Road Trip

(je ne regrette rien)

Susie Burpee + Linnea Swan /

Toronto

#FTA_roadtrip

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Double Take
Two women rooted to the spot in the midst of the action, caught in the spotlight like rabbits at night surprised by a car’s headlamps. The first image of road Trip (je ne regrette rien) suggests that something awful has just happened, and the mounting excitement of the subtly deconstructed story amplifies that feeling, without ever clarifying it. What really comes across is the visceral bond between the characters, a link ravaged by ambivalence and unresolved feminine rivalry. This portrayal of the complexity of human nature is recounted with complete physical commitment to the rollercoaster movement of a tragicomic faceoff.

Created by Susie Burpee and Linnea Swan, two young Toronto artists, this short piece bears an assertive signature in a melding of contemporary dance and clowning. Burlesque and dramatic tension combine in an ambience reminiscent of David Lynch and Monty Python. Deliciously extravagant.

Susie Burpee

Susie Burpee, Strong Grasp of Character
Trained in modern and contemporary dance in her hometown of Winnipeg, and later in New York, Susie Burpee also studied Bouffon in Paris. Multidisciplinary study and her provocative stage presence have led to two Dora Mavor Moore Awards. A performer, teacher, mentor and choreographer, she presented many solo pieces before deciding to work with longtime colleagues to explore a more intimate approach to creating in partnership. This duet work evolved into tales of love with Dan Wild in Mischance and Fair Fortune and Fidelity’s Edge, and this Road Trip with Linnea Swan.

Linnea Swan

Linnea Swan, From Stage to Screen
Born and raised in Saskatoon, Linnea Swan pursued her professional training in Winnipeg, where she first met Susie Burpee. Before creating Road Trip together in 2010, they had performed together with Dancemakers and TRIP dance company. Their complicity is such that artists Serge Bennethan and Lesandra Dodson have created evening length duets specifically for them. Currently she is a member of the multidisciplinary Exchange Rate Collective, has performed in numerous Bravo!FACT videos and for Human Cargo Theatre. Also a filmmaker, she has made films for various choreographers and musicians.

Press Quote(s)

“The charismatic Swan and Burpee are formidable interpreters... each can dominate the space even when standing still.”

Paula Citron, The Globe and Mail, 11/2007

“Over the past 15 years, Susie Burpee has carved out unique performances and Fidelity’s Edge is no exception.(…) Burpee’s movements are fluid and expressive, easily conveying her feelings of despair. The dance is ferocious (…).Extreme emotions, from tenderness to aggression, switch within seconds.”

Mondomagazine.net, 06/03/2010 (Fidelity’s Edge)

“This is evident when a singing Linnea Swan elevates a limp arm over the side of a table only to follow with a lifeless torso. (…) Sheer physical precision dominates the scene and that’s when the daringly unexpected transpires in a smorgasbord of entertainment.”

Steven Berketo, Torontostage.com, 2009 (Appetite)