Neighbourhood Dance Works asks the eternal question – so you think you can dance?

Shake what your momma gave you

By Guruchathram Ledchumanan

Neighbourhood Dance Work is holding a “So You Think You Can Dance” fundraiser. Dancers can even send in YouTube videos of themselves from Feb. 1 to 14 and live auditions will be held on Feb. 21. Kelly Ann Evans will host the showcase on March 8 at the Arts and Culture Centre.

The annual Festival of New Dance is Neighbourhood Dance Work’s signature event that showcases the best contemporary Canadian dance has to offer.

The festival includes main stages performances, site-specific events, workshops, discussion forums, lectures, film screenings, and art displays. The Muse caught up with Lynn Panting, the acting managing director of Neighbourhood Dance Works, who spoke about their fundraiser as well as her hopes for a dance program at MUN.

The Muse: What do you aim to accomplish with the festival?

Lynn Panting: We aim to include work that will appeal to a broad audience while challenging and inspiring our long time fans.

This year marks our 20 year anniversary. We will meld the old with the new while celebrating emerging and established local dance heroes including Louise Moyes, Barry Nichols, Tristan Rehner, Anne Troake and Mark Bath.

This will be coupled with some of Canada’s most celebrated dance icons, including Peggy Baker, Jennifer Mascall, and Gwen Noah. The festival will span 10 days running from Sept. 16 to 25, 2010 at the historic LSPU Hall.

TM: What made you decide to hold YouTube auditions?

LP: We are hoping that YouTube will help to create a dance dialogue between various dance individuals and groups. People can check in everyday to see what other contestants are doing.

We encourage dancers to enter YouTube videos as frequently as they wish to. The idea is that watching other dancers will inspire and challenge them. It’s also fun for spectators. You get to know the dancers before you see them.

TM: What kind of dancers and choreographers are you looking for?

LP: We’re looking for dancers from all backgrounds. We’re keen to celebrate our diverse dance community and we want to involve as many dancers as we can. Our advice to everyone is to come and audition. Although there is a competitive aspect, this event aims to also showcase our dance community in Newfoundland. Often choreographers are left behind the scenes and we wanted to make sure they get the attention they deserve.

TM: Has it been easy to obtain funding for dance and the arts?

LP: It isn’t easy to secure sponsorship. Our goal, however, is to foster a relationship with potential funders and highlight the important ways their financial contributions can bring to our programs.

TM: What do you think can be done to improve the quality of dance in Newfoundland?

LP: We would be delighted to see a post-secondary program in dance at Memorial University. Dance is the only fine art discipline not represented at the university level in this province.

Recently we played a key role in the establishment of DanceNL – the province’s newly formed sector organization representing all forms of dance. One of the key goals that were identified was the need for as a post-secondary program in dance. We would love to see this happen and will encourage these developments.

TM: When did you start to dance and why do you still do it?

LP: I began dance at a young age and fell in love with it right away. Dance is my passion. Dance is in my heart: It allows me to express all the deeply felt, the hidden, and the impossible in ways that I cannot do anywhere else.

TM: What advice do you have for anybody who wants to be a dancer?

LP: Get as much experience as you can, expose yourself to as many styles as you can, and aim to study with a wide variety of teachers. We can get comfortable if we only study with one person, but when studying any art form – the more you expose yourself, the more you will grow. Be open to anything.

For more information, visit www.dytycd.com

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