The words of famed Canadian author Michael Ondaatje will come alive through modern dance.
Crimson Coast Dance Society is presenting Spoken Dance, featuring Ondaatje, author of The English Patient, reading live from two of his works -- May 6 at the Port Theatre at 7:30 p.m.
"It's poetry for the senses because it's such a tactile and full evening," said Holly Bright, producer and artistic director with Crimson Coast.
The first dance, Cato and Alice, will be accompanied by cellist Ann Bourne. Based on Ondaatje's book In the Skin of the Lion, it deals with Canadian history and the early formation of unions in Toronto. After an intermission, Ondaatje will give a full reading from a selection of his works.
"This is really exciting for the literary community," Bright said. "Not only is he a writer, he's involved in film and he really supports the dreams of other artists. Hearing him read his own text is worth the price of the ticket alone. He's got an absolutely strong voice and there's a resonance in knowing the words the way he knows them... there's many layers of meaning behind what he has to say and he says it in the most poetic way, that's why his work is so perfectly related to dance."
The second dance, Meditation #5 On Loss and Desire, features reading from Anil's Ghost, a story of an anthropologist working in Sri Lanka. Bright said the pieces have a very clear and eloquent choreography and for those new to dance, this is a good introduction.
"It's an opportunity to really get dance," she said. "You can't leave and not know what it's about."
Ondaatje participated in the creation of the dances, choreographed by Andrea Nann and performed by Gerald Michaud and Kate Holden and Nann. Bright saw Spoken Dance in Vancouver a couple of years ago and said convincing the Toronto based author, who doesn't usually travel, to bring the renowned show to Nanaimo took some work.
"It was a process to ensure he would be here," she said. "He's only performed this piece in Vancouver in 2004 and Toronto. He doesn't say yes to everybody."
Following the performance, there will be a ticketed reception and book signing at 9:30 p.m.
A portion of the proceeds from the book revenue and the reception ticket price are being donated to a Sri Lankan based, tsunami relief fund, Helping Hands, close to the heart of the Ondaatje family.
Call the Port Theatre Box Office at 754-8550 for information and tickets. Reception tickets without show tickets can be purchased at the Crimson Coast Society office at 716-3230 or at intermission.
The Daily News has two sets of tickets to Spoken Dance to give away. The first callers to 729-4231 at 11:30 a.m. today will receive the tickets.