For many, the holidays are a time to be with family and to celebrate – for others, this time of year can be difficult.
JJ Moore, a dancer, choreographer, producer and Burlington native, understands that and has adapted a story of the good and bad times in dance. Light Heavy Light takes the stage tomorrow at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
“I listened to the Light Heavy Light podcast by Rob Bell, and felt in my imagination that I could tell this story through dance,” Moore says. “As I experimented, it has become bigger than I ever could have imagined.”
Light Heavy Light has been running for six years, with proceeds from tickets going towards the Lighthouse for Grieving Children and Families. To date, the show has raised more than $33,000.
The cast of 36 students, aged from about 10 and up, perform a combination of contemporary, jazz and hip-hop through the show's three acts. The show aims to provide different perspectives on life, and to help the audience – and cast – understand that nobody has to go through life on their own.
“It’s called Light Heavy Light, and that was the idea, to make each of these themes into their own act where people can explore what it looks like to approach life in a certain way,” Moore says.
Moore added that throughout her time running this show, she has received several messages from attendees saying the performance moved them to reconnect with family, reflect on the role of being a parent or go back to school.
“There is something about this that has resonated with people and landed well,” Moore says. “There has been this ripple effect of charitable support, and the way it has been impacting the audience has been really special for me as well.”
The cast members are all local youths, some of whom have been performing in the show for years and returned after joining a post-secondary dance program.
“Sometimes it's hard for teens like myself to express how we are feeling so going to a show like this might help a student realize that nobody is alone,” Jason Patryluk, an 11th grade cast member, said in a media release.
Light Heavy Light runs at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre Dec 13-14.
For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
