23 days left until DanceWeekend! Our countdown to DanceWeekend’22 continues with Candace Kumar! Candace Kumar will be presenting a film Friday July 15 at 7pm. To view the virtual DanceWeekend film screening, register HERE.
FB: @candace.kumar
IG: @candacekmr
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself/your company?
My name is Candace Kumar; I’m a Filipino/Indo-Fijian cultural and contemporary dance artist based in Tkaronto. I started dancing at 7 years old and trained in contemporary, ballet, jazz-funk, heels, hip hop, Filipino dance, and Indian dance. Dance is how I navigate my identity as a mixed Asian artist residing on Turtle Island. Not being able to speak my parents’ language, dance is how I express love for my culture. My artistic focus is contemporizing cultural dance forms to reimagine traditional culture from the diaspora. I advocate for keeping traditional culture alive by finding bridges between western and traditional dance forms. I believe traditional dance is not an art form of the past but can guide us through the future as we navigate life on land that is not our ancestral home.
What will you be sharing at DanceWeekend’22?
I am presenting चाँद पे ले गए (Taken to the moon). I created this piece in May 2021 in honour of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. It is a tribute to the Philippines, India, and the Fiji Islands—my homelands. In this piece, I bridge Filipino fan dance with elements of Indian Kathak dance. The fan dancing is drawn from the Maranao people of the Philippines, an Indigenous group who live in southern Mindanao. The name “Maranao” translates to “people of the lake,” which was honoured by filming at Lake Ontario. The Kathak movements derive from Northern India and are a form of storytelling through hand gestures that symbolize different meanings in Hinduism. My cultural attire is a mix of an Indian Lengha gifted by my aunt, ghungroos, fans and pants from the Mindanao province worn by my older relatives. The name of this piece is चाँद पे ले गए, which translates to “taken to the moon” in Hindi. I used to dance as a meditative practice rooted in nature, so I hope this film brings you calmness and peace for a few moments.
How has the pandemic shifted your work as a professional dance artist?
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected my career as a dancer. Not being able to perform for a live audience or gather with artists in my community has impacted my mental health and financial stability. However, the pandemic has allowed me to ground myself. I found slowness, peace, and mindfulness during isolation. With studios and venues closed, I explored my practice within nature. I often go to local trails and lakefronts to explore meditative movement improv. My inspiration comes from the flowing, graceful river, the staggering trees, and the free-falling leaves.
What interests you about film as a medium and how does if differ from a live performance?
Dance on film is a new medium I’ve recently explored that emerged out of the pandemic. It differs from live performance because it is a more intimate experience where the dancer brings you into their world through film, and the audience feels immersed in their environment. I think it’s fascinating to capture the intersections between movement, lighting, background, and effects all within a film.
In 1 or 2 sentences, what does dance mean to you?
Dance is joy in its purest form.