25 stages of life in dance, drum, drama and more from the fringe

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This article was published 18/07/2024 (505 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The streets of Winnipeg have once again come alive with creativity, energy and a diverse array of performances as the 37th annual Winnipeg Fringe Festival kicks off.

Until July 28, theatre lovers can indulge in a festival that boasts the title of the second-largest fringe in North America. With 25 venues, this year’s festival offers almost 150 indoor shows and 1,250 performances, ensuring there’s something for almost everyone.

The fringe is known for its vibrant mix of performances spanning cultures and styles, and this year is no exception. Among the many new shows, some highlights promise to captivate audiences.

One of these is Seasons of Life, a theatrical presentation in the flamenco dance style by the Brandon-based group Flamenco on the Prairies. This performance tells the story of the connection between an older and younger dancer, tracing the seasons from joyful spring to sorrowful winter. Vibrantly costumed and emotionally resonant, Seasons of Life marks the group’s debut at the festival and will be at the Tom Hendry Warehouse (Venue 6).

“The seed of it all started during COVID when I was doing lots of online flamenco classes,” says Christine Penner, one of the dancers and a retired music teacher. “I had been dancing flamenco with Maritel Centurion, who’s from Winnipeg. We had gone to Spain before COVID, and then Maritel retired as well during COVID, and I got asked to teach flamenco.”

Penner emphasized the importance of live music in flamenco, especially after seeing it done in Spain.

“It’s an interaction between musicians and the dancers,” she says of the artform that originated in Andalusia.

Thanks to Brazilian jazz guitarist Emmanuel Bach, violinist Caitlin Baker, flamenco guitarist George Bajer-Koulack and guest percussionist Ramiro Sepulveda, Penner brings her dream to life.

“We’ve performed at outdoor festivals and bars, but we’re really excited about the idea of fringe because we could have several shows in a row,” she says, adding she is enjoying the fun relationship with her dance partner, Anna Osterbeck.

“It’s an interesting friendship that we’ve had because of this, especially since I’m 60 and she’s about 21. It’s really kept us both happy doing this art, this flamenco that we love. And it works perfectly with the show.”

The performance weaves together themes of loss, joy, conflict and sorrow, reflecting the human condition and the relationships that keep us grounded, she says.

Penner hopes the audience takes away a sense of the beautiful relationship between the younger and older dancers, and how art creates new relationships and reflects the human condition at any age.

Ubuntu is another notable new show at the Planetarium Auditorium (Venue 9), offering an experience that transports guests to South Africa through the power of drumming.

Local African drummer Jay Stoller, alongside visiting musicians from South Africa, delivers an interactive performance where every audience member is provided a djembe drum to play along with the performers.

“Tiny Modise will be leading and guiding the audience, and Nosipho Mtotoba will showcase her wonderful voice,” Stoller says.

Stoller has studied African drumming for more than 30 years. He holds a diploma in African music from the University of Ghana and has been the franchise owner of Drum Café Winnipeg for eight years.

“Tiny and Nosipho are friends and colleagues. I met Tiny during a visit to Johannesburg and Nosipho on a trip there a few years back. I thought it would be super to have them come and join and spice things up a bit,” he says.

Drummer Modise says she’s excited to perform in Winnipeg.

“Being here is amazing, and we hope the audience will enjoy the moment of playing a drum together,” she says.

Stoller emphasized the interactive nature of the show.

“The audience should come prepared to have an amazing time. It’s going to be quite unique from most of the other shows going on at the fringe,” he says.

The show’s title, Ubuntu, means “I am because you are.” The word is part of the Zulu phrase “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu,” which means that a person is a person through other people.

Ubuntu has its roots in humanist African philosophy, where the idea of community is one of the building blocks of society.

Modise and Mtotoba, who arrived in Canada last Wednesday from Soweto, both highlighted the cultural exchange and community spirit the show embodies.

“Everywhere I’ve been, the audience has always been different. I can’t wait to see how the Canadian audience enjoys the experience,” says Modise. “We want everyone to have fun and just unite in the spirit of togetherness.”

Other notable shows include Bloodline by Paris Crayton III, directed by Dennis Neal, which makes its international debut at Dave Barber Cinematheque (Venue 7).

Crayton is an award-winning American playwright, actor and director. Described as raw and poetic, his solo show is a semi-autobiographical, multi-generational love story told from the perspective of three men with the same name following the familial histories of Paris Sr., Jr. and III — a sharecropper, an animal technician and a struggling artist.

Another touring show is Happy Go Lucky, a one-woman puppetry show by Shoshinz at Le Studio Théâtre Cercle Molière (Venue 20). Shoshinz — Japanese for “shy, timid people” — is the nom de clown of one-named Tokyo performer Yanomi, who has toured Singapore, the United States, Canada, Czech Republic, Taiwan, Austria and Poland.

Shoshinz, which originated in 2005, uncovers universal truths with a blend of comedy, dance, physical theatre and absurd music. All puppets are created and operated by Yanomi. Happy Go Lucky won the Producer’s Choice Encore award at the Cincinnati fringe 2023.

thandi.vera@winnipegfreepress.com

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