The Villager

Presented from Dec. 14 to 16 at the Premiere Dance Theatre (235 Queen's Quay W.), Glorious Soulful Messiah is the creation of Patrick Parson, Ballet Creole's founder and artistic director. The production is based on Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration, a compilation CD that features re-worked arrangements sung by Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin, based on original Handel compositions.

"I always wanted to do something that runs parallel with The Nutcracker," Parsons said. "Moreover, I also wanted it to be something in which all cultures can find aspirations of joy and hope. When I listened to the music, I realized it runs through the gamut of black music: the Caribbean, the Highlife, the jazz, the soul - I became convinced, this is most fitting."

Ballet Creole has a long history of innovation in Toronto.

The organization has been on the Canadian dance scene since the early 1990s and comprises both a professional ensemble of dancers and musicians, as well as a School of Performing Arts students. While focusing on the traditional and contemporary performing arts of the Caribbean and Africa, Ballet Creole aims to establish a dynamic new artistic tradition in Canada through "creolization" or fusion of diverse dance and music traditions.

In order to publicize the initiatives of the company, Parson said he believes in connecting with the community, especially children. He routinely has his company's core dancers perform at schools.

"That's where I focus the company and they perform every single day up to five days a week," Parsons recently said. "They go into the schools. That's our audience. We go from kindergarten all the way up to high schools and to university. We do approximately two shows every day. Everyday in the school year - you know how (many) students we're reaching out to if you think about it."

With a growing reputation and increased outreach, the company is often asked by its admirers about the origin of its name and the connection to the vision of the organization.

"Originally, the term "creole", meant "native to the locality" and referred to people born and raised in the Caribbean, but of European or African descent," said Kevin A. Ormsby, marketing and outreach co-ordinator for Ballet Creole. "Today the term 'Creole' can also refer to the Creole language developed in the African Diaspora as a common language for inhabitants coming from so many different linguistic and cultural groups. Similarly, Ballet Creole represents the forging of a new language in the dance world, a unique blending of dance traditions from the old world and the new world."

The 2007 production of Glorious Soulful Messiah is sure to forge connecting paths throughout the diverse cultural communities of Toronto, as well as satisfy both the artistic and seasonal sentiment of all guests.

"This is an absolutely wonderful production," Ormsby said. "Glorious Soulful Messiah is always very well received by our audience. We are so pleased that there is such a demand for this performance and really look forward to the upcoming performances."

Visit www.balletcreole.org for details.

Jon Sarpong is the diversity officer at Durham College. He provides independent diversity training and consultation for various organizations. Contact Jon by e-mailing jsarpong@hotmail.com.