This is the final part in our week-long series The Future of Ottawa (arts and culture edition). In this guest column, Julie Houle Cezer, the coordinator of the Dance Network from 1995-2006 and a longtime observer of Ottawa’s dance scene, offers her thoughts on the local dance community. Twitter users: use hashtag #futott if you want to discuss this series […]
Legendary soul singer James Brown knew how to put life in perspective. “The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing,” the father of funk once said. With this lovely thought in mind, let’s cue next week’s innovative fundraiser by the Ottawa Dance Directive that is scheduled for Saturday, February 21. Taking place between 11 […]
Contemporary dance is both a combination of and separate from all other forms of dance. When watching a performance, the thoughts and emotions one has in response to what they see are their own, explored through the movement of the piece. Similar to abstract art, in that it isn’t clearly laid out in front of […]
“To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.” – George Orwell Sometimes people insist on repeating a myth. Case in point: Ottawa is regularly mocked as the city that fun forgot and where creativity goes to die. There is just one problem with this critique: It is a massive pile of bollocks. […]
Since opening its doors at Arts Court in September 2010, the Ottawa Dance Directive (ODD) has been an important local force for modern dance. Founded by four local artists, the not-for-profit organization acts on numerous fronts, including performing contemporary dance shows, offering residency programs, providing professional development, and allowing its downtown space to be rented by the community. “The […]
