The CanDance Network Creative Exchange Project

Dance West Network is working with The CanDance Network Creative Exchange Project and a group of presenters and equity-seeking dance artists to support creative residencies, hosted locally, with online artist exchanges, Spring/Summer 2022. 

In addition to Shayna Jones who will be working on the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa peoples/Kaslo BC, the other dance artists and presenting organizations involved in this project include: 

Cindy Ansah (Springboard Performance) 
Andrea Deviani (Mile Zero Dance)
Travis Knights (Fall for Dance North)
Thaina Rosinvil (Studio 303, Tiohtiá:ke/Mooniyang/Montréal)
Vanessa Cardoso Whelan (Neighbourhood Dance Works)

Shayna Jones developed “Go Into Your Heart,” borne out of her current work as an Afro-centric folklorist and performing artist collecting the stories of Canadians of African descent tucked away in the countryside, such as herself.

The work, Black + Rural, is intrinsically heart-based, striving to defy polarizing political-speak and to engage, instead, each story shared from a place of humanizing compassion and respect.

“Go Into Your Heart” is an extrapolation of this work, inviting people of any cultural background to engage this heart-based mode of exploration and creation. It’s a cross-disciplinary project weaving together the art of Spoken Word, Dance, and the haunting sounds of Crystal Bowl and vocal melody. The completed video, now released, will serve as the genesis of a community-based hybrid performance-workshop initiative to take place in Spring/Summer 2023.

CanDance Creative Exchange / CanDanse: échanges en créations is a co-presentation of The CanDance Network, Dance West Network, Springboard Performance, Mile Zero Dance, Fall for Dance North, Studio 303, Neighbourhood Dance Works and is supported by the Dance Section of The Canada Council for the Arts and Canadian Heritage. 

photo courtesy of the artist, Shayna Jones

Clockwise: Shayna Jones on the streets of her small town, Kaslo, BC., Noémi Kiss playing the crystal bowls captured by videographer Alex Botton and Sláva Doval suspended above sparkling Kootenay Lake, in BC's interior, with local videographer Carlo Alcos.