THE TOMORROW COLLECTIVE

GEORGIA STRAIGHT REVIEWS BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 17

2011-09-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Janet Smith (Georgia Straight arts editor) attended the opening night of Brief Encounters 17... and was far from disappointed! Read her glowing review on the Straight's website here.

Q & A WITH FANTASY STYLIST MYLES LAPHEN

2011-08-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

When we first received photos featuring the remarkable work of fantasy stylist Myles Laphen (see above), we couldn’t help but gasp. For nearly thirty years, Myles has masterfully wielded his impressive arsenal of make-up, hairstyling, and costuming skills to transform and beautify performers in film, television, theatre, and fashion. In Brief Encounters 17, Myles emerges from his comfort zone behind the scenes to go somewhere he rarely goes: onto the stage! We were delighted to speak with Myles about his career highlights (including the final film of a certain Hollywood icon), his initial reaction to the invitation to participate in Brief Encounters, and his current collaboration with Flamenco dancer Rosario Ancer.

Q: Tell me a bit about the work you do.

MYLES: I am a hairstylist by profession. That’s what my job is, and I’ve done so much in the past thirty years in terms of theatre, film, and television. Over the past seven years, I’ve done quite a bit of costume work. As far as passion and direction, it’s always about the visual.

Q: What are some of your career highlights?

MYLES: I did the last movie that Bette Davis was ever in. I did hair and make-up for 21 Jump Street when I was in my twenties. I was hair and makeup supervisor for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. I’ve done Fashion Week for years, and I’ve done a lot of fashion shows and fundraisers. There’s so much.

Q: And now you’re doing Brief Encounters. What did you know about Brief Encounters before you were asked to participate?

MYLES: I didn’t really know much about it at all, to tell you the truth.

Q: So what did you say when Josh and Laura first asked you?

MYLES: My first response was, “No, absolutely not.” I’m not the person that’s out on stage generally. Usually I’m the person that’s running around backstage, putting things together, and other people are on stage. So my first response was, “No. Never. Not in a million years.”

Q: So what made you change your mind, then?

MYLES: I think it was, “Why not? What am I so afraid of?” This is allowing me to break through my boundaries.

Q: How has the process been going for you?

MYLES: It’s been great. My partner is a phenomenal woman. She’s very talented. The process has been easygoing. Rosario has allowed me to be expressive in what I do and she’s doing her bit, and the process has been fun. She’s been teaching me dance moves. That’s been pretty interesting.

Q: Without giving too much away, what can audiences expect from your collaboration?

MYLES: A visual extravaganza.

Q: You’re sound like you’re really taking a risk for yourself with this. Is a challenge for you?

MYLES: It is. It really is. I’m not particularly comfortable being on stage, but Rosario has made me confident. I think it’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to it.

Q: What advice do you have for artists who are asked to participate in future Brief Encounters?

MYLES: It’s a great chance to go in and be as creative as you possibly can with very few limitations. Take a deep breath and jump off.

PAIRINGS ANNOUNCED FOR BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 17!

2011-08-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

The pairings have been announced for Brief Encounters 17, thus beginning two weeks of intense artistic exploration and experimentation for the twelve collaborators.

As with the sixteen previous Brief Encounters, the twelve artists—representing a dozen genres—will receive only two weeks to create their interdisciplinary mash-ups. The outcomes from their efforts will premiere at Brief Encounters 17 (August 31-September 2 at Performance Works).

The pairings are:

contemporary dance artist Josh Martin + spoken word artist Prevail

contemporary dance artist Julia Carr + puppet theatre artist Maggie Winston

fantasy stylist Myles Laphen + flamenco dancer Rosario Ancer

landscape architect Pawel Gradowski + musician Paul Bray

singer/songwriter Dominique Fricot + theatre artist Anita Rochon

visual artist Meghan Currie + film and video artist Jeff Carter

Brief Encounters 17 runs August 31st to September 2nd at Performance Works on Granville Island (1218 Cartwright Street). Doors open at 7:15pm and the performance begins at 8:00pm. Tickets are $22 in advance (online) or $25 at the door (cash only). Advance tickets can be purchased through the Brief Encounters web site at http://www.briefencounters.ca/.

Q & A WITH GUEST PROGRAMMERS LAURA BARRON & JOSH MCNORTON

2011-08-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

We can’t think of a better way to cap off the cloudy summer of 2011 than with a new instalment of Brief Encounters! Brief Encounters 17 (August 31-September 2) has been programmed by guest programmers Laura Barron (a versatile flutist, writer, and yogi) and Josh McNorton (a musician, writer, director, producer, and designer). Their mission: to handpick an exciting line-up of com

pelling artists—and then pair them off into dynamic duos for two weeks of whirlwind artistic creation and interdisciplinary dialogue. The line-up will be announced soon (so watch this space), but in the meantime, read on for a peek behind the curation curtain:

Q: Tell me about your previous experiences) with Brief Encounters. What did it entail, and what did you learn from the experience?

LAURA: My first "encounter" with this incredible show came as an audience member. I had just moved back to Vancouver and I noticed a poster for Brief Encounters 12 at the Anza Club, which is a few blocks from my home. As a flutist, writer, and yogi, this production seemed right up my alley. I have always loved the magic that happens when creative minds intersect. The results are always exponential, especially when the artists come from very different disciplines. I thought that Brief Enc

ounters was the perfect illustration of this alchemy. So, from that first show on, I was hooked and I attended each instalment that I could.

JOSH: I first experienced BE in 2008 when my then-girlfriend, a contemporary dancer, took me to see the show at the Anza Club. I was floored

by the unique

concept and high-calibre performances, developed so

quickly. Since then, my career has taken me away from Vancouver for long stretches of time but I never forgot about Brief Encounters. I knew I was going to be involved someday.

Without a doubt, I have applied principles I gleaned from BE to my

original music and theatre projects, namely forcing artists from disparate disciplines to collaborate under very tight deadlines. I’ve found that interesting work emerges when artists, myself included, don’t have time to over-analyze creative decisions.

Q: Why did you step up to the plate and put yourself forward to co-curate Brief Encounters 17?

JOSH: I have been working closely with artists as a producer, direct

or, manager, and collaborator for years and curation has always fascinated me.

BE was an ideal project to try curating because of its manageable scale and relatively short timeline. Ironically,

when Katy and Mara interviewed me for the position, I had just been hired as the Curator-in-Residence at the Alberta College of Art and Design. To go from ACAD to Brief Encounters was an amazing progression towards what I hope becomes a long career as a curator.

LAURA: I think of myself as a collaborative artist, first and foremost. But really, I'm a "maker" at heart. In other words, I get jazzed making things happen. So, when Mara and Katy announced, at BE 15, that they would be hiring guest programmers for the coming season, my imagination immediately began running wild with ideas of artists that I would propose in my application for the position. This city is simply chock full of amazingly diverse talent, and as I began drafting my dream list, the possibilities seemed infinite. Luckily, I think they sensed my enthusiasm and I was thrilled to be invited to co-curate this show.

Q: What was the most challenging part of co-programming Brief Encounters 17—and how did you meet those challenges?

LAURA: The process ran quite smoothly. As for challenges, there were not many. Of course, as busy artists ourselves, we were in and out of town quite a bit while programming the artists. But that was no problem because of email and skype. So, perhaps patience was the only lesson that I had to learn, because finalizing just the right six pairs took longer than anticipated.

JOSH: Scheduling has definitely been the biggest challenge, as many artists are on tour or on vacation at the end of August. Fortunately, the show has a great reputation within the creative community in Vancouver, so some of the artists we approached were eager to shuffle their schedules in order to be involved. We were unabashed in asking all the people on our wish lists and I think we assembled an excellent group.

Q: What was it like to program with a partner (and thus have a brief-encounter-within-the-brief-encounter)? Had you ever worked with your co-programmer before this?

JOSH: I thrive on collaboration, so programming with Laura was a great opportunity to work with someone new towards a very specific goal that we both believe in. We’re both very flexible and communicative, so it’s been a breeze so far. I haven’t worked with a co-programmer before, per se, but this type of collaboration is not that different from experiences I’ve had in the past.

LAURA: My favourite working relationships have always been in 2's. So, I have had quite a bit of experience co-producing or curating events with partners. I ran a chamber music festival with a clarinet colleague in Arizona for 5 years, I've performed with the same pianist for 10, I've worked with my Vancouver-based duo, Forbidden Flutes, since 1998 and I've been married for 14 years (and, as many people know, that's its own kind of work of art!). Consequently, I've become accustomed to partnerships that have developed over many years. However, Josh and I had never worked together before, yet fortunately we had a very compatible vision for the show. And like that exponential effect that I was talking about, drawing upon our two networks of artistic connections and preferences only broadened our possibilities.

Q: Without giving too much away, tell me about the artists you’ve invited to perform in Brief Encounters 17. Where did you find them?

LAURA: Right away, Josh and I agreed on the disciplines that we hoped to see in the show. We both found some of the performing/non-performing artist pairs in past Brief Encounters quite effective. But we also wanted a good balance of mediums and unusual performing artist pairings as well. I think we approached our curating like chefs of modern cuisine. "How can we combine ingredients that have always been delicious on their own, but never been paired in quite this way before, to create a tantalizing meal?" We had both collaborated with or produced a wide array of artists in Vancouver. So, we certainly drew from some of our favourite colleagues. We were also thinking BIG, and made an effort to approach several high profile artists in their disciplines. We're thrilled with the results of our many weeks of inquiries and we can't wait to see how these artists surprise and amaze the audiences.

JOSH: Laura and I really did our homework and sought out artists from a great variety of disciplines. We were mindful to not rely too much on performative artists – dancers, musicians, actors – and we went outside of our personal networks to find really incredible people.

Q: What advice do you have for the artists heading into the whirlwind Brief Encounters process?

JOSH: Be open to your partner and harness the energy of a fresh collaboration. Go outside of your creative comfort zone. Take a risk and produce something vibrant.

LAURA: Trust your partner. Trust the process. Trust your imagination. And trust that the very concept that has driven Brief Encounters through sixteen great successes will be working for you here.

ANNOUNCING THE LINE-UP FOR BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 17

2011-08-08T10:19:00.001-07:00

PRESS RELEASE: Twelve artists, six pairs, two weeks to create: Brief Encounters 17 caps off a cloudy Vancouver summer with three vibrant nights of multidisciplinary mash-ups.

As with the most recent Brief Encounters, the seventeenth edition (August 31st-September 2nd at Performance Works) has been programmed by a dynamic pair of guest programmers: Laura Barron (a renowned flutist, writer, and yogi) and Josh McNorton (a musician, writer, director, producer, and designer).

Though their backgrounds and artistic disciplines are vastly different, Barron and McNorton share attributes essential for any Brief Encounters guest programmer: both are well-connected to various sectors of the Vancouver arts community; both are natural born collaborators; and both have sat transfixed through previous editions of Brief Encounters and fantasized about how they would program the show if given the chance. “This city is simply chock full of amazingly diverse talent,” said Barron, one half of the Vancouver-based duo Forbidden Flutes since 1998. “As I began drafting my dream list, the possibilities seemed infinite.”

Since its inception six years ago, Brief Encounters (produced by Katy Harris-McLeod and Mara Branscombe of the Tomorrow Collective), has presented more than 180 artists over sixteen spectacular incarnations. Artists receive only two weeks to work with their assigned partner and hammer out their creative offering.

Previous participants have included a hair stylist, a floral artist, a marketing executive, and performers from all genres, and participants in Brief Encounters 17 include theatre artist Anita Rochon, singer/songwriter Dominique Fricot, film and video artist Jeff Carter, contemporary dance artist Josh Martin, contemporary dance artist Julia Carr, spoken word artist Prevail, puppet theatre artist Maggie Winston, visual artist Meghan Currie, fantasy stylist Myles Laphen, musician Paul Bray, landscape architect Pawel Gradowski, and flamenco dancer Rosario Ancer.

“We were unabashed in asking all the people on our wish lists and I think we assembled an excellent group,” said McNorton, who recently completed a contract as the curator-in-residence at the Alberta College of Art and Design.

The pairings for Brief Encounters 17 will be announced on August 17, 2011, on the Tomorrow Collective’s official blog (http://tomorrowcollective.blogspot.com).

Brief Encounters 17 runs August 31st to September 2nd at Performance Works on Granville Island (1218 Cartwright Street). Doors open at 7:15pm and the performance begins at 8:00pm. Tickets are $22 in advance or $25 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased through the Brief Encounters web site at http://www.briefencounters.ca/.

Q & A WITH ACTOR/WRITER/PUPPETEER TARA TRAVIS

2011-04-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

Actor/writer/puppeteer Tara Travis (pictured above with Fluffy) thrives on collaboration—which makes her an ideal candidate for the Brief Encounters experience. Read on for insight into her colourful career (she was mentored by Fraggle Rock alumni!), her artistic motivations, and her Brief Encounters collaborator, electronic musician Ellis Sam.

Q: Briefly tell me about your work. What’s your artistic passion? Career highlights?

T: I'm a collaborative artist by nature. Organic creation is where I'm most comfortable. I've never been the sort to sit down at a computer and write a play. I love character-based creation; inventing really rich characters and then throwing them into a situation and seeing what they say...then eventually writing it down. My artistic passion is for performance and creation in all forms. As an actor, I enjoy the opportunity to work more traditionally: with existing text, building a character from that information, finding fresh impulses within a provided dialogue. My preference is for original work, however. I love the creation process, building things, being a part of every facet of the production. I also appreciate creative control...being able to fix something if it isn't working.

Career highlights? Hmm. I've loved everything I've ever done. I'm always just grateful to be working. The time I was scouted by producers for a PBS puppet show was pretty cool. I was mentored by Fraggle Rock alumni for a few seasons. They were amazingly generous and beautiful people. I'll never forget my time with them. I also love every time I get to step into creation with my dear friend and company partner, Ryan Gladstone. He invited me into his company (Monster Theatre) about four years ago, and we've been creating and touring original works together ever since. http://www.monstertheatre.com if you're curious. But like I said, my entire career has been a highlight. I just love any time I get to do what I do for a living. I thank my lucky stars every day.

Q: What did you say when Cris and Heather first asked you to participate in Brief Encounters?

T: Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Brief Encounters is the answer to the question that plagues many of us in the arts: "How do we find new audiences?" As an audience member myself, I've gone on to attend a number of cultural events that I wouldn't have otherwise considered had it not been for my exposure via Brief Encounters. It's a beautiful format, and a revolutionary idea. I can't believe I get to be a part if it. I'm still pinching myself.

Q: What are you hoping to get out of the Brief Encounters process?

T: A new friend or two, insider's knowledge into a new artistic practice, and a piece of collaborative work that I'm proud of. Those things are already happening. I couldn't be happier!

Q: What are you most excited about re: Brief Encounters 16? Is there anything that you’re dreading?

T: I'm excited to see the work of the other pairings. I'm a huge fan of many of the artists involved, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the others. I'm dreading the time where I briefly doubt our creation. It happens to me every time I do something new. I'm so excited about it, and then there's this period of, "Oh, no. This is terrible. What was I thinking? I thought this was good. Oh, God. What am I going to do?" And then I get over it, and it usually turns out okay. I've come to accept that it's part of my creative process, but I still never enjoy it!

Q: Tell me about your Brief Encounters collaborator. Without giving too much away, what can Brief Encounters 16 audiences expect from this collaboration?

T: My collaborator is the incredibly multi-talented electronic musician, Ellis Sam. What people don't know is that he has an improvisation background, he's studied clown forms like bouffon... and he's got this subtle, whip-smart, wicked sense of humour about him. He also has a wisdom beyond his years. Brief Encounters 16 collaborators will see an electronic musician and a puppeteer-writer-actor performing an original piece in which their collective goal was to inform and explore each others' practices. Our seed of inspiration was the exploration of a shared fear...but the final product has wandered from that original concept.

Q: What advice do you have for artists who participate in future Brief Encounters?

T: Be open. Do your best not to decide what you want it to be when you go into the room for the first time. Ask your partner lots of questions. Learn as much about them as possible, and start from a common place. Oh, and don't forget to have fun.

Q & A WITH ALT-FOLK SINGER CHRISTA COUTURE

2011-04-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

We’ve already heard from one half of this dynamic duo (actor Heather Doerksen); now find out what the other half of the equation—celebrated alt-folk singer Christa Couture—thinks about her upcoming Brief Encounters collaboration (including one compelling hint at the very end).

Q: Briefly tell me about your work. What’s your artistic passion? Career highlights?

C: I'm a singer-songwriter and usually reply "alt-folk" to the genre question. My passion is to sing and though I mostly accompany myself on the guitar, I truly LOVE playing piano. Music, song, the human voice - that's what really gets me going. One of my career highlights was performing at the Skydome for the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and also performing at the Vancouver Folk Festival. This summer I'm booked to perform at The Winnipeg Folk Festival which has been a goal of mine for a long time so just being booked is already a highlight!

Q: What did you say when Cris and Heather first asked you to participate in Brief Encounters?

C: In an email to Cris my reply was "whaaa? me? I would love to!"

Q: What are you hoping to get out of the Brief Encounters process?

C: A new experience. And so far it has been! As a songwriter I've always created 100% alone - it's a rather private process really. Once a song is done, I'll practice and practice it until I'm ready to share it with an audience, other musicians or a producer. But in this Brief Encounters process, there isn't time for me to be so precious! I've really had to let that guard down and it's been both nerve wracking and a relief.

Q: What are you most excited about re: Brief Encounters 16?

C: I'm most excited to see what everyone else has created! I can't wait to see all the new work and collaborations.

Q: Tell me about your Brief Encounters collaborator. Without giving too much away, what can Brief Encounters 16 audiences expect from this collaboration?

C: My collaborator is actor Heather Doerksen. She has been so wonderful and fun to work with - totally receptive and open to any and all ideas and ready to try anything. Her versatility is incredible. Gratefully she's also a director and so she's been great at making sure we have enough time to explore, focus and rehearse. And she takes great notes, which has really helped during our brainstorming days. She's definitely keeping us grounded. She's great! As for what to expect from our collaboration, I can tell you one thing: red lipstick.

Q & A WITH WRITER/PERFORMANCE ARTIST AMBER DAWN

2011-04-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

Amber Dawn is no stranger to pushing boundaries—but in Brief Encounters 16, the multi-talented writer/performance artist will push herself further than ever before when she collaborates with actor/writer/comedian Jason Bryden. Below, Amber tells us how she’s feeling as she heads into the Brief Encounters collaborative process:

Q: Tell me about your work. What’s your artistic passion? Career highlights?

A: I'm primarily a writer, which means I work mostly in solitude, often locking myself in my apartment for long (and somewhat crazy-making) lengths of time. My work often deals with sex and queer sexuality. I'm also the Director of Programming at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival.

Q: What did you say when Cris and Heather first asked you to participate in Brief Encounters?

A: I am a huge Brief Encounters fan. I've always hoped to one day be invited. When Cris ask me to participate it was an easy "yes." After I agreed, I began to get the jitters. I have not had the experience of collaborating very much in my creative practice. All of these insecurities about being "a real artist" came up. I'll probably have the butterflies until the very end of the final show.

Q: What are you hoping to get out of the Brief Encounters process?

A: I work in isolation too much. I need a fresh challenge - the kind of challenge that only a new perspective can offer. I want to feel that thrill of being out of my comfort zone. Also, I hope we don't flop!

Q: Tell me about your Brief Encounters collaborator. Without giving too much away, what can Brief Encounters 16 audiences expect from this collaboration?

A: I know I'm going to learn a lot from Jason (my BE partner). Just reading his CV makes my head spin a little. He's been in upwards of fifty films and TV shows. He's a funny and talented fellow. He's no stranger to being on stage. His comic timing is impeccable. He's not afraid to be the butt of his own joke. He's not afraid of racy satire. I think we'll have fun together.

Q&A WITH ACTOR HEATHER DOERKSEN

2011-04-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

Whether she’s on stage or on screen, actor Heather Doerksen leaves audiences breathless. In Brief Encounters 16, Doerksen will work with folk singer Christa Couture to weave a compelling story that'll get audiences talking.

Q: Briefly tell me about your work. What’s your artistic passion? Career highlights?

H: I trained in Theatre at SFU, and since graduating, have found myself drawn to the stage, to the screen, to voiceover work, and to motion capture for video games and cartoons. I enjoy how the different mediums work to get a message across: the stage (3D and visceral), the screen (2D and removed), the disembodied voice across the airwaves, the unvoiced body moving in space captured by computers to be animated over top of. Career highlights thus far have been the calibre of performers I've had the chance to collaborate with, including a couple days of work with Kathy Bates wherein she asked, "Have you trained in the theatre, Heather?" When I told her I had gone to school for it, she nodded approvingly and replied, "That's good, I can tell." Mixing stage and film together (one feeding the other) is something I'm very passionate about.

Q: What did you say when Cris and Heather first asked you to participate in Brief Encounters?

H: Heather got a hold of me, and here was my emailed response: "I would love to be involved! Thanks for thinking of me. It makes me really nervous, but because of that, I must say yes, yes?"

Q: What are you hoping to get out of the Brief Encounters process?

H: I'm hoping to get out of my habitual ways of creating. I'm hoping to challenge myself, and scare myself, and do something that is a risk for me, artistically.

Q: What are you most excited about re: Brief Encounters 16?

H: At this point, Christa and I have met up twice, and have many more rehearsals to hone our show. So we're just creating a whole mishmash of ideas and throwing them into the pot. Dialogue and songs are being created and flung all over the place, we have a lot of material. Eventually (SOON!) we'll have to narrow it down!! I'm excited to share it with the Brief Encounters audiences, and feel them there on the journey with us.

Q: Tell me about your Brief Encounters collaborator. Without giving too much away, what can Brief Encounters 16 audiences expect from this collaboration?

H: Christa Couture (besides having a fabulous name) is so quick at coming up with songs that just seem to fit the mood of the scene we happen to be talking about. I am a little bit in awe and giddy watching her in her element. Again, we are at the beginning stages, but you can probably bet that our finished show will include singing, storytelling, and two women on a journey of sorts, finding their way home through the chaos.

PAIRINGS FOR BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 16!

2011-04-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

We're excited to announce the pairings for Brief Encounters 16, thus beginning two weeks of intense artistic exploration and experimentation for the twelve collaborators.

As with the fifteen previous Brief Encounters, the twelve artists—representing the spectrum of genres—will receive only two weeks to create their multidisciplinary mash-ups. The outcomes from their efforts will premiere at Brief Encounters 16 (April 14-16 at Performance Works).

The pairings are:

Benjamin Larose (garment sculpture artist) + Hank Pine (musician/graphic artist)

Tara Travis (actor/writer/puppeteer) + Ellis Sam (electronic musician)

Jason Bryden (actor/writer/comedian) + Amber Dawn (writer/performance artist)

Heather Doerksen (stage/film actor) + Christa Couture (folk singer)

Leigh Christie (visual art engineer) + Chris Gestrin (jazz musician)

Clancy Dennehy (filmmaker/drummer) + Shyama-Priya (fancy dancer)

Brief Encounters 16 was curated by guest programmers Cris Derksen (punk cellist) and Heather Lindsay (theatre artist).

Brief Encounters 16 runs April 14-16 at Performance Works on Granville Island (1218 Cartwright Street). Doors open at 7:15pm and the performance begins at 8:00pm. Tickets are $20 in advance or $23 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased through the Tomorrow Collective’s web site (http://www.tomorrowcollective.com). [NOTE: Box office information has changed since the earlier press release. Tickets are not available through Tickets Tonight].

LINE-UP ANNOUNCED FOR BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 16!

2011-03-31T16:01:00.000-07:00

Twelve artists, six pairs, two weeks to create: Brief Encounters returns this Spring with a high-octane line-up of multidisciplinary mash-ups.

For Brief Encounters co-producers Katy Harris-Mcleod and Mara Branscombe of the Tomorrow Collective, the change in seasons brings a pair of new babies and a fresh twist on the Brief Encounters experience: a different team of guest programmers will curate each show.

Up first: punk cellist Cris Derksen and theatre artist Heather Lindsay.

“It’s a brief encounter within the Brief Encounter,” said Branscombe. “Both of these artists have participated in Brief Encounters before, so they know the drill. However, the experience of pairing artists is new to them, and it’ll be exciting to witness the magic that transpires.”

Since its inception five years ago, the popular series has presented more than 168 artists over fifteen spectacular incarnations. Artists receive only two weeks to work with their assigned partner and hammer out their creative offering. Though the programmers are different, artists participating in Brief Encounters 16 face the same whirlwind creation process that has made the series a perennial crowd-pleaser. “It’s an artistic blind date,” said Harris-McLeod. “Amazing things can and do happen under the gun.”

Previous participants have included a hair stylist, a floral artist, a marketing executive, and performers from all genres, and participants in Brief Encounters 16 include performance artist Amber Dawn, garment sculpture artist Benjamin Larose, musician and composer Chris Gestrin, folk singer Christa Couture, filmmaker and drummer Clancy Dennehy, electronic musician Ellis Sam, theatre/film actor Heather Doerksen, musician and graphic artist Hank Pine, actor and comedian Jason Bryden, visual art engineer Leigh Christie, fancy dancer Shyama Priya Singh, and actor/writer/puppeteer Tara Travis.

Brief Encounters 16 runs April 14th to 16th at Performance Works on Granville Island (1218 Cartwright Street). Doors open at 7:15pm and the performance begins at 8:00pm. Tickets are $20 in advance or $23 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased through the Tomorrow Collective web site at http://www.tomorrowcollective.com.

Q & A WITH GUEST CURATOR CRIS DERKSEN

2011-03-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

Photo by Alex Waterhouse-Hayward

Vancouver cellist Cris Derksen brings passion and energy to all her fiery performances, so it comes as no surprise that she’s approaching her stint as guest co-curator of Brief Encounters 16 (April 14-16 at Performance Works) with the same vigour. Below, Cris tells us what it’s like to be on the other side of the Brief Encounters experience—and gives us a few cryptic clues on the line-up for Brief Encounters 16, too.

Q: Tell me about your previous Brief Encounter.

Cris: My Brief Encounter was with a hair stylist. It was my favourite show of 2008; it even beat out performing in Spain! The reason it was so amazing was because Norman the Hair Guy is an absolutely brilliant man. I perform with loops and it was his idea to get a backlit screen so I could create a loop in front of the audience, go behind the screen and the audience could see him "cut my hair" (really he cut wigs). Then I'd put on the wig and perform the next little song according to my hair. The first song was kind of an intro song, then I came out with blue punk hair and played something somewhat metal, and finally it was this giant regal wig, in which I then played something very regal.

Q: Why did you step up to the plate and put yourself forward to co-curate Brief Encounters 16?

C: I was a curator-in-residence for Vancouver East Cultural Centre (The Cultch) last year. It was a super-rewarding experience. As an artist, I think it's important to know different aspects of the industry because it provides a different perspective. In my art, I really like putting diverse ideas together, so putting together people I know have a multitude of ideas is pretty rad—kind of like a weird form of puppetry.

Q: What was the most challenging part of co-curating Brief Encounters 16—and how did you meet those challenges?

C: I think our (Heather and I) biggest challenges have been time and time conflicts. It's really challenging working under a tight deadline to book artists that we know and love when they’ve already committed to other projects. That being said, I'm stoked to see the artists we have booked create something that's never been done before.

Q: What was it like to curate with a partner (and thus have a brief-encounter-within-the-brief-encounter)? Had you ever worked with Heather before this?

C: I hadn't worked with Heather, but when she was paired for Brief Encounters, she worked with Joy, who is one of my best friends (and my drummer). So although I didn't really know her going into this, I felt completely safe and secure knowing she was friends with one of my besties. Working with Heather has been golden. We know what we have to do, and we're getting it done.

Q: Without giving too much away, tell me about the artists you’ve invited to perform in Brief Encounters 16.

C: Hmmmm... feathers, wood, bolts, string, skin, sky, zippers, voice, smile, buttons, nobs, and a little bit of hops.

Q: As a past Brief Encounters participant, what advice do you have for the artists heading into the whirlwind Brief Encounters process?

C: Let it happen for you. You know what you’re doing.

A NEW SEASON BRINGS CHANGES FOR BRIEF ENCOUNTERS

2011-03-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Spring is traditionally a time of rebirth and renewal, and no one seems to be taking this more seriously than Katy Harris-Mcleod and Mara Branscombe, co-producers of Brief Encounters. For Katy and Mara, the change of seasons means new babies and exciting changes for their popular performance series, including the introduction of a general manager (Kristina Lemieux) and the first in a series of guest curating teams. Below, Katy and Mara take you inside their new roles as mothers and mentors, and introduce you to the guest curators for Brief Encounters 16 (April 14-16, 2011)—Cris Derksen and Heather Lindsay—who’ll experience what the producers describe as a “brief encounter within the Brief Encounter.”

Q: So… how’s life treating you? Anything new and monumental happen in your lives lately?

Mara: The greatest creation to date yet! I gave birth to my daughter Desa-Rose on January 1, 2011. She is an amazing little being, full of personality and smiles.

Katy: I moved to Montreal in August of 2010 so now I'm working on the show from far away. The fact that we now have a general manager and two guest programmers makes this possible. Not to mention that Mara and I have a great working relationship, though I miss her and my community in Vancouver. I'll be flying back to Vancouver for the production week and will be bringing a very special little person with me. His name is Emilien and he was born on November 18, 2010. In fact he is waking up as I write this so I better type quickly...

Q: You’re both stepping away from the curatorial role and inviting other artists to curate Brief Encounters. What is your role this time around?

M: Our role this time is to mentor the guest programmers and guide them in the curation process. This includes everything from choosing the artists, to pairing them, to being an "outside eye" in the artists’ creation time, to witnessing and giving feedback during the tech and dress rehearsals, to introducing the artists to one another, getting them ready for the show by having a pre-show circle peptalk, and lastly to hosting the three nights of the actual show.

Q: Were you at all nervous to hand over the curatorial reins?

K: We were a bit nervous, but if we couldn't handle nerves, we never would have invented something like Brief Encounters in the first place, which (due to it's under-the-gun nature) can sometimes be quite nerve-wracking. Taking risks yields exciting results.

Q: How will this show differ from previous Brief Encounters?

M: It's like a Brief Encounter within Brief Encounters. Cris and Heather will be having a Brief Encounter of their own, learning how to work with each other and guide the artists into their two week creation process.

K: Cris and Heather aren't re-inventing the wheel because the concept and format of the show is already set. However, they are bringing their own flavour to it. They are both really connected and involved in the music and theatre communities in Vancouver, not to mention being very hip ladies, so I know they had a lot of artists and connections to draw from. I think it was really exciting for them to have the opportunity to offer this experience to the artists they admire.

Q: Why did you select Cris and Heather to co-curate Brief Encounters 16?

M: They have each been in the show in the past. And we know they have had experience in the curation and programming of other shows. Heather was our stage manager for Brief Encounters 15 and we were really impressed with her work. And the Tomorrow Collective has performed with Cris in the past, and we are big fans of her work. We had a good feeling about the two of them being the first guest programmers.

K: We thought they would both excel in the role. We knew they would each bring something different to the table but at the same time they would be able to work well together. In addition, they have both participated as artists in the series (Cris with a hair dresser and Heather with a drummer) and thus they will be sympathetic to the needs of the artists involved.

Q: What advice did/do you have for Cris and Heather?

M: Trust that the show will come together and be amazing! Offer the most support and presence possible to the artists and technicians. Enjoy the shows: you brought these artists together, and you are raising the level of vibrancy, diversity, and innovation of live art in this city.

K: Pick a diverse group of artists. Think very carefully about the pairings and attempt to create pairings in which the artists will be challenged (within reason for a 2 week creation period). Communicate. Support the artists. Have fun.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share with me?

K: If people are interested in being considered for the role of guest programmer they can contact us. See you all at the show!

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

2010-10-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

The Tomorrow Collective is now accepting applications for the position of guest programmer for Brief Encounters 16 (spring 2011) and Brief Encounters 17 (fall 2011). The selected applicant will work with another guest programmer, under the mentorship of the artistic directors, to select and pair 12 artists and to produce and host the show. This position is grant dependent and will be paid by honorarium. The amount will be discussed before any contracts are signed.

Please submit a 1 page letter of intent and a resume by October 20th. Submissions and inquiries can be made to tomorrowcollective@yahoo.ca

Q & A WITH INVENTOR-PRENEUR KEVIN ROYES

2010-09-29T16:31:00.001-07:00

PHOTO of inventor-preneur Kevin Royes

Inventor-preneur (and recent winner on CBC Television’s Dragons’ Den) Kevin Royes has been a fan of Brief Encounters since the beginning, but he’d never pictured himself on the Brief Encounters stage until Brief Encounters 14, when he watched Marketing Executive Marshall Rutmann take the plunge. Read on for some insight into Kevin’s upcoming collaboration with theatre artist Adrienne Wong—and see the end result for yourself in Brief Encounters 15!

Q: You describe yourself as an inventor-preneur. What is that exactly?

K: An inventor creates the product or the ideas, but for me it’s important to not just have ideas for products, but to build a business model for it as well. For me, inventorship is an artform. Like an artist, you can see something in your mind and then you start bringing it into the world until it’s there. There is a part of it that is definitely art.

Q: What were you hoping to get out of the Brief Encounters process?

K: Probably the biggest thing that’s been really cool for me is to collaborate on something. I do sometimes work with people to get the product made, but like a painter, an inventor doesn’t work with a lot of other people. When you paint something, it’s coming out through you and you alone, so for me it’s the first time in my life that I’ve truly collaborated. Working with Adrienne has been awesome, and there’s no doubt that what we’ve come up with together has evolved since our first meeting, and it’s an upward spiral. It’s pretty cool.

Q: What was that first meeting like? Was it difficult to find a common language when you first sat down with her?

K: No, because we hit it off right away, and we just started talking about each other’s work. In that first meeting, we left thinking we had a great idea, but it had no substance to it. It was just a cool idea. Our second meeting is when we said, “hold on, let’s back up and ask each other what’s really important for each of us in our work and then start there, to make sure that what we create is expressing the deepest values in each of our fields.” We stepped back, got grounded, and what we’ve come up with is completely different from that first meeting.

Q: How do you think this collaborative experience is going to change how you approach your work in the future, if at all?

K: I’ve been pretty selfish about my work. It’s been important for me to express myself through my work. “It’s my tool. Me, me, me.” This has taught me how collaborating can actually make something better. When we’re in a bubble, we tend to spin in that bubble, but through collaborating we can actually create something better, and it’s also showing me that I have the ability to let go and be open to those kinds of conversations, whereas before, I wasn’t.

Q: What advice do you have for artists who are asked to participate in future Brief Encounters?

K: Art is about expressing soul, and my advice would be to be clear about what’s important to you in your work and that you want to express, and have that as a foundational element to start from.

Q & A WITH SINGER-SONGWRITER LEAH ABRAMSON

2010-09-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

What's better than one Leah Abramson? Four Leah Abramsons!

Leah Abramson’s MySpace bio states that she “writes songs in East Vancouver, sings with her electric guitars, and attempts to not take herself too seriously”—and after chatting with Leah today, we couldn’t agree more with that last sentiment. Read on for an illuminative Q & A with one of Vancouver’s most down-to-Earth recording artists—and check out her collaboration with performance painter Pamela Masik at Brief Encounters 15!

Q: What did you say when Katy and Mara first asked you to participate in Brief Encounters?

Yes. Awesome. Great. Let’s do it.

Q: What were you hoping to get out of the Brief Encounters process?

L: I was hoping to challenge myself in the art I create and push my boundaries and work with somebody who had a different artistic or aesthetic sense about them.

Q: Was there anything that you were dreading about being part of Brief Encounters?

L: I don’t know if I was necessarily dreading anything, but I was definitely nervous about finding out who I’d be paired with, and after I found out that it was Pamela, I was nervous because I had no idea what our collaboration would look like.

Q: What can Brief Encounters audiences expect from your collaboration with Pamela?

L: They can definitely expect a view into the collaborative process and how we learned about each other and how we showed each other what we were doing. You get a peek into each of our learning processes and how we taught each other about what we do.

Q: What was that first meeting like? Was it hard to find a common language?

L: It wasn’t hard in terms of our ideas, because the volley back and forth of our ideas was really good, but I find the way that we thought about things and described things was really different. She’s a very visual person, so when we were describing what we were envisioning, hers was very much based on looking at the stage, whereas I was concerned more with how things would sound and how they might be interpreted.

Q: How do you think that this collaborative experience is going to change how you approach your work in the future?

L: I’ve come to the realization that how things look also has an impact on the audience, whereas before I didn’t really think about that at all and I didn’t really care about that at all, and working with Pamela has made me realize that you can affect an audience by what they see as well, so thinking about that dimension in my performance is probably a good thing.

Q: What advice do you have for artists who participate in future Brief Encounters?

L: Be prepared to devote some serious time to it, and be really open to whatever happens both in yourself and in your partner.

BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 15 ON THE RADIO

2010-09-26T18:29:00.000-07:00

PHOTO: Experimental filmmaker Alex Mackenzie

Artists participating in Brief Encounters 15 will appear on not one but TWO CiTR 101.9 FM radio shows this week!

On Monday, cellist Peggy Lee will chat with Robyn Jacob on The Rib. Tune in to 101.9 FM at 4:00pm.

And on Wednesday at 5:00pm, experimental filmmaker Alex Mackenzie will appear on The Arts Report.

Both shows will stream live at http://www.citr.ca.

Q & A WITH SPOKEN WORD POET SCRUFFMOUTH

2010-09-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

PHOTO: Spoken word poet Scruffmouth

You've already heard from cellist Peggy Lee (below), and now you get to hear from her collaborator, spoken word poet Scruffmouth, whom Peggy described in her Q & A as smart and intuitive. Read on for insight into their collaboration, and check out the end result at Brief Encounters 15!

Q: Briefly tell me about your work. What’s your artistic passion? Career highlights?

S: I am a dub poet. The content of my work deals with social consciousness and spiritual truth through knowledge of self. Some career highlights include making the 2008 Vancouver Poetry Slam team as Grand Champion and performing spoken word for the TV movie event, Fallen and the feature film, Love Happens.

Q: What did you say when Katy and Mara first asked you to participate in Brief Encounters?

S: Yes.

Q: What are you hoping to get out of the Brief Encounters process?

S: Experience and Exposure.

Q: What are you most excited about re: Brief Encounters 15? Is there anything that you’re dreading?

S: I am most excited about performing at the Performance Works and seeing the other artists and their collaborations. I was thinking about dreading my hair, but I will probably keep it in an afro.

Q: Tell me about your Brief Encounters collaborator. Without giving too much away, what can Brief Encounters 15 audiences expect from this collaboration?

S: An epic creation story that combines ancestral rhythms and the oral tradition.

Q: What advice do you have for artists who participate in future Brief Encounters?

S: Ponder and deliberate before you make your move.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share with me?

S: Scruffmouth will be involved in another collaboration with interdisplinary artists at ANU 8, October 8th at the Roundhouse. It is an improvised performance and spontaneous collaboration on the theme of hunger.

WESTENDER RECOMMENDS BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 15

2010-09-23T16:12:00.000-07:00

We love Vancouver's arts & entertainment weeklies! Thank you to WE-Westender for shining the spotlight on Brief Encounters 15 in their weekly 'WE recommends' column.

Here's what they had to say about Brief Encounters 15:

“We’re all suckers for Odd Couple-esque pairings, and Brief Encounters does not disappoint. In its 15th iteration, this celebration of invention and creativity gives 12 randomly paired artists just two weeks to make multidisciplinary mash-ups. This year’s couples include butoh dancer Barbara Bourget (pictured above) with experimental filmmaker Alex Mackenzie; cellist Peggy Lee and poet Scruffmouth; inventor Kevin Royes and theatre artist Adrienne Wong; contemporary dancer Alison Denham and environmental writer Mitch Anderson; burlesque performer Burgundy Brixx and Leaky Heaven Circus director Steven Hill; and singer-songwriter Leah Abramson with performance painter Pamela Masik. Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Performance Works (1218 Cartwright), 7:15pm. Tickets $18-$20 from TicketsTonight.ca.”

BRIEF ENCOUNTERS IS A 'BEST OF VANCOUVER'

2010-09-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today the Georgia Straight released its annual Best of Vancouver issue, and we were delighted to find Brief Encounters named Best multimedia mashup!

"Brief Encounters pairs up artists from diverse genres to create new short works. Just take a look at the dynamic duos working together at the next event, its 15th edition, at Performance Works from September 30 to October 2: a butoh dancer and an experimental filmmaker, a contemporary dancer and an environmental writer, and a burlesque performer and a theatre director. The shows, produced by the Tomorrow Collective, have the feel of spontaneous combustion (the pairs have only two weeks to craft their creation), with an unfettered sense of risk and experimentation—all set in a cool, loungey atmosphere. They’re a catalyst for connection amid a cultural community that’s often divided into separate genres: over its five years of existence, Brief Encounters has hooked up no fewer than 156 artists." (Check out the full ‘Best of’ list online at http://www.straight.com/article-347289/vancouver/2010-contributors-picks-arts).

Thank you, Georgia Straight!

Q & A WITH CELLIST PEGGY LEE

2010-09-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

Photo by Chris Cameron

Peggy Lee is an accomplished cellist with an appetite for adventure—which makes her an ideal candidate for Brief Encounters! Read on for some insight into Peggy’s work, and check out the end result of her collaboration with Scruffmouth (spoken word poet) at Brief Encounters 15.

Q: Briefly tell me about your work. What’s your artistic passion? Career highlights?

P: My work is extremely varied, from opera to improv, which keeps me on my toes and engaged. Highlights have generally been the wackier of the situations ie. playing on top of the Dolomite mountains in Italy for surprised hikers or in Seabiscuit's barn in California. But generally I just feel lucky to be playing with the people I play with on an ongoing basis. We've got some gems in this town.

Q: What did you say when Katy and Mara first asked you to participate in Brief Encounters?

P: I said of course. This kind of thing is right up my alley and fortunately the timing worked out .

Q: What are you hoping to get out of the Brief Encounters process?

P: Just to stretch a little and connect with someone new.

Q: Tell me about your Brief Encounters collaborator. Without giving too much away, what can Brief Encounters 15 audiences expect from this collaboration?

P: Well, we only just met so I can't presume to know all that Scruffmouth is about but I do know that he is really smart and really intuitive, which is a great combination. I'm looking forward to finding a way in.

ANNOUNCING THE PAIRINGS FOR BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 15!

2010-09-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Drumroll, please: we're excited to announce the pairings for Brief Encounters 15!

Barbara Bourget- Butoh dancer
+
Alex Mackenzie- Experimental filmmaker

Peggy Lee- Cellist
+
Scruffmouth- Spoken word poet

Kevin Royes- Inventor
+
Adrienne Wong- Theatre artist

Alison Denham- Contemporary dance artist
+
Mitch Anderson- Environmental writer

Burgundy Brixx- Burlesque dancer
+
Steven Hill- Theatre director

Leah Abramson- Singer/Songwriter
+
Pamela Masik- Performance painter

Now begins the whirlwind creation process that makes Brief Encounters so special. Check out the final results at Brief Encounters 15 (September 30-October 2, 2010, at Performance Works)!

ANNOUNCING THE LINE-UP FOR BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 15

2010-09-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE: Twelve artists, six pairs, two weeks to create: Brief Encounters returns in late September with a high-octane line-up of multidisciplinary mash-ups.

Since its inception five years ago, the hugely popular series has presented more than 156 artists over fourteen spectacular incarnations. Artists receive only two weeks to work with their assigned partner and hammer out their creative offering.

Previous participants have included a hair stylist, a floral artist, a marketing executive, and performers from all genres, and participants in Brief Encounters 15 include butoh dancer/choreographer Barbara Bourget, cellist Peggy Lee, experimental filmmaker Alex Mackenzie, inventor Kevin Royes (a recent winner on television’s Dragons' Den), burlesque dancer Burgundy Brixx, spoken word poet Kevan Cameron (also known as “Scruffmouth”), theatre director Steven Hill, contemporary dance artist Alison Denham, singer/songwriter Leah Abramson, theatre artist Adrienne Wong, performance painter Pamela Masik, and environmental writer Mitch Anderson. The pairings for Brief Encounters 15 will be announced on September 15, 2010, on the Tomorrow Collective’s official blog (http://tomorrowcollective.blogspot.com).

“Attendance grows each and every time,” said Mara Branscombe, who produces Brief Encounters with her Tomorrow Collective collaborator Katy Harris-Mcleod. “Brief Encounters has a momentum that just won’t quit.”

And that momentum will continue despite significant life changes in the lives of both producers: Harris-Mcleod recently relocated to Montreal, and both producers are entering their third trimesters of pregnancy. “[Harris-Mcleod] and I are really excited about the future of Brief Encounters,” said Branscombe.

Brief Encounters 15 runs September 30th to October 2nd at Performance Works on Granville Island (1218 Cartwright Street). Doors open at 7:15pm and the performance begins at 8:00pm. Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased through Tickets Tonight at 604.684.2787 or online at http://www.ticketstonight.ca.

Q & A WITH AERIALIST KEELY SILLS

2010-04-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

Aerialist Keely Sills will soar to new heights in Brief Encounters 14. Read on for insight into her work, her views on the process, and what we can expect from her BE 14 appearance.

Q: Briefly tell me about your work. What’s your artistic passion? Career highlights?

K: My work mostly seems to do with heights. When I'm not hanging upside down from some circus apparatus, I work as an entertainment rigger or in industrial rope access; both of which involve heights. My artistic passion is to see the circus community in Vancouver grow, evolve strengthen and unite. My artistic vision is to create and participate in aerial work that is acrobatic mixed with highly technical skills- I have a couple of projects that I'm dreaming up currently. Career highlights... I just finished performing as an aerialist in the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2010 Olympics- grand honour. Other career highlights- working on small but meaningful projects with like-minded people. I have some very rewarding experiences like this that keep me alive and inspired.

Q: What did you say when Katy and Mara first asked you to participate in Brief Encounters?

K: Katy and Mara first asked me to participate in Brief Encounters back when they were holding this show at the Office in Gastown. I happened to be on tour with a magician at the time and could not do it. I responded that when they had ceilings that were high enough, ask again! Here I am!

Q: What are you hoping to get out of the Brief Encounters process?

K: I'm hoping to stretch past my comfort zone, create new work, have fun and learn while doing it!

Q: What are you most excited about re: Brief Encounters 14? Is there anything that you’re dreading?

K: I'm most excited about seeing what's going to happen with this collaborative effort. I'm most dreading doing the rigging.

Q: Tell me about your Brief Encounters collaborator. Without giving too much away, what can Brief Encounters 14 audiences expect from this collaboration?

K: Upon meeting my collaborative partner, I thought... nice personality to work with, fun, witty and professional. Expectations from this project: a little circus pizzazz, thought- provoking story telling and that they just want to see us again!!

Q: What advice do you have for artists who participate in future Brief Encounters?

K: Be open minded as that's the only way to be in this kind of work, and relax and enjoy the ride.

PREVIEW ARTICLE IN VANCOUVER COURIER

2010-04-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

Cheryl Rossi from the Vancouver Courier spoke with Raakhi Sinha and Katy Harris-Mcleod about the Brief Encounters experience.

You can check it out online here: http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/artsandentertainment/story.html?id=b87fc914-6b87-4e90-bed8-171c259154b0

ANNOUNCING THE PAIRINGS FOR BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 14

2010-03-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

The artists have been notified of the identity of their artistic blind date, so it is time to share the info with the rest of the world. Here is how we decided to pair the 12 artists:

Aboubacar Camara + Cara Siu (African dancer + floral designer/performer)

Serge Bennathan + Riel Hahn (choreographer + comedian)

Ivan Coyote + Keely Sills (storyteller + aerialist)

Yoshi Hisanaga + Yun Lam Li (hip-hop dancer + visual artist)

Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg + Marshall Rutman (theatrical dance artist + marketing executive)

Owen Belton + Rupinder Sidhu (composer + vocal percussionist/musician)

What will happen remains to be seen...

Q & A WITH THE PRODUCERS

2010-03-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

Mara Branscombe and Katy Harris-Mcleod

Over the last four years, producers Mara Branscombe and Katy Harris-Mcleod have wowed local audiences and artists alike with Brief Encounters, in which twelve artists undergo a whirlwind creative process that Katy calls “creation under the gun.” Katy and Mara recently sat down with their publicist to give visitors to this blog a rare peek behind the Brief Encounters curtain.

Q: Why did you start Brief Encounters?

K: As contemporary dancers, we found that when we went to shows or would perform, the audience was often filled with the same lovely, familiar faces, and people in the general public didn’t know what contemporary dance was. We had the dream of spreading the word and getting more diverse audiences for contemporary dance, and also we were really interested in forms being mixed together and the puzzle of what happens when you take two very different people from different artistic worlds who are both professional and doing well in their world, and then ask them to create a piece that’s a culmination of both. We were curious about what kind of fabulous work can happen in a short time when you don’t have the time to second guess all of your impulses.

Q: What was the initial public reaction to Brief Encounters?

M: Our first show took place at Katy’s old Gastown studio called The Office, and we were blown away by the amount of people lining up at the door eager to get in to see it. We were completely packed that first night, back when it was barebones and raw with no production value at all, back when we were turning light switches on and off to end pieces. We were shocked and thrilled by the response. People were really ready for it.

Q: What is it about Brief Encounters that you think makes it so popular with audiences?

K: You can expect that you’re going to see a lot of talented artists on the stage, but what you can’t expect is what exactly is going to happen between them. I think people like that excitement.

Q: What advice do you give the Brief Encounters artists as they set out on their two weeks of creation?

M: The advice I give is to be open to listen to their partner, and their partner’s interests, to pare down the complexity and to articulate one idea only. I also tell them to have fun, play, be daring, push your own boundaries, go beyond what you usually do, and don’t worry about what the audience is going to think.

Q: Often you invite non-artists to participate in Brief Encounters (past participants have included a chef, and architect, and a hairstylist; Brief Encounters 14 includes a marketing executive). How are these collaborations different from the other ones that are on the bill?

K: They’re not as different as you might think. Even though the tradespeople aren’t classified as artists, we ask them to participate because they have an artistic spark and they’re able to create an interesting piece, which brings into question what’s art and what’s not? Marketing executive is probably that most commercial we’ve had, and I’m really eager to see the end result. We’ll have to talk after it happens!

Q: What kind of feedback have you received from the artists after they’ve gone through the Brief Encounters process?

M: We get feedback like, “it expanded my artistry,” or “I’m going to write a grant now to work with my partner because we want to work together more.” We love to encourage and inspire more of that fusion in the city. Sometimes it is challenging because everyone is busy, so this two-week process can be really crammed and overwhelming, but I really think that the end is always so rich because they’re able to perform it right away, and they have a full audience, and it’s a cabaret venue so people are having drinks and kicking back. Everyone is out to have a great time, and it’s less pressure than premiering a massive new piece in a formal theatre.

Q: What is the biggest challenge that you’ve faced as you’ve produced Brief Encounters?

K: The biggest challenge is gathering the artists, and that’s not because there isn’t an amazing number of artists in Vancouver. It’s because it just takes a long time to get the twelve that we feel are going to work well together and represent a good cross-section of the arts. It’s a slow process, but that’s okay because now that we’re doing only two shows in a year, we’re able to slowly gather the artists over the whole year. So now I’m talking to artists about the October show, which is great. [NB. You can check this blog later in the summer to learn more about Brief Encounters 15!].

DRUMROLL, PLEASE: ANNOUNCING THE LINE-UP FOR BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 14

2010-03-12T14:11:00.000-08:00

PRESS RELEASE: Vancouver’s arts community has impressed Olympic visitors with its world-class talent and evocative work, and the party won’t stop when the athletes and journalists head home. The same rollicking electricity that put Vancouver on the map will be on display in Brief Encounters 14 (April 15-17), where artists from a startling range of mediums will collide in whirlwind creative collaborations.

This latest edition of the multidisciplinary mash-up series features an impressive roster of artists, including dance artist Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, composer Owen Belton, comedian Riel Hahn, aerialist Keely Sills, marketing executive Marshall Rutman, world-renowned choreographer Serge Bennathan, storyteller Ivan Coyote, floral designer and performer Cara Siu, hip hop dancer Yoshi Hisanaga, visual artist Yun Lam Li, African dancer and drummer Aboubacar Camara, and vocal percussionist/musician Rupinder Sidhu. Everyone on this diverse roster is new to Brief Encounters.

As with the previous thirteen installments, these artists will have only two weeks to create their cross-disciplinary offerings. “Magic can happen in those two weeks,” said Mara Branscombe who, along with Katy Harris-Mcleod, co-produces the series under the Tomorrow Collective banner. On April 2, Branscombe and Harris-mcleod will announce the pairings for Brief Encounters 14 via their blog and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/ttcvancouver).

Since the first Brief Encounters in 2004, 144 artists have participated in thirteen shows. Previous participants include dancer-choreographer Wen Wei Wang, singer-songwriter Jill Barber, performance artist Skeena Reece, and composer John Korsud. In an era where many arts organizations are cutting back, Brief Encounters is growing. In September 2009, the series moved from its longtime home at the Anza Club to bigger digs at Granville Island’s Performance Works. “You never know what you’re going to see at a Brief Encounters show, and I think people come to be surprised, entertained, and challenged,” said Harris-Mcleod. “People come to one show, and then they bring their friends to the next one. The growth has been amazing.”

Brief Encounters 14 runs April 15, 16 and 17 at Performance Works on Granville Island (1218 Cartwright Street). Doors open at 7:15pm and the performance begins at 8:00pm. Tickets are $17 in advance or $20 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased through Tickets Tonight at 604.684.2787 or online at http://www.ticketstonight.ca.

2010-03-08T22:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a sneak peek at the promo image for Brief Encounters 14. A fitting image since we have a florist as one of the artists in the show.

INTRODUCTIONS

2010-02-21T14:44:00.001-08:00

image of Wen Wei Wang from Brief Encounters 12 (partner: Pia Massie)

Hello? Hello?

Is anybody out there?

Well, the Tomorrow Collective has finally waded into the blogosphere. Our publicist told us that we should embrace Twitter and blogging and all things social media, and so we're trusting her advice and going where we've never gone before. (For those already "tweeting," you can find us on Twitter by clicking here).

In the next couple months we'll be making some big announcements regarding our four-year-old performance series, Brief Encounters. The 14th edition of Brief Encounters will take place April 15-17 at Performance Works. We'll be announcing our new line-up here, and also profiling some of the artists who'll be taking part in that whirlwind creative process.

Check back soon for updates. We're happy to be with you in the blogosphere and can't wait to see you at Brief Encounters 14!

-Katy & Mara