Producer and Director
February 2023
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Vital was a performance program I introduced to Corps Bara Dance Theatre’s yearly season to provide performance and growth opportunities for both the company and our trainee program, CBII. The goal was to highlight CBII in the culmination of their 6 month long program while offering company dancers opportunities to choreograph, mentor, act as outside eyes and learn elements of producing and marketing. Vital 1 was the inaugural year of Corps Bara's training company for aspiring dance artists.
The concept of Vital emerged out of a desire to explore aliveness; a celebration of living, of the moments that remind us we are awake to the moment. Whether difficult, beautiful, heartwrenching, awe-inspiring, or simply ridiculous, these acute moments of aliveness remind us of the gifts of our humanity; connection, love, bravery, laughter and strength. We created this performance with a deep sense of gratitude for the precious gift of life.
The performance itself presented short works of the Corps Bara company - works-in-progress or previews of other larger or ongoing projects alongside the short works CBII learned to offer them a diversity of styles, choreographers and mentors. Each CBII dancer also created their own solo with a community mentor. A secondary focus of the Vital program was community exchange, which we accomplished by hosting the Titan dance program from Forest Lawn High School in an opening act, collecting donations for Skipping Stone, and inviting choreographers, outside eyes and mentors from the local independent scene, YYC Contemporary Technique Training and the University of Calgary’s Dance program and a choreography exchange with Calgary Core Contemporaries (Katharina Schier).
GALLERY
CREDITS AND SUPPORTERS
Director, Producer — Deanna Witwer
Corps Bara Dancers — Cabri Boechler, Kathryn Hood, Samantha Ketsa, Emily Losier, Katharina Schier, Heidi Schmidtke, Caitlin Unrau
CBII Dancers — Jo Dickau-Duguay, Lane Sayer, Kaylin Walters, Jenna Wadden, Grace Campbell, Morgan Lawrence, Alyssa Siemens, Kayla Tiller
Choreographers — Deanna Witwer, Katharina Schier, Jason Galeos, Kyrsten Blair, Beth Durnie, Stephen Wynn
Production Director — Kyla Heibert
Marketing Director — Samantha Ketsa
Social Media Director — Kathryn Hood
Front of House — Elaine Unrau
Stage Manager — Marlo Hepburn
Alterations — Brandon Witwer
Board Members — Chantal Gandar, Teresa Boettcher, Ainsley Sudds, Kyla Hiebert, Heather Frayne, Jana Norris
Community Partners — Evolved Movement Arts, Crossings Dance, Naked Leaf Tea, Rose and Range Photography, Spartan Controls, Titan Dance