Director
Allen Kaeja
Choreography
Allen and Karen Kaeja
Principal Dancers
Karen and Allen Kaeja
Composer
Edgardo Moreno
New Opera Singer
Fides Krucker
Dancers
Robert Halley, Ryan Lee, Sue Lee,
Tanya Crowder, Tim Spronk
"Abattoir is a fierce and disturbing work...edgy and intriguing" Globe and Mail
A troubling beauty. The dark, weighted movement carries a kind of raw animal energy that was exhilarating to watchthe potent material was deftly conveyed, the melting between human and animal was quite transformative " Dance Current Magazine
The Kaejas signature style, which deconstructs the dictum of traditional partnering, is conceived through a combination of Allens background in wrestling and Karens roots in modern dance. The contradictory dynamics inherent in their cerebral and abstract work blends explosive athleticism with sensual, fluid lyricism to create a kinetic, androgynous movement vocabulary that conveys the rhythm and beauty of the slaughterhouse. Abattoir is a captivating addition to the Kaejas repertoire, which includes productions for the stage as well as award-winning dance films and educational and outreach programs. The work is accessible to wide audiences, and at just over an hour, it never felt too long. It just left me hungry for more. Mondo Magazine
The very punchy, athletic, at times almost acrobatic movement, the difficult upside down lifts and partnering, carries Allen Kaejas imprint. CBC Radio
Dense with hard-edged kinetics and physical dynamism, Abattoir combines Allen Kaeja's visceral kinetic aesthetic and explosive movement with Karen Kaeja's liquid, sensual athleticism and choreographic lyricism. In a original 40-minute adaptation of the full-evening stage work, these two award-winning choreographers converge to reflect on the resiliency of the human spirit as it intertwines dance, new opera and a distinctive score.
Abattoir explores the acute line between the imaginary and realistic world of a young boy working in his fathers abattoir. Amidst the complex intimacy of the killing floor, the childs wonderment and beautiful innocence stands in stark counterpoint to his critical role in the life cycle of the animals; instilling in him, oddly at first glance, with a deep respect for life.
In 1964 Allen's father, Morton Norris, a Holocaust survivor, opened an abattoir in Kitchener. Allen worked summers in the abattoir from the age of thirteen to nineteen. His experience ranged from: herding the cattle and cleaning the stalls; slaughtering as part of the processing of the kill floor; managing the coolers; and finally, driving truck and deliveries.
Abattoir takes us from the lush fields of cattle grazing into the crowded stalls of the processing plants barn; from a richly layered dinner table to an erotically seductive bedchamber; from the densely humid environment of the kill floor to the stained floors of the coolers. Scenes from the dining and bedrooms reveal the closeness of our genetic codes with our bovine cousins. The work exemplifies how our kinetic and sensorial worlds can also coincide to create a harmony of environments and a balance of human/animal interactions.
Abattoir is an uncompromising look at the world of humanity. The metaphorical managing of cattle is reminiscent of the treatment of different cultures towards each other over the centuries. The work culminates in an uplifting sensitivity towards our relationship with others.
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9:46"LONG LIVE" Excerpts # 2 MIDDLE SECTIONby kateorange2,840 views
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