Passchendaele

From focus magazine, November 5, 1999
by Dancetheatre David Earle
Waterloo Community Arts Centre
November 11 - 14, 1999
by Cheryl Ewing

Although Remembrance Day seems less and less relevant to many of us, you need only read the newspaper to realize that the threat and reality of way still affects many around the world. It is important that we take the time to remember. To forget would be planting the seeds for world-wide conflict. How to make the momory relevant for those too young to have been directly involved?

Dancetheatre David Earle has chosen to remind us through a programme of dances based on the desire to gain insight from this century and to continue promoting honour in memory of those sacrificed. First presented at the Waterloo Community Arts Centre last REmembrance Day, Passchendaele will return this November 11 - 14th with a new programme. The title (pronounced paddion-dale) comes from a small town in Belgium where thousands of Canadian lives were lost.

Choreographer David Earle says: "We are trying to bring the reality of the tragic mistakes of the past to the attention of those too young to have their own memories of the world wars, and to bring healing to those affected personaly by them. The theatre of war that seems so far away, in time and space, has touched every community in this country."

David Earle, a resident of Elora, has spent the last 35 years as a dancer and choreographer. He began as an actor with the Toronto Children's Players, performing several times during a season. He now feels it is appropriate to return to his past. In this year he has performed in more than two dozen works. He quotes Ruth St. Denis saying, "I intend to go on dancing with remembered beauty." Those who have seen Earle and his work see much more than remembered beauty; thgy see a man of passion and great insight continuing to share his concern for humanity. A 1997 recipient of the Order of Canada, Earle founded Dancetheatre David Earle to continue to create new works, preserve his colliction of over 100 existing choreographic works and to serve as a forum for younger artists. He takes great pleasure out of watching the development of young dancers and choreographers. A favourite at workshops for young dancers, Earle exudes a quiet confidence an delight in seeing more than the technical capabilities of dancers, he also looks for the baring of the soul. This is one of the reasons his work is so accessible to audiences; they are moved by the emotions within the movement.

D.A.Hoskins is a young choreographer working closely with Earle. In 1998 he choreographed Last Letter Home, a series of scenes depicting the story of a young soldier and his family during the First World War. A mixture of theatre and dance, this was a very moving work that made the reality of war personal. This year he will be contributing a duet danced to Henryk Gorecki's Symphony #3. Dance critic Paula Citron calls Hoskins "one of the leading bright lights of Canadian contemporary choreographers". Hoskins and Earle are also working on a new and exciting chamber piece entitled Endangered Worlds by local composer Peter Hatch to be presented for the first time as part of Passchendaele.

Passchendaele...and evening to Remember runs November 11th throughout the 14th at the Waterloo Community Arts Centre, 25 Regina Street S. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 886-4577