Workshop Submissions: Disability Informed Creation in Dance with Debbie Patterson and Christopher House

We are now accepting submissions for the Disability Informed Creation in Dance Workshop with Debbie Patterson (WPG) and Christopher House (TO). Submissions are due Monday, March 15, 2021.

This workshop will be hosted by Young Lungs Dance Exchange and Sick + Twisted Theatre from April 12 – 16, 2021 @ 1:00 – 4:00 pm (CST), Online over Zoom.

Overview of Workshop:

This five-day online workshop brings together disabled (Deaf, Crip, mad, sick) and nondisabled dancers, choreographers, movers and makers.

Engaging with the disruptions created by disability, we will use this time to develop connections and remove barriers to collaboration across abilities. Engaging with the disruptions created by Covid, we’ll take advantage of the limitations and opportunities of online meeting. 

The workshop will explore choreographic practice as a way of questioning, examining and expressing the body’s truth and its capacity for radical specificity in relation to time and space. How does the disabled body inform choreographic practice? How does choreographic thinking inform the disabled performer’s practice?

Participants will choreograph and perform each day, working quickly and intuitively on short projects; sharing their work with the group; participating in discussions, and joining in giving and receiving supportive feedback. 

The goal of the workshop is to bring each participant’s intuitive knowledge and curiosity into a productive dialogue with their critical mind. We will approach this in a spirit of rigour that includes lightness and play. Ideally, this workshop will act as a springboard to launch new collaborative relationships among integrated groups of performers.

The workshop is hosted by Debbie Patterson, Artistic Director of Sick + Twisted Theatre, and veteran choreographer and mentor Christopher House, former Artistic Director of Toronto Dance Theatre. 

Participants must be available for a short conversation with the facilitators during the week before for the workshop; have access to the internet and a device, preferably a  laptop, for running Zoom; and be able to commit to the full duration of the workshop. 

Who Should Apply:

This program is open to all Manitoban artists and will be conducted in English with ASL interpretation. Non-disabled dancers, choreographers and movers interested in exploring disability-informed movement and Disabled performers interested in expanding their approach to movement in performance creation are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply:

Write to us at sickandtwisted@outlook.com with:

• Your resume or CV
• An artist statement that includes:
• A description of your artistic practice
• What you hope to get out of this program (or what excites you about this program)
• Some things you’re artistically curious about right now.

Research Series Endnote Roundtable Discussion With Written and Visual Essay Presentations by Toby Gillies, katnancy and Kate Sjoberg

When: Sunday, March 28th, 2021

Time: 2:00 – 4:00 pm (CST), Online over Zoom

This is a FREE event

Please visit younglungs.ca or click HERE to sign up.

Written and Visual Essay Presentations by Toby Gillies, katnancy and Kate Sjoberg creative response to the work of the in-residence artists.

About the Event:

Join the Research Series Essayists and participating Artists-In-Residence in this celebratory Endnote event. Each of the three essayists will offer a creative response to the work of the in-residence artists. This exchange across disciplines aims to broaden the discussion and inquiry around dance by offering multiple in-depth perspectives. Discussion and celebration to follow as the YLDE 2021 Research Series comes to a close.

About the Essayists:

katnancy makes ‘art’, facilitates and writes out of Treaty 1/Winnipeg. Born and raised in Gimuy(Cairns, Australia), they studied Photographic, Video and Expanded Art Practice and Art History at the Queensland College of Art in Meanjin(Brisbane, Australia) and at the School of Art University of Manitoba. They have initiated and facilitated various local and transnational discussion groups, and participated in intergenerationally collaborative projects here and abroad. Including founding and co-facilitating The Sunroom Artspace, an all female, artist-run project space in the Exchange and working with the Nepal Picture Library in Kathmandu, Nepal as part of the Doing Visual Politics Symposium. Practices of play, rest and dreaming, are cultivated, shared and lead every stage of the process, in all aspects of their work. Honouring nuance, fluidity and intuition, the dance continues, and is fed by an ongoing commitment to curiosity and collaboration. They are currently the Manager of Creative Programming at Video Pool Media Arts Centre and serve on the Board of Directors for WNDX Festival of Moving Image.

Toby Gillies is a multidisciplinary artist, the third generation in his family of art-thing makers, enjoyers, and educators living in Winnipeg.  Toby’s practice is rooted in a playful exploration of materials, and experiments in collaboration. Projects have taken the form of drawing, installation, filmmaking and animation, ceramic, sculpture, cardboard, parties, social practice.

For a decade, he has been facilitating art experiences in the West Broadway community, where he serves as Studio Programs Manager at Art City and is an Artist in Residence at Misericordia Health Centre. His favourite days are spent making art with older people in the morning, making art with younger people in the afternoon, and then working on creative projects of his own in the evening.

Kate Sjoberg is a settler living and working on Treaty 1. Her writing work includes academic research, journalistic work, opinion pieces, prose and poetry.

Young Lungs Dance Exchange’s Research Series is generously supported by Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts.

Research Series Presentation: Karen Asher

When: Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Time: 7:00 – 8:00 pm (CST), Online over Zoom

Cost: This is a Pay-What-You-Can event

Please visit younglungs.ca or click HERE to sign up.

Karen Asher will present her creative research from her time in residence with Young Lungs Dance Exchange

About the Research:

A Sad Slow Dance is a party for one. By experimenting with dance, movement and performance, I want to research and create work that engages the viewer past the limits of my camera, and translate my vision into a bewildering experience that defies genre. Multi-layered pieces like these contribute to my continued focus on strength, struggle and frustration, using humour to evoke the frailty and absurdity of the human condition.

About Karen Asher: 

Karen Asher is an artist living on Treaty 1 Territory in Winnipeg  whose work explores her obsession with stress, absurdity, and  the catastrophe of everyday life. She received her BFA Honours in  photography from the University of Manitoba in 2009. Her solo  show, “Class,” was exhibited at Plug In ICA in 2019. The  installation featured photography, live performance, a 90 minute  video, flashing neon and a peep show. Asher is currently working  on “Preaching to the Perverted,” which will premiere at the Gimli  Film Festival next summer. Though she barely gets off the couch now, as a kid Asher was a real good dancer and has the medals to prove it.

Young Lungs Dance Exchange’s Research Series is generously supported by Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts.

Bahay Perlas Live: YLDE Recap

When: Saturday, March 27, 2021

Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm (CST), Online on Youtube, Twitch and Facebook Live (all through Bahay Perlas’ channels)

This is a FREE event!

About the Live:

The Bahay Perlas team will discuss their creative research from their time in residence with Young Lungs Dance Exchange through a group chat featuring Magdaragat directors Goldie Garcia and Nikki Tamayo, and In-House choreographer Joseph Sevillo.

About the Research:

Local drag queens Lady Fortuna and Special K of Bahay Perlas (House of Pearls) will use this dance residency to work with their in-house choreographer Joseph Sevillo and dedicate time to researching Filpino indigenous dances (Singkil, etc) in collaboration with the dance instructor and Production Chair of Magdaragat and local dance instructor Nerissa Mabel “Goldie” Garcia and Nicole Tamayo. The overarching concept is to embed traditional movements found in Filipino Folk Dancing into contemporary drag performance (traditional meets drag).

About Bahay Perlas:

(House of Pearls) features two Filipinx queens: Lady Fortuna (Christian Alcera) and Special K (Kiel Galera). They were birthed through the PTE Drag Performance Class of 2018 and 2019. Since then, they have been featured in drag cabarets, parades and films, breaking through the drag community with lightning speed due to their incredible story-telling skills, musicality and dance talent. Bahay Perlas is the first of its kind in Winnipeg, a collective that welcomes drag and non drag artists who are dedicated to breaking stigmas against drag culture. Joining Lady Fortuna and Special K, are choreographer Joseph Sevillo (dance teacher and choreographer for Shelley Shearer School of Dance) and director Hazel Venzon (artistic director and producer for U ‘N I Together Productions) who are passionate about drag performance, and supporters of BP’s artistic growth and innovative expression. 

Bahay Perlas was created to cultivate and build skills for Filipinx drag queens, creating welcomed spaces and possible futures for younger generations.

Young Lungs Dance Exchange’s Research Series is generously supported by Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts.

Research Series Presentation: Krystina Dejean

When: Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Time: 5:00 – 6:00pm (CST), Online over Zoom

Cost: This is a Pay-What-You-Can event

Please visit younglungs.ca or click HERE to sign up.

Krystina Dejean will present her creative research from her time in residence with Young Lungs Dance Exchange

About the Research:

With the help of her collaborators, Krystina will show the results of her research and lead a discussion surrounding the expression of empathy through technology and screen and different ways that we can have genuine connections despite the current isolations we’re having.

About Krystina Dejean:

Krystina Dejean is a Montreal based dancer specialized in street dance styles, particularly waacking. She considers herself a storyteller, as she loves to escape and bring her audience with her in another world when she dances. It’s usually through freestyle that she best expresses herself, highlighting her vulnerability and spontaneity. She is currently active in the dance scene as a performer, as an up-and-coming choreographer and by curating events that are socially engaged and bring people together in the street dance community of Montreal.

Young Lungs Dance Exchange’s Research Series is generously supported by Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts.

Research Series Workshop: Karen Asher

When: Sunday, March 14, 2021

Time: 7:00 – 8:00 pm (CST), Online over Zoom *Please note daylight savings time shift* 

Cost: This is a Pay-What-You-Can event

Please visit younglungs.ca or click HERE to sign up.

In this workshop you will learn some sexy shower theatrics, how to bathe your inner animal, and more!

About the Workshop:

Got the daily living blues? Welcome to the Shower Bonanza Extravaganza! For a soothing hour, our brilliant team will take you on a journey to wash those tears away! Learn some sexy shower theatrics, how to bathe your inner animal and more! Neilla Hawley, Petty Davis, Jeanne Randolph & Rebel will knock your socks off! Ideally you’ll be setting up shop in the shower! Hide behind your curtain for comfort! Drop down a mat for slippage safety! Wear whatever you want!!! Sweatsuit, bathing suit, costume suit, probably not birthday suit. No water needed! Just pull that curtain back any which way you like and enjoy! Too freaky? Just plunk down on a couch with a drink and wiggle as you may.. Watch! Participate! Gawk! It’s a choose your own adventure shower power delight! Come on down! Think you’re confused? Imagine how I feel!

About Karen Asher: 

Karen Asher is an artist living on Treaty 1 Territory in Winnipeg  whose work explores her obsession with stress, absurdity, and  the catastrophe of everyday life. She received her BFA Honours in  photography from the University of Manitoba in 2009. Her solo  show, “Class,” was exhibited at Plug In ICA in 2019. The  installation featured photography, live performance, a 90 minute  video, flashing neon and a peep show. Asher is currently working  on “Preaching to the Perverted,” which will premiere at the Gimli  Film Festival next summer. Though she barely gets off the couch now, as a kid Asher was a real good dancer and has the medals to prove it. 

Young Lungs Dance Exchange’s Research Series is generously supported by Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts.

Research Series Presentation: Emily Solstice Tait + Jeanette Kotowich

When: Sunday, March 14, 2021

Time: 2:00 – 3:00 pm (CST), Online over Zoom *Please note daylight savings time shift* 

Cost: This is a Pay-What-You-Can event

Please visit younglungs.ca or click HERE to sign up.

Emily Solstice Tait + Jeanette Kotowich will present their creative research from their time in residence with Young Lungs Dance Exchange

About the Research:

Diving into ideas, concepts, themes and values during this creative incubation period, we share embodied expressions from our findings. As we follow our individual creative pathways, we hold each other up with supportive accountability, nurturing each-others process with compassion & kindness. Join us in the virtual realm as we reveal to ourselves our research offerings, inviting you as witness. 

In our research we have called for ‘Artistic Knowledge Sharing’ from our community of Prairie based Indigenous performance makers to root our process in creative kinship; Meegwun Fairbrother, Tracey Nepinak, Marsha Knight, and Yvette Nolan joined us for talks over tea.

We acknowledge the Land (our first Mother) which holds us in all our creative endeavours.  

Emily residing on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene Peoples in Treaty 1 Territory and the Métis Nation.

Jeanette residing on the ancestral and unceded Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), Tsleil-Waututh (səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ) and Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm).

About Emily Solstice Tait + Jeanette Kotowich:

Jeanette and Emily both trace their families lines to prairie lands. Jeanette is originally from Treaty 4 territory Saskatchewan, and creates work that reflects a Métis cultural narrative within the context of contemporary Indigenous dance performance and Indigenous futurism. Emily is from Treaty 1 Territory and is a member of Beren Rivers First Nation (Treaty 5), her practice is rooted in contemporary dance but her work crosses into theatre, devising, choreography, and stage management. Dance and theatre have criss-crossed our creative paths for the past three years. Now, in this time of stillness, we have come together to strengthen one another and build our collective dance methodology with the guidance of selected established Indigenous artists who have gone before us. Marsi, Hiy Hiy, Meegwetch to those who so generously share with us.

Young Lungs Dance Exchange’s Research Series is generously supported by Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts.

Research Series Workshop: Emily Solstice Tait + Jeanette Kotowich

When: Sunday, March 7, 2021

Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm (CST), Online over Zoom

Cost: This is a Pay-What-You-Can event

Please visit younglungs.ca or click HERE to sign up.

This workshop will offer space in the virtual realm to connect with each-other, our bodies, our hearts, & Spirit.

About the Workshop:

Emily + Jeanette offer space in the virtual realm to connect with each-other, our bodies, our hearts, & Spirit. We will share creative concepts we are currently exploring in our individual processes and invite participants to experience their own relationship to the themes and values we are presently articulating. We invite you into this digital space with expansion, playfulness, & joy! Come as you are and stay as you feel. All are welcome.

We acknowledge the Land (our first Mother) which holds us in all our creative endeavours. Emily residing on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene Peoples in Treaty 1 Territory and the Métis Nation. Jeanette residing on the ancestral and unceded Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), Tsleil-Waututh (səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ) and Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm).

About Emily Solstice Tait + Jeanette Kotowich:

Jeanette and Emily both trace their families lines to prairie lands. Jeanette is originally from Treaty 4 territory Saskatchewan, and creates work that reflects a Métis cultural narrative within the context of contemporary Indigenous dance performance and Indigenous futurism. Emily is from Treaty 1 Territory and is a member of Beren Rivers First Nation (Treaty 5), her practice is rooted in contemporary dance but her work crosses into theatre, devising, choreography, and stage management. Dance and theatre have criss-crossed our creative paths for the past three years. Now, in this time of stillness, we have come together to strengthen one another and build our collective dance methodology with the guidance of selected established Indigenous artists who have gone before us. Marsi, Hiy Hiy, Meegwetch to those who so generously share with us.

Young Lungs Dance Exchange’s Research Series is generously supported by Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts.

Research Series Workshop: Krystina Dejean

When: Friday, March 5, 2021

Time: 5:00 – 6:00 pm (CST), Online over Zoom

Cost: This is a Pay-What-You-Can event

Please visit younglungs.ca or click HERE to sign up.

This workshop will explore the techniques and style of Waacking/Whacking.

About the Workshop:

Waacking/Whacking is a style of dance that encourages dancers to express themselves through freestyle. This workshop will explore techniques and concepts from this style of dance to help you find your own way of storytelling and self expression.

About Krystina Dejean:

Krystina Dejean is a Montreal based dancer specialized in street dance styles, particularly waacking. She considers herself a storyteller, as she loves to escape and bring her audience with her in another world when she dances. It’s usually through freestyle that she best expresses herself, highlighting her vulnerability and spontaneity. She is currently active in the dance scene as a performer, as an up-and-coming choreographer and by curating events that are socially engaged and bring people together in the street dance community of Montreal.

Young Lungs Dance Exchange’s Research Series is generously supported by Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts.

How to Make Choices: An Artist Talk with Marie-Josée Chartier

In this artist talk, Marie-Josée Chartier will discuss her approach to choreography and directing (mise en scène) sharing how she makes or suggests choices regarding design elements, music, casting, video, voice, or text—drawing from her inspiration in contemporary art and music. Q&A to follow.

Friday, February 26, 2021 from 5:00 – 6:00 pm (CST)

Online through Zoom

Limit: 100

Cost: FREE

To register, please click HERE.

About Marie-Josée Chartier

A multi-faceted artist, Marie-Josée Chartier moves easily between the worlds of dance, music, opera and multi-media in the roles of choreographer, performer, director, vocalist or teacher. Her choreographic works have been presented in festivals in Canada, Europe and Latin America, and have been featured on documentary films. Her choreographic repertoire is greatly influenced by contemporary visual art, music and literature in terms of concept, composition and dynamic structure. She is the recipient of the Jacqueline Lemieux Prize (2015), the K.M. Hunter Award (2001), two Dora Mavor Moore Awards and 9 nominations in either performance or choreography.

In 2019, Chartier choreographed two plays Le Dire de Di and l’exercise de l’Oubli (Montréal, Québec, Coraquet and Toronto). She choreographed and acted as touring director for Charlotte, a music theatre production of Theaturtle, presented in Israël, Ukraine and the Czech Republic. She performed in How it Ends a play by Debbie Patterson of  Sick + Twisted Theatre and started the creation of a new theatrical physical work Fracas with writer Margaret Sweatman, musician Daniel Roy and director Arne MacPherson (Winnipeg). Projects in 2021 include mentoring musicians in Banff, directing two contemporary operas (Montreal and Toronto) and creating new choreographic works in Halifax, Fredericton, Toronto and Québec.

In 2003, Marie-Josée Chartier founded Chartier Danse to support herlarge scale productions involving national and international collaborations; notable works include Screaming Popes, Bas-Reliefs, Stria and petites danses. www.chartierdanse.com.

YLDE is generously supported by Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts.

Photo by Jeremy Mimnagh