The Fringe North Festival is almost here – running Aug. 21 to 25 – and Skye Smith calls this year’s entry "a dream come true".
“When I was in university, I wrote a short story called The Book of Calla,” Smith says in a news release.
“I always had it in the back of my mind that I’d turn it into a performance. And here I am, bringing my vision to life. It’s been a remarkable actualization, seeing it all come together.”
Smith titled her newest dance performance, “L” and continues to tell women’s stories.
Smith’s last original and sold-out dance performance, “Calla” solidified her creative team. Smith has once again called upon local musician, Josh Norling, to compose all of the music for “L”.
Audiences can expect to see four dance numbers choreographed to Norling’s original music.
Through research, Smith started to connect the control over women’s bodies to the dance world, according to the release.
“Systematically, ballet culture lives within narrow parameters. There are strict gender and relationship norms. And then there are the nearly impossible physical standards ballerinas and dancers are supposed to uphold. In the real world, you might be considered thin, but in the dance world, it’s a whole other benchmark.”
While breaking down some of these norms, Smith says she set out to connect with other female artists for a more well-rounded representation of divine feminine energy.
With a cast of seven women, and one man, “L” promises to move audiences, the show's creator says.
"With choreography by Amelia Stuetz and Lauren Kinney and set design by Chris Moore, audiences should prepare to be immersed in an old garden. Perhaps one with a few apples ready for the plucking."
Tickets for “L” can be found here, and tickets other Fringe North Festival performances are available for purchase on their website, www.saultfringe.com.