Peggy Baker at the Tett 2016

Last August, Kingstonians were honoured to have Canadian dance icon Peggy Baker begin a 3-year annual dance residency at the Tett Centre of Creativity and Learning.  During her 2015 residency, Peggy worked with members of our region to rehearse and perform move, a contemporary dance piece, in the Tett Centre’s Malting Tower.  Attended by more than 150 people, move was a breathtaking, poignant and extraordinary experience for both performers and audience.  Participants in last year’s residency spoke meaningfully about how move demonstrated the power of accessible arts to engage communities in the creation of transformative experiences.

This August, Peggy returns for Year 2 of her Tett residency, which offers more exciting opportunities for our community to explore dance. During June auditions, Peggy selected a cast ranging in age from teenagers to septuagenarians to rehearse and perform five contemporary dance pieces.  Each piece of choreography is inspired by a single word, and together, Peggy notes, they “offer the viewer potent and evocative images that celebrate cultural diversity within the context of community.” Entitled Five Poems for Body and Breath, these works will be presented in a free public performance at the Grand Theatre on August 27th at 7:30 p.m. 

Kingstonians are also invited to participate in free workshops with Peggy, where all ages and abilities can explore the joy of moving.  More details about these workshops to come!