Call for Community Members
Are you seeking a professional community dance process and performance experience?
We are returning to the theatre! Be part of the creative process and performance of Karen Kaeja’s new work. This call invites intergenerational volunteer community participants to dance in TouchX. No dance experience is necessary. Open to all gender identities, expressions of interest are currently limited to participants of Indigenous, Black and racialized identities who are underrepresented in the dance and performing arts community, as we work towards equitable representation.
Participants must be at least 18 years of age. Unfortunately our rehearsal and performance spaces are not wheelchair accessible. If you have other accessibility needs, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate them. If you are interested in participating in this volunteer experience, please fill out the Google Form linked at the bottom of this page. Feel free to share this call widely.
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A collage of images featuring a group of dancers diverse in age, ethnicity, and gender. The dancers are captured in various poses and forms of movement. A white border separates each image from one another.
Photos by Drew Berry and Karen Kaeja, Choreography by Karen Kaeja, featuring Michael Caldwell, Nickeshia Garrick, Mio Sakamoto, Elke Schroeder, Irma Villafuerte, and Community Members
About the Project
TouchX combines professional dancers and everyday community folk in a new one hour Stage work for November 2022. The work expresses joy and sorrow related to touch and delves into personal themes of what has 'touched' us most deeply over our lives. Developed over the past 7 years, it has become especially impactful at this moment as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. TouchX will incorporate simple, task-based movements that all participants will be nurtured in, throughout the rehearsal process.
Message from Karen
“TouchX has been a deeply moving creation for me because I have worked with so many community members over the span of its 7 year creation. Everyone brings their essence of humanity to the work, inspiring each other and the artists in the room. Our rehearsals become a shared space of creativity, connection and growth. I can't wait to engage in the process once again and immerse the beautiful art we are making together, with the audience in November.”
Community member experiences
“I felt that Karen created a safe place to be open, vulnerable, creatively curious and bold.”
- Suzanne Jaeger
“This work was quite unique because at the end of each day I felt that I had tapped into a creative center within me.” - David Keshen
“This was very high quality, inspiring community engagement with artists – outstanding artists.” - Jane Deluzio
Timeline
Rehearsals for TouchX will take place from September to November 2022. We are inviting community members in at specific intervals throughout the project. Participants must be available for a minimum of 7 out of 10 of the following dates.
The following rehearsals are confirmed:
Tuesday, September 13 from 9:30am-2pm
Friday, September 23 from 10:30am-2pm
Wednesday, October 12 from 12:30-4pm
Wednesday, October 19 from 12:30-3:30pm
Wednesday, October 26 from 12:30-3:30pm
Tuesday, November 1 from 12:30-3:30pm
Wednesday, November 2 from 1:30-4pm
Friday, November 4 from 11:15am-2pm
The following rehearsals are tentatively scheduled:
Tuesday, October 25 from 12:30-3:30pm
Thursday, November 3 from 1:30-4pm
Tech/Dress/Performance week November 7-13:
The schedule is TBD therefore participants must be available to keep other days/times this week open in addition to those listed below, during the week of November 7-13 for rehearsals and performance call times.
Tech and Dress rehearsals are TBD; however, there will be one tech rehearsal and one dress rehearsal; each will be a 4 hour timeframe between Monday Nov 7 and Friday Nov 11th between the hours of 12pm–10pm.
Performances are:
Friday November 11 @ 7:30pm
Saturday November 12 @ 7:30pm
Sunday Nov 13 @ 2pm matinee
In order to participate, all community members must be:
Available for confirmed and tentative rehearsals during September, October, & November; participants may miss no more than three rehearsals total at the very most
Available for all Tech/Dress rehearsals
Available for all 3 performances (Friday evening, Saturday evening, Saturday or Sunday matinee)
Generally available the week of November 7-13 for rehearsals and performances
Fully vaccinated and able to provide proof of vaccination.
COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place for all rehearsals and performances and we will follow all guidelines set by the provincial government and medical experts. Participants must be willing to follow our company COVID policies including sanitizing, mask wearing, and rapid tests when requested. The November performance will be unmasked providing it is safe to do so.
Location
Rehearsals and performances will be held in downtown Toronto.
How To Participate
If you are interested in being a part of this project, please fill out the Google Form below by July 15, 2022. In collaboration with Jordana Deveau, TouchX Project Coordinator & Rehearsal Director, we will gather and compile everyone’s interest and availability. Community members will be invited to participate based on availability and the needs of the project, we also have a limited capacity due to COVID restrictions. We plan to confirm participants by July 30th, with additional details.
If you have any questions, please contact Sarah at urban@kaeja.org. If you’d like to learn more about Kaeja d’Dance and what we do, please visit www.kaeja.org.
Wishing you all the best, and we hope to hear from you soon!
Google Form: