Our three programming platforms are interrelated and serve intergenerational communities of artists:
Our Legacy Series and Mentorship programs combine all three programming areas.
Browse the tabs below for details.
Canadian Presentations + International Presentations + Summer Showcases
We present dance-based works in indoor and outdoor theatrical spaces, selecting and commissioning works in various dance styles by artists and choreographers from the African Diaspora living in Canada and abroad. dance Immersion residencies, workshops and talk-backs are connected to these public presentations.
CANADIAN ARTIST PRESENTATIONS
Each season, we showcase established, mid-career and emerging dance artists from across Canada in presentations staged primarily in Toronto. A brief history of the hundreds of Canadian artists and dance companies presented to date includes:
SUMMER SHOWCASES
Our Canadian presentations include annual outdoor Summer Showcases in the Greater Toronto Area as part of the TD Irie Music Festival featuring many of the artists listed above.
Trailer Video: Tabanka Dance Ensemble/dance Immersion Presentation 2020
INTERNATIONAL ARTIST PRESENTATIONS
We work to bring some of the most exciting African Diasporic artists and companies from around the world to Canada to delight audiences, inspire local artists, and educate us on their perspectives. Some of the many international artists presented include:
Residencies + In-Studio Showcases + Doing Our Thing
dance Immersion incubation programs help professional artists develop new choreographic skills, create or expand dance works, and share works informally to gather feedback before they reach the performance stage.
RESIDENCIES
We are expanding our paid residency programming for professional artists providing access to free studio space, artist fees and mentorship by established artists, engaging both Canadian and international artists in the process. We aim to give artists more time and resources to develop their work before it reaches audiences. In addition, we periodically connect local artists with international dance companies, securing artist-in-residence opportunities for Canadian artists to expand their craft and their networks on the global stage.
IN-STUDIO PRESENTATIONS
These interactive gatherings help artists workshop their choreographic works in progress, and are often held at the conclusion of a Workshop Series residency. They include work by our feature guest instructor on the same program with artists testing out exciting new creations. Audience participants are treated to a variety of work from both emerging and professional artists at our In-Studio Presentations.
Video: Alejandra Nuñez/dance Immersion Doing Our Thing 2017
DOING OUR THING
This initiative is designed for artists of all artistic disciplines seeking contemporary tools and ideas for exploring and expanding their artistic practices. The events foster more collaborative art-making by providing day-long interdisciplinary workshops lead by established dance, music, literary, visual, media, and/or spoken-word artists, followed by performances by the workshop leaders. Lead artists have included:
Workshop Series + Youth Arts Program + Bantaba + Legacy Series
dance Immersion’s educational programs serve professional artists, youth interested in the arts, and the public. They include live and online movement workshops, music practicums, and discussions on the current state of society as viewed through the artist’s lens. As we navigate through 2020 and beyond, we are adapting our programming to be offered at a distance, where required. Stay tuned!
WORKSHOP SERIES
dance Immersion’s popular workshop series brings international and Canadian artists into the studio to deliver movement classes. The workshops are offered for different age groups and levels of experience to allow professional, new generation and youth dance artists to expand their craft. The workshop leaders often present a brief dance work in our In-Studio Presentations on the bill with other artists showing works in progress. To date, workshop leaders have included:
Video: Alesandra Seutin/dance Immersion Workshop 2015
YOUTH ARTS PROGRAM (YAP)
Our Youth Arts Program provides a nurturing and supportive environment where children and youth are given the opportunity to build self esteem and self discipline through expressions that relate to them. The organization has offered a diverse range of programs to youth designed for community involvement, exchange and education. Our current program works with NGOMA to offer drum classes. NGOMA is an ensemble of performers who capture the essence of their cultural heritage through drum with a distinctive contemporary vibe. Ngoma is committed to honoring their ancestry through the dynamic presentation of drum pieces that educate, empower and embrace the majesty of African Heritage.
BANTABA
With our Online Bantaba & Check-In we are introducing more discussions to our programming. The word Bantaba is from the Mandinka people of West Africa meaning “spiritual circle” around which the community gathers for affirmation and confirmation of self purpose. This platform allows for sharing experiences while offering support and solutions to reduce the impact on our physical and physiological beings. Our first Bantaba speaker in 2020 was Rodney Diverlus on the topic of Black Lives Matter. The events include a presentation and Q & A.
Educational Symposia + New Work Incubation + Presentation
dance Immersion’s new Legacy Series is a movement.
It is a movement toward cultural reconnection, reclamation, and expanded artistic development for African Diasporic youth and adults in Canada.
The Legacy Series examines the past, present and future of African Diasporic dance forms through celebratory educational events.
It is dance Immersion’s largest program encompassing all three of our programming platforms – education, incubation, and presentation.
Each annual movement includes:
2021-2022 – LEGACY SERIES: TAP DANCE
Our first iteration – Legacy Series: Tap Dance – connected the local Black community to Tap Dance and its historical significance to Black culture. Led by Lisa La Touche and Travis Knights, attendees received a practical, theoretical, and metaphysical introduction to the original American street dance – Tap. Attendees were challenged by learning the intricate and groove-based physicality of Tap, as well as the distinction between the Black cultural expression of the dance and the many appropriated forms that became popular at different periods in Turtle Island’s history. Along with invited guest artists, live music in the classroom, a jam session and a social ball, this event enhanced the understanding and appreciation of the scope of Blackness through Tap Dance culture.
Renowned faculty members included: Bril Barrett (Chicago), Brinae Ali (Baltimore), Danny Nielsen (Vancouver), Mafa Makhubalo (Toronto), and Natasha Powell (Toronto). Musicians Michael Shand, Jonathan Chapman, Amhed Mitchel, Anthony D’Alessandro, Jennifer Lo, and Kwasi Dunyo collaborated with the faculty to provide live music education and performance throughout the event.
The Tap Dance Symposium took place at Hart House, University of Toronto, from December 3-5, 2021. We are grateful for their partnership and support in making this event happen.
The Artistic Directors will incubate new work over the spring of 2022, and it will be presented at the Legacy Series: Tap Dance Concert in June 2022 in High Park as part of the Canadian Stage Dream in High Park.
The Legacy Series would not be possible without the support of TD Bank Group.
Image of the inaugural Legacy Series by Laurie Townshend.
Mentorship
dance Immersion periodically collaborates with other organizations to provide youth with substantial mentorship opportunities that develop their skills, knowledge and self-esteem.
LEGACY LEADERS 2019
Originally offered in 2019, Legacy Leaders may be offered again in the near future. This extensive initiative is a collaborative project between arts organizations in Toronto, who have come together to offer an Arts Administration Training Program geared towards individuals who identify as Black or as individuals of African Descent, residing in Toronto or the GTA.
Our objective is to help build and support business/arts administration capacity for dance organizations while creating a platform for emerging arts administrators to gain practical experience. Participants are immersed in an experiential learning environment while receiving marketable administrative skills. This collaborative training program is a hybrid between a traditional classroom setting and hands on-learning.
Partner organizations included Esie Mensah Creations, KasheDance, COBA, NGOMA, PIECE of MINE Arts, Ronald Taylor Dance, Roots & Branches, and UrbanArts. The program was possible due to the generous support of The City of Toronto and United Way Canada.
MENTORME 2018
The MentorMe Initiative offers progressive training for young people through mentorship, consultations, seminars, and hands-on practicums that provide important skills needed to achieve arts career goals. This program is conducted over one year to allow for contemplation and gestation. The MentorMe activities nurture both administrative and artistic skills in a 12-month program that focuses on helping artists implement their ideas into fully-realized projects.
