45 DEGREES: “Journey of a Basketball Dream”

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For the first time ever, the NBA All-Star will be held in Canada and we are very proud to announce that 45 DEGREES has been selected to create and produce a unique Cirque du Soleil performance during player introductions.

On February 14 at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, 45 DEGREES will tell the story of basketball through the lens of Cirque du Soleil. Weaving together acrobatics, dance and technology, the performance will amaze the audience and take them on the journey of a basketball dream. It will resonate with diehard NBA fans and spectators alike and engage them in the timeless tale of living your dream.

After approximately 1,300 rehearsal hours and over 5 months of work, 37 artists will take center court to perform in the Show Opening of the 2016 NBA All-Star Game. Stage director & choreographer, Steve Bolton, created the performance as a tribute to basketball—the game, the dream, its heroes and the culture. “It’s a show within which we experiment a lot. We push the boundaries in terms of integrating several scenic elements, from dance to circus arts, to parkour, to projections, we try to tie everything together” explains Steve Bolton.

In choosing the music for this performance Steve wanted high energy, unforeseen rhythms to accompany the performance. “ It starts with traditional Cirque music, then it becomes a bit more tribal and connects with urban beats and metal. In the end, it’s a kick in the teeth, where we experience rock and hip-hop and culminates with music blasting throughout the stadium” added Steve Bolton.

“On a technical side this is a very ambitious project! As multiple events will be taking place in one venue over 3 days, we are faced with many constraints, such as time, space and technology, but a great team with great morale will make this project possible” explained Martin Gauthier, Technical Director.

“This is a great adventure combined with great talent from both the NBA & 45 DEGREES. We are proud to be a part of this first-ever All-Star game in Canada,” added Stephanie Vincelli, Production Director.

45 DEGREES is very excited to participate in this spectacular event. Through its theme, the music, costume and discipline, we created a unique performance to celebrate the Game.

Make sure to tune in to your TV sport channel, wherever you are in the world, on Sunday February 14 at 8pm E.S.T (TNT in the US and TSN in Canada).

Team:

  • Production Director – Stephanie Vincelli
  • Technical Director – Martin Gauthier
  • Stage Director/Choreographer – Steve Bolton

{ SOURCE: 45 Degrees Blog | http://goo.gl/BgNCMO }