Robin Poitras
New Dance Horizons
Regina
soft foot
Ursa Major, is well known in the prairie sky. Her mythological inheritance lingers on the horizon. soft foot draws from a body of work that began many years ago, including an Ursa character created for Ziyian Kwan in Rouge-gorge’s recent group work, in fur till spring.
soft foot, a term coined by prairie movement maverick Amelia Itcush, is a constellation of images and actions in an inter-play of myth and body memory. This work is an ode to Amelia, choreographed by Robin Poitras, commissioned and performed by Ziyian Kwan.
A prolific dance and performance creator Robin Poitras co-founded Regina’s New Dance Horizons in 1986, where she continues to act as Artistic Director. In 2008 she launched a creation company Rouge-gorge. Robin holds a B.F.A. special honors degree in dance from York University and has received many grants and awards including the 2004 Women of Distinction Award for the Arts and the 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2006 Mayor’s Awards for Business & The Arts in Regina. Her works have been presented across Canada, in Spain, France, Germany and Mexico.
Since 1989, remarkable dancers, choreographers and teachers have inspired Ziyian’s work and ethic. In the last few years, the lifework of Amelia Itcush has been at the core of Ziyian’s daily practice. Soft Foot is the first in a series of solos that are that are being created in response to Amelia’s ideas. Following this commission by Robin Potiras, Ziyian will create her own solo and also dance a performance installation by Benoit LaChambre. ‘In loving memory of Amelia Itcush, who moves my body and touches my heart’, Ziyian Kwan.
