OTTAWA –  The National Arts Centre Dance Department, in partnership with DanceHouse (Vancouver), Harbourfront Centre (Toronto), and Danse Danse (Montreal), is proud to announce the exclusive Canadian film premiere of Body and Soul, from internationally-lauded choreographer Crystal Pite and performed by the legendary Paris Opera Ballet – streaming online February 17-23, 2021.

Body and Soul is a work in three distinct parts for 36 dancers that instantly captivates with its force and virtuosity and articulates Pite’s ongoing fascination with conflict, connectedness, and the embodiment of the human spirit. It is presented by Digidance, a one-of-a-kind partnership between four leading Canadian dance presenters developed to respond to the challenges faced by the performing arts sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through an ongoing partnership, Digidance addresses the inability to present live work in theatres by delivering exceptional, full-length Canadian and international dance films online to audiences across the country.

“The dance milieu, and particularly artists, continue to face significant hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic”, said Cathy Levy, Executive Producer of NAC Dance and Digidance partner. “It is crucial now more than ever to exercise creativity, adapt and think outside the box. In addition to NAC Dance’s livestream series and ongoing artist support, initiatives like Digidance ensure that the National Arts Centre keeps dance in the hearts and minds of arts patrons. We are thrilled to mark the launch of Digidance with this brilliant work by Canada’s Crystal Pite, and we look forward to sharing many more exciting and accessible film presentations with audiences across the nation.”

Canadians will be the first international audience to experience this work since the November 2019 world premiere performances of Body and Soul at Palais Garnier in Paris. This piece marks Pite’s second full-length creation for the eminent French company - following the 2016 acclaimed The Seasons’ Canon.

“While the pandemic has brought deep challenges to artists, it has also encouraged all kinds of innovation and creativity in our industry,” said Crystal Pite. “I’m heartened to know that Digidance is providing an opportunity for people to experience dance on screen. The creation of Body and Soul was a significant chapter in my creative life. It was an honour to work with the sublime dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet, and a thrilling challenge to face the history and possibility of the institution itself. I’m so happy to be able to share Body and Soul with my fellow Canadians.”

Stay tuned for details on a host of Digidance presentations to be announced this spring.

Tickets to Crystal Pite’s Body and Soul are priced $15 (solo) and $25 (family) + applicable taxes and can be purchased by visiting www.nac-cna.ca. The film will be available for streaming in Canada only from February 17-23.

 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE

The National Arts Centre is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams—the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety—and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation.

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ADDITIONAL RESSOURCES:

• Digidance Backgrounder

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Livia Belcea
Marketing and Communications Officer
NAC Dance
819-329-4269
livia.belcea@nac-cna.ca