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Ballet Kelowna explores love in Valentineѻýs Day show

The program will showcase three Canadian choreographersѻý works

Ballet Kelowna is exploring the theme of love through a night of dance and movement.

The companyѻýs show, titled Twilight, premieres on Feb. 14 and will have another show the next day.

Ballet Kelownaѻýs artistic director and CEO Simone Orlando said each piece explores love and relationships.

ѻýTwilight is a diverse collection of classical and contemporary works,ѻý she said.

ѻýWhen I did this programming over a year ago, I asked all the choreographers to propose works around the theme of love. I think theyѻýve all come together beautifully, and Iѻým very excited about this program.ѻý

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The first piece in the program is choreographed by Montreal-based Kunal Ranchod. Orlando said the piece uses classical ballet elements set to classical Indian music.

ѻýIn this piece, the intricate rhythms of Indian classical music are juxtaposed with the lines and shapes of classical ballet,ѻý she said.

The second piece was originally created for Ballet B.C. by Joe Laughlin but has since been adapted for Ballet Kelowna. Orlando said the piece was inspired by big productions like Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, but the choreography has a ballet-contemporary mix feel to it and explores the feeling of falling in love.

The last segment is a contemporary piece choreographed by Eva Kolarova.

ѻýWith Eva, her piece is a bit of a departure because sheѻýs really looking at the idea of loneliness and separation,ѻý Orlando said.

Kolarova said she wanted to show the audience a different perspective on relationships.

ѻýWhat Iѻým curious about is how can we find a relationship first with ourselves before we go out and try to connect with other people?ѻý she said.

ѻýOften, we are pressured by society. Thereѻýs this pressure that says ѻýoh, youѻýre alone. You need to go and find someoneѻý. But I want to talk about the difference between loneliness and being alone.ѻý

ѻýBeing lonely, thatѻýs isolation, itѻýs a social construct and itѻýs us being withdrawn from the communityѻý and itѻýs unhealthy. But being alone, itѻýs completely ok. Itѻýs actually important to be alone once in a while and to question who we are and take care of ourselves first.ѻý

Kolarova said she hopes people will feel encouraged that while itѻýs alright to be in a relationship, itѻýs also alright to be alone.

ѻýI want people to be grateful for being alone because itѻýs a time of exploration and it allows us to fully focus on ourselves. From there, you can find fullness, fill your heart and you can have a beautiful relationship with other people.ѻý

For more information on showtimes and tickets, visit .

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Twila Amato
Video journalist, Black Press Okanagan
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Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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