DJD celebrates 10 years of its pioneering dance centre with double-bill show

It’s been 10 years since Decidedly Jazz Danceworks (DJD) opened its doors to the DJD Dance Centre in Calgary. To celebrate this anniversary, DJD is producing a new double-bill performance titled Matters of Rhythm and Harmony. The production, April 23 to May 10, promises to be a performance of vibrancy, celebration and resistance.

“There is just so much possibility. It’s so exciting how quickly the community embraced (the centre) as a dance hub,” says artistic director Kimberley Cooper. “It feels like there’s a constant moving energy that is making the building dynamic and full all the time.”

The first act of the show is a new piece, Carne Vale, choreographed by longtime DJD dancer Sabrina Naz Comanescu. The piece is inspired by history and Carnivale.

“I’m trying to transport the audience to an environment that perhaps you could find somewhere in a bayou in New Orleans or somewhere on the seaside in Trinidad,” says Comanescu.

The choreography of Carne Vale is rooted in Caribbean culture, which is a tapestry of resistance. The piece begins with a ‘farewell’ and ends with a ‘hello.’ The finale in the piece is a Carnivale scene, which is centred around liberation and resistance.

“It’s very exciting to be able to take (Carnivale as) a tool of resistance and then use it in a meaningful and reverent way,” says Comanescu.

She hopes that audiences see the possibility within jazz as a form of dance. Not only is there great potential in the breadth of movement, but also in the characters on stage.

Her piece is a tribute to a colleague, Gerry Weekes, who passed away last summer, and a lot of the story is inspired by him. Weekes was a pioneer of Carnival in Canada.

The second piece of the double bill, Between the Bandstand and the Dancefloor, is a new work choreographed by Cooper. It is a deep dive into the sacred relationship between jazz dancers and musicians. It incorporates high-energy movement, improvisation and spoken word.

“It’s dynamic and dancey, and there are lots of short improvisational moments and a much longer improvisational moment that is completely free,” says Cooper.

Improvisation spans both pieces, but it isn’t limited to just the dancers and musicians. The lighting design has nine different looks, and the stage manager will decide which fits the vibe of the improvised sections.

“Improvisation is about freedom and is (also) about resistance in a way, too,” says Cooper.

It’s about adapting and listening, for both the musician and dancer. They engage in an exchange and a conversation, without words.

“When you’re improvising in a jazz space, it’s truly not a free-for-all, even if it is very open. You also have to learn how to turn off your brain and go with your instincts. You have to be very compassionate and very aware,” Cooper explains.

The live original jazz music is composed by Carsten Reubeling, and an ensemble of five musicians will be on stage.

“The band sounds incredible, and the range of music that they play in the show is really breathtaking,” says Cooper.

“This culmination of 10 years as a community space that expands the reach of dance is a feat to celebrate. DJD has created a legacy in Calgary, with its space, performance company, and school. Its 42-year history is rooted in this city, promoting work that is African-rooted with jazz music as its heartbeat.”

Matters of Rhythm and Harmony aims to be a celebration of this legacy, a declaration that jazz dance can thrive in the heart of Alberta.

“There’s ritual, there’s reverence, there’s romance, and there’s revelry,” Comãnescu sums it up.

The show runs April 23 to May 10 at the DJD Dance Centre, 111 12th Ave. S.E.