HDLTCKNTKR Like a sinuous serpent Kiidm^ up through the waves.
.1 single dancer .1 mermaid rises to survey her surroundings, seeming
larger than life in her flowing costume and long, chestnut drapes of hair
The dancer is Margie, Ciilis. who is known as the "Coddess of Dance" in
her native Canada
"The effect was pure I>eauty Long hair streaming, gown rippling. I*>dy
as pliant as a mermaid's " wrote the South China Morning Post of fu r per
formance of Stephanie Ballard's Mara Criliis praise the warmth and stag"
presence that enables Ciilis to connect with the audience on a personal
level and evoke every sort of emotional response "One doesn't come
across he flame-like intensity of a dancer like Margie Ciilis too often
wrote the New York Times, while the Toronto Star said watching Ciilis is
like having someone grasp your heart and give it ,1 lug squeeze
The daughter of two ()l\ mpii skiers and the sister to Christopher Ciilis
of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Ciilis has been riant mg since she was
three She took classes until she was an adolescent. hut stopper! when her
pan-tils'divorce temporarily shattered her emotional world
At the age n( ill (allis returned to her 1 lassrw and made .1 firm commit
merit in he a performer When she stopped taking classes, her colleagues
tiecame her mentors Her method of dime study has evolved from formal
dance training to an independently derived inspiration from her observa
lions She said she uses whatever she feels she needs at a particular Stage
of her artistic journey
Ciilis 1 an he described as a Uionysis of dance, as opposed to her
Appoloman brother Christopher, with whom she has performed extensive
h However, they differ in their styles and approaches to dance form Of
her brother's love Inr structure and line, Ciilis said, "I am not so much
interested 111 form as in what the initial impulse is How does a thought
translate physically7 How are archetypes and philosophies and images
physicalized7"
Physical expressions of emotion an* the core of her dances, and her
movements are performed on a stage free from fancy fancy props and sets
I he result is that the audience is not so much aware of technique .is of a
fierce energy ignited hv gymnastic strength," wrote the San Francisco
(hmmcle
Ciilis also deals with social and human issues, such as in Mara, in
who h a mermaid who aspires to be human hut is trapped in her fish tail,
and in Nocturne, in who li an aging woman struggles with the pain of lost
youth and vitality
(Dllis single-handedly introduced modern dance to China 111 Jand
was named a Canadian Cultural Ambassador in M181 for her extensive
work throughout Furope and Asia In addition to her solo performances,
she has appeared with Momix. .Stephanie Ballard and Les Crands Ballets
(atiadiens' production of Dracula
She is often compared to Isadora Dun* an for her larger-than-life physical
present e, the same heart-on-sleeve response to music and the same solo
c oncert format She is distinguished by her spontaneity and her seamless
movements
(ollis performs in the Hull Center Sorting theatre Ian IS and Hi at 7 .10
p m Tit kets are available at the KMU anti at the Hull Center or by phone at
087-5000 (hllis will share her artistic philosophies and her choreography
techniques in a "meet th<* artist” opportunity Jan 14 at 12:15 p m in the
Hull Center Lobby She will also onndut t a 1 holography workshop Ian 14
from 7 to 8:10 p m in the I Iniversily's (lerlinger Annex To register for the
workshop, c all Sherrie Barr at t in 1182 by Ian 8
S'ovfiesy ^ho»o
Margie Glllit of Canada will perform her unique aolo dance at the Hult Center Jan. 1S and 16
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