Gioconda Barbuto - 1996 Co-Winner

Toronto-born Gioconda Barbuto began her training with Gladys Forrester and pursued her artistic development at The Banff Centre and The Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She danced with the Minnesota Dance Theater before becoming a soloist with Les Grand Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. After 16 years with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Barbuto went on to pursue an independent career as dancer and choreographer. In 1996 she was nominated for the Kennedy Center Fellowship and was the recipient of the Clifford E. Lee choreography award. In 1998, she was invited by Jiri Kylian to join Nederlands Dans Theater III in The Hague, Holland, with a group of high calibre dancers, all over the age of 40. After eight years with Nederlands Dans Theater III, Barbuto continues to dance and choreograph. She has performed with Fortier Danse, Margie Gillis, Coleman/Lemieux, Anik Bissonnette, Martino Muller, and has collaborated with Emily Molnar and Michael Slobodian in a full evening project. Barbuto’s works have been presented at Ballet Jorgen, the Banff Festival Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Alberta Ballet, Minnesota Dance Theater, Northwest Dance Project, Ballet Kelowna, Arts Umbrella Dance Company, You Dance, and Ballet British Columbia. Barbuto continues to perform with Kylian productions and share her passion for dance through her performances, choreographies, movement workshops, and coaching.

Photo: Michael Slobodian

Joe Laughlin - 1996 Co-Winner

Joe Laughlin is an award-winning choreographer who performed extensively before establishing his company, Joe Ink, in 1995. A particularly versatile and prolific choreographer with over 30 works to his credit, he has been praised for his originality, humor and lyricism.

Joe has received numerous commissions to create for dance, theatre and film, and his works have been presented extensively in Canada, as well as in the US, Europe, China and Mexico. He has been in residence at The Banff Center for the Arts several times. Some projects there include an interdisciplinary production of Stravinsky's Les Noces, James Reaney's landmark Canadian play Sticks and Stones and Herr, a dance for the camera directed by John Greyson. In 1996 Joe was the recipient of the Clifford E. Choreography Lee Award and here he created L'Etiquette, which entered the repertoire of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1997.
 

Photo: Don Lee

Joe Laughlin is the Artistic Director of Joe Ink. He has created many pieces for his company, most recently flick, The Body Remembers and Swing Theory, which premiered in the Great Hall of the National Gallery of Canada. His most recent creation is Seven, a cabaret performance that was performed February 17 to March 5, 2000, in Vancouver.

Since its inception Joe Ink has presented a variety of workshops and performances and has partnered with organizations such as the National Arts Center, the Canada Dance Festival, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival, Bravo and PBS Television. Joe is also is also well regarded for his dynamic teaching and choreography for young dancers.

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CHIAROSCURO

World Premiere
Eric Harvie Theatre
July 17, 18, 19 & 20, 1996

Choreography: Gioconda Barbuto
Music: selections from E.C. Woodley, Allan Gordon Bell, Meredith Monk and Dave Heath
Lighting Design: Harry Frenher
Costume Design: Denise Barrett

Chiaroscuro at the 1996 
Banff Arts Festival.
Photo: Don Lee
 

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L'Etiquette

World Premiere
Eric Harvie Theatre
July 17, 18, 19 & 20, 1996

Choreography: Joe Laughlin
Assisted by: Lynn Sheppard
Music: selections by Bach, Corelli, Vivaldi
Lighting Design: Harry Frehner
Costume Design: Denise Barrett

The 1996 Festival Dance Company in L’Etiquette
In the foreground (left to right):
 Pascale de Kerckhove, Tara Butler, Alize Abele, Sean Ling.
Photo: Don Lee