About mmHoP

About mmHoP

mmHoP, one of Vancouver’s most influential cutting-edge new works company, is the response to artistic director Martha Carter’s vision of dance as a necessity of life. Pushing the envelope of dance and interdisciplinary performance for a decade in Montréal before its Vancouver incorporation in 2004, mmHoP has emerged as a unique voice in the Canadian cultural landscape, creating ground-breaking live, filmed, multi-media and site-specific performances for the Vancouver public and beyond. Their Heat the Streets 2010 was a popular event at Whistler during the Winter Olympics, Carter’s TWiSTED SOLO was a hit at Montréal’s Atypical Body Festival in March 2011, and their recent HOP•JUMP•JIVE 125 dance party rocked the streets of Vancouver to celebrate its 125th birthday.

mmHoP’s work extends to local, national and international public outreach not only through its creativity, but also by teaching technique classes, hosting creative workshops, collaborating with other artists, and producing accessible community events for the arts audience and general public alike. In 2010, mmHoP initiated the TWiSTED OUTREACH PROJECT for BACK CARE and SCOLIOSIS (TOPS) that presents fun and informative events around the subject of back care for all ages.

The company is an active collaborator with other acclaimed Canadian arts organizations such as the ScotiaBank Dance Centre, Canadian Music Centre, Drive Dance Centre, New Works, CADA, MOA, The Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa and Studio 303 in Montreal (board of directors), to name a few -  who all play an important role in Canada’s performing arts. Locally, mmHoP shares a vibrant hopbopshop office and studio space in East Vancouver with battery opera.

 

 

Martha Carter Biography

Artistic Director of mmHoP, Martha Carter is a Canadian based director-choreographer-creator of dance, media and music works. Transcending her roots of classical music and ballet, her works push the boundaries of style fusion. Dancers sing their score and composers dance; video artists share the stage with drag queens on pointe; ballet dancers battle freestylers while breakdancers reinvent ballet.

Carter's hybrid's are the external expression of her vision of dance as a reflection of contemporary life. Carter's recent choreographies "Xdance" at the Canada Dance Festival 2002, "iDUB" at the ScotiaBank Dance Centre in March 2004, and "The Spell Remains" at The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in January 2005, are each an evolution of her innovative multi-disciplinary style. "iDUB" has since met critical praise at The High Performance Rodeo in Calgary (Jan 2006) and at the New Dance Festival in St. John’s Newfoundand in June 2006. Martha is also a respected teacher at universities and private schools, notably Montréal's Studio 303 that she co-founded in 1989. Since 1993 she has regularly toured internationally with Compagnie Marie Chouinard as Rehearsal Master and Artistic-Touring Director.

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mmHoP History

From 1993 to 1998, House of Pride’s fearless, fast-paced, multi-media performance art became legendary in Montreal and beyond for bringing together the diversity of the club with the artistry and professionalism of the theatre, bridging the two worlds and their audiences. Co-directed by choreographer Martha Carter and dancer-photographer Stephen Hues, HOP was created in the tradition of New York’ s vogueing ‘houses’, performing gender-bending dance, theatre, lipsync, original music and media projections. Along with Carter (Marta Marta) and Hues (LaReign), this notorious Montreal house also included Joffrey Dumas (Joffrey Frigid), Jacques Besner (Jacklyn Jet), Garth Johnston, (Gartina J) and Kiet HaVanAnh (Kiet). House of Pride collaborated with a diverse range of performers, video artists, composers, lighting designers, photographers, costume designers, makeup and hair stylists, all united by their love of cutting edge performance art.

Archival House of Pride Video