Stephanie Lake Company

Dear Audience Members,

What a pleasure it is to welcome Stephanie Lake’s work back to the Montreal stage. While her company hails from Australia, the choreographer herself is Canadian-born — and it’s always a joy to see her work shine here at home.

You may remember Colossus, presented by Danse Danse in 2023 — an extraordinary event featuring some sixty performers. With Manifesto, she returns in full force with an idea that is both simple and brilliant: bringing together nine dancers and nine drummers onstage, each with their own drum kit. The result is powerful, pulsating, and utterly exhilarating.

It’s impossible not to be struck by the way movement and music intertwine. Who leads the charge? Does the rhythm drive the body, or does the body spark the sound? This seamless fusion of gesture and percussion makes this work truly one of a kind.

The striking scenography, lighting, and bold colours all contribute to a vibrant atmosphere, radiating a rare sense of collective energy.

Thank you for being here to share in this experience. Enjoy the performance, and have a wonderful evening!

Pierre Des Marais — Artistic and Executive Director of Danse Danse.

__________

Territorial Acknowledgement

Danse Danse acknowledges that we are gathered on the traditional and unceded territory of the Kanien’keha:ka Nation. We honour the continued presence of Indigenous peoples on the Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal) territory, which has long served as a meeting place for exchanges between nations. With respect for the links to the past, present and future, we thank the Indigenous peoples for reminding us of the importance of living in harmony with ourselves, with each other and with nature, and we are grateful for the opportunity to present works of living art at Tiohtiá:ke.

The seed for Manifesto was planted many years ago. I went to an intimate gig, an experimental drum solo, and was seated on the floor right next to the kit, my head just centimetres from the bass drum. The power of the sound was overwhelming and completely enlivening and I knew in that moment that I wanted to make a show with live drums.

Over the years, the idea started to incubate. I imagined a grand array of nine drummers and started to envisage grandiose staging with a Busby Berkley-like opulence. From there, Manifesto started to crystallise - nine dancers and nine drummers on nine drum kits. A beautiful, simple symmetry. I wanted to create a show that only used live sound. I wanted surging liveness; a show powered only by human energy and endeavour.

Gathering eighteen astonishing performers together to make this show was pure joy and electricity. The creative process was entirely collaborative, a rich creative exchange with ideas ricocheting between dancers, choreographer, drummers, composer and lighting and costume designers. Robin’s brilliant composition not only raises the roof but cleverly elicits nuanced tone and emotion using only one instrument. Charlie’s set design is bold and exuberant; Bosco’s lighting sculptural and exciting; Paula’s costumes sophisticated and textured.

Since my earliest choreographies, I have been drawn to rhythm. Manifesto strips performance back to its most basic elements - rhythm and movement; drumming and dancing. The byline for Manifesto (in my own mind) is ‘A Tattoo to Optimism’. It is a show about history, rebellion, obedience, joy, wonder and tenderness, as well as sorrow and rage. But ultimately it is optimistic - a rallying cry for solidarity.

A show of this scale is a massive team effort and I am humbled by the backing from all the people, funders and organisations that helped make Manifesto a reality.

My deepest thanks to the dancers, drummers, collaborators and production team members who give their heart, soul and vast talent to this show. We are ecstatic to be sharing Manifesto with you, our audience. On a personal note, it is wonderful to tour the show to Canada, where I was born and lived until I was eight years old. A homecoming.

- Stephanie Lake

Making music for nine drum kits feels like the culmination of a long, slow burning teenage fantasy of mine. I was a passionate (though you could argue mediocre) metal drummer for most of my teenage years and have continued drumming for pleasure ever since. I sometimes think I am happiest when playing free behind a kit. So, when Stephanie said she wanted to work with percussion I was dead keen to be involved. As the project grew in scope it became clear that this would be a substantial ensemble. Stephanie was interested in the drum kit initially, so, as a limiting factor I decided to replicate that nine times rather than put together a multi-timbrel percussion ensemble. The kits are standard four piece with hats, crash and ride. The challenge became to extract an entire score from these resources.

Working with four core drummers Nat Grant, Robbie Avenaim, Rama Parwarta and Alex Roper to develop the work was a sonic joy. All amazing players from a cross section of genres, they informed so much of how the final work has taken shape. The ensemble then expanded to nine players with the inclusion of Maria Moles, Rohan Rebeiro, Alon Ilsar, Jen Tait and Tina Nguyen. Again, an amazing group of musicians who brought so much to the piece and, at times, produced the sonic equivalent of an earthquake. I thank them all for their musicality and patience. This has been such a special score to work on.

- Robin Fox

Choreographer Stephanie Lake.

Composer Robin Fox.

Lighting designer Bosco Shaw.

Costume designer Paula Levis.

Set designer Charles Davis.

Production manager Lisa Osborn.

Executive Producer Beth Raywood Cross.

Associate lighting designer & operator Rachel Lee.

Sound engineer James Wilkinson.

Dancers Rachel Coulson, Tra Mi Dinh, Marni Green, Darci O'Rourke, Harrison Ritchie-Jones, Robert Tinning, Georgia Van Gils, Kimball Wong, Jack Ziesing.

Drummers Robin Fox Tina Nguyen, Rama Parwata, Rohan Rebeiro, Alex Roper, Jen Tait, Rachel Trainor, Mathew Watson, Julia Watt.