A Crisis of Conciousness by Momentum Dance
Photo by Tim Nguyen at Citrus Photography
Momentum Dance Collective was created in 2010 by graduating dancers from the University of Calgary BA dance program. Since then, current/founding members Caileen Bennett, Jessalyn Britton and Natalka Lewis have kept the name and expanded their repertoire. Momentum has performed in NextFest (Edmonton, AB), Ignite! Festival (Calgary, AB), What's Cooking? (Edmonton, AB) as well as many other venues, stages and performance opportunities, including choreography for Lindsay Ell Music Productions, & Matt Blais Music.
Momentum Dance Collective is a collective group comprised of passionate dancers, performers and choreographers who are looking to propel a new generation of artists into the professional community. The company takes a special interest in collaborating with artists of other mediums outside of dance. Momentum aims to create new and original work that brings artistic communities together, introduces the audience to challenging and abstract concepts and work that represents the ideals that the artistic community in Calgary stands for.
Momentum Dance Collective specializes in the creation of new contemporary dance and theatre. Momentum has recently worked on two music videos, and with local event promoters and musicians. The company works on a broad spectrum of performance varieties including human stating, corporate events, dance instruction, choreography, private events, theatre, music videos and commercial venues. This vibrant and versatile company of performers is beginning to make their mark on the Alberta arts scene and can be expected to be seen much more.
Emerging dance artist and choreographer, Natalka Lewis, completed her Bachelor of Arts in Dance (Specializing in Ballet) from the University of Calgary in 2010. Her choreographic work has been shown in Dance@Noon (2010), Lindsay Ell Music Productions(2010), NextFest (2010) and Dance Montage (2010), Matt Blais Music (2011). She has performed in Mainstage Dance, Dance Montage, Dance@Noon, Alberta Dance Festival, Ignite! and NextFest. She was a company member with W&M Pro-Division (2010-2011). Natalka received her pedagogical dance training at the School of Alberta Ballet and is a certified ballet teacher in the Cecchetti Society of Canada.
Jessalyn Britton is an emerging artist involved in both independent and collaborative creation in the Calgary and Edmonton communities. She recently graduated from the University of Calgary with a BA in dance with distinction. Her choreography has been presented in Ignite Festival (2010), Nextfest Festival (2009, 2010), as well as the University of Calgary’s Dance Montage (2009) and Dance@Noon (2010). Britton was member of W&M Physical Theatre’s Pro Division and SURGE Company. She has performed in the University of Calgary’s Mainstage Dance, Dance Montage, Dance @ Night and MFA Thesis Concert; Calgary’s Ignite Festival; and both of Edmonton’s Nextfest Festival and Feats Festival. She was last seen as Alice in the contemporary dance company Kloetzel&Co’s evening length work Alice Unraveled(2011.)
Matthew McKinney is a Calgary based actor and video artist. A graduate of the University of Alberta’s BFA Acting program, Matthew has since moved back to Calgary where he spends his spare time playing guitar, writing, and hoping for a decent snowfall. Recently performances include: Ignite Festival – Castle in the Sky, Centre Stage – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Northern Light Theatre - Speech and Debate, Mob Hit - As You Like It, Beyond Closed Doors – Heterophobia, or weekly with the Improv Guild.