in the program.
Krystal Tsai
Krystal Tsai is a Vancouver-based emerging artist, born and raised in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. As a fourth-year student, she plans to finish her BFA degree in spring. Krystal has found a strong interest in improvisation, CI and the Gaga technique. She invests in human connection and sensation through movements, passionate about choreography that involves experience building. Krystal is hoping to gain experience in dance production and administration in the future.
Lauren Butterfield
Lauren was born and raised on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations. She started dancing at the age of 9 and is now a second year at SFU in the dance program. Lauren is grateful for this experience and is excited to see where this journey takes her!
Lillian Wallman
Lillian Wallman grew up in Port Alberni which lies within the traditional territories of the Hupacasath and Tseshaht First Nations. She is a Metis artist and student who now gratefully practices and begins her professional career on the land of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-waututh First Nations. Lily is a fourth year student in the BFA Dance Honours program who plans to graduate from SFU this spring and will continue dancing and learning in other environments.
Olivia Johnson
Olivia Johnson is a fourth-year student born on the traditional meeting grounds and homelands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Niisitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux, in the place now commonly known as Edmonton. She is currently working on expanding her dance practice by immersing herself in various movement techniques. In the future, she hopes to continue performing and learning with embodied curiosity.
Polina Olshevska
Born and raised in the Treaty 7 region of Alberta, Polina Olshevska is a fifth year Contemporary dance major here at SFU. Born into a family of dancers, Polina’s passion for dance stems from watching her mom perform, create, and teach Ukrainian dance. Most recently she has performed in last year's rep show, Refraction, and with Bard on the Beach: A Midsummer Nights Dream. She is currently researching text, and how text can be developed, changed, and evolved to reflect different parts of herself.
Reese Magnayon
Reese is a Filipino dancer raised in BC. She is currently in her second year at SFU and is planning to graduate with a BFA. Despite her training in hip hop, she has taken interest in modern dance and is inspired to delve into other styles. She is excited to create some of her own work and explore ways to the two styles.
Ruby Henderson
Ruby was born and raised in Vancouver. She is currently in her third year of dance at SFU and is excited to continue furthering her studies as she works both in school and in professional settings.
Sonja Kwantes
Sonja is an emerging dance artist currently residing on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, also known as Vancouver. She has been dancing for over 11 years and is currently in her second year in the School for the Contemporary Arts’ Dance Program. She is extremely grateful and excited to be a part of this performance.
Vivien Dang
Vivien is an SFU dance student in her second year working and living gratefully on the stolen lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She is excited to continue dancing alongside others, start creating more of her own work, as well as dive deeper into the concept of embodied cognition.