Holla Jazz will mark its 10th anniversary with a world premiere. The Toronto company will present The Room Upstairs in partnership with DanceWorks and Toronto Dance Theatre at Winchester Street Theatre from April 29 to May 2.
Choreographed by founding artistic director Natasha Powell, it will be a tribute to the impact of legendary jazz musician John Coltrane. Born in 1926, Coltrane died at the age of 40 in 1967.
“For any jazz artist, Coltrane stands as one of the most towering figures of 20th-century music—his influence on my personal practice has been profound and lifelong,” Powell said in a news release. “It feels deeply meaningful to be honouring his legacy in the same year we celebrate Holla Jazz’s 10th anniversary—two milestones that speak to the enduring power of this art form and the artists who shape it.”
The production will be set to a live score with Coltrane’s compositions.
“In creating The Room Upstairs, I was inspired not only by his music, but his creative process,” Powell added. “He was an artist who prioritized his spiritual practice and deeply collaborative relationships with colleagues and family alongside the development of his craft. I wanted to explore the embodiment of Coltrane’s special room through jazz dance—to find that creative space where the boundary between art and life dissolves.”
Holla Jazz describes itself as an award-winning dance company that explores soulful and funky approaches to jazz dance. Powell choreographed its first full-length work, FLOOR’D, which took home a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. She also choreographed Margarita for Fall for Dance North.
Four Toronto-based dancers—Raoul Wilke, Caroline “Lady C” Fraser, Hollywood Jade, and Miha Matevzic—will perform in The Room Upstairs. Tom Richards (trombone), Thompson Egbo-Egbo (piano), Eric West (drums), Scott Hunter (bass), Colleen Allen (saxophone), and Rebecca Hennessey (trumpet) will provide music. Jacob Gorzhaltsan is the music director; Taylor Zalik-Young serves as production and stage manager; and Emerson Kafarowski oversees lighting design. James Kental is the scenic designer and Seika Boye is the dramaturg.
Holla Jazz will present The Room Upstairs in partnership with DanceWorks and Toronto Dance Theatre at Winchester Street Theatre from April 29 to May 2. For tickets and more information, visit the Holla Jazz website. The Toronto Spark is on Bluesky @torontospark.bsky.social.
