April 4, 2008
As the spirit moves her
Young choreographer Keely Turner is inspired to create unique steps as artistic director of Breakout Dance Company
SALLY COLE
The Guardian
As Brothers On A Hotel Bed booms out from tiny iPod speakers, six dancers glide across the stage in different directions.
Thirty seconds later, they stop in mid-flight and stand with arms and legs swaying.
After a few more dance moves, the ensemble comes together like a flock of migrating sea ducks, ready to make a landing.
Entitled The World At Your Feet, this moving piece is the creation of Keely Turner, a young P.E.I. choreographer.
“At first it’s very slow with no vocals, just instrumental, and I could just picture dancers walking at different paces, like myself going through my own life.
“Sometimes I’m running. But sometimes I’m walking so slowly that I don’t know my path. But then it gets lively,” says the UPEI student whose work will be included in Dance Umbrella’s student choreography showcase at the MacKenzie Theatre in Charlottetown on April 11 at 8 p.m.
The classically-trained dancer with a penchant for modern and jazz is excited about sharing her creativity with others.
“This my last year on P.E.I. I am moving to Toronto in September to study dance at a post-secondary level so I wanted to leave something here, a bit of a legacy, to thank my teachers,” says Turner, 20.
The Dance Umbrella student was inspired to write the dance number after listening to the popular song by Death Cab For Cutie.
“Ideas started popping into my mind so I just choreographed it and it just morphed into a creation that I’m pretty proud of,” she says.
Getting a chance to put her creative stamp on dance is exhilarating for Turner who has studied the discipline for over 17 years.
“Dance is something that I’ve always been extremely passionate about.
“There are moments in my life where I feel more alive than others. And I feel most alive when I’m performing. So I’m always constantly searching for opportunities to have that feeling,” she says.
When she felt these feelings were starting to dry up on P.E.I. last year, she decided to create more of her own.
“I started my own choreography, my own dance company,” says Turner, the artistic director of the Breakout Dance Company.
The pre-professional touring dance company consists of eight young dancers.
“Even though I’m playing a teacher’s role, they have as much input as I do.
“I usually come up with a lot of material. I draw pictures of stick figures dancing, while I create the choreography in my head.
“But when it comes time to teach it to them they’ll say, ‘That feels awkward’ or ‘We can’t do that trick because we can’t turn four times without falling,’ so we adjust the piece so it looks better,” says Turner.
At her Sunday night class, the dancers are eager to try out her new routines.
“Keely is wonderfully inspirational. I don’t know where her ideas come from, but they’re certainly different than anything we’ve done before,” says Savannah Belsher.
Bethany Chaisson is also delighted with the dance company.
“The work is getting better and better. She’s wonderful in the dances she has created,” says Chaisson.
Turner will have plenty of opportunities to share her creativity in upcoming shows.
Her dance company will perform at The Guild with Talent P.E.I. on April 19 at 7 p.m. and at the Confederation Centre of the Arts with Dance Umbrella on April 26 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
“Creating choreography is a strange process. It comes when you least expect it.
“Sometimes I’ll be teaching a specific move and someone will do or say something and I’ll think, ‘that could work as a dance.’ Or maybe I’ll hear a piece of music and immediately my brain just starts picturing what it could look like with dancers. I’m always surprised by what happens.”
Fast facts
Keely at a glance
n Name: Keely Turner.
n Born: Charlottetown.
n Schools: Colonel Gray, UPEI.
n Favourite music to dance to: Brothers On A Hotel Bed by Death Cab For Cutie.
n Favourite singer-songwriter: Chris Brown.
n Favourite musical: Wicked
n Five things to pack into her suitcase: Ipod, sneakers, pointe shoes, cellphone, paper/pen.
n Favourite food: pasta.
n Website: http://breakoutdance.
cjb.net.