TBC

Created and performed by Kaja Irwin and Nate Chiang for the Hawtspawt Cabaret, in Fluid Fest 2023, Artistic Directed by Nicole Mion. Video and editing by Cece Chow. Nate and Kaja go on a journey through time and space embracing the improvisational aspect of rhythm and movement while also enjoying the playful energy of their collaboration. Following questions such as, what revs us up? How does rhythm drive us all? Can we step into each other’s shoes? Bombastic to silence, what energy does that create?

Navigation

Navigation created and performed by Kaja Irwin and Nathaniel Chiang for Springboard Performance's Fluid Fest Physical Therapy Cabaret October 2022, Artistic DIrector Nicole Mion.

LIMBO

Will Marjorie make it through the night? Created for Calgary Animated Objects Society (CAOS) Slamalicious 2021

Concept, Performance, Editing by Kaja Irwin- Mask Creation by Juanita Dawn- Videography by Luke Jones and Cassandra Bowerman Musical credits: “Rose Room” Duke Ellington composed by Art Hickman, “Turkish Delight” Carsten Rubeling, “Chorale” Mark Limacher, “Lulu” Hutchinson Andrew Trio.

M+F

Marjorie, an older woman, is definitely not getting any younger. But those memories with Frank are still fresh in her mind. Created for Dolly Wiggler Cabaret March 2021

Kaja Irwin- Choreography, Performance, Editing Juanita Dawn- Mask Creation Heather Close- Photoshop Artwork Luke Jones- Videographer and Frank Costanza popsicle stick head David Hennigar- Videographer Cameron Clowe- Additional Support Music: Fletcher Henderson “Sing You Sinners"

Helloooo

Drowning in a world valuing youth, Marjorie is an aging woman navigating a changing world. She struggles to be heard or seen and wonders where the attention and respect she was given in her youth is now? Does she fight to hold onto who she was/is or succumb to the role society has decided for her?

Choreographed and performed by Kaja Irwin Music: "Oasis" composed and arranged by Chris Andrew, performed by Hutchinson Andrew Trio featuring the Lily String Quartet Mask created by Juanita Dawn Videographer and Editing by Rich-Belle Banasen Created for Springboard Festival's Physical Theatre Cabaret, 5 Min to Change the World, November 2020 Artistic Director Nicole Mion

HOWL

HOWL is a continued exploration of Irwin’s character Marjorie, first developed for VROOM in 2017. This piece examines the misalignment of Marjorie’s self-perception versus the general population’s perception of her and her worth. As Marjorie experiences her journey as an aging woman, Irwin questions what happens to a woman’s voice as she ages? What are the connections between being heard and physical ability? Can Marjorie regain visibility and her place in society even as her body is failing her? Or will her voice be muted?

VROOM

A solo piece created for Fluid Festival’s Physical Therapy Cabaret 2017. This piece was self-choreographed and performed for an intimate space, depicting loss, heartbreak, and even anger as an older woman is haunted by what she has lost in her life from not saying what she needed to say when she needed to say it.

“Kaja Irwin's physical transformation into an elderly woman for “Vroom” was striking, but it was her movements and way of portraying the loss of voice and autonomy that really captured my attention”

“…painted haunting portrayals of womanhood, creating a frantic energy that resonated throughout the space well after…” 

-Cobra Collins

Resurrected View

A new work created for the Annual Alberta Dance Festival 2017 featuring dancers Kimberley Cooper and Catherine Hayward. “Resurrected View” was inspired by the “View from Here” series by visual artist, Wanda Koop. This work experiments with the concept of whose perspective is revealed when putting on a death mask. It asks the question of whether we can ever escape who we truly are. Video courtesy of Dancer’s Studio West under the Artistic Direction of Davida Monk.

the stage...

60x60 is a Toronto based Festival directed by Vox Novus that chooses 60 choreographers and pairs them with 60 composers to choreograph 60 minute long pieces creating a varied evening of performance. Irwin's piece, Untitled, was the beginning of a movement and idea exploration of an unknown being, a combination of human, gorilla and alien qualities.

Decidedly Jazz Danceworks is a Canadian professional jazz dance company in its 37th season. DJD focuses on the preservation of the roots of jazz as well as its evolution, consistently working with live musicians on stage with the dancers.