14 days until #DanceWeekend21! Meet Kylie Thompson. Since 2017, her company Kylie Thompson Dance has been the home of her creative works: collaborating with dance artists, filmmakers & designers and training emerging and professonial dancers. She’ll be sharing her short dance visual created last 2020. November is a collaborative effort with filming and editing by Kylie and performance/improvisation by Geanderson Mello. “I’ve faced many challenges throught the pandemic but have also learned a lot and enjoyed building my skills as a filmaker and editor. This practice has and will continue to inform my practice of creating live work.” Catch the film and interview with Kylie during our DanceWeekend21′ film series presentation on Apr 30! #ComeDanceWithUs
Can you tell us little bit about yourself/your company/collective/school?
Kylie Thompson Dance is the home for the creative works of Kylie Thompson. Operating as a company since 2017, Thompson has collaborated with several dance artists, filmmakers and designers. KTD has presented work at the New Blue Festival, Dance Made in Canada, and at film festivals in Canada and the US. The company also hosts training intensives for emerging and professional dancers, both in studio and online.
What will you be sharing at DanceWeekend’21?
“November” is a short dance visual created spontaneously in late 2020. It is a collaborative effort, with filming and editing by Kylie Thompson and performance/improvisation by Geanderson Mello.
What interests about film as a medium and how does if differ from a live performance?
With film, the creator has less control about how the viewer feels before viewing, because I have no idea when and where they might be viewing from, but perhaps more control over the project at large. In a live setting, all audience members more or less are in the same headspace, dictated by the atmosphere of the theatre or space they are in.
How has the pandemic shifted your work as a professional dance artist?
Being an independent female dance artist in Toronto, Ontario poses many obstacles on a normal day. The pandemic has exacerbated that tenfold. Pre-pandemic, my freelance teaching work was doing well to support my creative endeavours, and thankfully so as the granting bodies had yet to do so. With most in-person dance classes being restricted or outright banned for 75% of the past year, I haven’t been able to teach except for online. I have faced many challenges throughout the pandemic but have also learned alot and gained new skills. Studio closures forced one creative period outdoors, which was a new working environment for me, and I quite enjoyed it. I’ve also really been enjoying building my skills as a filmmaker and editor, and I think this practice has and will continue to inform my practice of creating live work.
Please share what you are most looking forward to at Dance Ontario’s first virtual DanceWeekend?
I am looking forward to some audience engagement! To knowing that I’ll be watching my work, as well as other peoples’, at the exact same time as someone else, and sharing an experience.
In 1 or 2 sentences, what does dance mean to you?
To me, dance means physical prowess, connection to the earth, connection to others, expression, and perpetual growth. I’ve learned countless life lessons through my dance practice.