In a burst of colour and energy, young Torontonians celebrated their love of dance as the Kiwanis Dance Festival of Greater Toronto opened its five-day run at the Burton Auditorium at York University on Wednesday.
In its 15th year of showcasing local talent in performances ranging from jazz to ballet to hip hop, the dance competition aims to encourage youth to share and further develop their artistic skills in a friendly yet competitive environment.
The category of folklore dominated the opening night as competitors, mostly under 18, proudly displayed their different ethnic backgrounds in vibrant colourful dances, offering a variety that one would be hard-pressed to find in a less multicultural city than Toronto.
"Today a lot of it has to do with keeping their traditions," said Ruth Ostrower, chair of the dance festival, adding that folk dances are still an important part of people's lives in Toronto.
"Go to any wedding from any ethnic culture and you will find, from the very young to the very old, that they're all out there doing these dances."
From solo dances to large group ensembles, these young performers came from schools, community centres, folklore groups and studios. A wide range of cultures were represented, from South Asian dances to Cretan to Serbian and Chinese, an indication of the many ethnicities co-existing in Toronto.
"I think we're all trying to constantly learn about each other and this is one more way to do it," said Ostrower. "The more we know about each other, the more we understand each other, the better it is, which is why we like having a place where we can showcase so many different cultural backgrounds."
Koren Lui of the Norman Dance Company participated with a classical Chinese dance piece.
"I think [Chinese dance] is a large part of my culture," Lui said, adding that its wide range allows one to also integrate many contemporary aspects into it. "I saw a couple of giant productions. They all incorporate Chinese dance. Even Cirque de Soleil incorporates Chinese dance."
Lui said her own dance was inspired by the images of Buddhas found in the Dunhuang cave, a legacy of what was believed to be China's divinely inspired culture. "I think [this semi-divine culture] is incorporated because this dance is focused on beauty."
Lui also praised New Tang Dynasty Television's (NTDTV) Chinese classical Dance competition for bringing Chinese dance to the international stage.
"I think that's wonderful because Chinese dance is so much more than what people think it is. I think it would be great if people can recognize it internationally."
Ostrower also commented on the significance of the competition. "I think there is a lot of value... learning about the culture is a part of learning about the people. It's like eating the food and seeing the clothes and all those different pieces. It just helps us create a better understanding between the different populations."
"So the more opportunity you have to see it, the better," she added.
The Kiwanis Dance Festival of Greater Toronto runs from April 2-6 at the Burton Auditorium of York University. For more details, see: http://kiwanismusictoronto.org/
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