Q&A with Lynette Segale

The 2019 In the Studio Series features the work in progress of four choreographers who participated in the Breaking Ground Mentorship Program. Today, we hear from Lynette Segal.

GD: The theme of the 2019 GDF is “What Moves You,” can you share with us what moved you when working in the creation of Yes, and ?

LS: My impetus for the creation of Yes, and was two-fold. It's been a topsy-turvy last few years for me, with many big changes in my life. I wanted to channel some of the turbulent energy towards a creative process, trusting that what I needed to explore and share would emerge in the studio... and it did! I'm also re-entering my practice of Contact Improvisation and being physically charged, working with falling, rolling, being grounded, fluid, and in flow. It was very satisfying to demand a considerable amount from myself physically, and know that my body is still adaptable, reliable and pliant. That said, as I write this, I'm recovering from a recent head injury. I anticipate complete recovery; our bodies are healing machines!

Photo by Bloom Media

GD: What were the highlights of the mentorship process for you? The challenges?

LS: I was taken by Lina's deeply intuitive sensitivity and highly attuned heart. She essentially asked me to transmute movement into emotion... therein lies the challenge.

GD: Is there anything else you would like to share with Guelph audiences before your performance?

I would like to shout out a huge, heartfelt gratitude to Catrina von Redecki for including in the festival a series of works in progress. It is a valuable endeavour to stay in the creative process, not trim all the loose ends, and tidy up to make a piece performance ready. There is an informal, sharing feeling about this series that I'm particularly fond of.

In the Studio takes place Saturday June 1st at 5:00 PM and Sunday June 2nd at 2:00PM at Guelph Youth Dance Studios, 42 Quebec Street.

Q&A with Catherine Bellefleur & Marie-Maxime Ross

The 2019 In the Studio Series features the work in progress of four choreographers who participated in the Breaking Ground Mentorship Program. Today, we hear from Catherine Bellefleur and Marie-Maxime Ross.

GD: The theme of the 2019 GDF is “What Moves You,” can you share with us what moved you when working in the creation of Foolish Fish?

MM&C: We were really inspired by relations and how they can be good or bad for both. In our piece, we share a view on a complicated friendship between two women. We explore how the love and support they have for each other but also the tensions between them shape their body.

Photo by Frédéric Champoux

GD: What were the highlights of the mentorship process for you? The challenges?

MM&C: We really enjoyed being guided by Lina Cruz since it was our first collaboration together. She helped us balance our ideas and brought a new perspective to our work. She knew the importance of the details and she made us see where and how our propositions could be clearer.

Photo by Bloom Media

GD: Is there anything else you would like to share with Guelph audiences before your performance?

MM&C: It truly is an amazing opportunity for us, Montreal dancers, to share with you. We are happy to make our dance travel and we are thrilled to hear what you have to share with us.

In the Studio takes place Saturday June 1st at 5:00 PM and Sunday June 2nd at 2:00PM at Guelph Youth Dance Studios, 42 Quebec Street.

Q&A with Rowen McBride-Pilon

The 2019 In the Studio Series features the work in progress of four choreographers who participated in the Breaking Ground Mentorship Program. Today, we hear from Rowen McBride-Pilon.

GD: The theme of the 2019 GDF is “What Moves You,” can you share with us what moved you when working in the creation of disparu?

RMP: The creation of disparu originated from a place of exploration surrounding the concept of loss. After experiencing a great personal loss in my life this past year, I became extremely attentive to the ways in which people enter and exit each others lives. For some people, it is sudden and unexpected, for others it may be a slow and dreary process of detachment and for others it is simply a growing separation. When you stop and really think about it (which I have been doing quite a bit over the past few months) there are so many different ways in which people interact with others' lives, both knowingly and unknowingly. This idea began to flourish as Teagan and I explored in studio what interpersonal relationships meant to us. We asked ourselves how we could move from being separate entities to becoming intertwined beings and then back to individuals again. To answer the question more directly, what moved me was the need for exploration and attempt at understanding. I often find myself drawn to movement and creation at times when I am unknowing. I find it helps me process my thoughts and develop new insights, just as this piece has done.

Photo by Bloom Media

GD: What were the highlights of the mentorship process for you? The challenges?

RMP: One of the biggest highlights of this process for me was being able to work with such gifted artists and movers. Lina Cruz consistently guided me through my own process and helped me to find clarity within my own ideas. She worked hard to push me out of my comfort and take risks I had never even considered. Throughout this process I gained a great deal of confidence in myself and my ideas and am excited to have shared this process with one of my best friends Teagan Ariss. Teagan helped me to visualize my thoughts through her constant support and openness. Not only did these women help me to formulate what this piece has become, but they assisted me in learning to accept the idea of process. Coming from a personal background of striving to create a finished and polished piece, I am excited to say that I really enjoyed the idea of working with patience and exploration. A big challenge for me is I often find myself overwhelmed by the immense possibilities creating has to offer. There are so many directions and meanings a developing piece could take on that sometimes I lose my original concept and become very frustrated by that. Working with the idea of process really allowed me to explore all the various avenues I had without any set expectations and restraints, giving me the opportunity to forever continue to work on and develop the ideas present in disparu.

GD: Is there anything else you would like to share with Guelph audiences before your performance?

RMP: I am very excited to share the current state of disparu with the Guelph audience and cannot wait to further my exploration of its concepts.

In the Studio takes place Saturday June 1st at 5:00 PM and Sunday June 2nd at 2:00PM at Guelph Youth Dance Studios, 42 Quebec Street.

Q&A with Lacey Smith from Dasein Dance

The Youth Moves Series has been a long time audience favourite at the Guelph Dance Festival. This series typically featured works by several youth dance companies form across Southwestern Ontario. However, this year the series has taken a twist and it will present a very ambitious project lead by choreographer Lacey Smith from Dasein Dance. Featuring 70 young dancers from four cities, The Four Season Projects pays homage to Vivaldi’s popular concertos. Lacey Smith answered a few questions for our blog to get you all excited about this big change.

GD: The theme of the 2019 GDF is “What Moves You” can you share with us what moved you when working in the creation of The Four Seasons Project?

Photo by Caitlyn Vader

LS: Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. It is no surprise that approximately 300 years after their original composition these concertos remain some of the best-known pieces of classical music to date. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is riddled with imagery that speaks so vividly and continues to surprise you. It is this world of imagery that has moved us throughout the creation of this work. The music has inspired an entire movement score based on the images the dancers saw while listening to each movement. From these visualization we developed unconventional dances. Sharing this process with all of these amazing youth has also been extremely moving. They bring a beautiful openness and curiosity that is young and fresh. The process has been filled with play, laughter and sometimes tears. The range of life that has been welcomed in and embraced throughout has created a very special work that transcends time and form.

GD: Tell us about the journey of working with four different dance groups in order to create a larger piece? How did your vision come about?

Photo by Edwin Luk

LS: In June of 2017 a movement from the Spring Concerto came on the radio as I was driving. At the time I had been brainstorming about a new creative process for us to take on during our summer intensive. Immediately I knew that this music would be the premise for our new project. From there I started developing the idea of Four Seasons, Four Cities, Four Youth Companies and One Youth String Ensemble. Working with these groups has brought many rewards, challenges and a lot of creativity. Travelling from city to city and developing new relationships with over 60 dancers has been quite an undertaking. The task of managing a cast of nearly 80 performers is like putting an 80-piece puzzle together, except these puzzle pieces are always moving. Just like the Four Seasons, each of these groups has a distinct character which makes the experience rich and constantly in flux. Mostly this journey has provided me with an opportunity for growth. To see a creative process from the lens of young people is a true gift. The older we get the less enchanted we seem to be with the world and our lives. The wonder and the possibility start to fade away over time. These young dancers have given me the chance to enter back into a world that I haven’t seen in many years. Being in this world has opened up the possibility of creating a work that is filled with all the colours of the rainbow. How exciting!

Up until now we have been working with the groups separately. The full cast will come together for the very first time one day before the performance in Guelph. This has taken a lot of strategic planning and careful preparation of all of the performers. We can’t wait to see it all come together…it is going to be magic.

GD: Is there anything else you would like to share with Guelph audiences before your performance?

LS: Did you know that there are a series of sonnets that Vivaldi wrote into the score of the Four Seasons?  There is much controversy surrounding these sonnets, who wrote them and whether they proceeded or followed the creation of the music. One thing that is certain is that they add to the layers of life and to the enchanting complexity of these concertos. Unveiling the sonnets and where Vivaldi wrote them into the score is like turning the pages of a suspense novel.

Photo by Caitlyn Vader

This project couldn’t be fulfilled without the involvement of and collaboration with the musicians. We are so thrilled to have a string ensemble of fourteen instrumentalists that will be bringing this music to life alongside the dancers. Eight of these musicians are youth players and six are professionals with as many as four decades of experience. This project has provided a unique platform for Intergenerational collaboration and exchange. Through this experiential learning opportunity the professionals involved in this project have provided mentorship to the young artists and the professional artists have gained a refining of our own pedagogy through this beautiful exchange. And let’s not forget that we have all gained the gift of youth, which we can’t wait to share with the Guelph audience.

This truly is a remarkable opportunity to celebrate this timeless music and the magic of our youth, together and as a community.

If you have not purchased your tickets for Youth Moves yet, we recommend doing so quickly as this great show will surely sell out!

Q&A with Jane Alison McKinney from Wild Rabbit Dance Projects

New this year, the Late Night Series, features There She Was, a solo by Toronto's Wild Rabbit

Dance Projects. We asked dancer-choreographer Jane Alison McKinney a few questions in 

anticipation of her performance next week.

GD: The theme of the 2019 GDF is “What Moves You” can you share with us what moved you when

working in the creation of There she was?

Photo by Francesca Chudnoff

JAM: When I first started making this solo, I set out to dive into my own personal identity, and a

kind of internal chaos I was finding within myself. But I found it hard to focus my attention inwards,

because when I’d go to work alone in the studio, I would get distracted by the unmanageable

chaos of the outside world that was escalating rapidly. Reality became this obstacle that felt

impossible to tackle as a solo, so I leaned into the idea of escape as well. There she was morphs

through these two polarizing images and physicalities and lets the audience in on this experience

with me. 

The piece has two visual chapters: an androgynous, grounded, embodied figure contrasted with an

exaggerated, hyper-feminine, towering monster. These images came from wanting to escape into

the extreme ends of my own identity, and to mess with normative versions of femininity. I also have

a thing for tiny furniture and super high stilettos, so those are featured as well!

I was very lucky to collaborate with Heidi Strauss as a mentor and outside eye throughout the

creative process. Heidi has been instrumental to my development as an artist, and really helped to

push the potential of what this work could become in significant ways.

Photo by Francesca Chudnoff

GD: Tell our audiences a little bit about what to expect when they come to watch There she was?

Is this show suitable for everyone?

JAM: It’s tricky to determine what is suitable for someone else, but I can say that There she was is a

relatively intense work suitable for a relatively mature audience. It also has nudity, which is

interesting to me, because it’s a feminist work, and if I were a male performer it wouldn’t have that

warning label attached to it. When male artists perform bare chested they are often praised for the

sensitivity and strength of their expression, when women or gender non-conforming people

do it it’s considered provocative. When I perform this solo I try to embody that sensitive strength

others get to feel, and transfer that freedom to my own experience. There she was is the kind of

work I wish I had been exposed to when I was a younger dancer figuring out what it means to be a

woman in the performing arts.

I like that this late night performance ends with a reception, I’m looking forward to getting to chat
afterwards with those that come to watch.  In general I’d say you can expect a bold, physical, semi
theatrical, contemporary dance solo; that might just make you think something or feel something
(hopefully)!

Photo by Francesca Chudnoff

Check out the trailer for There she was here! The performance will take plance on Friday May

31st at 9:30pm and will be followed by a Festival Reception, free and open to all, at 10:00pm at

Guelph Youth Dance studios, 42 Quebec Street.

Q&A with Luca "Lazylegz" Patuelli

You may have seen Luca's picture around town already as he is on our Festival poster & postcard. This is what Luca had to share with the Guelph Dance blog about his visit to Guelph:

GD: The theme of the 2019 GDF is “What Moves You” can you share with us what moved you when working in the creation of No Excuses, No Limits?

LP: No Excuses No Limits is an interactive Motivational Entertainment performance where I will share my story but more importantly my passion of dance with the audiences. I believe this performance fits well with this year's theme as I promise to get everyone moving with me.

Photo by Jacob Jonas

GD: What is it that you love the most about performing outdoors?

LP: There's nothing like outdoor performances. The fresh air, sounds of nature, and the fact that every day will be different. Performing outdoors is definitely a performance space where performers act more on the present moment due to the environment around you constantly changing.

GD: During your time in Guelph, aside from the performance at the Park, you will also be delivering a motivational conference to high school students. Tell us a little bit about your work with youth and how it influences your artistic practice.

LP: I feel it's important to share your experiences with our younger generations. The conferences in schools are an opportunity for me to share my story with the students but also for the students to get to know me on a deeper level. What I appreciate about the conferences in schools the most is that even though I am speaking to the audience I am watching and reading my audience, I learn just as much of them as they are of me. I often open up the space to allow audience to share as well. 

You can catch Luca at Exhibition Park on May 31st and June 1st & 2nd. His energy and agility are inspiring, don't miss out this unique opportunity to see this Canada 150 Ambassador in our City!

Q&A with Christine Friday from Friday Creeations

Dancer-choreographer Christine Friday, shared with us a few thoughts on her upcoming performance and workshop at the Guelph Dance Festival. Christine will be In the Park with Maggie & Me - A healing dance  on May 31st and June 1st & 2nd. Additionally, she will lead a workshop on Indigenous Contemporary Dance on Saturday June 1st at 10am for those interested in moving! Here is what she had to share with us:

GD: The theme of the 2019 GDF is “What Moves You” can you share with us what moved you when working in  the creation of Maggie & Me?

CF:The ability to remove fear and move into the the power of ones true self.

GD: What is it that you love the most about performing outdoors?

CF: I have performed outdoors a lot the unexpected sense of sourcing energy form the elements that surround us - its breaks through hierarchy - we are all eye to eye - no one person better than another -we all have a gift to offer -  together we create a whole.

GD: During your time in Guelph, aside form the Park performance of Maggie & Me, you will also be leading a workshop on contemporary Indigenous dance. Please tell us a few things that participants can expect in order to get them excited and registering for this great opportunity to dance with you.

CF: This workshop/presentation will create cultural awareness and a greater understanding of who we are and where we are coming from as Indigenous people. Participants will be moved and connected with a better understanding of our First Nations Culture. Culture is an extension of our nature and spirit. This workshop will include a performance, participation  and talking circle.

Register today for Christine's workshop, this event is surely going to sell out!