A site specific performance by Noémie Lafrance

June 7 & 8, two shows per day (6pm & 7:30pm)

Celebrating the repurposed architecture of the Gardiner Expressway via The Bentway, this site-specific performance re-envisions the site as a group navigation, questioning urban infrastructure as forms of political power and social design. It invites performers and audiences to participate in an exercise in psychogeography that explores how our navigation of the city is choreographed. The piece emerges from collectively scripted instructions to be enacted by a group of 60 performers and the public while traveling The Bentway.

Scripted instructions for the work are available on the blog.

CONCEIVED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Noémie Lafrance in collaboration with Ayelen Liberona & performers

VOCALS/LIVE SOUND DESIGN BY
Anaïs Maviel

FEATURING
Majero Bouman, André De Angelis, Rodney Diverlus, Mairi Greig, Tafiya Itiaba-Bayah, Karen Kaeja, Junia Mason, Anaïs Maviel, Aline Morales

With
Tanveer Alam, Juliana Belinko, Delano Brown, Marley Reville Brown, Michael Caldwell, Rebecca Chan, Aviva Chernick, Calla Durose-Moya, Sarah Fregeau, Melissa Hart, Nyda Kwasowsky, Mika Lillit Lior, Ben Marchal, Janis Mayers, Sebastian Oreamuno, Michelle Park, Slava Sapershteyn, Samantha Schleese, Angela Sun, Minh Toan

And the participation of
Natalie Abdou, Mina Alberga, Joan Curran, Ana-Francisca de la Mora, Nicole Decsey, Karen Fowler, Patricia Azevedo, Eti Greenberg, Sylvie-Anne Jeanson, Megan Kathleen, Jeanne Lewis, Kim MacIntyre, Carmelina Martin, Marcela Oliveira, Ambre Orfao, Mary Katherine Patsiatzis, Kimball Sarin, Dorian Shine, Evan Wargon, Myriam Zitouni

Noémie Lafrance is known for her innovative approach to public space interventions and her dance films. Her company Sens Production has produced numerous site-specific works in public spaces in New York City and internationally. Lafrance’s work includes Agora, which occupied the 50,000 sq feet then abandoned McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Rapture staging the architecture of Frank Gehry. Her work has toured internationally and was presented as part of the New York City Whitney Biennal, The Festival de Cannes, the Festival TransAmerique, among others. She has choreographed and directed music videos and concerts for artists such as David Byrne, Feist, Justin Timberlake, Carly Rae Jepsen, Snow Patrol, Amanda Palmer and many others.

The Bentway’s summer season is supported by the City of Toronto, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin, Richard M. Ivey and the Ivey Commissioning Fund, Donald K. Johnson, O.C. & Anna McCowan-Johnson, Langford Family Foundation at Toronto Foundation, Northwood Family Office, and Diamond Corp. Dérives is also supported by the Hal Jackman Foundation and Fort York National Historic Site.