Beyoncé video accused of plagiarism

>> by Naomi Brand
Pop star Beyoncé Knowles' new video Countdown has raised some controversy over its striking similarity to the work of Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and has been accused of plagiarism. The video allegedly borrows from two of De Keersmaeker's videos: Achterland (1990) and Rosas danst Rosas (1983). Beyoncé's video shares not only some very similar dance movement with Rosas danst Rosas, but also bears similarities in the set, costumes and even some specific shots, which are almost direct copies of the film made by Thierry De Mey. In an interview with a Belgian radio station, De Keersmaeker said, "I'm not mad, but this is plagiarism. This is stealing." In response to these comments, Beyoncé released a statement saying: "Clearly, the ballet Rosas danst Rosas was one of many references for my video Countdown. It was one of the inspirations used to bring the feel and look of the song to life." De Keersmaeker's work has made a major mark on contemporary dance over her thirty-year career and has received critical acclaim and international success.

SYTYCD Canada cancelled

>> by Jacqueline Hansen
The cast and contestants of So You Think You Can Dance Canada (SYTYCDC) have taken their final bow. The reality dance show will not be renewed by Bell Media for a fifth season. The finale, which will undoubtedly send the show’s final winner, Jordan Clark, to dance fame, was watched by 903,000 viewers. That is twenty-seven percent fewer than in 2010. Dancers will now need to look elsewhere for a high-exposure stage. SYTYCDC judge Jean-Marc Généreux gauged the impact, as reported in the Toronto Star: “[The show] was about one thing: culture and dance. I’m really, really sad, but dancing just lost its platform in Canada.” Scott Henderson, vice-president of communications at Bell Media, insists that the consequences SYTYCDC’s cancellation could have on the country’s dance community and culture was taken into consideration; however, high production costs along with a drop from number three on the list of most-watched programs in Canada in 2009 to twenty-two this year, has CTV, the division of Bell Media that airs the show, saying no to an encore. “You can't make a TV show that is not economically viable, just to be a supporter of the arts,” Henderson told The Dance Current. Henderson could not comment on whether CTV has specific plans to air another dance show, but said it is a “definite possibility.”

Canadian dancers make on-screen splash

Laurieann Gibson / Photo courtesy of E!

Nico Archambault and Mylène St-Sauveur in Sur Le Rythme / Photo courtesy of Seville Pictures

>> by Jacqueline Hansen
Canadian dancers Laurieann Gibson and Nico Archambault were on-screen stars this summer. Gibson, a Toronto native known for her choreography for artists such as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Diddy and So You Think You Can Dance Canada’s Luther Brown and Natalli Reznik, headlined a new series on E! called The Dance Scene. The show gave viewers an inside look at the intensity with which Gibson, a former student of The National Ballet of Canada, choreographs in order to create her eye-popping works. Along with the cast's talent and intensity also comes drama; the show intertwines the complicated personal lives of Gibson and her dancers. Archambault, winner of the first season of SYTYCDC, stars as Marc Painchaud in Charles-Olivier Michaud’s French dance film Sur Le Rythme. Archambault helps Delphine Lamarre (Mylène St-Sauveur) in making a choice between following her dreams of dancing or her parents’ plans for her to attend medical school. Sur Le Rythme was released in theatres August 10th, and has thus far brought in nearly $1 million in ticket sales.

Moze Mossanen's The Dancemakers coming on DVD

Cover design for The Dancemakers: Ginette Laurin / Design by Michael Ripley

>> by Naomi Brand

Moze Mossanen's 1988 film series The Dancemakers will be released on DVD on June 24th. Dance Collection Danse (DCD) has been distributing the series on VHS for many years and has now redesigned it for DVD. The show profiles Canadian contemporary dance and features masterworks by six choreographers: David Earle, Danny Grossman, Christopher House, James Kudelka, Ginette Laurin and Constantin Patsalas. Works recorded include Earle's Sacra Conversazione, Kudelka's In Paradisum and Grossman's Endgangered Species; and the series captures performances by dancers such as Danny Grossman, Randy Glynn, Suzette Sherman, Christopher House, Grace Miyagawa, Edward Hillyer, Veronica Tennant, Kevin Pugh, Ginette Laurin and Ken Gould. The DVD version includes bonus features such as new interview footage with the director, photo galleries and an electronic Teacher's Guide. To celebrate the launch of The Dancemakers as well as the closing of their latest exhibition, Dancing Through Time: Toronto's Dance History 1900-1980, DCD is hosting a party on June 24th at the Market Gallery in Toronto where DVDs will be sold at a discounted rate. Admission is by donation.

www.dcd.ca/dvdlaunch.html

Margie Gillis object of on-air bullying

>> by Amy Bowring
Montréal-based dance icon Margie Gillis was the object of on-air bullying when she appeared as a guest on SunTV's "Canada Live" on June 1st. The controversial news station, known for its sensational coverage and aggressive interviewing style, had contacted Gillis' office shortly after she received the Governor General's Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Performing Arts. Gillis told The Dance Current that staff at the news channel had been persistent in their requests for her to appear on the network and were repeatedly flattering in those requests. She says she was aware of the station's conservative approach to news coverage, but agreed to be interviewed and was told the topic would be arts funding in Canada. Gillis, who has had a thirty-nine-year career as a dance artist, did further research on arts funding to prepare herself for the session. Interviewer Krista Erickson introduced Gillis as a Governor General's Award winner and congratulated her on the award but then proceeded to verbally attack the dancer-choreographer, asking her why she deserved the $1.2 million in funding that she and the Margie Gillis Dance Foundation have received since 1998. Erickson exacerbated the situation by repeatedly talking over Gillis so her answers could not be heard properly. Throughout the interview, Erickson continually dismissed the value of tax-payer support for the arts. Gillis described being "shocked" by the attack, telling The Dance Current, "I was sitting in a small room with no one else there ... no one to dialogue with." She says, "What I found most disturbing was that [Erickson] thought part of it was amusing ... but her audience does not think what she says is amusing." Gillis added that she has received an overwhelming response from the dance community. Reflecting on the current times, she continued, "We need to face the future bravely. We cannot cower and be timid ... we have to stand up." On June 9th, Gillis posted a message on Facebook to thank people for their support and to discourage the spread of hateful messages. Rather, she encourages people to take action by writing to the CRTC, the Prime Minister and MPs. In her coverage, Erickson neglected to mention the grants and subsidies provided to many other economic sectors, including farming, manufacturing and media, of which SunTV's parent company, Quebecor, has been a past recipient. Globe and Mail TV reporter John Doyle pointed out in a June 9th article that SunTV's prime-time viewership is approximately 7000.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/margie-gillis/hatred-is-not-the-answer/10150202531471501
http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/louis-laberge-c%C3%B4t%C3%A9/in-response-to-the-sun-news-network-interview-with-margie-gillis/232349496782489

So You Think You Can Dance Canada winner takes on charitable work

Tara-Jean Popowich/ Photo care of CTV

>> by Naomi Brand

Since winning So You Think You Can Dance Canada (SYTYCDC) Season Two, Tara-Jean Popowich has been busy with charity work. She recently returned from Burkina Faso, West Africa, where she was working with Bridges of Hope, a not-for-profit organization that promotes poverty relief and community development. Upon her return to Canada, Popowich organized a fundraiser for the organization where she taught a two-hour masterclass with all of the proceeds going to support Bridges of Hope. The SYTYCDC winner is also involved in Canadian anti-bullying campaigns and she has paired up with Chance 2 Dance Foundation, a national organization that brings dance to underprivileged children. Season four of SYTYCDC premieres on June 20th.

Corynne Barron becomes new Mondor model

>> by Samantha Mehra

Corynne Barron, top 12 contestant in the second season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada (SYTYCDC), is the most recent face of Mondor, a company specializing in performance attire for dancers, figure skaters and gymnasts. Barron recently returned to England for training, where she had been prior to filming SYTYCDC. While there, Barron was chosen to work on a special project on the newest Royal Caribbean Ship (Allure of the Seas). Barron told The Dance Current, "To have opportunities such as So You Think You Can Dance Canada, Mondor and special projects on Royal Caribbean is an absolute blessing. I feel honoured to have had opportunities come my way, but it's from the support of my family, friends and good colleagues ... that have made my goals in life that much more possible." To see Corynne Barron as the Mondor model, visit http://mondor.com/en/style.php.

Stacey Tookey's "Joy"

Stacey Tookey in her "Strength, Joy, Tenacity" t-shirt / Photo by Doug Kieper

>> by Jacqueline Hansen
When choreographer and dancer Stacey Tookey was approached by the clothing company Sugar and Bruno to design clothes for dancers, it was all she needed to get started. “I have always been into fashion and I spend most of my time in dance clothes so I thought it would be an amazing way to have another creative outlet while making clothes that dancers would love to wear,” said Tookey. Tookey’s clothing line is called “Joy”, Stacey’s middle name, but also part of her design: the “Strength, Joy, Tenacity” t-shirts, three words Tookey thinks describe dancers most, also spell her initials, SJT.

Denys Drozdyuk: Canada’s new favourite dancer

Denys Drozdyuk, Season 3 winner, So You Think You Can Dance Canada / Photo courtesy of CTV Inc.

>> by Jacqueline Hansen
Denys Drozdyuk was voted Canada’s favourite dancer for the third season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada (SYTYCDC). Drozdyuk, $100,000 richer and owner of a new Mazda 2, wasn’t confident his dancing was what Canada wanted: “I just tried to be myself and dance. I wasn’t sure if people would like that, but I guess they did.” His win was the result of 1.5 million votes cast for the final show. Born in the Ukraine and raised in Toronto, Drozdyuk brought an extensive background in ballroom to the stage, but also postsecondary dance education: he is a graduate of Julliard, and a master’s student in Dance Education at NYU. “I want them to know I’m serious about dance,” says Drozdyuk. He wasn’t always sure that SYTYCDC should be his focus; Drozdyuk was skeptical whether TV shows could cultivate “real dance”. “It’s really hard to combine entertainment and art together, but that was my goal,” Drozdyuk explained, “to still be artistic and not let the show get a hold of me.”

The top four dancers, including runner up Amanda Cleghorn, left the finale with cheques for at least $5,000. Top 12 dancer Claudia Primeau, back for the finale favourite performances, went home with a ring on her finger and a fiancé by her side: Top 12 dancer Francis Lafrenière, from Season Two, proposed on stage during the live show.

So You Think You Can Dance Canada nominated for four Gemini awards

Leah Miller / Photo by CTV

>> by Cynthia Brett
The 25th annual Gemini Award nominations have been announced and So You Think You Can Dance Canada is up for four awards. The show received a nomination for Best Music, Variety Program or Series, while individual nominations went to Leah Miller for Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series (Montréal/Edmonton auditions), Jean Renaud and Vincent Colbert for Best Photography in a Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series (Finale), and Peter Hordylan and Owin Lambeck for Best Picture Editing in a Comedy, Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series (Toronto auditions).

New dance TV show in Canada

>> by Brittany Duggan
Geneviève Guérard and Stéphane Bellavance / Photo by Barry Russell

Geneviève Guérard, former ballerina with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, has launched a new dance television program on ARTV called Voulez-vous danser? Each week, the show challenges one Québec celebrity to learn a specific style of dance alongside host Guérard. On August 20th, Guérard, previously a judge on Match des étoiles, held an event where dance teachers were dispersed in four of Montréal's Métro stations to teach the general public salsa, hip-hop, country and African dance in order to publicize the fall season of the show. Hélène Beausejour from ARTV’s marketing department was on site to distribute flyers explaining the event to Métro patrons. "I wish we could do this every Sunday," she said, "Everyone is smiling."
Voulez-vous danser? is scheduled to air Fridays at 7:30pm on ARTV.

Warner Brothers launches new reality dance series

>> by Cynthia Brett
Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITB) is launching a new reality-competition series: "One Mass Dance", which will follow two people from different cities as they rally their communities to produce two mass dances each: a surprise flash mob and a larger mass dance for the end of the show. The winning city will receive a large cash prize for a community improvement project that is close to the heart of the team leader.