Dance, in one of its many forms

When I tell people that I teach contemporary dance and aerial silks, I often am met with confused looks. Not over the aerial silks part (they immediately think Cirque du Soleil); it’s contemporary that is the unknown quantity.

For me, contemporary dance is an umbrella term for dance that focuses both on technique and on movement experimentation.

The technical part is often rooted in ballet, especially pertaining to body carriage and extension of limbs and the lines they create.

Modern dance forms such as Limon and Graham introduce concepts of curving and contracting the torso, of working on the floor, and of prioritizing movement over poses.

Contemporary dance training usually includes exploration into the art and craft of choreography – making dances. This can include games, studies and exercises as well as discussions about what dancers are creating and seeing others create.

So what does a contemporary dance class look and sound like? We start with small movements that increase in size as we warm up, then we progress to big, traveling steps going from one corner of the room to the other. Finally, we wrap up with some movement games, bringing the class to a close with a bow and applause for each other’s effort. Music often takes the form of recorded drums and other instruments, and if we’re really lucky, live percussion.

Contemporary dance class is for anyone who wants to explore their impulse to dance.

Dance installation at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche, October 3, 2015: On Tilt: 30 Air Dancers In A Parking Lot