{"id":169,"date":"2013-06-11T15:03:22","date_gmt":"2013-06-11T15:03:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ottawarhythminitiative.ca\/?page_id=169"},"modified":"2025-11-06T17:44:53","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T17:44:53","slug":"past-shows","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ottawarhythminitiative.ca\/?page_id=169","title":{"rendered":"ORI Ensemble"},"content":{"rendered":"
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About the ORI Ensemble<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Established in 2012, the ORI Ensemble (ORIE) is a collective of local tap dance artists and educators who each bring something unique along with a shared passion and dedication for the art of tap dance. We champion and support this art form locally and within the Canadian and international dance scenes. <\/span><\/p>\n

We have a deep respect and appreciation for this rooted jazz dance form. The ORIE enlivens and supports the mandate of the Ottawa Rhythm Initiative.<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

ORIE is study, creation and presentation-focused. We work with live music as often as we can in both practice and performance settings. Our work is rhythmically sophisticated, percussive, and grounded in the jazz tradition.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Each member believes in the importance of individual expression, innovation, as well as community. We each bring a life-long embodied understanding of tap dance, including through our individual and collective ongoing study and practice. <\/span>ORIE accesses other aligned dance and movement, music and theatre experiences to inform creative explorations and performances.<\/span><\/p>\n

ORIE Statement of Practice<\/b><\/p>\n

Tap dance is both movement and music. As an aural, oral and vernacular tradition, and an African American art form, tap dance is culture, history and community and innovation: all are central to our work. We strive to learn, create and teach with authenticity and integrity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Interested in joining the ORIE? Contact us at ottawarhythminitiative@gmail.com<\/p>\n

Performance + project highlights<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sankofa: A Rooted Jazz Dance Professional Development Study Project – January + February 2024 (funded by the Ontario Arts Council<\/a>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The ORIE wishes to acknowledge its gratitude to the Ontario Arts Council<\/a> for funding for this important dance project.<\/p>\n

\"Ontario<\/a><\/p>\n

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Toronto Rhythm Initiative Explores the Music of Oscar Peterson<\/strong><\/span> – Saturday, July 27, 2019 | Centrepointe Theatre, Ottawa ON<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

“Oscar’s 7 from the Six”<\/span>, a new choreography by ORIE 2018\/19 artist-in-residence Dianne Montgomery<\/a> at the Toronto Rhythm Initiative’s show exploring the music of Oscar Peterson.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Featured:
A selection of Toronto’s professional tap dance community\"\"<\/a>
The ORI Ensemble
TRI Youth Intensive Participants<\/div>\n
Live music from:
Piano: Mark Ferguson
Bass: John Geggie
Drums: Morgan Childs
Guitar\/ Music Direction: Nathan Hiltz<\/div>\n

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TD Ottawa JazzFest 2018 – <\/strong><\/span>Friday, June 22, 2018 | OLG Stage, Ottawa ON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Dancers: Carmelle Cachero, Carolyn H\u00e9bert, Lisa Kilner, David Lafleur, Annie Micucci, Carole Anne Piccinin, Pamela Poulin, Jordan Samonas, Hannah Savoie, Gabriel Wolinsky.<\/p>\n

Special Guest Artists: Travis Knights<\/a>, Tanya Knights, Rebecca Noelle<\/a> and Mackenzie Di Millo<\/p>\n

Musicians: The Fran\u00e7ois Gravel Trio – Fran\u00e7ois Gravel (piano\/musical direction), Michel Delage (drums), Dave Schroeder (bass)<\/p>\n

Tap dance is sound and movement that tells a story\u2026of time, place\u2026and feeling!\u00a0 In June 2018 at the TD Ottawa JazzFest<\/a>, the ORI Ensemble performed new works from leading local and Canadian tap choreographers and repertoire from world Tap Masters. An exciting romp through jazz standards and other memorable tunes, works showcased rhythms of our past and present. The ORI keeps it fresh while showcasing the best of this time-honoured dance form.<\/p>\n

Canadian choreographers: Eric Allan, Ryan Foley, Tanya + Travis Knights, Danny Neilson, Carole Anne Piccinin, Allison Toffan, Kai Somerville, Gabriel Wolinsky. Traditional repertoire:\u00a0 Buster Brown, Willie Bryant and Leonard Reid<\/p>\n

Listen to the ORI Ensemble interview<\/a> with CBC’s All in a Day\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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ORI Ensemble appears on the OLG stage for an hour-long feature performance at TD Ottawa JazzFest<\/a> in June 2018. \u00a0Photo by Jessica Reardon Photography.<\/p>\n

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TADA! Festival
<\/strong><\/span>Our Love is Here to Stay <\/strong>– Saturday, September 9, 2017 | Wakefield Community Centre, Wakefield QC<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At the 2017 TADA! Performance Arts Festival<\/a> in Wakefield, QC, the ORI featured a 20 minute dance compilation all about love – unrequited love, lost love, and love everlasting. A fun romp through the 1920s to the 1970s, each piece showcased music and rhythms of our time.<\/p>\n

Program:
Unrequited Love
Laura: Traditional repertoire | Choreographer: Buster Brown<\/p>\n

Lost Love
Big Yellow Taxi: Contemporary work | Choreographer: Kai Somerville | Vocalist:\u00a0 Mackenzie DiMillo<\/p>\n

Love Everlasting
Shim Sham Shimmy: Traditional repertoire (the “anthem of tap dancing”) | Choreographers: Leonard Reid and Willie Bryant<\/p>\n

\"No<\/p>\n

Big Yellow Taxi (rehearsal)<\/p>\n

TRI Explores the Music of Duke Ellington |August 14, 2016 | The Great Hall, Toronto ON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Featured guest performance:\u00a0 Take The “A” Train. Choreography by: Eric Allan + Carole Anne Piccinin<\/p>\n

Event Poster<\/a><\/p>\n

\"No<\/p>\n

Collected Soles – A rhythm tap and jazz music show (inaugural show) – <\/em><\/strong>Sunday, June 2, 2013\u00a0 | Arts Court Theatre, Ottawa ON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Check out this cool teaser clip<\/a> from ORI’s first rhythm tap performance.<\/p>\n

\"Collected<\/a>\"Concert<\/a><\/p>\n

\"No<\/p>\n

Featuring: \u00a0The 2012\/13 ORI Concert Group (photo above)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Back row, left to right:<\/strong>\u00a0 Patrick Kidney, Marie Brislinger, Simon Young<\/p>\n

Front row, left to right :<\/strong> Carmelle Cachero, Carole Anne Piccinin, Lisa Kilner, Peggy Soria<\/p>\n

Missing from photo:<\/strong> \u00a0Rebecca Giesbrecht (non-performing contributing member)<\/p>\n

About the 2012\/13 ORI Concert Group<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 2012\/13 ORI Concert Group (ORICG), made up of eight Ottawa dancers, was formed in November 2012. Collected Soles, <\/em>an independently funded program, was created with the support and guidance of Tap Master and acclaimed Manhattan Tap Artistic Director Heather Cornell<\/a>,\u00a0whose rhythm tap and creative process workshops helped set the direction and intention for the show, and was the inspiration for ORICG’s own new collective and individual work. The ORICG also commissioned two rhythm tap artists and choreographers: \u00a02012\/13 ORI Artist-in-Residence Allison Toffan <\/a>– Artistic Producer, Toronto Rhythm Initiative (TRI)\u00a0– who created a new work on ORICG and participating TRI members;\u00a0and\u00a0Dianne Montgomery<\/a> (independent artist\/choreographer) who recreated a selection from her repertoire on ORICG, which was also performed alongside participating TRI members. \u00a0Throughout this process, ORICG also worked collaboratively with Ottawa musicians Craig Pedersen<\/a> (musical director\/bass), Francois Gravel (piano), David Pontello (percussion), Alex Moxon (guitar) to inspire and create work for this show.<\/p>\n

Guest rhythm tap artists: \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n