INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY MESSAGE FOR ONTARIO FROM JERA WOLFE
Dancing is powerful, it has the strength to heal, tell stories, and break down societal walls. Dance has been with us since the earliest moments of our existence. Let it be the conduit of ritual, a passing of energy from those who have come before us. Let it shape who we are and continually challenge us to grow. Be open and vulnerable, and ask the questions we should be asking. Never be afraid to dance and never be afraid to explore movement with others. We will all have great challenges to overcome in our own lives, let dance bring us together as we rise to face them. There is so much more we have yet to discover about dance as it is an ornate force of human nature. Look at the way it brings us together. When you dance with others, listen and be sensitive. Listen to the way they move, and the way they breathe. Listen to their heartbeat. There is a rhythm in our bodies. It stems from the earth and from the sky. We hear it all around us and within ourselves. Let’s listen more, feel more, and dance to the sound of our world.
Jera was born in Toronto. He is a choreographer and performer of Métis heritage and is an Associate Artist with Red Sky Performance. His choreographic works have been presented by Canadian Stage, Fall For Dance North, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Festival des arts de Saint-Sauveur, Danse Danse, and Jacob’s Pillow. His recent works have included Bare choreographed on Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Trace by Red Sky Performance, and Arise for Canada’s National Ballet School, Embers for Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, and Reliance for School of Performance, Ryerson University. Jera is the choreographer for Sharing Dance 2020. He trained at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and has created new works for them annually since 2016. Recently Jera won a Dora Mavor Moore award for Outstanding Original Choreography for Trace.