Feb 14-16, 2008, 8:00 PM

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A romantic evening filled with daring new works marks the premier of Little Pear Garden Collectives new Artistic Director, Emily Cheung. The dances being showcased are part of Emily's vision of staying true to her respect for traditional Chinese performing arts while identifying herself as a Chinese/Canadian artist.

The first half of the concert features four new exciting choreographic dance works utilizing various traditional Chinese dance styles including a Classical Chinese dance, a romantic and amusing Han Folk duet, a martial arts style with swords and a graceful and elegant peacock Dai Folk dance. The second half features Emily's fascination with Chinese Contemporary works mixed with Indian and Caribbean dances. She will present three unique ground-breaking pieces which are the result of collaborations with artists from different cultural backgrounds. Her collaborators include world renowned Hari Krishnan, Gary De Matas and music composer Gein Wong.

NUIT BLANCHE

Dance Ontario presents Ghostly Apparitions, a dance encounter created by acclaimed choreographer Viv Moore and more than 12 groups of performers @ Historic Distillery District, 55 Mill Street

August 26, 2007, 3:00 PM

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A glimpse on Chinese Traditional Art Form Showcasing Chinese Operatic Style as well as traditional folk and Classical dance. Experience and learn how to dress in Chinese costumes and use props with our artists.

An exhibition of Peking Opera theatrical shoes will be on view through out Bata Shoe Museum. Over 20 examples of Peking Opera theatrical shoes from the collection of William Lau will be complemented with artifacts from the Bata Shoe Museum's own collection of Chinese footwear.

The exhibit is also on display as part of the Visual Arts component of Harbourfront Centre's Dim Sum Chinese Festival on Saturday July 21, 12 noon to 10 pm and Sunday July 22, 12 noon to 6 pm.

July 24, 2007, 3:00-5:00 PM

Master Bi is a member of a great generation of artists who have received traditional training in the beautiful and awe-inspiring art form of the Nan Dan, a celebrated Chinese opera tradition wherein males assume female roles. Master Bi's use of faux-lotus shoes, paired with his classical repertoire, offers a one-of-a-kind experience to see such 'small feet' in action.

The event will also feature a demonstration by William Lau of different gestures used by actors to recognise emotions and gender, and a costume demonstration.

"Serving up more than food! The festival offers a dazzling array of traditional and contemporary art forms allowing you to make an in-depth examination of modern Chinese identity. Look beyond the dragon and see how East meets West!"

"Sound is the source of this festival as the major regions of the world showcase their rhythms in this global musical mix. Instruments from the farthest reaches of the world, icons of the world music community, and a captivating demo of how percussive movement has charmed the world over - this festival leaves no stone unturned."

Sunday, July 22nd, 2007 - 1:00 PM

Location: Toronto Star Stage

Saturday, July 21th, 2007 - 6:15 PM

Photography: Bob Wilson

1. Arriving in Autumn Eases my Heart

Dancer/choreographer: Jeffery Chan

Music: Zhou Qinru, performed by Wu Man & Ensemble

Jeffrey Chan is the founder of the Wu Ming Dance Project whose goal is to express Asian philosophies and contemporary social identities through Chinese traditional and modern dance. His latest full-evening multi-media “Nanking Monologue” was premiered in Toronto in 2005. Last November he was invited to perform in China at the Fringe Shanghai 2006.

Description of the work: Both the choreography and music are contemporary interpretations of ancient Chinese poems.

2. Finger Paint

Choreographer: Kamen Wang

Dancers: Debra Su, Sze-Yang Lam, Susan Chuang

Music: Zhou Qinru, performed by Wu Man & Ensemble

Kamen Wang: Beginning his dance training in his hometown of Changechun, China, Kamen Wang took ballet and Chinese classical dance at the Dance School of Jilin College of Art. In 2004, he enrolled at the School of TDT, taking classes with D.A Hoskins, Patricia Miner, Peter Chin and Christopher House. Wang has also been studying traditional Indian dance under Hari Krishnan at InDANCE since last year. He is looking forward to the next year as an intern with TDT.

Description of the work: A Chinese Contemporary work inspired from Tai Chi, Chinese Calligraphy, Traditional Chinese and Contemporary Dance vocabularies.

3. Past Imperfect

Choreographer/Dancer: Susanne Chui

Music Composer: Lee Pui Ming

Costume: Rachael Grant

Make-up Design: Kathryn Chui

Susanne Chui is a Halifax-based dance artist. She is a member of Verve Mwendo Dance Company and is co-artistic director of SINS (Sometimes in Nova Scotia) Dance Collective. From 1999-2006, Susanne was based in Toronto where she had the opportunity to work with many choreographers, and extensively with Yvonne Ng and TILT: sound+motion dance company. With TILT, Susanne originated roles in works by Robert Abubo, Marie-Julie Asselin, Bill Coleman, Lesandra Dodson, Sasha Ivanochko, Sharon Moore and Heidi Strauss. She received her professional training from the School of Toronto Dance Theatre.

Description of the work: This solo is a physical exploration of how past experiences live in the mind and body.

4. Ghost Story

Choreographer: Emily Cheung

Music/Composer: Gein Wong

Dancers: Susan Chuang, Annie Cassar, Alison Mockler, Melissa Yang, Jasmin Zhang

Emily is an Artistic Director for the Little Pear Garden Collective founded by William Lau. Emily is an educator, performer, and choreographer. She received B.F.A., B.Ed. and M.A. degrees from York University. She has choreographed several pieces including Ghost story, Three Muses of Dun Huang, Lantern Dance, Legendary Warrior and others. Emily performed in several major shows including: SooRyu Festival, Dance Festival, Iron Road, Fringe Festival, Dance Ontario, CanAsian, and Dusk Dance, etc. Most recently in Feb 2006, she put together "Spring Lantern II" to two sold out performances in Toronto debuting 3 new choreographies including a first Indo-Sino collaboration with critically acclaimed choreographer Hari Krishnan.

Description of the work: Ghost Story is an accumulation of many mythical and auspicious stories founded during Tang Dynasty. The use of long sleeves often represents soft, light movements of spirits interacting with humans. The work combined both Chinese traditional and contemporary movements.

5. Metamorphosis of the solitary female phoenix

Choreographer: Yvonne Ng

Dancer: Linnea Wong

Yvonne Ng: Born and raised in Singapore ; arrived Canada 1983. Choreographer, performer, teacher, producer, presenter. Artistic director of princess productions (tpdp & d:mic/fac, since 1996) and Series 8:08 (since 1994). Awards: Premier’s Emerging Arts; Dora Mavor Moore; K.M. Hunter; New Pioneers Arts. Recent works: Collection #1 - #6; Scarlet’s Room: Moss; Signs. www.princessproductions.ca

Description of the work: In Chinese mythology, it is said that the phoenix's body symbolises five human qualities: its head, virtue; the wings, duty; the back, ritually correct behaviour; the breast, humanity; the stomach, reliability.

Location: Toronto Star Stage

Saturday, July 21th, 2007 - 4:30 PM

Location: Toronto Star Stage

Saturday, July 21th, 2007 - 3:00 PM

Featuring: Master Bi Gu Yun

Location: Brigantine Room

Saturday, July 21th, 2007 - 3:00 PM

Location: Toronto Star Stage

Saturday, July 21th, 2007 - 1:30 PM

A specially commissioned Generations dance piece created by senior artist Rina Singha and emerging artist Emily Cheung of Little Pear Garden Collective. Co-produced with Harbourfront Centre. These two artists bring together the traditions of South Asian Khatak dance and Chinese dance, effectively fusing cultures and exploring dance legacies.

Location: Toronto Star Stage

Sunday, July 15th, 2007 - 4:00 PM

A specially commissioned Generations dance piece created by senior artist Rina Singha and emerging artist Emily Cheung of Little Pear Garden Collective. Co-produced with Harbourfront Centre. These two artists bring together the traditions of South Asian Khatak dance and Chinese dance, effectively fusing cultures and exploring dance legacies.

Location: Toronto Star Stage

Saturday, July 14th, 2007 - 3:00 PM

A unique piece, showing the Emperor Chi Wang's (Qin dynasty 202 B.C.) annual army inspection - where soldiers demonstrate traditional Chinese martial arts and percussion - interwoven with the lyricism of contemporary dance.

Location: Toronto Star Stage

Ina's South Asian Bollywood pop dance meets Emily's Chinese classical dance that has roots from the silkroad. These two emergent choreographers from distant yet similar interests will join their bodies and spirits in movement online and in cyberspace. This performance will turn your head around. A wild and twisted delight not to be missed!

Haunted by "communication" even in the most basic of meanings, Janet Lumb loves to connect in virtual reality and in real time with those from afar and near. Reaching out beyond the limits, she celebrates the moment of chance and happenstance in the interplay between the most unlikely sorts.

Ina Bhowmick has been experimenting with various Indian dance styles since she was three years old. Her work is widely known in Montreal as she has performed and/or choreographed in venues such as Place des Arts and le Cabaret du Casino. She is always looking for ways to add extra spice to the already mystical dance form.

Emily Cheung is an educator, performer and choreographer. She received a B.F.A., B.Ed. and M.A. (2007) from York University. Emily performed in several major shows including Land of Cards, Iron Road, Fringe Festival, Dance Ontario, CanAsian and Dusk Dances. Most recently, she organized “Spring Lantern II” to two sold out shows in Toronto debuting three new choreographies including a first Indo-Sino collaboration with Hari Krishnan.

Our major fall production! Of the four main performing styles of the "dan" or female roles in Peking opera, the Shang style is the only one yet to be presented by the Little Pear Garden Collective to Canadian audiences. This event will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of Master Shang Xiao Yun (1900-1976).