About
“This solo work is inspired by the many aspects of how many colours has the sea by Charles Campbell. This piece is a response to the comfort and reflection I received as soon as you entered the exhibit. The environment within the gallery supported the viewer to slow down and reflect. How often do we slow down in our world? How often do we allow grief to be simply what it is?
The themes within this space run deep within my heart. They run through my blood memory. The breath portraits, hanging sculpture and audio meditation, remind me not only of whom I have lost within my family in these recent years, but they are also the echoes of my ancestors.
My ancestors live within this performance work. They guide me through the images and physicality within the dance. They encourage me to move through this world with determination and grace. Thank you to Diana and Nilou for supporting and trusting my artistic voice in this work. Thank you to Charles Campbell for making a space for us to laugh, cry and dance.”
Choreographer, performer: Syreeta Hector
About Syreeta Hector
Syreeta Hector is a dance artist in Toronto, Ontario. Her solo work, Black Ballerina, focuses on the dualities within one’s identity and her blackness and indigeneity in classical ballet. This solo gained recognition at the SummerWorks Festival, won the Stratford Festival Lab Award for Research and Creation and was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore award in Outstanding Performance by an Individual. While she continues to tour Black Ballerina, Hector is developing a new dance theatre work, which will be the series’ second chapter.
She has been commissioned to make ensemble works for Mocean Dance (Nova Scotia) and ProArteDanza (Ontario). She recently created a new work for Kittiwake Dance Theatre (Newfoundland). Although performance and creation endeavours remain a priority for Hector, she derives an equal measure of inspiration by teaching movement and choreography. She is honoured to be a part of the Department of Dance as an Assistant Professor at York University.
Video Presentation
This video captures Syreeta’s response to The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery’s how many colours has the sea exhibition by Charles Campbell. Syreeta Hector’s performance was then presented in the Harbourfront Centre Theatre on Saturday, February 1 as part of KUUMBA30.
More KUUMBA 365
KUUMBA 365 is Harbourfront Centre’s annual initiative commissioning original works by Black artists, focusing on the disciplines of literary arts, spoken word, dance and theatre. These artists are presenting new work in 2025 for its second edition.
