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Travis Knights

The Mars Project
Show

Fancy footwork

Charismatic tap dance legend Travis Knights takes on Mars! Four musicians, two singers, and five dazzling dancers defy gravity at a furious pace.

He has rhythm in his body and the passion of his ancestors in his blood. Trained in Montréal from the age of 10 by Ethel Bruneau, “Miss Swing” herself, Travis Knights has been combining his art with other disciplines ever since: film, theatre, circus and music. Tap, one of North America’s oldest dance forms, is tattooed on his heart and a source of wonder and infinite possibilities. Set the controls for the Red Planet, the backdrop for his most ambitious show, with an international cast featuring some of the finest tap dance artists. A synergistic fusion of singing, music and movement carries us away. A dance concert with an irresistible force of attraction; absolutely fantastic!

A Word from Danse Danse

Good evening, everyone,

It is with great enthusiasm that we begin 2025 alongside you, and we wish you a new year, dedicated to dance, filled with discoveries, emotions, and shared moments. Thank you for experiencing movement with us in 2024: your presence has brightened every show and amplified the magic of dance. We're looking forward to seeing you in the theater, so that together, 2025 will take us to new choreographic horizons!

To kick off 2025 with positive energy, we are delighted to welcome to this stage Travis Knights, a visionary artist who pushes the boundaries of traditional tap dance. With boundless creativity and a heartfelt desire to connect with his audience, he reinvents this art form, enriching it with diverse inspirations and a narrative framework.

The Mars Project
is a fully immersive experience where dance interacts with a meticulously crafted visual and musical composition. Every element of the performance enhances the story Travis Knights seeks to share, inviting the audience on a vibrant and profoundly human journey.

We wish you a wonderful performance and a happy New Year 2025!

Pierre Des Marais — Artistic and Executive Director, 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.

A Word from the Choreographer

It is the joy of my career to present to you some of my favorite tap dancers from around the world. It is the joy of my life to work with some of my favorite musicians to create original music. 

It is the goal of my time here on earth to live free, without fear. No fear. At its heart, The Mars Project is a celebration and an invitation to contemplate your place in the very near future. Would you take the leap? Would you go?

Travis Knights – Choreographer and performer.

About the Work

The Mars Project is an allegory of humanity's first steps on Mars and the creation of a new home on this planet. To explore the human challenge of shedding old beliefs that do not serve us in this unprecedented spacetime, Travis Knights immerses us in the very essence of tap dance while reimagining it in a Martian context. With original music that serves as a conversation between composition and choreography, audiences discover how the first humans on Mars transform and transcend their respective cultures on the new world, to effectively become Martian.

Artist(s)

Choreographer
Travis Knights

His career started in 2000, when he was cast as a principal dancer in the motion picture biography of Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson with Gregory Hines and Savion Glover. The film, Bojangles, was choreographed by the legendary Henry LeTang.

Read more

Credits

The Mars Project

Artistic Director / Choreographer Travis Knights.

Co-choreographer Lisa La Touche.

Producer Greg "Krypto" Selinger.

Production Manager Erica Cheah.

Director Mariah Inger.

Stage Manager A. J. Morra.

Musical Director Dwight Jones.

Video Design Daniele Guevara.

Assistant Video Design Daniel Tessy.

Singer/Songwriter Markus Aurelyus, Joanna Majoko.

Musicians Dwight Jones, Vennie Tu, Victor Xu, Justin McHugh.

Sound Design Curtis Whittaker.

Dancers Travis Knights, Thomas Moon, Brinae Ali, Reona, Greg "Krypto" Selinger.

Lighting Design Simon Rossiter.

Costume Design Reginald Knights.

Presenting Partner Fall for Dance North.

Performers

Travis Knights
Thomas Moon
Brinae Ali
Reona
Greg « Krypto » Selinger
Markus Aurelyus
Joanna Majoko
Dwight Jones
Vennie Tu
Victor Xu
Justin McHugh

Texts during the show

During the show, you'll hear recorded text as well as poems and songs spoken by some of the performers.
Some English and French written versions are available.

Everyone needs dance...

... dance needs you!

We invite you to join forces with us so that, together, we can continue to offer quality artistic experiences to a growing audience.

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