Photo: Tom Hsu

BABY

BABY is a contemporary dance theatre piece that integrates puppetry, prop, and costume to distort the audience's perception of the number of 'real' bodies on stage. The characters we encounter in the piece exist at the intersection of intimacy, anonymity, and horror, multiplying and projecting themselves onto other parts of their own bodies, onto the bodies of other performers, and outwards into space in the pursuit of connection.

Calder White

Photo: Tom Hsu

Project Created by: Calder White

Key Artistic Collaborators:

Rakeem Hardy (performer)
Jessica Mak (performer)
Calder White (performer)
Stefan Nazarevich (music)
Maria Kofman (costume and wardrobe)
Chris White (prop)
Stéphanie Cyr, Clarke Blair, and Tia Kushniruk (outside eyes)
Zaya Sawchyn (creative assitance)

Performance type: This work is built for a theatre, adaptable for outdoor or alternative venues, this work is a hybrid presentation, mixed program

How do you define this work: Interdisciplinary Dance Theatre

Length of performance: 30 minutes

Audience type: General Audience

General Technical Requirements:

LIGHTING: Basic lighting plot with both LEDS and gobos, no specials needed
STAGE: Dark-coloured marley and sprung floor preferred. Performance space of at least 35ft x 35ft with no obstructions (can be adapted for alternative venues -- warehouse, auditorium, galleries, etc.). Basic soft goods including legs or other side-stage coverings. No upstage soft goods (cyclorama, skrim, etc) needed.
SOUND: Professional stereo sound system

Does the work require tech residency: Minimum 8 hours of tech before performance for current 30-minute version of work.

Number of Performers on tour (including choreographer): 3

Number of Support Staff on Tour: 2

Availabilities: 2024/25 season, & 2025/26 season

Calder White is a freelance dance artist based between Vancouver and Ottawa. Calder was a member of Toronto’s Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre from 2011-2014, and he holds a BFA in Dance from the Ohio State University. Calder has performed throughout Canada, the US, Mexico, Brazil, France, Austria, Scotland, and Israel, and he continues to choreograph and perform his own work across Canada, his most recent commission premiering at this December 2023 in Ottawa. He also teaches floorwork throughout institutions in Canada and the US.

Performance History & Upcoming Performances

New creation, December 15th + 16th 2023, in collaboration with The School of Dance, ODD/Arts Court, Ottawa ON

"BABY", July 14th + 15th 2022, Dancing on the Edge Festival (Donna Spencer w/ guest curation by Amber Funk Barton), Firehall Arts Centre, Vancouver BC

"Okay return", April 8th 2021, The School of Dance CDP Program, ODD/Arts Court, Ottawa ON

"that ending feeling", December 18th + 19th 2020, The School of Dance CDP Program, ODD/Arts Court, Ottawa ON

"the trouble with stacking bones", Sept 21st 2019, self-produced with space and staff support from Le Marché St George & La Fabrique St George, La Fabrique St George (7 East 7th Ave), Vancouver BC

Project Details

Community Engagement

I would love to engage with the community through sharing open-level and more advanced workshops, as I already have a regular practice of teaching floorwork and improvisation to students at a variety of ages and with various skill levels. My pedagogy focuses on prioritizing comfort through the learning process to do away with fear and replace it with excitement. Teaching movers to use the knowledge they already have to meet new challenges is at the core of my workshops. These workshops could happen during show week, earlier in the day on show days or in the days leading up to the performance to better promote the work. Company rehearsals can also be opened to the public to give young artists and curious community members a peek inside the preparation process for BABY.

The workshops/masterclasses I offer can be adapted for various communities, from ages 12 and older. The skill-level necessary for the workshops can also be adapted with advanced notice provided, as I have experience teaching professional dancers and first-timers alike. These workshops can be included in the performance fees, offering low barrier to entry for people curious about contemporary dance, improvisation, and/or floorwork. Ideally, the workshops would take place early enough in the day so as to not interfere with technical rehearsals and/or performances, and early enough in advance of any shows to provide an opportunity to market BABY to the community.

Contact information

calder_white@live.ca

Vimeo: vimeo.com/calderwhite
Instagram:
instagram.com/calderwhite