Local contemporary jazz company Rooted Dance Projects premieres Take 5 this week at the Alderney Landing Theatre in Dartmouth, a multigenerational dance performance spotlighting both established and emerging talent from across Nova Scotia and beyond.
Take 5 promises to be a fun-filled night of celebrating jazz dance, with performances from dancers in their teens, all the way to their 70s.
The mixed bill includes new and remounted works by choreographers Kathleen Doherty (Halifax), Catherine Hayward (Calgary), Erinn Liebhard (Minneapolis), and Stephanie Mitro (Halifax).
Mitro’s piece features the Rooted Youth Project, a group of 19 dancers aged 15 to 21 brought together from across the province to participate in a collaborative creation process.
Doherty, who also serves as the company’s artistic director, contributes two works: Count Me In, a new piece exploring rhythm and group timing through the interplay of dancers and a live percussionist, and BASSline, a returning company favourite recognized for its demanding physicality and intricate musicality.
Hayward’s The light that devours her takes a more introspective turn, examining femininity and motherhood in a solo performance by Doherty, underscored by an original score composed and performed live by bassist Gabriella Ciurcovich.
Also on the bill are short solo performances by veteran local artists, including Halifax jazz dance mainstay Penelope Evans. A founding member of Halifax Dance and a longtime leader in the regional jazz community, Evans shares the stage with Isaac Abriel, a core company member and frequent Rooted collaborator.
The cast comprises a diverse range of performers, from teenagers to dancers in their 70s. Featured artists include Isaac Abriel, Solène Bernier, Nathaniel Dooks, Michèle King, Sam Penner, Liliona Quarmyne, Georgia Skinner, and Chris Van Green, along with musicians Ciurcovich and Caito MacDonald.
“Take 5 promises to be a fun-filled night of celebrating jazz dance, with performances from dancers in their teens, all the way to their 70s,” say organizers in a media release.
Take 5 runs from June 26 to June 28, 2025, at the Alderney Landing Theatre (2 Ochterloney St, Dartmouth). Visit alderneylanding.com for tickets and information.