dance artist

May

2012

Dance Reader: May 24

This is an awesome article about Michael Kidd and his choreography for the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

Nora Younkin’s article “What the Heck is a Modern Dancer?” for Huffington Post really hits home. I have the same problem explaining what I do, and it totally relates to my first post – “What is a Dance Artist?!”

This Bhangra Festival in Vancouver looks really fun!

A video of Vanessa Goodman’s site specific choreography on Vancouver’s Kitsilano Beach. My friends and classmates Michael and Erika rock it out!

New choreography in progress from Joshua Beamish. It’s beautiful.

I just found Alexis McKeown’s blog and webpage – she’s an Alberta dance photographer and has taken TONS of great dance shots!

And Merce Cunningham and John Cage!

May

2012

Edmonton Dances: Dance Collective at Victoria School of the Arts

I’m a graduate of Victoria School of the Arts and I will be the first to tell you that it’s an amazing school. The arts program at Vic is unparalleled and it’s a place where young artists thrive. All of my hopes and dreams were formed in those hallways – it’s a place that’s hard to forget once you’ve stepped in the doors.

And you can see for yourself this Thursday and Friday, May 24 and 25! The dance program is presenting Dance Collective, a show choreographed almost entirely by guest artists, most of them alumni. This will be a fantastic opportunity to see many faces of Edmonton’s small but lively dance scene come out of the woodwork and to see the work of the city’s up-and-coming dance artists!

I have choreographed one of the pieces in the show, entitled “Cosmic Gridlock” for a high school contemporary class. They were the most dedicated group of young women that I’ve ever worked with and it was SUCH a treat to choreograph for 20-some dancers! Also in the show are pieces by local artists Ainsley Hillyard, Raena Waddell, Gerry Morita, and Heidi Bunting, among others, and LOTS of works by alumni. This is a dance show that is sure to inspire and you won’t want to miss it!

May

2012

What is a “Dance Artist”?!

Photo by Mike Baird

Well, you know, I’m not too sure either. Today it’s common for people working in dance and other art forms to be involved in many facets of their discipline.

I thought that this small post would be an excellent way to kick off my blog. I started thinking about this a lot after I wrote the About section and it really rings true for a lot of dancers I know. Not many people are working at just one thing these days. Personal success in the arts seems to relate to your own specific journey, rather than which company you dance for or where you teach. I know many artists who have interests in tons of different areas: dancing, choreographing, acting, film producing, painting, stage managing, writing, poetry reciting, piano playing, playwriting, and the list goes on and on and on! Why define yourself to just one thing?

All of this brings me back to the purpose of this blog. I want to explore the different faces of dance through writing; I’m a dancer and a choreographer, but I want to share dance in a formal way. I also want to say “Cheers!” to everyone’s unique passions and interests, and acknowledge my own. As Friedrich Nietzsche said:

“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”

So go out and do whatever makes you tick. Even if that makes you a sculptor/dancer/producer/waitress/fire truck driver, you’ll be doing what you love!

Now, join me for the journey?