a message from the artistic director on COVID
continue to be greatly affected. Our lives have been disrupted, changing how we view our normal life and perhaps how we have taken so much for granted.
Masks have now become part of our entire existence – the way we portray ourselves to the outside world. Wearing them sends the message that ‘I care about you and you about me’ and ‘It is the WE and not ME’ posture.
Especially affected is the artistic community and in particular the performing live arts. Putting aside the financial devastation, the artistic community continues to suffer on a spiritual, emotional as well as physical level. The artistic voice has been in a way ‘hushed', symbolically represented by the mask attire.
The synergy that bonds teacher/ student or performer/audience - such a vital human connection is now in jeopardy as if being severed with a scythe. Many in the artistic community can relate to Garcia Lorca’s ‘Con puňal en el pecho’.
Nevertheless, there is a need to find ways in which one’s artistic life’s purpose can stay alive whether it is in the art – in the music –or in the dance.
No matter how small or soft one’s artistic voice is – as in my case with an intimate studio and core of dancers/students who I view as my artistic family, that voice has something of value to express and must be allowed to do so - like all of us.
Martha Graham (one of my dance mentors) once said "A dancer dies twice — once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." What an important and absolute statement.
So my fellow artists – we must somehow continue in whatever the capacity or the medium - even if one dances virtually, physically, visually, mentally - whatever PLEASE don’t stop!
Thus I have created “Rough cuts” – a platform that will cover various dance bits/pics from masked semi private classes to improvisational emotional movement that tends to reflect what we as dancers are feeling of these current chaotic times.
I wish everyone well – be safe – stay smart – but above all - never let your artistic voice be silenced."
- Elena La Comadre, November 2020
On March 14, 2020 Toronto went into lock down in order to curve the rising cases due to COVID. People of all walks of life, businesses, communities, places of worships were and
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