prairie girl musings

Category: Dance

On Supporting The Arts

Supporting the arts is important in any community. In a city that’s rebuilding and finding its feet again, it’s essential.

Christchurch lost so many buildings in the earthquakes and having Isaac Theatre Royal as our home for the performing arts is truly a treasure. Every time I set foot inside this beautifully restored building, I think about how fortunate we are to have access to such a stunning venue. It’s been four years (nearly five since it reopened in November 2014) and I still get chills every time I sit down to take in a performance.

In Toronto, we lived on a shoestring budget. Both fresh out of university (with design and arts degrees, no less) we knew going to the theatre was a luxury we probably couldn’t afford. Thankfully, the National Ballet of Canada had an under 29 deal where you could get $30 tickets to every performance. How rad is that? We ended up frequenting the ballet and soon became regular patrons of the arts. It helped that Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts was only a couple blocks from our one-bedroom apartment.

As a writer, I am occasionally sent tickets to the theatre, and count myself incredibly lucky. Even if this wasn’t the case, Nick and I would do everything possible to go on a regular basis.

How often do we lament the fact that there’s nothing worth doing in our hometowns, but fail to see all the opportunities right in front of us? I know I’m guilty of complaining about how boring Christchurch is, which simply isn’t true.

It’s great to see local attempts to make arts and culture accessible to everyone. Events like Bread & Circus and the Christchurch Arts Festival are an excellent way to take in world-class theatre, live performance art and busking on the streets. And all are free or only a fraction of the cost of a theatre ticket.

When we’re struggling to find meaning in our daily lives, escaping for a few hours can be therapeutic and nourishing unlike anything else. Attending the ballet or a broadway show helps express our values while celebrating diversity and true prosperity. The arts foster creativity and they bring us together regardless of our ethnicity, religion or age. When the world seems cruel or unfair, laughing through a musical can help mend our broken hearts.

Photos by Nancy Zhou
Ganni dress borrowed from Designer Wardrobe

September 24, 2019
Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?

Last night, Nick and I went to see the National Ballet of Canada’s rendition of Romeo & Juliet. I’ve never seen this Shakespearean tragedy performed onstage, but it has long inspired choreographers to adapt it for the ballet medium.

We’re fortunate to live only two blocks away from the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, and managed to grab DanceBreak tickets at a reduced student price. Karen Kain, NBC’s Artistic Director has been one of my idols since I was a little girl. I remember writing an elementary school report on her when she was still a principal dancer. Needless to say, I was exceedingly excited for the opportunity to see a performance by one of Canada’s most renown ballet companies. A bit of a ballet fanatic, I’m always on the lookout for refreshing choreography and contemporary takes on old classics. I first read the play in grade nine, and found it depressing, impractical, and a bit ridiculous. There were various aspects of the plot I couldn’t reconcile or understand. I still cringe when Romeo swallows the contents of his own vile of poison (where did that come from anyway?) rather than waiting approximately 28 seconds for Juliet to awake. I could sit and analyze the play all day, but that’s beside the point. The ballet was outstanding and the enduring nature of its themes provide powerful characterization for the medium of dance.

I was most impressed with Keiichi Hirano, who danced the role of Mercutio. His choreography was over-the-top and creative, and he was incredibly entertaining, which provided some much needed comic relief. And boy, could he jump! I look forward to watching him dance again! Juliet, as danced by Sonia Rodriguez, was also phenomenal. She was breathtaking to watch and she executed each movement with complete grace and fluidity. Only she could make a hundred fouettés and jetés look so effortless.

You still have three opportunities to see Romeo & Juliet at the Four Seasons, get your tickets now! I can’t wait for my next NBC performance!

March 16, 2013
… and so she would dance

“Go into the arts, I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or how badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

-Kurt Vonnegut

Until quite recently, all I wanted to do was dance. I grew up auditioning for ballet companies and annual production of the Nutcracker and The Lion King. Weekends were spent rehearsing my solos for competition, performing and touring with provincial companies, and teaching the wee ones how to point their toes.

After high school, I found myself at a crossroads, seriously deliberating whether to pursue dance professionally or to obtain a university education. The practicality of a university degree is not lost on me, despite my decision to study English rather than engineering or commerce. However, I do sometimes wistfully pull out my toe shoes or attend a drop-in class that caters to trained contemporary and classical dancers. I still shed a tear whenever I attend a Broadway show, be it in New York or Yorkton.

Dance, especially ballet, can be a controversial subject. Many argue that it imparts a destructive bodily self-consciousness, self-hatred and an unhealthy perfectionistic streak. I can’t deny that is sometimes breeds emotionally under-developed young adults, with overly narcissistic desire to succeed. For me, however, it gave me a vehicle for communication and self-expression when words didn’t seem to fit. It also taught me self-acceptance, for the parts of myself that didn’t seem to fit with my small-town upbringing. Feeling perpetually awkward throughout your high school years is certainly not a rare phenomenon, and a natural part of growing into the person you’re supposed to be. But when I danced, I felt invincible. I worked hard to master my technique, which has paid off in my adult life and in my editorial pursuits.

Check out this video from CTV’s So You Think You Can Dance? Canada entitled “Will I” from the musical RENT. It’s choreographed by Mia Michaels, and features Saskatchewan dancer, Mackenzie Green.

February 1, 2013
The Capital of Cool: Copenhagen

Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, is one of my favourite cities in the world. While my younger sister was studying abroad in Sweden this past semester, I had to opportunity to travel much of Scandinavia with family, friends as well as on my own. I spent four days in Denmark following a stint in Oslo with my friend, Brenden. It was my first time travelling solo, and I have never felt more liberated! Copenhagen is amazing on so many levels. First, it’s compact and walkable. I was able to navigate from the airport (I flew Air Baltic) to the central train station to my hotel to the downtown amenities seamlessly. I packed very lightly, which was a tremendous feat given the size of my wardrobe. Speaking of wardrobe, Copenhagen is the capital of design, it plays an integral role in the fashion and industrial design industries, and The Dansk Design Center was one of my first stops upon arrival in Copenhagen. It features exhibitions by local artists, cutting edge Danish designers and advocates design driven innovation and works to improve public products and services through society projects. If you ever have the chance, I’d highly recommend spending a day here. There’s so much fun to be had, and it truly is an engaging experience! Danish architecture is also highly impressive with its recent boom in modern architecture. Its pastries, of course are second to none. My favourite spot being Lagkagehuset, which can be found in several locations throughout the city. The window displays are especially enticing on a cold February morning, and their hot chocolate is simply divine!

Copenhagen has several Michelin-starred restaurants, but also a myriad of more affordable and equally delectable options! If you’re a fan of Carlsberg beer, I’d suggest checking out their brewery as the Danes are very generous with tastings and samples. I also admire how progressive Denmark is as a country.
As you probably already know, Copenhagen has the highest rate of bicycle ownership per capital of ANYWHERE in the world. Wherever you go, you’ll see fashionably-clad Danish beauties aboard two-wheelers. The frocks on bikes trend we’ve seen emerge over the past few years à la Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) and Garance Doré have clearly been inspired by the Danes.

Recently, the New York Times revealed that a new super highway was being constructed for Copenhagen citizens, encouraging further bike use! Check out this video posted on the NY Times twitter page:
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/07/17/world/europe/100000001632565/a-green-light-for-copenhagens-cyclists.html?smid=tw-nytimes

I’m a huge advocate for sustainable transport. I truly realized the value of public transport while living in Auckland. Auckland’s an isthmus, which makes it difficult to implement any sort of viable transport. Furthermore, the auto-dependence is outrageous with more than 80% of Aucklanders driving to work and new motorways constantly being built. This is nothing new to Aucklanders who’ve grown accostomed to their gas guzzling ways. Europeans however, sharply intake almost immediately upon arrival in Auckland as decent public transport is ingrained in their mentality. Copenhagen’s decision to implement and promote physical activity and sustainbility is what makes it such a pleasant place to live or visit!

One of my favourite pieces of artwork by Edgar Degas, The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer

Every city should have a town square, this is a wonderful place to congregate in Copenhagen.

Dansk Design Center

July 18, 2012