Support Leon Arts and DOUBLE

DOUBLE, a new dance theatre piece choreographed by Sharon B. Moore, will premiere next month as part of the Citadel LIVE series, presented by Citadel and Compagnie. Running from June 18-21, the piece takes audiences on a surreal ride through spaces large and small as performers Lilia Leon and Irma Villafuerte explore an illogical world, driven by a deep sense of curiosity. Using both English and Spanish text, video design, a gravity-defying set and themes of love and exploration this dance theatre piece will leave you breathless.

DOUBLE is an extremely special project because it’s the very first commission for Leon Arts, a new dance theatre company started by me, Lilia Leon.

I met DOUBLE choreographer, Sharon B. Moore, 18 years ago while I was a student at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, now Dance Arts Institute; at the time, I vowed to work with her and that time is now! You could say this is a dream come true, and a long time coming.

For Sharon, this collaboration is also one she is excited about because, as she puts it, when I asked her to write and choreograph this piece alongside me and co-creator, Irma Villafuerte, “it was an enthusiastic yes, a kind of floating in the air, yes, thank goodness - yes!” She appreciated our intelligent and naturally curious natures and was keen to develop a new piece with us.

As most people reading this know, creating a brand new piece of dance theatre with an original set and a professional team, while paying everyone fairly, is extremely expensive. Right now, I am funding the piece myself, paying my team higher than average rates as this is what aligns with my values. While Toronto Arts Council has supported the piece in the past, Leon Arts is currently operating without any funding from granting bodies.

Because I would love to keep the momentum going for Leon Arts by touring this piece and other work, commissioning more work, mounting more productions and continuing to employ professionals in theatre and dance, I am seeking your help in raising money; my current goal is $6000. While this may not seem like much, it would make a world of difference for the future of the company to meet this goal. The good news? More productions means more amazing shows I can invite you to and more folks I can employ, fostering relationships in the sector.

It’s a hard time for many folks right now, so I understand if donating isn’t possible right now. If this describes you, please consider sharing this with friends, family and colleagues.

If you are able to donate but feel you can only donate a small amount and feel it won’t make a difference, this is not true! Every amount counts; no amount is too small and your support means so much.

Thank you for reading this far and for considering supporting Leon Arts. If you’re not already following the company on Instagram, check us [email redacted]. You can sign up for our newsletter by going to http://eepurl.com/jdaW9o.

DOUBLE CREDITS:

CHOREOGRAPHER, DIRECTOR, WRITER: Sharon B. Moore

PRODUCER, PERFORMER/ CO-CREATOR: Lilia Leon / Leon Arts

PERFORMER/ CO-CREATOR: Irma Villafuerte

PROJECTIONS DESIGNER/ CO-CREATOR: Alejandra Higuera

COMPOSER/ CO-CREATOR: Edgardo Moreno

STAGE MANAGER/ PRODUCTION MANAGER: A. J. Morra

LIGHTING DESIGNER: Theo Belc

SET DESIGN CONCEPT: Sharon B. Moore

SET & PROPS DESIGNER: Curtis Whittaker

COSTUME DESIGNER: Sarah Doucet

ASSISTANT PRODUCER: Em Pettet

Fundraiser banner photography by Magda Arturo