Thank goodness for companies like Moonhorse Dance Theatre. Since 2000, the company, curated by artistic director Allison Cummings, has championed the work of mature artists over 45. They’ve spent the past two and a half decades evolving into a vital hub that offers seasoned contemporary dancers opportunities for performance, commissions, teaching, professional development, and mentorship.
This year marks the silver anniversary edition of their annual Older & Reckless at the Fleck Harbourfront Centre Theatre. This vibrant program highlights creators and performers “of a certain age,” staying true to the company’s mission to challenge limiting assumptions about age and dance. Moonhorse proudly celebrates older artists who continue to take risks, ask bold questions, and explore deep nuance in their work. Take note, younger dancers—these veterans still have plenty of fire and flair to share.
This year’s program started with a fascinating retrospective video celebrating Older & Reckless’s legacy and the many artists who have graced its stage over the past two and a half decades. A nice way to introduce their work to newcomers like me.
The performances opened with a piece from the Community Performance Project, a program that invites audience members and arts enthusiasts over 45 to participate in a work choreographed by Canadian professionals. After weeks of rehearsal, more than 20 mature dance enthusiasts from across the region took to the stage for a fun and inspirational start to the show. Choreographer Jenn Goodwin’s moves were purposeful but straightforward, as the group performed with military precision, in unison with a palpable sense of heart, unity and genuine joy. Their delight filled the theatre, radiant and infectious! What a beautiful experience to witness and be part of!
Next up, Julia Sasso danced Elsinore/Night Hours, a signature contemporary solo originally created for her back in 1999. Over the years, she and co-choreographer Carol Anderson have gradually shaped the work into a quiet, contemplative meditation on memory and legacy. Sasso’s maturity as an artist shines through in her clear, eloquent storytelling. Her upper body and bare arms are strong, sculpted and articulate, anchoring her expressive precision. Every movement reveals her remarkable strength, fluidity and nuance. Costume by Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell – a flowing jumpsuit affair complemented with a detachable cape – provided a simple aesthetic grace coupled with practical freedom, reflecting the choreography’s restrained, introspective tone. Classy. Inspired. Strong.
Following Sasso’s moving solo, the premiere of Handmade, a duet by acclaimed Montreal-based artists Marc Boivin and Louise Bédard, followed. The work was intriguing and steeped in mystery. Described in the program as an “invitation to be older and reckless,” it unfolded as an abstract exploration that, for me, defied easy interpretation. Although the duo performed with unmistakable passion and intention, the language of their movement often felt so unfixed and free-form that the relationship between the two performers remained elusive. Even amid impressive bursts of physicality, the connecting pieces remained just out of reach. Still, the sheer commitment and artistry on display are undeniable, and the piece leaves a lingering impression despite its nebulous narrative.
The evening’s standout performance belonged to former National Ballet Principal Dancer Sonia Rodriguez, who closed the program with de corazón, a work that reads as a personal meditation on memory, resilience, and the emotional contradictions of the human heart. I had never seen Rodriguez perform and was delighted to witness her artistry as a formidable technician and storyteller. Choreographed by William Yong, the piece demanded both technical precision and expressive range—qualities Rodriguez delivered with authority as she glided seamlessly between modern, contemporary, and classical ballet.
Video segments of Rodriguez recounting memories of her mother and the strength of her family added documentary-style context to the performance, anchoring its emotional core. Onstage, her movement quality remained consistently fluid and controlled, commanding unbroken focus from the audience.
Costumes by Rodriguez, Mikki Wirthensohn, and Yong remained largely minimal. However, the appearance of a chicken mask, high heels, and a feathered girdle introduced bursts of intentional whimsy into an otherwise single-dimensional aesthetic. The performance ultimately struck a keen balance between vulnerability, technical rigour, and theatrical playfulness.
Gavin MacDonald’s lighting design shaped the emotions with soft blue and amber washes, shifting to hard-edged symmetry in the work’s final moments. Original music by Salt of the Sound and other composers underscored the piece with a resonant, introspective soundscape that dug into its emotional core. Together, these elements supported an effective and satisfying conclusion to the evening’s program.
Moonhorse Dance Theatre’s Older & Reckless is a welcome annual showcase for dancers and choreographers over 45 who have “nothing left to lose.” But age in no way diminishes artistry, as this program clearly proves. It celebrates seasoned artists who continue to advance their craft, take new risks, and mentor the next generation—it’s a dance party that deserves to go on forever.
Moonhorse Dance Theatre presents “Older & Reckless 25.”
November 21, 22, 2025
Fleck Harbourfront Centre Theatre, Toronto
Artistic Director: Allison Cummings
Lighting designer: Gavin McDonald
Performers: Julia Sasso, Louise Bédard, Marc Boivin, Sonia Rodriguez
