1 day until #DanceWeekend21! Meet Lola Ryan: a senior artist and member of the Board of Dance Ontario. She’s worked in dance and theatre her entire career and was a co-founder of EDAM, the groundbreaking Vancouver dance company that revolutionized dance on the West Coast. What does dance mean to her? “Dance is the ideal combination of mind and muscle. And as Pina Bausch famously said: ‘Dance, dance, or forever we are lost!’ ”

See her at DW’21 in the video titled ‘Wrap Me Up’ directed by Brittney Canda and shot in Montreal. The video won a UK Music Video award for best choreography and is also nominated for a Juno Award for best music video of 2020! Tune in on Friday April 30. Get your ticket to #DanceWeekend today: #ComeDanceWithUs Read more here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/danceweekend21-tickets-149965399547?aff=

Can you tell us little bit about yourself/your company/collective/school?

I’m a senior artist and member of the Board of Dance Ontario. I have worked in dance and theatre for my entire career, and was a co-founder of EDAM, the groundbreaking  Vancouver dance company that revolutionized dance on the West Coast. I’ve danced in several films, either as a solo artist or as a cast member.   

 

What will you be sharing at DanceWeekend’21?

I am sharing a music video titled Wrap Me Up, directed by Brittney Canda and shot in Montreal. The video won a UK Music Video award for best choreography and is also nominated for a Juno Award for best music video of 2020.

 

What interests about film as a medium and how does if differ from a live performance?

Film allows flexibility in shooting dance, by virtue of multiple cameras and the opportunity to edit the dance to highlight subtle details and create a  visually kinetic narrative.

 

How has the pandemic shifted your work as a professional dance artist?

I teach on Zoom, but I have also managed to conduct rehearsals outdoors. But it definitely has limited my activities.

 

Please share what you are most looking forward to at Dance Ontario’s first virtual DanceWeekend?

I’m looking forward to seeing many performances that I would otherwise not have the opportunity to view. I’m also interested to discover how DanceWeekend  navigates this challenge – I hope it turns into a golden opportunity with promise for future sharing.

 

Do you have any up-coming performances/workshops/events you would like to share?

Most of my projects are on the shelf for now – but I’m part of the Skin Songs Collective that will be presenting a new work in Aug/Sept on the nature of the feminine.

 

In 1 or 2 sentences, what does dance mean to you?

Dance is the ideal combination of mind and muscle.  And as Pina Bausch famously said:  “Dance, dance, or forever we are lost!”