6 days until #DanceWeekend21! Meet Nostos Collectives: an autonomous group of emerging contemporary dance artists based in Halifax and Toronto, started by Jessica Lowe, Sarah Hopkin, and Olivia Aubrecht. “We have establised our identity as a diverse and inclusive group of young, talented, and hard-working artists from various training backgrounds. What binds us together is our passion for strong, dynamic physicality and the practice, creation and performance of contemporary dance.” Nostos Collectives will be sharing a light-hearted work titled “WHERE R U?” inspired by both the technical difficulties and silly frustrations we’ve all faced over Zoom; a candid exploration of today’s “new normal”. Catch the work followed by an interview on Sat May 1.
Get your ticket to DanceWeekend’21 today! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/danceweekend21-tickets-149965399547?aff=
#ComeDanceWithUs
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself/your company/collective/school?
Nostos Collectives Dance Association is an autonomous group of emerging contemporary dance artists based in Halifax & Toronto. We are focused on original and innovative choreography and performance. Nostos was first originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2014 by Jessica Lowe, Sarah Hopkin, and Olivia Aubrecht for a performance at Atlantic Fringe Festival. Following their debut performance, they decided to continue Nostos in Toronto with their goal of bringing together local emerging artists, and developing their careers by creating, collaborating, and performing together. We have established our identity as a diverse and inclusive group of young, talented, and hard-working artists from various training backgrounds. We are interested in pursuing the rigour and theatrics of contemporary dance and performance, as well as creating genuine original works that speak from our personal experiences and desires. What binds us together is our passion for strong, dynamic physicality and the practice, creation, and performance of contemporary dance.
What will you be sharing at DanceWeekend’21?
Nostos will be sharing a light-hearted work titled “WHERE R U?” inspired by both the technical difficulties and silly frustrations we face over Zoom. After nearly a year of using Zoom regularly, we think it’s safe to say many of us have been there… learning how to share our video, forgetting to unmute before speaking,
poor connections, and moments of being caught off guard. WHERE R U? shares how this digital world can be both supportive and discouraging; bringing us together, while also a constant reminder of how far apart we are. This process began with the theme of disconnection, but along the way took a lot of inspiration from the application’s features and aesthetic layout. WHERE R U? is set to be a candid exploration of today’s “new normal” and we think you will love it — that is… as long as your internet connection is stable!!!
This project was prepared solely over Zoom, and choreographed by Emily Spearing, Eleanor van Veen, and Katherine Semchuk, in collaboration with Nostos artists. Videos were filmed separately by each artist, and edited by Olya Glotka. Original music created by Luke Gruntz.
What interests about film as a medium and how does it differ from a live performance?
In the context of dance film – the lens we are viewing the art through completely shifts to film – we are no longer working in the art form of dance as the communicative tool. In live performance, viewer’s are often offered continuous events; a clear beginning, middle, and end. Film and technology has the ability to manipulate story lines and the viewer’s perspective of it. It can provide a variety of levels of intimacy and information, by controlling what viewers pay attention to. We can direct the viewers’ eyes in a way that
wouldn’t be as easily achievable in live performance. From our experience, using film as a medium with 9 or 12 artists in a grid was exciting because we were able to play with patterns, cannons, stacking bodies in screens, and artists jumping from screen to screen. In live performance, the cathartic release is what makes the experience magical, but in film, we can create magic with images and illusions that would simply be impossible in real life.
How has the pandemic shifted your work as a professional dance artist?
It has unfortunately caused a huge financial and physical barrier for us as a Collective to work together. Each of our lives has been impacted individually and our trajectories as independent dance artists continue on in different ways and capacities, but as a Collective, most of our season was cancelled or postponed. Because we are such a large group, there have been few moments within the year that we have been able to gather and work together.
Please share what you are most looking forward to at Dance Ontario’s first virtual DanceWeekend?
Nostos Collectives is excited to see how Dance Ontario pivots and continues to lead the way as a provincial pillar for Ontario’s dance community in providing sustainable opportunities for dance artists during these isolating times. Because the festival is digital this year, we look forward to seeing and connecting with artists and communities from all over Ontario.
In 1 or 2 sentences, what does dance mean to you?
Dance is connection – to ourselves and one another. Dance is a conduit for transformation and states of ecstasy.