Our World Needs Dance.

It's an unfortunate reality that the arts are often one of the first industries to suffer when something happens in a region, country, or around the world. Arts institutions also often struggle to obtain adequate funding to produce and provide high quality shows and experiences for audiences, which severely hinders their ability to reach and inspire more people. I believe the arts, and dance in particular, needs to be prioritised and be more readily accessible for all. It is highly concerning thinking about the future of dance coming out the other side of this pandemic, and I know that it will certainly be very challenging for almost every artist and company. We need to get behind these companies as soon as we can, as I know how much dance can bring to someone's life when they get to experience it. This world needs dance, especially at a time like this.

It may be obvious for those who are heavily involved with the dance world, but it takes a lot of work to be a dancer and to put on a show. The work that goes into creating and producing shows is all done with the audience in mind. If a show makes an audience member leave with a new perspective or having felt something they never felt before, then that is a job well done. I still remember the first real ballet I went to see. It was Swan Lake, and I believe I was about 6 or 7 years old. Now, I will admit that a large part of my memory of this performance was how sick I felt, as I had been out to dinner before and had maybe a bit too much pasta (I ended up being sick all night once I got home!) But even though I felt so awful, the ballet completely took my mind off of feeling sick. I knew I had to be a part of something like that, and I was amazed by the dancers. Now, given the fact I was around 6, I probably wasn't as touched emotionally as I would be seeing Swan Lake now, but I am sure many left the theatre that night having felt they lived through the story with the dancers onstage.

Dance provides an escape from the real world, sometimes a whimsical fantasy land with characters unlike those you see in everyday life. In contrast it can also be a harsh reflection of reality, created to be thought-provoking and conversation starting. The beauty of dance is how different people can interpret it in very unique ways. A person can identify so much with a performance, yet that wasn't necessarily the intended meaning when the piece was created. We as human beings need these moments, a chance to reflect, to think about the meaning of our lives, to get whisked away with a fairytale story, to feel the emotion from the dancers onstage as our own. If I could convince each and every person to see a show at least once, I certainly would. I believe dance can change someone's life, or at least provide a moment of refuge from a world where things aren't always the way we hoped they would be. That is such a beautiful thing, and there are so many people yet to experience it.

Part of the beauty of dance is that it is universal, and can speak to anyone from any background. You don't have to come to the theatre with any particular knowledge in order to appreciate a show. So much of our everyday interaction with others is through words, yet for some people this is difficult for them as they may find it hard to understand others or express how they feel. Dance is a universal language that can be understood by all. Ideas and concepts that may be hard to explain in words are able to be shared and received through movement.

One of the great things to come out of this time has been companies broadcasting performances for free online. This created the opportunity for so many people who hadn't yet experienced dance to experience it for the first time in the comfort of their own homes. It is my hope (as I am sure it is every company's hope) that these people enjoying online broadcasts will become regular attendees at shows when they are able to resume. It's certainly been a golden opportunity to capture a different type of audience, and I am not sure it would have worked as well as it has without everyone being in social isolation. It's also allowed people to watch performances of companies in other countries who they may never get the chance to see live. Hopefully audiences will be larger and more appreciative after enjoying online broadcasts - especially considering that there is nothing better than seeing a show live.

I know that I would be a completely different person without having had dance in my life. Dance challenges your views, and how you see the world. It teaches you how to appreciate the beauty of movement, and how even a small gesture can project so much meaning and emotion. I am proud to be part of the dance world, and I wish more people were a part of it and got to experience the joy it can bring. Our world needs dance, and even more so it needs it now - to remind people that there is still beauty and joy, to allow them to release emotions they have been suppressing, or to distract them from the challenges they are facing.

Photo from my 4 weeks at Canada's National Ballet School, July 2019.