news
Urban Planner: January 12, 2011
Urban Planner is Torontoist’s guide to what’s on in Toronto, published every weekday morning, and in a weekend edition Friday afternoons. If you have an event you’d like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you’ve got any—to [email protected].
A duet by Brendan Wyatt and Sasha Ivanochko, one of the dancers behind the Connect T.O. dance festival, which premieres tonight. Photo care of Joseph Michael Photography.
A wacky Wednesday at Torontoist: Smarten up at The Textile Museum, two ways to get your groove on, Chloe Charles rules the Rivoli, The Mill gives you the creeps, and Next Stage marches on.
ART: The Textile Museum of Canada, the AGO’s subtler and much overlooked neighbour down the street, has lots of cool things too, thank you very much. Tonight, for example, join Patricia Bentley for The Patterned Imagination: Africa Through All the Senses. Bentley will be probing concepts of structure and symbolism, and the relationship between the musical and the visual form in African textiles. It’s like school, but fun, and unlike school, you needn’t fork out all your funds—full-time students always pay what they can. The Textile Museum of Canada (55 Centre Avenue), 6 p.m., $25 (students PWYC).
DANCE: Looking to break a sweat this evening? Well there’s nothing better (nothing) to get the old heart pumpin’ than square dancing. Yeah, you heard us, Triangle Squares Dare to be Square presents A One Night Stand: Introduction to Square Dancing. It’s modern, it’s free, and you won’t have morning shame like all those other times. There are also refreshments, prizes, and you don’t need a date either. Jesse Ketchum Public School (61 Davenport Road, north entrance), 7–9 p.m., FREE.
DANCE: And for the professionals, for the very first time, Connect T.O.—a festival of dance performances, panel discussions, and cocktail parties—puts Toronto’s dance scene on the international map. Connect T.O. is an innovative collaboration of four female dancers/artists—Sasha Ivanochko, Heidi Strauss, Susanna Hood, and Susie Burpee—plus their posse of local and international presenters to showcase contemporary dance in the T-Dot. It all kicks off tonight with Shudder by hum dansoundart and runs through Saturday, with all the details here. Lower Ossington Theatre (100A Ossington Avenue), 8 p.m., $20 (or score a festival pass for $75).
MUSIC: Touring Toronto songstress Chloe Charles, checking in at home base smack in the middle of her North American and European tour, lands tonight at the Rivoli. The multi-instrumental Anna Atkinson and Montreal’s classically trained Ben Wilkins open for Charles, who is promoting her critically acclaimed debut album Little Green Bud (take that as you may). Her folk-slash-soul signature sound—expect guitars, violins, and funky percussion—has her being compared to Cat Power and Joni Mitchell. Some fun trivia too: Chloe’s dad married Cynthia Lennon, making Julian Lennon her sexy stepbrother. Cause hey, rock royalty ties never hurt. The Rivoli (334 Queen Street West), 8:00 p.m., $10.
THEATRE: As the biggest project Theatrefront’s ever tackled, not to mention the spookiest, The Mill is a series of four full-length plays by four Canadian playwrights, all starring the same ensemble of talented actors. (They’ve got Dora Mavor Moore awards to prove it; The Mill swept the show with seven nominations and four wins.) Tonight’s part four (but no worries, the plays can be seen in any order) is Ash—a poignant ghost story that confronts the sins of our ancestors and the darkest corners of our nation’s past. We’re scared too! Young Centre for the Performing Arts (55 Mill Street), 8 p.m. (showings through until January 29), $15–$30.
THEATRE: The Next Stage Festival brings you some of the best performances from past Fringe Festivals—both Toronto’s and those in other cities. Peruse our guide to this year’s Next Stage shows to read up on eight productions, including tonight’s four shows. Consult the Next Stage site for times and locations and for ticket info.