DIY Conversations

Digital modes of creating for dance and media artists

 As part of the PIVOT program, Dance West Network held space for DIY (Do It Yourself) dance and media artists to share and discuss digital modes of researching, playing, and creating. Two sessions were held in Summer 2021, one with Julie Chapple and the other with Nita Bowerman, and a joint conversation series with New Works was held in December 2021: a full day of conversations and in-person process sharing. You can read more about the series here.

These online gatherings highlighted how dance and media artists are creating on their own, and how this ‘do it yourself’ mode of working is supporting and expanding their artistic practices. The conversations were open to folks with any level of familiarity with dance and technology. Active and passive participation in the conversations were encouraged, creating a safe space to learn and grow.

Across the conversations, we collected links that were mentioned by the artists hosting the gathering. We encourage you to check out these resources by clicking below.

Photo of Nita Bowerman, taken from a recent experiment

Beyond the Project

 Shion Skye Carter

Creating "The Kiln Project" through Dance West Network's PIVOT program was a valuable opportunity for me to dive further into creating dance for digital spaces, especially in the medium of film. It was also great being able to collaborate with artists who I haven't had the chance to work with before; coming together with filmmaker Brenda Kent Colina (based in Ucluelet, BC) and musician Prince Shima (based in Victoria, BC) to create our project on beautiful Galiano Island, BC made for a meaningful experience of building connections with one another, the ocean, and the forest, while allowing nature to influence our artistic choices. I'm grateful to have been able to share pieces of Japanese Canadian history on this island, and to have built new professional relationships with artists and organizations through the development of this film.

Future plans for "The Kiln Project" include a screening at an outdoor event on Galiano Island in Spring 2022, where locals can gather to see the film alongside the works of other artists presented by Active/Passive Performance Society. The film will also be submitted to film festivals and dance events in Canada and beyond, with the hopes of sharing the work with audiences outside of BC.

Simran Sachar

I have gained a better understanding not only in Volumetric film, but it's relationship to movement and the uniqueness of what surrounds the two and how they rely on each other to build the story outside of the movement. The technicality of the relationship lays down a foundation, which creates patterns that add familiarity to the story.

Simran is continuing to explore these modes of creation - volumetric filming with her mentor Nancy Lee to create a longer film with more dancers in the community.

Lindsay Delaronde

We are the land and the land is us became something we could share with community. Having a media component allowed for us to archive and document our learnings together, which also captured the essence of the work and mostly is allowed for us to have a focus point. A point of view

The PIVOT project has changed the trajectory of my practice. Grounding deeper into dance, theatre and film is opening up new relationships and ways of viewing and creating art. The intersectionality of conversations and the different positionalities people bring is incredible!

New website: http://lindsaydelaronde.ca/