A podcast about dance and movement-based performing arts. Dirty Feet is a unique, informed and accessible conversation surrounding artistic creation with the dance industry, and the role of movement in people’s lives.
Takako Segawa is a contemporary dancer, choreographer, movement coach, dance-theatre performer, and teacher of Japanese Arts. Born in Japan, Takako trained in both traditional arts and contemporary Japanese movement styles, before graduating from the London Contemporary Dance School. Her 20-year career includes performances throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Takako has been an Ottawa-based dance artist since 2016. Her new work, Echoes: Vibrations from Japan to Canada will premiere at Arts Court this November. Hosted by the Ottawa Dance Directive, the show is directed, choreographed, and performed by Takako, accompanied by a vocalist and several taiko drummers.
An interview with Jessica Ruano about the world premiere of Skin Songs. This dance theatre performance takes place outside in a public park in Ottawa, Canada. The score, along with the performer's personal stories, are delivered via headphones while the four women dance through the park dressed in red. The show, which focuses on a variety of experiences and perspectives of femininity, was devised by Eleanor Crowder, Jacqui duToit, Jessica Ruano, Lola Ryan and Angela Schleihauf. It is being presented as a part of the TACTICS (Theatre Artists' Co-operative: the Independent Collective Series) 2023 Mainstage Season. You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, or Spotify. Want more? To support the creation of future Dirty Feet episodes visit www.patreon.com/allisonebdance and consider becoming a patron.
An interview with Hannah Sampson, a Senior Dance Artist with Stopgap Dance Company, and Renata Soutter, Co-Director of Propeller Dance. Stopgap Dance Company (based in Southeast England) is driven by a diverse creative team who uses dance as a movement for change. Propeller Dance (based in Ottawa, Canada) is an integrated dance organization for people with and without disability. This conversation focuses on their international collaboration resulting in the production This is Happening, a show co-produced by the National Arts Centre and premiering at LabO in Ottawa in June of 2023. For more in-depth interviews with both of the Co-Directors of Propeller Dance, listen to Dirty Feet Episode #184. You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, or the Dirty Feet website. Want more? To support the creation of future Dirty Feet episodes visit www.patreon.com/allisonebdance and consider becoming a patron. [Image description: In a brightly lit dressing room with lighted mirrors on the left side, dancers Elizabeth, Geoff, Russell and Moni lean on the white countertop wearing expressions of surprise or pensiveness. They are dressed glamorously in black and metallics. Photo by Rachel Gray]
Host Allison Elizabeth Burns speaks with playwright, actor, and director Laurie Fyffe about her new upcoming play, Exciting Cause (about the women of Rockwood Asylum) and an associated workshop, Moving Through Theatrical Space. The show's script and movement are being developed simultaneously, influencing one another. Allison is choreographing the production and facilitating the workshop, and so takes on the role of interviewee mid-way through the episode.
Ana Gherasim is an artist, educator, and the owner and founder of Azucar, Latin Dance Company in Ottawa. We speak about her evolving relationship to dance, how her studio has changed recently, and what is on the horizon for a more inclusive and consent-aware social dance scene.
Brittney Canda is a choreographer and dance film director among other things. We speak about her unique style, how she discovered her love for dance on film, and her recent accolades. Specifically we talk about her works, Wrap Me Up - which was awarded Best Choreography in a Music Video at the UKMVAs - and Touch which was awarded Best Film at Festival Quartiers Danses.
This episode explores the impact the COVID-19 global pandemic has had on different Contemporary dance artists in Ottawa. Yvonne Coutts the artistic director of the Ottawa Dance Directive, Sylvie Desrosiers the director of the Contemporary Dance program at The School of Dance, Frédérique Pelletier a recent graduate of that same school, and Elizabeth Emond-Stevenson a mid-career independent dance artist. This selection of artists are all at different stages in their career, and yet only represent a sliver of experience. The pandemic has affected dance artists in Ottawa and beyond in a variety of ways only some of which are represented here.
This episode covers the third edition of the Dark Horse Dance Projects which took place in September 2017. Host, Allison Elizabeth Burns, starts off the episode by interviewing Project Leader, [ … ]
In a very special episode, Allison interviews her childhood dance teacher. Judith Davies has been a pillar of the Ottawa dance community for many years. She is the Director and [ … ]
Dirty Feet host, Allison Elizabeth Burns is premiering the multidisciplinary show, Do You Want to Live Forever?, at the Ottawa Fringe Festival this summer. In this episode she speaks with co-creator [ … ]
Award winning, multi-faceted artist, Marie-Josée Chartier is presenting work in Ottawa this week. She speaks with Allison about scale, big projects and small projects, her company, Chartier Danse, working with [ … ]
Dirty Feet Resident Composer, Tristan Henry is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and music teacher based in Montreal. Although we hear his music every episode, the last time he was on the [ … ]
May 12th in Wakefield, QC, Jordan Es is producing the event, Rooted Contemporary Dance. The show is a double bill featuring Jordan’s choreography, The Idea of the North and a [ … ]
Mathilde Papillon describes her vision for bringing together dance and science. She recently gave a TEDxKanata talk on Novel ways to talk science: dancing relativity. A student at the French [ … ]
Propeller Dance is an integrated contemporary dance company based in Ottawa. The organization is recognized as a leader in Canada for their innovative, inclusive creations and teaching practices. I speak [ … ]
Sylvie Desrosiers is not only the Director of Contemporary Dance Studies at The School of Dance (see episode #181), she is also an established choreographer, and the Artistic Director of [ … ]
Laura Taler is a multitalented artist who has worked as a choreographer, dance-film director and visual artist. She is presenting an exhibition at Gallery 101 titled, The soft and the [ … ]
This episode features a conversation with Sylvie Desrosiers, the Director of Contemporary Dance Studies at The School of Dance. We talk about the benefits of a conservatory-style training, successful program [ … ]
The show TRUST, a requiem for wood and stone, by 10 Gates Dancing is being presented by the Ottawa Dance Directive in their upcoming Séries danse 10 / Series Dance [ … ]
This episode features a complete episode of The Working Arts podcast by Erica Martin. The tables are turned, and Dirty Feet host, Allison Burns is interviewed. In this new podcast, Erica [ … ]
The Ghomeshi Effect is a verbatim dance-theatre piece that tackles sexual violence in Canada. Creator and Director, Jessica Ruano, and Choreographer, Amelia Griffin, tell us about their work in theatre [ … ]
Hannah Beach is an educator, artist, author and speaker with a background in social work. She is the founding director of Dandelion Dance, a company which creates empowering dance experiences [ … ]
Karen Kaeja is an awarding-winning, Toronto-based artist. She is a dancer, choreographer, project instigator and co-artistic director of Kaeja d’Dance alongside her partner, Allen Kaeja. She is presenting her choreographic [ … ]
Anik Bouvrette is a Franco-Ontarian choreographer and the Founder, Artistic Director & General Manager of Tara Luz Danse. The francophone contemporary dance company creates and tours work for all ages. [ … ]
Amanda Bon is a professional dancer, pilates instructor, musician and scientist. In this interview she reveals her career experience, her adventure overcoming an injury and returning to dance, and her [ … ]
Public Recordings is a Toronto-based performance company rooted in dance. They are touring their work, what we are saying this fall, wrapping up with a presentation at the Ottawa Dance [ … ]
Serge Bennathan founded the Vancouver based company Les Productions Figlio in 2006 after spending 16 years as the artistic director of Toronto’s Dancemakers. This 12-time Dora Award nominee (two-time winner) [ … ]
The last of a series of episodes covering the 2016 edition of the Dark Horse Dance Projects features an interview with the Technical Director and Lighting Designer, Fraser MacKinnon. Allison then [ … ]
This episode features interviews with the remaining choreographers presenting work as a part of the Dark Horse Dance Projects. The first group of guests include choreographer, Charles Cardin-Bourbeau and his [ … ]
In a continuation of the Dark Horse Dance Projects coverage, Allison interviews the artists presenting choreographic work in the showcase. First is solo artist Alexane Couture, followed by choreographer Amber [ … ]
In this first of a series of episodes covering the 2016 edition of the Dark Horse Dance Projects (DHDP), the focus is on the team behind the project. Allison interviews [ … ]
Dirty Feet is back in production on a semi-regular basis. Find out what is in the works for upcoming episodes.
The Dirty Feet team is taking a break. After three years of releasing content weekly, we are taking some time off to arrange our next steps. If you are interested [ … ]
Gerry Morita is the Artistic Director of Mile Zero Dance in Edmonton, Alberta. She tells Allison about her career as a performer, what she has learned along the way, and [ … ]
Stéphanie Bernard returns to the Dirty Feet podcast to talk about her experience working as the rehearsal director for Catherine Laframboise Desjardins’ work It’s all about fictions. Catherine’s choreography will [ … ]
This is the first of a series of episodes covering the 2016 edition of the Bouge d’ici Dance Festival. Liliane Moussa will be presenting her work Finale au sol alongside [ … ]
A follow up from episode #63, Kati visits Studio 303 to speak with Artistic & General Director, Miriam Ginestier and Production & Technical Director, Andrea Joy Rideou. They cover Studio [ … ]
The Segal Centre for Performing Arts in Montreal is presenting the play Tribes by Nina Raine. Actors Greg and Toni Ellwand sit down with Allison to discuss the production. The [ … ]
Paul Chambers is an accomplished set and lighting designer who works primarily with dance. He worked as the Technical Director at Tangente: Laboratoire de Mouvement Contemporains for five years, and [ … ]
Cette semaine, Kati a rencontré Evelyne Laforest et Rémi Laurin-Ouellette pour un déjeuner et conversation enthousiaste autour de leur spectacle en ouverture a Tangente le 26 novembre. Une soirée en [ … ]
The company Joe Jack et John, directed by Catherine Bourgeois, brings together artists from different disciplines and background to create multidisciplinary, inclusive work. Allison speaks with performer Dorian Nuskind-Oder about [ … ]
Cette semaine, Stéphanie Gaudreau et Daniel Proulx rejoignent Kati pour une conversation autour de l’Association Contact Improvisation et la 33e Jam International de Contact Improvisation de Montreal qui se tiendra [ … ]
Melissa Tuplin is a dance artist as well as the Community Investment Assistant for the Calgary Arts Development. We discuss her involvement with Dancing Monkey Laboratories, her choreographic practice, and [ … ]
Vancouver based independent educator David MacMurray Smith (Fantastic Space Enterprises Studio) guides us through his artistic journey in the professional world of Theatre, Ballet, Opera, Mime and Clown. David generously [ … ]
Montreal’s MainLine Theatre is once again producing the live musical version of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, just in time for Halloween. Allison Burns, who is performing in the [ … ]
L’invitée de cette semaine, Kim-Sanh Chau, vient nous parler de sa pièce Black&Scholes (1973), qui fut présentée à la Maison Théâtre lors du récent festival Quartiers Danses 2015. De ses [ … ]
This week’s guest, Trudy Lee Gayle, is performing in the The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God. The show is a co-production between the Centaur Theatre (Montreal) [ … ]
George Stamos returns to the Dirty Feet Podcast to discuss his new work, Situations, which is opening at Agora de la danse this weekend. The work features 11 performers and [ … ]
David Vaughan is a dancer, choreographer, actor, singer, writer and dance historian. Allison has the pleasure of interviewing him in his New York home about his varied career on and [ … ]
Allison takes a trip to Brooklyn in New York City, NY to visit the Brooklyn Studios for Dance. She discusses her experience there and the philosophy of the organization with [ … ]
We are rejoined by some of the team behind the project No Fun, which is being remounted as a part of the Tangente season. Our conversation focuses on the extended [ … ]
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