Stage Door News

Toronto: “Burn, Baby, Burn” by Côté Danse returns to Toronto June 6-8

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Following a sold-out run at Fall for Dance North 2024, the highly acclaimed choreographic work Burn Baby, Burn, returns for a limited three-day engagement from June 6-8 at Bluma Appel Theatre in Toronto before embarking on its much-anticipated international tour. Staged by Guillaume Côté’s Côté Danse, (the fastest growing dance company in Canada), and presented in partnership with TO Live and Show One Productions, this visually stunning and emotionally charged production explores humanity’s power to ignite change amidst the firestorm of climate crisis. Tickets will be available on tolive.com beginning April 8 at 11am.

Blending beauty and chaos, the production features nine extraordinary performers from across Canada, delivering a dynamic range of movement—from extreme physicality to serene delicacy, untamed exuberance to moments of levity. Set to a powerful score by Amos Ben-Tal and featuring evocative lighting by Simon Rossiter, Burn Baby, Burn is a visceral experience that grips audiences from start to finish.

“In Burn Baby, Burn, we explore the tension between destruction and transformation. Fire can be both a devastating force and a catalyst for renewal. This piece is about harnessing that power and asking ourselves whether we can control the flames before they consume us,” said Guillaume Côté. “As I retire from The National Ballet of Canada, I am excited to put my focus on Côté Danse. Projects like Burn Baby, Burn are what I feel most passionate about—artistic storytelling that is an essential commentary on today’s world and the challenges we face.”

Guided by Côté’s signature style, Burn Baby, Burn sculpts space with striking geometries and profound human connections. Drawing from his classical ballet roots while embracing contemporary innovation, Côté’s choreography is both bracing and poetic, captivating audiences with its sleek, athletic and emotionally resonant storytelling.

Following its final bow in Toronto, Burn Baby, Burn travels to COLOURS International Dance Festival in Stuttgart, Germany (July 4-5) and Danse Danse in Montreal (November 25-29) with other stops to be announced in the coming weeks.

ABOUT CÔTÉ DANSE

Founded in 2019 by celebrated choreographer Guillaume Côté and producer Etienne Lavigne, Côté Danse has rapidly emerged as one of Canada’s most dynamic contemporary dance companies. Renowned for its seamless fusion of classical technique and sleek modern aesthetics, the company’s emotionally charged storytelling captivates audiences worldwide.

Under Côté’s artistic direction, Côté Danse has created five acclaimed full-length productions: Crypto, X (Dix), Touch, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (in collaboration with Ex Machina) and Burn Baby, Burn. These works have been performed in four countries, reaching nearly 70,000 audience members across more than 175 performances in over 25 cities.

Through visionary collaborations with Robert Lepage, Mirari Studios, Son Lux, and other artistic trailblazers, Côté Danse continues to redefine contemporary dance, cementing its place as a leader in artistic innovation and excellence. For more information please visit www.cotedanse.com.