Photo: Rodrigo Picazo
INTERWEAVE
INTERWEAVE is a high energy physical theatre and contemporary dance duet between Carla Alcántara and Kaili Che. The work embraces the importance of incorporating play, laughter, and imagination to everyday life.
Both artists were inspired by their favorite childhood games and the empowerment it gave them growing up. As they reflect on adulthood, they question the pressure, responsibilities, and expectations of conforming to norms. Carla and Kaili believe that the balance of both hard work and play can exist in tandem with one another and is much needed, especially after the pandemic.
What makes INTERWEAVE unique is the adaptable choreography and its ability to fit within any given indoor & outdoor space, environment, and audience viewing/set-up (proscenium, round, thrust, platform stage). The work invites all audience types and age groups, while highlighting audience participation and interaction.
The movement vocabulary of INTERWEAVE is a mix of contemporary dance, animated and theatrical gestures, pedestrian movement, partnering, integration of props and clothing, rhythmic footwork and imagery. The work is complemented with light jazz/R&B soul crossover with classical orchestral music.
Kaili Che & Carla Alcántara
Photo: Rodrigo Picazo
Choreographer: Co-creation: Kaili Che & Carla Alcántara/TEMPO Dance & Visual Art
Key Artistic Collaborators: Co-Creator: Carla Alcántara/TEMPO Dance & Visual Art (W: www.tempodva.com, E: contacto@tempodva.com, SM: @tempo_dva & TEMPO Dance & Visual Art)
Performance type: This is adaptable to theatres or outdoors and alternative spaces. Mixed-program.
How do you define this work: Contemporary Dance/Theatre & Young Audiences/Families/Others
Length of performance: Indoor: 25 minutes (adaptable to 30 minutes with extra technical time)—Mixed program Outdoor: 13-15 minutes—Mixed program
Audience type: General Audience, Children/Family
General Technical Requirements: INTERWEAVE can exist in either outdoor (flat/even surfaces, etc) or indoor (theatre/studio/gallery, etc) settings. Depending on the space provided, the technical requirements will differ.
Indoor space: Dance floor, video projector, basic sound system with speakers (sound will be on one track), basic lighting, 2-3 steel rolling clothing racks, black elastic rope/cord, lift or ladder for the installation, installation (space to hang 5-6 lightweight bed sheets/blankets), props (clothing and hangers).
Outdoor space: Basic sound system with speaker (sound will be on one track), 2-3 steel rolling clothing racks, sand bags (depending on the weather), props (clothing and hangers).
*Please note that the artists will travel in with the installation (bed sheets/blankets) and props (clothing and hangers).
Does the work require tech residency: Indoor space: Minimum 3 hours (preparation required: installation set-up + clothing racks), minimum 8 hours (tech before performance), minimum 45-60 minutes (strike).
Outdoor space: Minimum 30-45 minutes (preparation required: clothing racks), minimum 3 hours (tech before performance), minimum 25 minutes (strike).
Number of Performers on tour (including choreographer): 2
Number of Support Staff on Tour: 0
Availabilities: 2024 Spring Season (Mar-Jun), 2024/25 season, & 2025/26 season
Kaili Che (she/her) is a Chinese-Canadian dance artist, emerging choreographer, and educator based on the unceded and stolen lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, colonially known as Vancouver.
She graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance (with Distinction) and has The Healthy Dance Practice Certificate with Safe in Dance International. Her current curiosities revolve around identity, empathy, collaboration, and play. Kaili is grateful to have worked with Dancers’ Studio West, Traction, Project InTandem, Cloudsway Dance Theatre, Ivanochko et cie, W&M Physical Theatre, and kloetzel&co. Her choreography has been presented at All Over The Map Festival (Vancouver), The Scotiabank Dance Centre (Vancouver), Expanse Festival (Edmonton), and Fluid Festival (Calgary).
Born and raised in Mexico City, Carla Alcántara is a Mexican multidisciplinary artist, emerging choreographer, photographer, videographer, and educator based on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, in so-called Vancouver.
Carla is the director of TEMPO Dance & Visual Art, a project-based company that collaborates with multidisciplinary artists, mixing contemporary dance and visual art. Carla has trained in numerous dance styles and techniques like Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Theatre, and Acting. She has performed and participated in creative processes of artists, choreographers, and companies in Mexico, USA, and Canada. Her works have been presented in Ontario, Vancouver, San Diego, Malaysia, and Mexico. Carla has taught dance in private schools, community centers, and art facilities for over eight year. Currently, she teaches modern dance at The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and is continuing her artistic practices and projects.
Performance History & Upcoming Performances
HISTORY:
“An Anecdotal Fable”—Fluid Fest: Synergy Set: A Music-Movement Cabaret—October 30, 2021—Springboard Performance—The GRAND, Flanagan Theatre—Calgary, AB. (Kaili Che)
“Fase”—Festival Unipersonal—Cuerpo al Descubierto—2018 Mexico City, Mexico. (Carla Alcántara)
“Did you eat yet?”—Expanse Festival & Good Women Dance Collective Curation—March 25 & April 01, 2022—Azimuth Theatre—Fringe Theatre Arts Barns, Westbury Theatre—Edmonton, AB. (Kaili Che & Alyssa Maturino)
“PLAY”—Without Walls La Joya—2018— San Diego, CA. (Carla Alcántara)
“Eliminate Fast Fashion”—November 23, 2022—TRAction—Digital Online Series—Filmed in Vancouver, BC. (Kaili Che)
“De vuelta”—SIBU International Dance Festival— August 2019— Sibu, MY. (Carla Alcántara)
12 Minutes Max—March 27, 2023—The Dance Centre—The Dance Centre, Faris Family Studio—Vancouver, BC. (Kaili Che)
“Trolley Dances 2021”— San Diego Dance Theatre. ( Kevin Jenkins & Carla Alcántara)
“INTERWEAVE”—International Dance Day—April 29, 2023—The Dance Centre—The Dance Centre, Birmingham Studio—Vancouver, BC. (Kaili Che & Carla Alcántara)
“INTERWEAVE”—All Over The Map Festival—July 16, 2023—New Works—Granville Island, Picnic Pavilion—Vancouver, BC. (Kaili Che & Carla Alcántara)
UPCOMING:
“Marooned”—January 11-13, 2024—Co-producers: Dancers’ Studio West & Kaili Che—The New Gallery—Main Space—Calgary, AB.
Pop up Dances—September 2023—New Works—Granville Island—Vancouver, BC. (Carla Alcántara)
Project Details
Community Engagement
Community involvement and engagement is embedded within our artistic practice. Carla and I would be extremely interested in any form of community engagement activities:
-Movement Workshops: Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop and “INTERWEAVE” repertory (open-level, school program, community centres, etc.), warm-up & cool-down.
-Creation Labs/Choreographic Workshop: We would explore how an idea/inspiration can become a project, sharing choreographic tools in creating contemporary dance.
-Open Rehearsals & Studio Sharing: Creating a lower risk environment for casual conversations and dialogue between different communities and the artists.
-Artist/Pre-show/Post-show Talks: This can be done online or in-person, approach to feedback will follow Liz Lerman’s approach facilitated by the artists or presenter, audience members can offer questions.
-Arts & Crafts: Card making (writing down their favorite childhood memories & games), spreading joy through storytelling, movement and crafts, partnering with local senior/elderly facilities & homes.
We are both comfortable with teaching any age group and population; seniors, mixed abilities, preschool/elementary/high schools, advance-level, etc. Fees and scheduling will be based on the needs of the communities. We are passionate about breaking down as many barriers (financial, systematic, etc) for individuals to participate in art/dance. We are open to discussions.
Contact information
Kaili Che, kcdanceartist@gmail.com
Website: www.kailiche.ca
Email: kcdanceartist@gmail.com
Instagram: @kcdanceartist
Facebook Page: KC Dance Educator & Performer