First Stop for MM2 Modern Dance

During the month of June, with the support of an international exchange grant, the seven members of Philadelphia based MM2 Modern Dance Company will once again be traveling to Toronto to present their latest dance work, "Breath." The group will also develop and perform site-specific pieces and will offer workshops to the public.

MM2's first stop on their tour is the McMichael Canadian Art Collection on Thursday, June 19 at 8 p.m. Founder and Executive Director, Weisz explains, "After several visits as a tourist to the McMichael, I was deeply inspired by both the art displayed as well as the surrounding landscape and became determined to bring the dance company there".

Just prior to the performance, there will be a conversation with the artists at 7:30 p.m.

Each year, the group selects a theme upon which each dancer is then set to task, creating new choreography for the company. With this year's theme, "Breath," the group explores "the bridge which connects our consciousness to nature and life itself. We are continually moving through air, much the same way a fish moves through water. By our breathing we are attuned to the world around us, sharing the air with nature and each other. Our "Breath" expresses our inner feelings, our state of well-being, our excitement and even our anxieties. "Breath" flows endlessly through all, sustaining us, and allowing us to express life's nuances."

MM2 Dance will return to the McMichael on Sunday, June 22 at noon, to offer a movement workshop open to families. The workshop is designed for all ages and abilities and no previous dance experience is necessary. This program is offered free to the public with gallery admission. Advance registration is required.

The family workshop will be followed by an improvisational dance performance on the grounds surrounding the gallery, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. MM2 dancers will create impromptu and site-specific dances inspired by the art and the natural environment at the McMichael.