For most people, the thought of an abattoir conjures up rather “icky” images.

After all, an abattoir is a slaughterhouse, and one wouldn’t normally have a fond perception of what goes on in there.  

But for Allen Kaeja, director of the multidisciplinary production Abattoir, the word and the place stirs very profound and deep emotions.

“My father co-owned an abattoir and was a kosher butcher in Kitchener, Ont.,” explains Kaeja.

“As kids, we all grew up working in it and going to my dad’s place of work was a joy. It was quite a beautiful place.”

Kaeja’s early experiences in the abattoir, which he describes as a rite of passage, forms the basis of Abattoir, a dynamic and intense dance creation that intertwines various art forms, including poetic text by Jason Sherman, classical singing by Fides Krucker and a diverse array of music by Edgardo Moreno.

“The abattoir is a metaphor for life,” says Kaeja, who co-choreographed the production with his wife of 18 years, Karen, who also appears as a dancer in Abattoir.

“It was a place where my rite of passage into the community occurred, and it is also a reflection of how we should treat each other. In Judaism, we cherish the life of an animal so when we kill an animal, it is a very sacred event and a lot of care is taken in it.”

The production illustrates in a rhythmic and very physical way, how the abattoir instilled in Kaeja a deep respect for life, as well as the wonderment and innocence he experienced in the abattoir.

“Each one of us goes through our own growth and rites of passage,” Kaeja says.

“This production takes us through the invigorating journey [of growing up], and I think audiences will gain a whole different insight into the mechanisms of an abattoir and mechanisms of growing up.”

Before entering the world of dance, Kaeja was an esteemed wrestler and judo expert.

While at the University of Waterloo, he sought to improve his balance for  judo and wrestling by taking a dance class. It was a decision that changed the course of his life.

“I realized that dance was my life, my focus, my future,” he recalls.

“I love the physicality of wrestling and the competitiveness of judo, but dance has one additional thing that I truly love – the creative process.”

In 1991, the Kaeja and his wife established Kaeja d’Dance, which has, ever since, been renowned for creating exceptional contemporary dance work and award-winning dance films, as well as education and outreach programs.

“We like to do things that are not part of the norm,” says Kaeja, noting the company is not the only one to have made dance films based on the Holocaust.

“Our work is very physical and very different.”

Abattoir opens in Vancouver on March 19 and will be performed at Harbourfront Centre’s Premiere Dance Theatre in Toronto from March 25 to 29. For tickets, contact that box office at 416-973-4000. Website: www.kaeja.org.