The Dance Current

Emily Pettet spoke with Margaret Grenier, the artistic director of and Pam Tatge, the executive and artistic director of Jacob's Pillow about the festival's presentation of Spirit on July 26 and 27.

Grenier said, "“It’s certainly an invitation that not only were we so happy to receive but also because I feel that it is in response to a significant shift that is taking place within the dance sector in which [presenters are] bringing forward the work of Indigenous artists.”

Click on the link below to read the entire article.

https://thedancecurrent.com/news/dancers-of-damelahamid-will-bring-masked-dance-to-jacobs-pillow/

Photo: Dancers of Damelahamid / Photo by Chris Randle

The Dance Current spoke with Festival Of Dance Annapolis Royal artistic director and co-curator Randy Glynn about the 10th anniversary of the rural contemporary dance festival.

"FODAR’s grown 700% since we started, and so the options of who we can invite and what we can do is impressive."

FODAR runs from July 16-20 in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.

Click on the link below to read the full Q & A.

https://thedancecurrent.com/news/festival-of-dance-annapolis-royal-celebrates-10-years/

Photo: Travis Knights / Photo by Damien Siqueros

WE’RE LOOKING FOR WRITERS

We’re looking to expand our roster of writers. Interested in writing for The Dance Current and want to be added to our roster?

Email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO YOUR ROSTER.

Please include your name, city or town, what types of pieces you are interested in writing, and a writing sample.

Never been published? Don’t fret, you can send along a sample of unpublished work. Poems, rants, manifestos and essays also count.

Call for video tributes!
If you don't know already, a celebration of Danny Grossman's amazing life is planned for June 29th. If you can’t come to Danny’s Big Party, send the organizers your personal video tribute to the late Danny Grossman and it will be included on a video loop shown at the event. Here’s what to do:

Shoot a video of yourself speaking – maximum, I MIN. TOTAL
State your name, where you live, your connection to Danny and then deliver your message. When you are satisfied with your image and sound, please email NO LATER THAN JUNE 22 to: [email protected] or send with a free We Transfer account - https://wetransfer.com/pricing?trk=WT202005_signup
Please share this far and wide!

To RSVP and read the full details about the celebration visit: https://fb.me/1QopOuaoRUtXToD

𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒕𝒆 for DANNY GROSSMAN'S CELEBRATION OF LIFE 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟵 – 𝟮:𝟬𝟬-𝟱:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠
509 Parliament Street, Toronto

Photo: Danny Grossman before his induction into the DCD Hall of Fame, 2018 / Photo by Liliana Reyes

Coming up today at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre, Yellowknife Dance Collective presents Norh of 60x60. With 40 dancers performing 60 contemporary dance pieces, at 60 seconds per piece, the show is a "great smörgåsbord … of what you can do under the contemporary umbrella.”

Ryan Bradshaw reports, "The 60×60 concept is not a new one and has been utilized by musicians and dancers around the world, but this is the Yellowknife Dance Collective’s first time taking on the format."

Read more at https://thedancecurrent.com/news/yellowknife-dance-collective-presents-north-of-60x60/

📷 Tia Grogono and Tomiko Robson / Photo by Adrien Barrieau of Through the Glass Photography.

The Dance Current is happy to support this year's Guelph Dance Festival as a sponsor.

The 26th annual Guelph Dance Festival is approaching! From May 31 to June 2, dance takes over the city of Guelph once again! Experience compelling performances and uniquely engaging workshops with a dynamic range of marvellous artists including Te****le Tribe, Jillian Peever, Dust and Soul Dance, Jera Wolfe, Tanveer Alam, FakeKnot, and Fujiwara Dance Inventions!

Guelph Dance is thrilled to present lively programming in a variety of venues, from THE LAB to THE STAGE, from THE PARK to THE STUDIO. Experience the magic of movement in every corner with talented artists. All events are either donation-based or priced on a sliding scale.

Visit guelphdance.ca for the festival line-up, full schedule of events and tickets!



Photo of Jera Wolfe by Aleksandar Antonijevic

Now up online: Dylan Schoenmakers reviews Murmuration by Le Patin Libre, a company he says "makes dance like you've never seen."

"I find myself breathlessly alert, scanning for a signal that might indicate what shift is to come, how the divided group will reunify. It really is like watching a natural phenomenon, something transcendent and alien in the singularity of its operational logic."

Read the full review at https://thedancecurrent.com/review/in-murmuration-le-patin-libre-explores-what-it-means-to-be-with-others/

Photo by Nora Houguenade

Now online: Ryan Bradshaw reports on Breathe Dance, a showcase coming up on April 28 presented by New Brunswick's First City Young Company.

"The Young Company program...[offers] high school graduates the opportunity to learn about the choreographic process, continue their dance training and perform in pre-professional shows while allowing time for other pursuits like education or work.... For Breathe Dance, student choreographers' work will be presented alongside works by guest choreographers Darryl Tracy, Liam Caines and Chantal Baudouin and First City’s own Chris Van Green, Gina Grant, Jamie Mario and more."

Read more at https://thedancecurrent.com/news/first-city-young-company-and-guests-celebrate-international-dance-week-with-breathe-dance/

📢 Submissions are open for our Summer 2024 print issue!

This is an open pitch call. We want to know: what's going on in the dance world today?

► What has got you excited, concerned, intrigued?
► Which artists or organizations are making an impact? Whose story do you want to explore and share?
► What is currently affecting your movement practice, career or dance community? What's affecting the industry?
► What trends or research should we highlight?

Send us your ideas for features, photo essays, artist profiles, personal columns, dance criticism and more.

📧 Email [email protected] by April 16 to be considered!

Ryan Bradshaw profiles the St. Pat's Dancers, a dance group that has been active in St. John's, NL since the 1930s.

“You don't have to have money to dance. You don't have to be even good at dancing. If you want to entertain, if you want to try dancing, you will not be turned away,” said the group’s co-coordinator Courtney Walsh, who started dancing with the St. Pat’s Dancers more than 30 years ago. “You’ll be part of our group and you’ll be part of our family.”

Read more about the work of this group at https://thedancecurrent.com/article/the-st-pats-dancers-showcase-irish-dance-with-newfoundland-flavour/

Photos courtesy of the St. Pat's Dancers

Kicking off a new year of dance news, Ryan Bradshaw reports on Good Time Seniors' Dance Club, a social dance group that has been active for over forty years.

"Established in 1980, the club provides weekly opportunities in Truro, Nova Scotia for dancing the old-time waltz quadrille and rye waltz, plus polkas, foxtrots, jives and line dances, all to the musical accompaniment of a live, five-piece band."

Read on about this longstanding community at https://thedancecurrent.com/article/truros-good-time-seniors-dance-club-kicks-off-another-year-of-social-dances/.

Link not working? Go to https://thedancecurrent.com/.

Photo courtesy of Good Time Seniors' Dance Club.

The Dance Current office is now closed for the holidays. We will resume regular operations on Tuesday, January 2.

In the meantime, make sure to check out our pitch call for our spring issue and grab a gift subscription for your loved ones.

Thank you for your support in 2023. We look forward to connecting in the new year!

Warmly,

The Dance Current team

Erin, Swadhi and Emily

The theme for our spring issue is “emerging”

-What does emerging mean to you?

-Are there any emerging dancemakers or organizations you think we should profile?

-Are there any organizations or programs that support emerging artists we should feature?

-What are the limitations of the category of an emerging artist and how could the concept be more inclusive?

-How are dance communities incorporating new technologies into their work or practices?

-How do emerging artists establish roots in a new community or a new genre?

-How have your experiences as an emerging artist shaped your current practice?

Feel free to pitch any other topics related to “emerging” that you think we should cover!

We’re looking for personal essays, features, photo essays, poetry, profiles, teacher appreciation letters and more.

Email your pitch to [email protected] by Jan. 2, 2024.

Please include “Spring 2024 Pitch” in the subject line.

Click on the link below for submission guidelines. Link not working? Go to thdancecurrent.com or the link in the comments.

https://thedancecurrent.com/submissions/

The Dance Current serves an important role within the arts sector. Help keep the magazine going! - https://mailchi.mp/f479ba40727d/lets-make-the-next-25-years-happen-together-9423338

Alexandra Woodley reviews Shumka Dancers' Nutcracker at Victoria's Royal Theatre.

“The magic of Ukrainian dance explodes in its dynamic and bold style with the commencement of the party scene. We are shocked into attention with massive jumps, fast turns, high kicks and brilliantly coloured costumes. Distinctive patterns are woven into flowing dresses and shining red boots, and there are no pointe shoes to be seen.”

Click on the link below to read the full review. Link not working? Go to thedancecurrent.com.

https://thedancecurrent.com/review/shumka-dancers-nutcracker-infuses-ukrainian-culture-into-the-storied-ballet/

Photo by Ian Jackson.

Dance Victoria Ukrainian Shumka Dancers

Ryan Bradshaw reports on annual Saskatoon event that brings dancers of various backgrounds together in celebration.

"For more than a decade, Saskatoon’s def SOL Productions and Saskatoon Salsa Dance Co. have been joining forces for their annual Boogaloo event, a winter showcase that blends the dance styles of the two studios. This year, it will take place on Dec. 16 in Saskatoon, featuring approximately 170 performers, ranging in age from three to 50+ years."

“Kimberly Parent, artistic director and owner of Saskatoon Salsa Dance Co., speaks to the significance of separate dance groups collaborating on events like the Boogaloo: ’I think it's so important to set an example … of healthy collaboration over competition,’ she said. ‘I think that everybody can thrive, and I think part of that is being a community and collaborating with people and supporting other artists.’”

Read the full article by clicking on the link below. Link not working? Go to thedancecurrent.com.

Photo: Boogaloo 2022 / Photo courtesy of def SOL Productions and Saskatoon Salsa Dance Co.

Emily Losier reviews TransFoRM, a choreographic showcase presented as part of the University of Calgary's inaugural Movement Research Festival.

“With a sense of storytelling that conveys joy and inclusion, Bharatnatyam: A Historical Journey, choreographed by Roma Thakore, Kajal Dattani and Parvathi Nair, guides us through the evolution of the dance form. Through projected text and voice-over narration, we are treated to a sensory experience as we learn about the lineage of the Devadasi system and bharatanatyam.”

Click on the link in below to read the full review. Link not working? Click on the link in the comments.

https://thedancecurrent.com/review/transform-connects-dance-communities-through-joy-and-celebration/

Photo: Still from Rufi Oswaldo's River is Kin / Photo by Caitlin Unrau

LET'S MAKE THE NEXT 25 YEARS HAPPEN TOGETHER 🥰 - https://mailchi.mp/6cb43ea76cd3/lets-make-the-next-25-years-happen-together

The Dance Current has been publishing community-driven content for 25 years, providing an essential forum for accessible and inclusive conversations about dance. As dance journalists, we critically engage with the practices, performances and people that shape dance across the country. By tracing these currents, we also do the important work of capturing the histories of dance as they unfold.

-Editor-in-Chief, Erin McCurdy

❤️ Our process-themed winter issue will be on newsstands from February until the end of April and we’d love to include your ad!

❤️ Our readers across the country are passionate about supporting local business, artists and the environment.

❤️ If you’d like more information or a price list email [email protected] or go to thedancecurrent.com.

⭐ The booking deadline is Tuesday, November 27 and artwork is due on December 6.

Photo by Gerzon Piñata via pexels.com

Dancemakers call for wheelchair dancers! 💻

Shay Erlich was chosen via selection committee to be one of the 2023/2024 guest curators for Dancemakers. They will curate the Pushmakers Residency, an opportunity for wheelchair users interested in developing movement vocabulary for dance to develop and document wheelchair dance vocabulary for the broader contemporary dance community.

Four (4) artists will be selected through this open call to work closely with Shay and artistic collaborators.

The residency will culminate in a virtual community sharing which will be open to the public.

📆 Deadline: December 8th at midnight EST - Results Notifications: January 5th 2024
🔗 https://dancemakers.org/pushmakers

FALL 2023:

In our family-themed Fall 2023 issue, Lucy Fandel speaks with Julie Lebel:

“Julie Lebel’s life work as a parent and artist is constantly emerging. For her, people of all ages, movements and ideas collectively have an impact. Her vision of family is equally expansive, both in configurations and socio-political meaning. Lebel was raised in an extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends. Now, as artistic director of the Vancouver-based dance company Foolish Operations, she creates intergenerational participatory performances and workshops for ‘children and their adults,’ she shares, ‘with a focus on the youngest of humans.’

Read the full article by picking up a copy of the issue; click on the link below to see where you can find one in your neighbourhood or go to thedancecurrent.com to order one online. Link not working? See the link in the comments.

Photo: courtesy of Lebel / Photo by Riz Herbosa

Foolish Operations

Attention Black Canadian Choreographers!📣

We are bringing back the 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 Immersion National Showcase Presentation!

For the Showcase, five performances of 10-15 minutes each in length will be presented together each night for two nights in Toronto. Artists will be selected from across Canada. Projects for this opportunity must be dance-centred and led by a Black choreographer/director.

We are interested in presenting a variety of artists with different perspectives and practices; therefore, there is currently no specific theme to the Showcase beyond the presentation of strong Black-led dance works from across the country.

🔹𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟏:𝟓𝟗𝐩𝐦
🔹Notifications: January 14, 2024
🔹Artist Acceptance Due: January 22, 2024
🔹Showcase Presentation Date: October 2024 (exact date and Toronto venue TBC by December 31, 2023)

🔗To learn more click the link in our bio or visit
https://danceimmersion.ca/calls/ -presentation

*The early application and notification is intended to provide selected artists with an opportunity to develop their work further and seek additional support before the presentation if desired.

The Dance Current has been telling the stories of dance artists for 25 years - the highs, the lows and everything in between.

We pay our staff and writers fair rates and we would not have it any other way. This means it’s expensive to keep the magazine afloat.

We need your support to keep The Dance Current alive for another 25 years. Even $5/month can have a big impact.

If you're able to help out, please click on the link below to sign up for a monthly donation. And thank you for being part of our amazing community; reading this post or sharing it with friends is also an amazing way to show you value the magazine.

https://thedancecurrent.com/support-us/

We’re looking for an event to feature in our Winter 2024 issue as part of our event previews!

Do you have an event coming up in February or March 2024?

Email [email protected] by Friday, November 24.

Note, we are only looking for events that will take place outside of Toronto as we have featured many events in the city recently.

Photo by Gül Işık via pexels.com

The 2023 Audition Directory is now live on our website!

This year the directory includes auditions from coast to coast and even one in NYC. Click on the link below to check it out. Link not working? Click on the link in the comments.

https://thedancecurrent.com/article/audition-directory-2023/

The School of Dance Royal Winnipeg Ballet School École supérieure de ballet du Québec Arts Umbrella Dance Quinte Ballet School of Canada École de danse contemporaine de Montréal Dance Arts Institute New York Dance Project Simon Fraser University

Photo by Yogendra Singh via pexels.com

It’s your last chance to be part of our annual audition directory!

Benefits:

-Published on our website
-On our homepage for 3 months
-Advertised on social media and in our newsletter
-The perfect way to reach dancers across the country!

Email [email protected] by noon on Friday, Nov. 16 to be included.

Photo by Yogendra Singh via pexels.com.

FALL 2023:

In this issue’s Historical Moments column, Clara Chemtov uncovers the history of The Clichettes, who made their stage debut in 1978.

“The Clichettes emerged on the scene during a period of Toronto’s art history that was rich with artist-run spaces and collectives. Departing from the conventional patriarchal organization of many performing arts companies, The Clichettes operated as a collective, realizing their projects communally through non-hierarchical, feminist-forward collaboration.”

Click on the link below to see where you can pick up a copy of The Dance Current near you! Link not working? Click on the link in the comments.

https://thedancecurrent.com/32761-2/

This column is presented with research and writing support from education sponsor York University Department of Dance. We very much appreciate their generosity.

York U Dance Clara Chemtov

FALL 2023:

In our Fall 2023 issue Candice Irwin speaks with four artists about incorporating elements of family life and ancestral experience into their choreography.

“As I start weaving the threads of our conversations together, a series of questions begin to emerge. How do artists whose work touches on family stories and ancestral knowledge navigate the complexity? How do they make space for self-discovery while also respecting and honouring
their families? How do they access the therapeutic capacity of dance while remembering that, unlike therapy, what they unpack often gets shared publicly? And, once they’ve navigated those challenges, what is the impact of sharing their stories through dance?”

To read the full article and hear from artists Liliona Quarmyne, Mayumi Lashbrook, Nickeshia Garrick and Starr Muranko, subscribe or go to your local bookstore to pick up a copy of the issue.

Not sure if your local store carries The Dance Current? Click on the link below to access a full list of our stockists. Link not working? Click on the link in the comments.

https://thedancecurrent.com/32761-2/

Photo: Liliona Quarmyne / Photo by Drew Berry

Liliona Quarmyne Mayumi Lashbrook Nickeshia Garrick Starr Muranko Drew Berry

Philip Szporer reviews Flesh and Bone, playing at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) through November 11.

“Watching the dancers’ movements and listening to the sounds of the ancient instruments, I find myself carried into what seems to be a ritualistic liminal space, shifting between or accessing altered states of consciousness as the performance progresses.”

Click on the link below to read the full review. Link not working? Head to thedancecurrent.com or click on the link in the comments.

https://thedancecurrent.com/review/flesh-and-sound-uses-choreography-sound-and-music-to-create-magic/

Photo by Damian Siqueiros

Our fall issue is now on newsstands but before you dive in, make sure you read this piece from our summer issue, by
Dr. Joyce Fu JFu Chiropractic

Dr. Fu looks at why she believes dancers are athletes, informed by her perspective as both a chiropractor and dancer.

“The general public sees dance as a form of exercise, improving cardio and toning our bodies, or a recreational past-time. But what about those of us who train, choreograph, compete and focus our whole lives to pursue dance professionally?”

Click on the link below to read the full article. Link not working? Go to thedancecurrent.com or see the link in the comments.

Photo: Sonia Sanmartin via Unsplash

This piece is kindly supported by Dr. Fu. Her support allows us to keep printing magazines for you! Thank you Dr. Fu. ❤️