Portrait

A piano, Chopin, a woman wearing nylon stockings, a black curtain and frenetic dancing. Black and white images of cars, fire, an apple and a man lying down. This static scene is by D.A. Hoskins. Portrait is a variation on the theme of the sources of the creative act. In a series of vignettes with sharply contrasting ambiences, the choreographer and visual artist renowned for his bold style portrays many of his sources of inspiration, ranging from a piece of music to an image, a drama or silence. Onstage the dialogue between the artist and his work – or perhaps his imagination – materializes in the rich, ever-changing relationship between a man and a woman. Their duos are fluid. Their body language and their interactions indicate a couple not restricted by limits, individuals who are never bored. In keeping with The Dietrich Group emphasis on encounters among several disciplines and interactive exchanges, the piece evinces the unique approach of one of the most extravagant artists on the Toronto scene.