Montr Al: Samory Ba and Patin Libre

montr al: What do you then have left Just the sheer, unadorned, frictionless joy of five topnotch dancer-athletes Alexandre Hamel, Pascale Jodoin, Samory Ba, Taylor Dilley and Jasmin Boivin of Montr al's Patin Libre skating troupe gliding in gloriously unsynchronized harmony over a glassy, featureless plain, according to Vancouver Observer. They started out as refugees from the lockstep conformity of conventional figure skating, in which they were all rigorously trained. Dispense, also, with the lavish stadia, elaborate sets, cast of thousands and all the promotional donner und blitzen of your traditional Holiday-on-Ice-style extravaganza. For years they had no performance engagements, nor even a rehearsal space they just practiced and improvised their repertoire on frozen ponds. Their touring production, Vertical Integration, presents dernier cri choreography, but on the massive scale of a full-sized 200' x 80' hockey court. Gradually they built up enough of a reputation to garner some state-sponsored residencies and now they're on a cross-Canada circuit of public ice rinks. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.