2023-24 Community Engagement
CDC Katie Wertz, Wet’suwet’en Territory (Smithers)
Katie Wertz collaborated with local artists Natu Bearwolf, Robin Lough, Myriad Dance Projects and Kayla Mitchell to produce a two-day workshop Dancing the Medicine, Dancing the Land, facilitated by Lindsay Delaronde and incorporating land-based medicine teachings and movement creative expression processes, June 2024.
Community members from diverse backgrounds had an opportunity to gain self awareness and reflection around how to be a better guest on indigenous territories, reclaiming the body through somatic practices, and land based movement process(es) through an indigenous + contemporary lens.
This workshop developed from artist relationships created during Dance West Network’s 2021 Northern BC Residency.
Photos courtesy Katie Wertz
"I loved the theme choice and co-facilitation approach. It was a real treat and privilege to be hosted and guided to engage with land in Witset/on Witsuwit'en territory." Participant
"It was so well facilitated to be a safe space for shared vulnerability and active participation, as well as well encouraged for us to be courageously showing up for others." - Participant
CDC Holly Bright, Snuneymuxw homelands (Nanaimo)
Body Talk, a program for up to 12 Indigenous and non-Indigenous, allied youth who meet weekly to learn curation, programming, marketing and hosting as they produce a spring break workshop and culminating production. In 2024 CCD undertook a research project, Trauma Informed Arts Practice; A Model of Safe Facilitation for Community Programming, and engaged Artists: Jonathon Adams, Jessica McMann and Amber Funk Barton. The spring break camp began each day with elder teachings. Then through guided activities, the teens and artists developed stories into presentations which were then shared with the public in a rousing night full of spirit, heart, talent, and awesome performances!
Photos courtesy of Crimson Coast Dance
Fior Saoirse Skye (Karen Buchanan)
Ts’msyen La̱xyuup homelands
(Prince Rupert)
Local and International students from Coast Mountain College celebrated International Dance Day, strengthening the connections in the community and allowing the students to feel seen and supported.
Dance West Network and Community Engaged Artists Creative Exchange
xʷənen̕əč (Salt Spring Island)
“Meeting other CDCs in person and having a chance to get to know one another personally gives me a warm sense of being part of an extended network within the realm of DWN and other artistic communities” - Robbyn Scott
In April 2024, a group of community engaged artists, who also work as Community Dance Connectors with Dance West Network, gathered in a residency for creative exchange on the lands of the xʷənen̕əč (Salt Spring Island).
We began our time together with a beautiful walk down to Xwaaqw'um (Burgoyne Bay) with Joe Akerman aka T’awaxwultun, who leads the Xwaaqw’um Project to learn more about the lands we were gathered on.
We then spent 3 days sharing and learning about each artist's work, planning for future collaborations, and eating good food - much of it in the beauty of the forest and beaches!
At the same time, the Matriarchs Uprising Festival, founded in 2019 by Olivia C. Davies/O Dela Arts to celebrate contemporary dance by Indigenous women, was taking place at the ArtSpring Theatre. We were able to try our hands (and feet!) at the Hoopdancing and Metis Jig workshops, as well as enjoy beautiful performances by the Indigenous Artists participating in the Festival: Beany John (“The Awakening,”) Yvonne Chartrand (“Eagle Spirit,”) and “Carriers & Keepers of the Ancestral Portals” by Beany John and Sophie Dow, as well as a collection of Indigenous short dance films.
Artists participating in the residency included: Fior Saoirse Skye (Karen Buchanan), Lindsay Delaronde, Allison Girvan, Shelby Richardson, Robbyn Scott, as well as DWN Staff Jane Gabriels and Debora Gordon.
This residency was supported by the Deux Mille Foundation and the BC Arts Council.
Claudia Moore, CDC
Okanagan Nation Territory (Kelowna)
In May, Claudia Moore offered a dance class to a very enthusiastic group of 55+ dancers at the Okanagan Francophone Cultural Center (CCFO) in Kelowna. Writer Élodie Dorsel watched the class and interviewed Claudia about her love for dance and for teaching - you can read the article here.
"What a pleasure to get to know other dance lovers here in Kelowna! I'm so grateful to the Centre Culturel francophone de l'Okanagan for hosting my Creative Movement classes - and so happy to share my passion!"
Claudia Moore, CDC
Okanagan Nation Territory (Kelowna)
Claudia offered an Improvisation Workshop at the Rotary Centre for the Arts.
Claudia led 11 dancers through an exploration of improvisational structures using simple actions and imagery which then became vocabulary for improvised ensemble creations. The movers witnessed each other and had enlightening exchanges about what was experienced in both roles. All felt the benefits of improvised dance to stimulate creativity, enhance listening, explore physical play and connect together in a safe and respectful environment - a joyful experience for all!
"I left feeling exuberant and full of life again. And very well fed! Thank you for an enriching experience, so needed in this community. I look forward to more!" Participant
Emily Carlson
Ancillary CDC
Secwepemc (Secwepemcul’ewc), Ktunaxa, Sinixt Territory (Revelstoke)
Ballet Kelowna visited Revelstoke in March, and offered a repertory workshop to dance students from the community. The workshop pushed participants to rise to the challenge of taking class at a professional level. Participants were taught the repertoire from the beautiful performance of taqes and other works. Connecting to the repertoire after having just watched the performance the night before was an inspiration for dancers of all ages. Being a town that does not have a professional dance company, this workshop was very important for providing insight into professional dance careers for aspiring dancers.
Allison Girvan, CDC
Unceded territory of the sn̓ʕay̓ckstx Sinixt Arrow Lakes and the Yaqan Nukiy Lower Kootenay Band peoples (Nelson)
On March 12, in collaboration with Sláva Doval's dance studio, Shay Kuebler offered a workshop with local dance students on the Unceded territory of the sn̓ʕay̓ckstx Sinixt Arrow Lakes and the Yaqan Nukiy Lower Kootenay Band peoples (Nelson).
Participants had fun learning more about house dance techniques, delving into its rich history and evolution under Shay's expert guidance. This exploration extended beyond the surface as Shay explored the history of house music seeding a deeper integration of understanding within this style.
"Shay's extensive experience provided invaluable insights for attendees, equipping them with skills and knowledge that will undoubtedly shape their relationship with dance as a lifelong passion. The dance workshops also served as a window into future possibilities and potential career pathways for participants. By interacting with a professional dancer, participants gained valuable insights into what a career in dance might look like. This exposure was particularly significant in a smaller city context where such opportunities are limited, highlighting the importance of workshops like Shay's in creating connections and expanding horizons within the local dance community." CDC Allison Girvan
Allison Girvan, CDC
Unceded territory of the sn̓ʕay̓ckstx Sinixt Arrow Lakes and the Yaqan Nukiy Lower Kootenay Band peoples (Nelson)
On November 11, 2023 Jessica McMann offered a Hoop Dance Community Workshop, Unceded territory of the sn̓ʕay̓ckstx Sinixt Arrow Lakes and the Yaqan Nukiy Lower Kootenay Band peoples (Nelson)
"The workshop provided a meaningful opportunity for participants to engage with an Indigenous culture and embody principles of Truth and Reconciliation. By learning about and participating in Hoop Dancing, attendees were able to honour and celebrate the resilience of Indigenous communities whose cultures have been historically oppressed. This act of cultural learning and appreciation leads to a greater understanding that can contribute to the ongoing process of reconciliation." CDC Allison Girvan
"I didn't realize that hoop dancing would be so tricky! I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up but Jessica made me feel okay about it. I'm grateful for a way to learn about an Indigenous dance. I have Indigenous family and I've been looking for ways to learn more" Workshop participant
Robbyn Scott, CDC
xʷənen̕əč (Salt Spring Island)
I am laying the groundwork for my next creative project:
BEING A FOREST
Photo By Dahlya Smolash
BEING A FOREST: A project/workshop immersed in experiential explorations of creative embodiment in Nature.
Two summers ago, an Oglala Lakota man from South Dakota named Tony Ten Fingers (Wanbli Nata’u), visited me at my rural-based home on Salt Spring Island. He told me, “The trees (here) know you”. His words triggered a profound affirmation of experiences I’ve had while being in Nature. The premise for creating the new Being a Forest project/workshop came from my realization that “If we don’t experience Being in nature, how can we care if it’s destroyed?”
In July of 2023, I was inspired when I attended a dinner hosted by Transition SaltSpring and heard about their recently initiated Mt Maxwell 5-year conservation project, Climate Adaptation Research Lab (CARL). I approached them with my Being a Forest project idea and shared how I saw it as a wonderful opportunity for me (and 3 local collaborators: two visual artists and one theatre artist) to connect and collaborate with Transition SS to learn, resource from and create movements, sounds and art-making reflecting their important work. It has an opportunity for all members of the SSI community to share resources and look for new ways to respond as a community to climate change together as well as connect with other communities to build resilience to the global climate crisis.
In May and June, Robbyn offered Being the Forest workshops to 3 local school groups and a public workshop for adults. More workshops will take place in late June and July.
“The inaugural Being a Forest workshop for children took place in collaboration with the Wild Haven outdoor science-driven learning school. Through an exploration of the five senses, I introduced body awareness utilizing dance/movement, voice/sounds and imagination as tools to connect with nature in a new way.
The workshop, attended by young students aged 8 years, was held in the forest and meadow of the Climate Adaptation Research Lab (C.A.R.L.) site at Maxwell Creek on Mt Maxwell (Hwmet’utsum) on Salt Spring Island” Robbyn Scott
“…getting to weave that circle of wholeness today was one of my highlights of the year. I really hope I get to experience more of your magic” Ginette Jobb, Wild Haven.
Thank you to Dance West Network and Coastal Community Investment Funds for their financial support and to SS Arts Council and Transition SS for their in-kind support.
Ancillary CDC Shelby Richardson,
Territory of the Lheidli T’enneh (Prince George)
In August 2023, 6 choreographers participated in our show Conversations in Six, including Anya Saugstad (past participant in Dance West Network DADAO Program), Gwynne Bilski (Scotland), Giselle Liu (Prince Rupert), Melissa McCracken (Kelowna), Amber Downie-Back (Victoria) and Cai Glover, a hard of hearing artist originally from Prince George, this being his first time back in over 17 years!
Almost 300 people attended the showings, and 30 people joined in repertoire workshops with Anya and Cai, as well as a workshop in Murphy Movement with Amber Downie-Back.
TS Choreographer Melissa McCracken Dancers Shayla Dyble, Lauren Fisher, Andrea Brown, Shelby Richardson Photo:James Doyle
MOD Choreographer Cai Glover
Dancers Sam Presley and AbigaelMcCormick
Photo Christos Sagiorgis
Choreographer Giselle Liu Dancers Caitlin Abigael McCormick Photo by Christos Sagiorgis