Lordy Lordy WE are 40!

Since our humble beginnings in 1984 we have had quite a time.  4 decades, 3 homes, over 100 dancers, countless collaborators, over 70 original performances…  We are thrilled to celebrate our 40^th season with you!

We are currently working hard on a new piece entitled Call and Response that will be presented January 16-26^th. featuring the Falling Bullets Jazz Band from New Orleans.  I heard Marla Dixon sing and play trumpet last spring at The Spotted Cat Club in New Orleans and couldn’t stop thinking about her sound.  I called her up and after a little convincing, she agreed to pull together some of her favourite musicians and come work with us. The Bullets play traditional New Orleans jazz, most of the music they play is at least 100 years old.  Call and Response will be part of One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo.

We have been co-presenting a piece with OYR in the HPR since we moved into the DJD Dance Centre in 2016.  This season we are excited for Alexandrov, Nava and Nielsen, performed by Kristian Alexandrov (keys), Daniel Nava (bass) and Danny Nielsen (tap dance). Danny is a native Calgarian, currently based in Vancouver, Kristian Alexandrov is a keyboardist and percussionist longtime DJD fans will remember from many DJD shows, and Daniel Nava is a Venezuelan bassist who played in our 2023 spring performance Nervous Systems, as well as with numerous bands around town.   Come check out this performance that premiered in Vancouver last spring, oh, and if you are a tap dancer or a jazz musician (or want to check out a great jam!), come to the Friday, January 31 show, bring your shoes/instrument and stick around for the jam that will follow the performance.

In April we will present Reminiscing in Tempo, named for the Duke Ellington tune, celebrating some of the many great works of the past created by DJD’s founding Artistic Director- the one and only Vicki Adams Willis, as well as co-founders Michèle Moss and Hannah Stillwell, and other DJD alumni. Speaking of Kristian, he will be back to lead the band for this spectacular retrospective.

In 1991’s Vicki created a show called Jazzmanian Crossroads that introduced the idea of the “jazz walk”, a short solo danced from one side of the stage to the other.  We have adopted and adapted this idea in many performances since, and in celebration of our 40^th anniversary, we will perform 40 jazz walks on the street outside of the Dance Centre, on 12 Avenue between Centre Street and McLeod Trail.  These jazz walks will be improvised by company members, alumni, and special guests.  Stay tuned for more details!

See you at the shows!

Kimberley Cooper
Artistic Director