MAXINE HEPPNER : CREATIONS
Here and There
“Audience favourite”
at the 2014 Guelph Dance Festival
Guelph Dance Festival Commission May 2014
Here and There: Reviews
Community Arts Project’ success, for Across Oceans, is when high quality art is presented within a framework of positive interaction for participants and audience.
Here some speak about their experience with “Here and There”.
“I remain moved by the whole experience, how you handled it and I really enjoyed working with you. I do hope we have an opportunity to do so once again.”
Catherine von Radecki,
Guelph Dance Festival Co- Artistic Director
“most memorable piece of the festival because of the gentle artistry.”
“Here & There – meant a lot to me as the Park has been a part of my whole life & it was very emotional & I love trees & I’ll fly away soon(er) or later. Thanks for the reminder. XO.”
“I was impressed with Maxine’s flexibility to reinvent and do so with compassion, humour, and skill. Collectively the experience was very powerful for me.”
“I enjoyed both the process and the performance. The setting was great and there was a lot of creative energy among the folks in attendance.”
“Excellent feedback. Some felt deep “spiritual” meaning, one person loved the singing at the end when the audience joined in. Someone else commented on the unique visual scene with folks here one moment and gone the next.”
“I have always thought the “performances in the park” were magical, but being a performer in that beautiful park with the audience and community concept of our performance, it was extra magical. It brought tears to my eyes at one point.”
“Total strangers in a car were driving by after the show, recognized I was one of the performers because I was still wearing my white shirt and hollered at me through the car window that ‘it’ and I were great!”
“Very positive feedback from classmates and the instructor of my Modern dance class; also received positive feedback from a colleague at work who saw one of the performances.”
“Everyone felt very touched by it and loved it.”
“People enjoyed the performance and the way we interacted with the trees.”
“Comments were positive from audience members about how moving it was, how they liked how it flowed and changed from this to that.”
“They said it was really textured. They liked it a lot. It brought some to tears. They said it was beautiful, inter-generational and diverse.”
“I am a newbie to Guelph. This experience was great for making connections.”
“As a music teacher I have directed many experiences. I felt Maxine did an amazing job getting her vision across especially having to change so much in so little time.”
“This was a perfect situation for me. Outside, dance and friendly people.”
“I think I already have a fairly strong sense of community, but this experience reinforced that in a different way.”
“It was great watching Maxine. She gave very clear direction, had a wonderful sense of humour, very pleasant to be around. She was sensitive to everyone’s needs and always aware not to insult anyone with her instruction.”
“I know a fair number of the participants and was pleased to be able to collaborate with them on a project like this. Also a good chance to meet with other people and to work with a broad range of ages. Specifically, during a rehearsal when the entire group sang loud and strong in a tight group it was an interesting, unique experience for me.”
“Being immersed in a project that evolved each rehearsal – a very creative feeling.”
“Connecting with other participants through movement. Seeing the piece grow and constantly changing until it seems just right.”
“The opportunity to be a part of the creative process unfolding.”
Here and There : Description of work
“Here and There”
Guelph Dance Festival Commission May 2014
Site-specific Community Arts Project created over 5 weeks for 50 performers across generations and all abilities in Centennial Park, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Inspired by the age of the park’s majestic trees, Maxine created a kaleidoscopic dance-music work that evoked memories of personal and park histories. Staged in about an acre of land, Maxine used distance to convey time passing. The trees were the constant “characters” and the 55 performers appeared from behind them and disappeared again, the way people come and go over time, alone, interacting in small groups, celebrating in large parties. The songs sung were sometimes carried off by the wind. In the end the audience joined in the chorus and the swaying of the dancers, implying that memories live there and we are here together now.
Here and There: Credits
Choreographer
Maxine Heppner
Assistant to Choreographer
Paige Allerton
Production Manager
Jiv Parasram
Songs
I’ll fly away (traditional),
Lecha Dodi (traditonal),
Ven Kam Sengla (traditional)
Musicians
Carey West
Shannon Kingsbury
GUH Band
…and the cast
Dancers
Jasmine McGraw, Georgia Simms and Catherine Bell, Dakota Burpee, Rose Burpee, Lily Burpee, Molly Case, Sparrow Cassel, Zosha Dadey, Diane, Christine Deacon, Helen Drew, Juana Garcia Domingo, Kathleen Fagan, Gina Giammarco, Lily Hall, Katherine Harder Griebeling, Ailsa Haennel, Luka Hazl, Mickey Herget, Christel Herrick, Courtney Ing, Jennifer Kiervin, Emma Gray Lamont, Melissa Loizou, Jessica Lowrie, Jackie Maric, Justin Marks, Isabelle Middleton, Sadye Middleton, Tim Middleton, Michelle Miller, Megan O’Donell, Janet Ragan, Lawrence Shapiro, Sophie Sharp, Shona Sneddon, Jennifer Storey, Breanne Tice, Gabrielle Uger, Lynda Walters, Thomas Watson, Isobel Whetstone, Lorne Widmer.