By Raoul Pillay Through Jazz, I found the gift of self. Growing up as coloured in Zimbabwe but black in Canada, it felt like two very different stories. I had to relearn mine. Who is Raoul?! I spent a lot of my teenage years isolated, going from one form to another. It felt like […]
I am an artist with over thirty years of experience as a dancer, educator, rehearsal director and entrepreneur. Reflecting on my journey into dance has brought up memories of teachers and mentors who have supported my artistic development, whether it was in the studio setting or attaining my degrees in dance at York University. When […]
Documenting Black Dancing Bodies Against the Odds By Emilie “Zila” Jabouin When people ask me what I do, I say I am a dance artist and a researcher. The two actually go very intimately hand-in-hand. I research to tell forgotten stories of black women and of black history particularly in the Americas […]
From October 21-23, 2022, dance Immersion hosted the Legacy Series: Jazz Dance Symposium. On the first night we watched the extraordinary documentary entitled “Everything Remains Raw: A Historical Perspective on Hip Hop Dance” by E. Moncell Durden. The documentary was incredible and deeply informative on the different types of dances from African American and Latinx […]
Originally posted in the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) “Keepers of the Flame” Newsletter in 2022. Toronto, Ontario has a population of over 2.5 million people and is the most populated city in the country of Canada. Toronto is made up of many diverse expressions that carry dynamic vibrations from around the […]
What is art? Art to me is an escape from reality. A way to express our thoughts, feelings, emotions and experiences. Throughout my artistic journey, I have encountered many situations where people were engaged in conversations on the differences between the qualifications of a trained/ technical dancer versus a self-taught dancer. The debate on whether […]
A continuation of dance Immersion’s Online Bantaba & Check-In with Esie Mensah on her film, Tessel. In this video, Esie answers questions from the audience that we did not have time for at the Bantaba event.
Hello, My name is Zahra Badua and I am the administrative assistant here at dance Immersion – welcome to my blog. Over the next few weeks, I will be hosting a community corner where I will be discussing various topics that affect the African Diaspora. In addition, I will be speaking with prominent people within our […]
On January 27, 2021, dance Immersion’s Curator & Program Director Timea Wharton-Suri spoke on Turnout Radio CIUT 89.5 FM about our programs and services for dancers. Also on the broadcast were Robert Sauvey of Dance Umbrella of Ontario and Amy Hampton of Dance Ontario Association. Hosted by Nicole Inica Hamilton, the program helped highlight the […]