Arriving at dance relatively late, Davida Monk has nonetheless fostered important communities and cultures for dance in Western Canada.
Contra and country dancing have been practiced for centuries. We joined one group in Toronto to investigate why the social dance persists. It turns out that it is a strong community and by joining in, one immediately feels a part of it. And it’s really fun!
In what is often considered a male-dominated dance form, a new generation of bgirls carves out alternative modes of expression, dismantling stereotypes and pushing the boundaries of the form as they go.
Mentorship creates opportunities for emerging artists to benefit from the wealth of experience that established artists carry within themselves. But mature artists also get something out of the relationship. By encouraging them to stay connected to developments within the field, mentors gain insight about emerging trends and realities while transmitting valuable knowledge about the changing history of life as a dancer.
Join Jane Gabriels on her journey to the 2018 Coastal First Nations Dance Festival (CFNDF). Responding to the experience from a place of accompaniment, Gabriels pivots from viewer to witness.