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Vancouver Dance Centre

I Used To Agree With You

Dates 2 - 3 June 2006 Venue Scotia Dance Centre Reviewer Ross Michael Pink


 

Donald Sales - Alex Waterhouse-Hayward
Donald Sales

An eclectic and creative new work was recently presented by Ballet BC dancer Donald Sales whose work,"I Used To Agree With You" is a study in male-female chemistry and seduction. The featured dancers were Stephana Arnold and Chengxin Wei.

Arnold danced with the National Ballet of Canada in the early and mid 1990s and later joined Les Grands Ballets Canadien where she was a principal dancer. She is currently in her third season with Ballet BC.

Wei, who was born in Dalian, China, is a classsically trained dancer also with Ballet BC. Sales, in this work, reflects the fusion of male-female energy and the dance of seduction which mirrors so well the constant pull and push of relationships. He sees himself as diverse, which reflects his interest in many forms of dance from hip hop to classical ballet.

Sales most recent dance role was as Stanley in Ballet BC Artistic Director John Alleyne's work, Streetcar Named Desire. Like Alleyne, who graduated from dancer to choreographer, this is a path that Sales seems intent to walk and one which shows promise.

The chemistry between Wei and Arnold is intense and  reflects the drama of the piece though the music seemed to add a slightly more sombre tone than need  be. Wei has an excellent range of emotion and can deftly move from classical roles to experimental  pieces requiring more modern steps. Sales has choreographed works for Tulsa Dance Theatre  and brings welcome new energy to the evolving world of  choreography.

© 2006 Ross Michael Pink