DJD to perform world premiere of Family of Jazz Thursday

The pandemic didn’t make Decidedly Jazz Danceworks disappear exactly. The Calgary dance company that has been around since 1984 found innovative ways to present work in a pandemic that shut down performing arts for audiences. There were several drive in dance performances, where you could park across from the DJD Dance Centre on 12th Avenue, turn on the car radio, and watch the DJD dancers performing through the glass walls of the dance centre.
There were livestreamed performances that were available on your laptop.
Thursday night, DJD will take to the stage to perform its newest work for a full house of Calgary dance lovers.
For DJD Artistic Director Kimberley Cooper, the best way to describe Family of Jazz is through a single word: joy.
"(It's) a joyous celebration," she said, in an email to CTV News. "(It's a) jazz concert for the ears and eyes (that's) dynamic, colourful, physical, groovy, beautiful. (It's a) big breath of fresh air!"
And what figures to make this Family of Jazz special is the blend of bodies in motion and live music – an increasing rarity in a world where digital culture has cut the feet out from under live performers, much to the chagrin of a choreographer like Cooper.
"The relationship between dance and music is essential to jazz and having a live band takes that relationship to the next level," she says. "This band is incredible, two drummers, two horns, keys, bass and a singer, the music is fantastic and I think audiences will have trouble sitting still."
And why is it called Family of Jazz?
"The premise is sort of that the cast and creators are a band, and the band is called Family of Jazz," Cooper said. "The music is very eclectic, some is straight ahead, but much is from the family of jazz- samba, Afrobeat, blues, etc. Jazz is an American art form and most of us are Canadian, a lot of us are white, so we are guests in the form, or as I’m suggesting with the title, family. All of the artists I invited to collaborate - Rubim (Toledo) the musical director - in fact the entire band as well as the guest choreographers feel like my jazz family."
The road back to the joy of performance has been tempered by the solitude and darkness of a pandemic that some days felt as if it would never end, Cooper admitted.
"All experiences do," she said. "This journey through life is a continuous process, what we hold dear can shift and change, we let go of old things and find new things to hold on to, what we want changes. All I can be is in this moment and this process with these people feels like exactly the right thing at the right time."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

4 in custody after 'brutal' death of Quebec entrepreneur, partner in Dominica
Four people are in police custody after Quebec businessman Daniel Langlois and his partner Dominique Marchand were found dead in Dominica.
Speaker Fergus apologizes, faces calls to resign over 'personal' video played at Ontario Liberal event
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus apologized to MPs on Monday about a 'personal' video tribute message played this weekend at the Ontario Liberal Party leadership convention, but two opposition parties say that's not enough and are now calling for him to resign over his 'unacceptable' participation in a partisan event.
Unanimous vote to install menorah and nativity scene at Moncton City Hall
In a unanimous vote Monday night, Moncton City Council passed a motion to immediately install the menorah and nativity scene outside of city hall.
Canada's grocery retail sector one of the most competitive on Earth: Sobeys CEO
The top executive at Sobeys asserted on Monday that Canada has one of the most competitive grocery retail sectors on the planet -- even as Canadians continue to feel the bite of higher prices.
opinion As Trump burns through cash, powerful Republicans are rallying behind a surging candidate
With less than 50 days until Republican voters begin the process of determining their nominee to take on President Joe Biden, political analyst Eric Ham writes about a storm brewing within the GOP -- as super-donors align behind a surging candidate who could pose a threat to frontrunner Donald Trump.
Escaped kangaroo found safe after 3 days on the loose in Ontario
A kangaroo that escaped the Oshawa Zoo during a one-night stay last week has been recaptured after more than three days on the loose.
George Santos is offering personalized videos for US$200
George Santos already has a new gig. The former congressman, fresh off his historic expulsion last week, has created a Cameo account where the public can pay for a personalized video message.
70-year-old Ugandan woman gives birth to twins after fertility treatment
A 70-year-old woman in Uganda has given birth to twins after receiving fertility treatment, making her one of the world's oldest new mothers.
CBC says it is cutting 600 jobs, some programming as it slashes budget
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and Radio-Canada will eliminate about 600 jobs and not fill an additional 200 vacancies. The cuts at CBC come days after the Liberal government suggested it may cap the amount of money CBC and Radio-Canada could get under a $100 million deal Ottawa recently signed with Google.