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Contemporary dancer looking to PuSh the envelope

Contemporary dancer Francesca Frewer will hit the stage later this month in the debut performance of Loop, Lull, one of six world premiere entries by Vancouver’s Company 605 at the 15 th annual PuSh International Performing Arts Festival.
frewer
Contemporary dancer Francesca Frewer will hit the stage later this month in the debut performance of Loop, Lull, one of several entries by Company 605 at the 15th annual PuSh International Performing Arts Festival.

Contemporary dancer Francesca Frewer will hit the stage later this month in the debut performance of Loop, Lull, one of six world premiere entries by Vancouver’s Company 605 at the 15th annual PuSh International Performing Arts Festival.

Born and raised in Ladner and a graduate of Delta Secondary, Frewer started dancing at the age of four.

“I had different dreams back then, thinking about ballet as many young girls dream of at that age, but it became clear to me long before I finished high school and left Ladner I was more interested in contemporary dance and I was very lucky to be supported a lot by my teachers and my parents as well to follow what I wanted to do,” Frewer said.

Devoting her creative efforts to choreography as well as performance, Frewer has had work presented at various venues and festivals. She also teaches contemporary dance periodically at TSV Vancouver's Working Class, Harbour Dance Centre and Dancing On The Edge BC.

She has been with Company 605 for a little over a year.

“It’s been very collaborative. I really appreciate the way that they work. They are very clear with us about what they need and what they ask of us, but also give us a lot of freedom and we are able to share our thoughts and feelings,” she said.

PuSH is presented from Jan. 17 to Feb. 3 at various venues across the Lower Mainland and will feature 26 works from 13 countries.  

The hypnotic work begins in Loop, Lull with five dancers, each trapped in their own loop of motion and gesture. They change their movements in response to each other, while at the same time manipulating the space around them with lighting, music and ambient noise. Gradually the performers merge, attempting increasingly complex feats, and with these interactions come new rules, new restrictions, new compromises. By the time the dancers are moving as a group, their multiple obligations — to the lighting, to the sound loops and to each other — are so demanding they’re working at the brink of impossibility.

“It’s been a long process. When I started working with them about a year ago they were already working on it,” Frewer said. “There have been a few different versions along the way and what we did at the beginning will be quite different from what we will be showing at the end of the month.”

She said she is excited to be debuting the performance at PuSH, her first time at the festival.

“We have a really lovely community in the contemporary dance and performance scene, so I feel very grateful to be surrounded by so many kind and supportive peers,” she said. “Often I will have a whole row of family members at my shows, so it’s really great.”

Loop, Lull is at the Scotiabank Dance Centre Jan. 21 and 22 and Jan. 28 and 29. All shows are at 7 p.m. To buy tickets, visit pushfestival.ca or call the PuSh Festival Audience Services info line at 604-449-6000.