Aszure Barton & Artists: Busk II
Thursday, June 25 · 7:30 p.m.
Eric Harvie Theatre · The Banff Centre
Adult $40 - $25 · Student/Senior $36 - $23 · Child $20 - $13
Banff Centre Box Office: 1.800.413.8368 or 403.762.6301
Presented as part of the 2009 Banff Summer Arts Festival
Contemporary choreographer Aszure Barton returns to Alberta this month to create and stage Busk II, a multi-layered, continuously evolving new work for a dynamic ensemble of dancers and creative collaborators. Commissioned by The Banff Centre, the Baryshnikov Arts Center, and the Ringling International Arts Festival in Florida, Busk II will have its advance premiere at The Banff Centre on June 25. “This opportunity came together quite serendipitously,” Barton says. “I had an idea, and planted a seed and put it out into the world and it all came together.”
The work is intensely collaborative, resonant of Barton’s characteristic way of choreographing. “The idea came from busking, so spontaneity is at the core of the creation,” she says. Much of Busk II is set to original music by New York-based composer Lev Zhurbin, and will incorporate choral music from Sweden and South America.
Originally from Edmonton, Barton has brought her creative team to Banff from New York for this three week residency. It’s the first time her company, Aszure Barton & Artists, has performed in Alberta. “It feels like I’ve come home,” she adds. “I feel the stillness here, the space around me. This place is calm and creative. It’s a complete joy.”
The residency has also given Azure Barton & Artists an opportunity to train and collaborate with the teachers, musicians, and designers who are contributing to Busk II. The creative team will include lighting designer Nicole Pierce and filmmaker Kevin Freeman. After previewing Busk II as part of the 2009 Banff Summer Arts Festival, the company will premiere it as part of the Ringling International Arts Festival in the fall.
Aszure Barton
One of Canada’s most talented young choreographers, Aszure Barton is rapidly carving out a place for herself on the international dance scene, choreographing new works for Mikhail Baryshnikov, the Sydney Dance Company, the Martha Graham Dance Company, and the Broadway stage. She was formally trained at the National Ballet School in Toronto, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and the Alberta Ballet School. A Paul D. Fleck Fellow at The Banff Centre, Barton is the resident choreographer for Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, and she is currently an artist-in-residence at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. In 2009, Barton will choreograph new work for the National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theatre, and the Julliard School.
— 30 —
Busk II was co-commissioned by The Banff Centre (Banff, Canada) and the Ringling International Arts Festival, John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (Sarasota, FL) in association with the Baryshnikov Arts Center (New York, NY). Busk II was developed in the Creative Residency Program at The Banff Centre. The March 2009 development of the companion work, Busk I, was made possible by generous support from Danceworks, a unique collaboration between Summerdance Santa Barbara and the Lobero Theatre. Additional support for the Project 09 has been provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation.
- More information about the 2009 Banff Summer Arts Festival
