ConnectDance

Last November was a busy month for Connect Dance. One year ago the dancers were busy preparing for our first staged performance at Centrepointe Studio Theatre. We were rehearsing in every spare hour, making costumes, promoting our venture, and carrying on with our normal work and studies. This November brings about a very different scene for the company. As some may know, I have been working on another sort of creation this year. Five weeks ago, my precious baby boy was born! Growing him and preparing for motherhood took over my free time outside of work this year. The Dancers Give Back Ottawa show was our last performance before we decided to put company operations on pause until I was feeling physically able to be fully involved in rehearsals again. This is a belated explanation of our absence from the studio and stage this year, but also an announcement that we will be back as soon as possible! Our dancers are still dancing and cross training and I myself am anxious to get back in shape and into the choreographic process again. As we move into 2015 and our third year as a company, stay tuned for when workshops, classes, performances, and community events will resume. Cheers! Claire

Connect Dance is thrilled to be sharing the stage with many Ottawa dance schools and local companies, including Exordium Dance Collective (our amazing partners in Intertwined this past November!). This performance is a charity event to raise money for the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Support Program. It will take place on Friday, February 28th at 7:30pm at the Algonquin Commons Theatre. Tickets are $25.00 and are available at http://www.ticketfly.com/search/?q=dancers+give+back. We hope to see you there. It is a wonderful cause and it will be a beautiful and inspiring show featuring some of the best dancers in Ottawa and many returning alumni who grew up dancing in this city of talent. <3 C

fancy fishies. we take chances with contemporary pointe choreography. this made me nervous to perform, mainly because the acting involved was so silly and all four of us are naturally very shy! glad we took a chance and grand jete'd out of our comfort zones.... Photo by Nicholas Senn.

Claire, Meghan, and Heather in NEST. Photo by Nicholas Senn

Connect Dance and Exordium Dance Collective had the pleasure of a journalist from the Ottawa U newspaper attending our open rehearsal on November 16. She interviewed our dancers, many of whom have attended, or are currently attending the University of Ottawa. Sabrina did a lovely job on the article and gave a very accurate description of what it is like to perform as artists in both companies. Dancers have to be incredibly organized, self motivated, and driven. They have finely tuned time management skills from years of balancing the demands of school and dance. Connect Dance has a mixture of dancers who are students and dancers who are working professionals. We all balance rehearsals with academics or careers. We also try to fit in social lives! The wonderful thing about being a part of a dance company is that you become a part of a team, or family if you prefer. While we attend rehearsal to work and progress towards our performance and fitness goals, we are also supportive of each other on a personal level as friends and as a dance family. Combining dance and education (or a job or five) never feels difficult. At least from the perspective of a dancer who has committed to this lifestyle for almost two decades. Scheduling comes with its challenges. Maintaining friendships outside of dance takes hard work. Attaining academic excellence requires commitment. I am a firm believer that the best things in life take work and lots of it. By working hard, you create your own luck and success, and if you get to dance and move with joy every day then that makes everything worth it! Love, Claire

Dancers of Connect Dance at intermission, getting ready to perform "Nest" at Centrepointe Studio Theatre. Photo by Nicholas Senn. Connect Dance made its stage debut last Thursday at Centrepointe Studio Theatre in Ottawa. Two shows were nearly sold out and the audience feedback has been overwhelming. The dancers and Artistic Director, Claire Berry (centre), were thrilled with how the performances went and had a wonderful time being onstage for the first time together as a professional company. On Saturday, Connect Dance had the privilege of performing at the New Edinburgh Community & Arts Centre as a celebration of its Artist Residency for 2013. Claire is thrilled at the leaps and bounds the company has made in one year. Through hard work, perseverance, and support from the community, Connect Dance now has six shows, five workshops, and eight weeks of dance classes under its belt. We can wait to expand upon the triumphs and successes of this past year when we return in the 2014 season!!! Love, Claire & the Artists of Connect Dance

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Photo by Nicholas Senn Photography

Tressa Wilson of Exordium and Claire Berry of Connect Dance speaking about their upcoming show and fundraising.  Heather and Peggy demonstrating choreography by Tressa and Claire.

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Company dancers Heather and Marcel in rehearsal. March 2013.

Claire, Meghan, & Heather.  All ready to dance!