I’m very fortunate to work alongside artists; helping share their work with audiences. Art, specifically dance, is such an influential force in my life and the idea of bringing artists & audiences together is still a constant thrill.

Just like birthdays, family reunions and Christmas mornings, there are dance moments that measure milestones in my life, evoke memories and shape the way I navigate the world:

• Standing in a dance studio, geared up head-to-toe in ballet gear, and having no clue what was going to happen next
• The waltz scene by the river in An American in Paris
• Seeing La La La Human Steps at the Jubilee for my big 15th birthday
• Finding out the hanging meat & underpants performance I convinced myself I made up was in fact a reality, courtesy of Brian Webb

These dance moments reflected the experiences of others, the possibilities of the moving body* and the courage to express opinions and feelings in a way nothing else has or likely will for me.

Ben Cameron, Program Director, Arts, at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, when he was in town as part of the Percolate Speaker Series spoke about the importance of arts participation. He shared an insight that Americans were, in part, so invested in sport because they saw many images of J.F.K. participating in sporting activities and mirrored that in their own lives. This notion really struck a chord with me: one of the reasons I was so drawn to dance was that it was easy for me to transport the dancers’ experience to my own.

It got me thinking that the opportunity to experience dance from a young age, both as a student and an audience member, also gave me the confidence to participate in other types of art, whether it was going to an opera or a gallery.

Having a connection to one art form made it easy to put my trust in all artists that their work would inspire, challenge and entertain.

Just as we trust dentists to keep our teeth healthy, police officers to keep us safe and teachers to educate us – I trust artists to share their stories, to find the amazing connections that bring us all together and archive the human experience in all its permutations. It’s an incredible calling that takes sacrifice, bravery and dedication.

The third item on my list of memorable dance moments, La La La Human Steps, came full circle this year when Louise Lacavalier returned to Edmonton to perform new work as part of the BWDC season.

 

Image reprinted with the Author’s Permission by Brian Webb Dance Company on August 8, 2012

As a teenager I was amazed by her strength, precision and sexuality on stage. Frankly, I was shocked that my parents would send me off to see the show. As an adult, watching her perform was equally awe inspiring. Rather than being moved by the sheer physicality of her performance, it was the incredible ability to reign in her body that gave power to the emotional elements of the work. On the way home from the theatre and the days that followed, I thought often of how fortunate I was that someone was willing to share that kind of honesty and commitment with roomfuls of strangers.

As we move closer to the 2012-2013 arts season,

I encourage you to put your trust in artists and try something new.

Dance might not be your cup of tea but in Edmonton’s thriving cultural communities there’s a bounty of options to choose from!

*The moving body is a favourite phrase of Brian Webb, Artistic Director of the Brian Webb Dance Company.

Bio:
Stephanie Enders
Stephanie is ecstatic about promoting the arts in Canada and is currently a Project Manager at Bottom Line Productions, a marketing and communications agency with a focus on arts and not-for-profit clients. Stephanie is passionate about the arts and thrilled to be working in an industry where the main focus is on supporting creativity. A long-time Next Gen volunteer, Stephanie values the opportunity to shape the city she chooses to live, learn and work in.

Disclaimer
NextGen Speaks Out, our guest blogging series, is envisioned as a hub for information and discussion. NextGen is a non-political, non-denominational organization focused on giving all nextgeners a voice. NextGen does not represent the opinions expressed by the individual columnists.