Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  Toronto dancer about to take to the big stage with Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre Not only is it the first weekend for Black History Month in Toronto, it will also be two days of first for dance fans.  On February 3 rd  and 4 th  “America ‘s Cultural Ambassador to the World” the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre will kick off its 2023 North American tour with a trio of performances at the downtown Meridian Hall (formerly the Sony Centre). The 32-member dance troop will be performing for the first time in Canada a new dance —  Are You in Your Feelings   — that acclaimed  choreographer Kyle Abraham describes as a “celebration of Black culture, Black music, and the youthful spirit that perseveres in us all.” Finally and probably most importantly dance lovers in the city are finally going to see  Hannah Alissa Richardson  perform live on stage with this famed Dance Theatre. This is the Toronto native’s inaugural season with the Company and the first time fo...

Etienne Charles Trinidad’s Best Jazz Trumpeter Bringing His Carnival Show to Toronto By Stephen Weir For Toronto bound jazz great  Etienne Charles  there is more to Carnival than just parading through the streets of Port of Spain.    No, for the Trinidadian trumpeter, the annual carnival is a source of profound inspiration for a musical tradition that dates back to colonial times.   The 35-year old trumpeter is coming to Toronto on November 16 th  for the North American launch  Carnival: The Sound of a People   Volume 1 , his new CD and to perform it live at the 1,000 seat George Weston Recital Hall in North Toronto.    The CD, recorded in part in Trinidad, has already been released to critical success in the Caribbean. “Carnival is an ocean made up of so many different hybrid influences,” Etienne Charles told the Caribbean Camera late last week.    “ In Toronto I want to make the statement that what you hear...

--> Nicole Brooks’ Obeah Opera 2019 previewed in Toronto Dance Festival   By Stephen Weir When close to 3,000 people stomp, cheer, and clap in an almost sold-out theatre, it makes for a volcano of sound.   And, for the 22 women on stage inside the downtown Toronto Sony Centre, it was an opportunity to erupt in dance and song one as they left the stage. On Friday night, the cast of Nicole Brooks’ Obeah Opera 2019, hand slapped, foot stomped, danced and sang acapella with such passion that the audience almost believed they were peeking back in time to the Salem Massachusetts  Witch Trials o f 1692 .   “ The word Obeah is a Caribbean term which is most connected to the word witchcraft,” explains Nicole Brooks, the multi-talented Canadian filmmaker, songstress and producer of the dance opera which was staged twice on the weekend as part of the week long Fall For Dance North festival. “The dance is based on the Salem Witchcraft Trial seen thr...

THIS IS ONE LIVE SHOW THAT WON'T BE RUDDERLESS By Stephen Weir There are still a few good tickets left for this Saturday night's Rudder 6.5 concert at the Sony Centre For The Performing Arts. The Canadian-based singer and composer David Michael Rudder turned 65 this year and is celebrating with his keynote 6.5 show. --> " I was in Trinidad last month and I wanted to sing 65 songs over the evening," he told me in a phone interview. " I didn't time it right - managed to sing 60 before the show ended." --> " Not sure how many I will sing at the Sony Centre, and I am not sure what songs I will sing," he continued. "I want to leave it up to my fans. They can go to my website or Facebook and tell me what they want me sing! You know I am going to do all of the old favourites." --> Five years ago, David Rudder played a concert in Trinidad that he called David Rudder 6.0 and perfo...