Currently in Dance

BONUS: The Battle of Body Shame with Candice Irwin

Like many dance artists, Candice Irwin started experiencing body shame when she was a young dance student, and it almost made her quit entirely. Now a dance educator herself, she works to create body shame free classes for her students. In this bonus episode, Candice speaks with guest host Aria Evans about her feature, "The Battle of Body Shame", in our Fall 2022 issue on education, available on newsstands and on thedancecurrent.com. 
Trigger warning: this conversation references disordered eating.

The Artist Behind the Work with Nicole Inica Hamilton

We have arrived -- our first season finale! For our final episode, Nicole Inica Hamilton joins host Esie Mensah to talk about the dance media field and the importance of getting to know the artist behind the work. Hamilton is the host and producer of Turn Out Radio, a counsellor and the artistic director of Inica Dance Industries. She is also Currently in Dance's consulting producer. 

The Ecological Mindset with Anne-Catherine Lebeau

For years, Anne-Catherine Lebeau worked as an actress and a rehearsal director. But she was always uncomfortable with the amount of waste that the sector was producing. In 2019, she co-founded Écoscéno to help artists and companies make the ecological shift. But going sustainable means more than buying less stuff; it's a mindset that includes conversations about working conditions, gender equality, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. You can read more about how artists are tackling climate change here.

Part 2: Unpacking Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival with Collette Murray

Colette "Coco" Murray is back! This week, we continue to unpack Toronto's Caribbean Carnival, as the festival launches this weekend. Host Esie Mensah and Murray dive into questions such as: How is Toronto's Caribbean Carnival intertwined with the dance industry? Why is the media's depiction of the festival harmful? How can dance artists and teachers ensure they aren't appropriating Black dances and Afro-diasporic movement? Find Part 1 of this episode in our episode list. 

Unpacking Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival with Collette Murray

Toronto's Caribbean Carnival (formerly Caribana) is often known as just a street party, but many folks don't understand the social significance of the event. Before the festival starts on July 28, Collette Murray is here to talk about what has been lost since the commercialization of the event and what you need to know before you go. A long-time Carnival participant, Murray is a dance performer, instructor, mentor, cultural arts programmer and a PhD candidate at York University. You can read more about Toronto's Caribbean Carnival in the summer issue of The Dance Current, available on newsstands and on thedancecurrent.com. 

Reimagining Ballroom with Rufi Oswaldo

This week, Rufi Oswaldo calls in from Calgary. A former dancesport competitor, Oswaldo is now the artistic director of Dancers' Studio West. He's here to talk about the constraints he felt within competitive ballroom - including rigid gender roles - and how he moved into contemporary dance and pursuing a PhD researching same-sex partner dance. You can read a full feature on Oswaldo in The Dance Current's Summer 2022 issue, and on thedancecurrent.com. 

Inside a Changing Institution with Mavis Staines

For our first episode, Mavis Staines joins Esie Mensah in studio. Staines is the CEO and the artistic director of Canada'a National Ballet School and she's here to talk about systemic issues within educational institutions and the work that goes into making real, and lasting, change.

Introducing: Currently in Dance with Esie Mensah

Inspired by stories from The Dance Current, Canada’s national dance magazine, this summer podcast features rich conversations about the issues affecting dance communities and society at large. Hosted by dance artist Esie Mensah and released every two weeks.