(published)

2021                “Yasmina Ramzy: Glimpses of a Cultural Entrepreneur” in Moving Together: Dance and Pluralism in Canada. Allana Lindgren and Batia Stolar, eds.

2020                Book Review: University of Toronto Quarterly. “Pirkko Markula and Marianne I. Clark, eds. The Evolving Feminine Ballet Body. University of Alberta Press 2018.”

2017 “[so] what do dancers know, [anyway]?: Voicing the Dancer’s Perspective through Emergent Choreographic Analysis.” Canadian Theatre Review. Spring.

2016                “Midwifing Transitions: The Labour of Publishing in the History of Dance and Dance Studies in Canada”. Published in Performance Matters online journal.

2013                “Somatic Anacrusis: Toward an Ethics of Being via the Solo Dance Practice of Deborah Hay’s ‘At Once’”. Published by Canadian Society for Dance Studies in online Proceedings of 2012 Annual Conference.

2008                “On Collaboration: Reflections, Observations and Conclusions”. Across Oceans: Writings on Collaboration. Maxine Heppner, ed. Across Oceans.

2008                “Lived Reflection, Embodied Memory: The Echo of Narcissus”. Published by Canadian Society of Dance Studies in online Proceedings of 2008 Annual Conference.

2004                “Putting it into Words: An Anecdotal History of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists – Ontario Chapter’s Professional Standards for Dance”. Right to Dance, Dancing for Rights. Naomi Jackson, ed. Banff Centre Press.

2003                “The Collaborative Continuum: Examining the Term ‘Collaboration’ in Art Making”. Published in the Society for Canadian Dance Studies Quarterly.

2001                “Aggregation and Erosion: The Dance in Canada Association, A Brief History”. Published in the Society for Canadian Dance Studies Quarterly.

(citations only, unpublished)

2020                “A Somatic Inquiry into Ethical Relationality through Score/Forms”, Somatic Seminar, Canadian Association of Theatre Research, online, July-August.

2020                “Embedding An Ethics of Practice for Movement Research”, Articulating Artistic Research Seminar, Canadian Association of Theatre Research, online, July-August.

2019                “alonetogether: enacting an aesthetics of ethics”, Dance Studies Association, Northwestern University, August.

2019                “Haptic-Elastic”, Performance Studies International #25, University of Calgary, July.

2019                “doingmovingthinking: dancing-writing/writing-dancing as a system of inquiry”, Canadian Association of Theatre Research, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, University of British Columbia, June.

2018                Articulating Artistic Research Symposium. University of Calgary, November.

2016                Invited Participant/Speaker, Seminar. The Other D: Locating Dance in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies in Canada. Canadian Association of Theatre Research, Calgary, May.

2016                “At Once”, Performer (solo) and Invited Artist/Scholar. Choreographer: Deborah Hay. The Other D: Locating Dance in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies Symposium, Toronto, January.

2014                “Questions of Method: Writing as a Thread Through the Experiential Labyrinth”. Writing Dancing/Dancing Writing, Society for Dance History Scholars & Congress on Research in Dance Joint Conference, Iowa City, November.

2014                “Deborah Hay’s ‘Scoreography’: A Constructed Situation for the Practice of Perception“. Embodied Artful Practices Conference, Canadian Society for Dance Studies, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, July.

2014                “Somatic Anacrusis: The Body in Question”. Critically Kinaesthetic Conference, York University, Toronto, April.

2012                “Somatic Anacrusis: Toward an Ethics of Being via the Solo Dance Practice of Deborah Hay’s ‘At Once’”. Canadian Society for Dance Studies Conference, Université du Québec à Montréal, May.

2009                “Writing Dancing: Between Phenomenology and Poetics”. Society for Canadian Dance Studies Conference, University of Calgary, June.

2009                “Lived Reflection, Embodied Memory: The Echo of Narcissus”. New Paragone Symposium, Ryerson University, Toronto, March.

2008                “The Echo of Narcissus”. Society for Canadian Dance Studies Conference, Memorial University, St. John’s, June.

2008                “Integrating the Expressive Body Workshop”. Society for Canadian Dance Studies Conference, Memorial University, St. John’s, June.

2008                Respondent. Society for Canadian Dance Studies Conference, Memorial University, St. John’s, June.

2006                “Laban Movement Analysis in Conservatory Teaching”. Panel Co-organizer and Co-presenter. World Dance Alliance, Global Assembly, York University, Toronto, July.

2006                Respondent. World Dance Alliance, Global Assembly, York University, Toronto. July.

2006                “Dance, Media, Community: In Search of a Critical Public for Dance in Canada”. Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference, Boston, April.

2005                “An Anecdotal History of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists’ Professional Standards for Dance”. CORD Conference, Université du Québec à Montréal, November.

2003                “From Stage to Page: Dance Writing Workshop”. Co-presented with Amy Bowring at Society for Canadian Dance Studies Conference, York University, Toronto, May.

2002                Respondent. Shared Habitat Festival of Art and the Environment: Dance & Biology Symposium, Toronto, October.

2002                “The Collaborative Continuum: Examining the Term ‘Collaboration’ in Art Making”. Society for Canadian Dance Studies Conference, Ottawa, June.

2000                “Potential for a National Dance Publication: Preliminary Findings”. Co-presentation. Estivale 2000 Conference, UQAM, Montréal, May.

(published)

2019 [13 critical-poetic entries]: Festival Writer. Fall for Dance North

2019 [12 poetic descriptions]: Fall for Dance North 2019 Festival Program Magazine.

2014 “Forging Connections in and through Dance Education: Pulse Ontario Dance Conference”. Text and video conference report in The Dance Current: online. June.

2012 “Too Much In the Shadows: Sous la peau, la nuit by Danièle Desnoyers/Le Carré Des Lombes”. Review in The Dance Current: online. July.

2011 “Where are we dancing? The Canada Council for the Arts’ Mapping Project”. Article in The Dance Current, Volume 14, Issue 4, November/December.

2009-2011 In the Studio | En Studio Interview Series, 15 installments. The Dance Current: print and online.

2009 “Bodies: Concrete, Multiple, Diffuse: Festival TransAmérique 2009 Parts 1 & 2”. Co-written with Philip Szporer and Marie Claire Forté. Review in The Dance Current: online. June.

2009 “Insight into Dance Culture in Toronto, Canada: An Artistic Ecology”. Article commissioned by the Embassy of Canada in Berlin, Germany, for the McLuhan Salon, February.

2008 “Dancing – Between Us: practicing a politics of presence | Danser – entre nous : pratiquer une politique de présence”. Article in Canada Dance Festival program. June.

2008-2009 Undercurrents | Courant Continu Interview Series, 5 installments. The Dance Current: online.

2008 “Peter Chin: ethno-choreographer”. Review in The Dance Current: Summer Annual, Volume 11, Issue 2, June/July/August, and online.

2008 “A Troubling Beauty: Abattoir by Kaeja d’Dance”. Co-written with Kaija Pepper. Review in The Dance Current: Summer Annual, Volume 11, Issue 2, June/July/August, and online.

2007 “Edges of Darkness: MANGA by Serge Bennathan”. Co-written with Kaija Pepper. Review in The Dance Current: online.

2007 “I went to New York on a mission …”. Conference Report. Dance Critics Association News. June.

2006 “A review in the shape of a conversation. /dance/songs/ by Ame Henderson/public recordings”. Co-written with Kathleen M. Smith. Review in The Dance Current: online.

2006 “The Honesty of an Artist: Absences by Serge Bennathan for Dancemakers”. Review in The Dance Current: online.

2006 “Under the Azure Dome: Dances from Iran by Ida Meftahi”. Review in The Dance Current: online.

2003 “Writing Our History: Art, Nature and Community in The Pelican Project”. Article in The Dance Current, Volume 6, Issue 1, May.

2003 “Retaining the Essence: Yan Lam’s Choreographic Path”. Article in The Dance Current, Volume 5, Issue 9, March.

2002 “Meaning to Dance.” Editorial in The Dance Current, Volume 4, Issue 10, March, and in artsjournal.com (no longer active).

2001 “Eryn Dace Trudell: walking the creative edge”. Article in The Dance Current, Volume 4, Issue 2, June 2001.

2001 “The Collaborative Process: Where do we meet? How do we meet?” Reflections and observations on the Across Oceans/At Home Festival, Across Oceans/At Home.

2001 “The Collaborative Continuum”. Conclusions drawn at the Across Oceans/At Home Festival, Across Oceans/At Home.

2000 “Sarah Chase: the watery edges of memory”. Article in The Dance Current, Volume 3, Issue 4, September.

2000 “Warming up to the Mic: Not Just Any Body Conference”. Article in Dance Critics Association News. Seattle and in The Dance Current, Volume 2, Issue 7, December.

2000 “How do I juggle five jobs at once?” Article in the Dance Umbrella of Ontario’s step by step publication at www.danceumbrella.net.

2000 “New Spaces for Dance – Bill James” and “Taking a Risk on Independents – Bill Kimball” Article in the Dance Umbrella of Ontario’s Local Heroes publication at www.danceumbrella.net.

1998-2011 Editorials in every issue and various departments for The Dance Current: print and online.

See selections below (*published)

As Quivering Mass
A Poetic Response
By P. Megan Andrews
Writing: March 27, 2019

”TRUST
Requiem for Wood and Stone”
By Tedd Robinson and Charles Quevillon
Performance: March 27, 2019
–––

Anachronistic ritual
Time out of mind –
Mind out of time.
Hear that?
Ticking click-tocking.

Sisyphean burdens,
Winding
Re-winding.
Rock-rolling forward
And back to its moment.

Sonic concussions:
The god-steps are dropping.
The house is on fire;
There is sand
In the air.

Where are we now then,
With metronome faulty?
The cracks in the stone
Leave us
Nowhere to hide.

Jovial droning
And tactile vibrations;
Explosions
Discern us as
Quivering Mass.

Devil be done with this
Sepulchral statue,
This gong-show of
Falling, these
Faux smoking ghosts.

© P. Megan Andrews 2019

Not for publication or distribution without prior consultation with the author.

Crystal Pite: a deafening semaphore

Crystal Pite's “Emergence”
The National Ballet of Canada
Innovation: March 4-8, 2009, 7:30pm
*this is not a "review"

This year is the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species. We've mapped the genome, we're synthesizing life, fearsome diseases roam the earth, nuclear armament is a nebulous threat, and we still don't know where we're headed...

On Friday night I saw The National Ballet of Canada perform Crystal Pite's latest work Emergence, with score by Owen Belton and set by Jay Gower Taylor, (on the Innovation program along with new works by Peter Quanz and Sabrina Matthews). Pite's work doesn't make direct reference to Darwin's ideas; however, the program notes her interest in author Steven Johnson's book of the same name, in which he discusses emergent behaviour and self-organizing systems. Johnson considers slime mold, ants, computer games and the future of artificial emergent systems. Pite apparently started with a curiosity about the communication and social organizational strategies of bees (and ballet companies), but from there, her theatrical imagination and deft dancemaking take us into the heart of things…

hive, nest, cave, womb... warm and dark with a radiant amber core… moth elixirrrrrrrrrrrhhhhh
larval metamorphosis of a luminescent female coaxed and encouraged by a dark male form...
struggling, sliding, contorting, gliding, and swirling toward the core of the shadowlight...
a swarm of male abdomens in the chiaroscuro, twitching, pulsing, arrested – convulsing...
angled jutting limbs, randomly a-rhythmic, yet in isolated echoes beats recur-recur-recur...
bodies upon bodies upon bodies swarming through: feeding, breeding, leading - but by who?
fine ferocious females with sharp needle legs... advancing, advancing, advancing en masse…
whispered voices hissing, counting under breath: "five, six, seven" time expands...
ominous inhalations, courting coalescence, a military force marching others to their death? ...
gestural behaviour, seeping sideways through the group, and it builds and it builds…
to a flash annihilation.

A blinding light burns fleetingly at the end of the work, as the group of thirty-eight dancers stands in a regiment facing the audience gesturing urgently in unison, counting upward in an audible whisper at once desperate and jubilant. A complex organized society faces us, one that we have witnessed developing through seemingly random organic movements to an apex of systematic action. There is power in this unison commitment. Are they signaling to us?

Plato’s Cave, Heart of Darkness, Apocalypse Now…? Future extinction or the origin of species? From the social life of bees to a sober song of suicide – or triumphant survival? It’s a deafening semaphore.

Pite's apocalyptic vision is beautifully dark; but also fiercely defiant. In the face of extreme challenge and inevitable end, creation – life – occurs, finds a way, survives, persists, transforms. Other works in her repertoire also address an ephemeral fragility, an eloquent de/con/struction, whether dealing with creative process, a strange death, the crisis of loss – in dance or war, the human desire for connection, the tragedy of earthquakes: Field: Fiction and Farther Out, Double Story, Lost Action, A Picture of You Falling, Fault … Her movement vocabulary, influenced by her work with William Forsythe in Germany, explores the poetics of the sequential body – often described as referencing a kind of pop-and-lock breakdance tone – savoured and refined for its metaphoric resonance: the exhuberant-and-defiant-breaking-down-fragmentation-falling-apart-ness-of-generative-creativity-and-life-itself…

I hope this work will have a life before more audiences.

© P. Megan Andrews 2009

Not for publication or distribution without prior consultation with the author.

Antonija Livingstone's “The Part”
Dancemakers Centre for Creation
Feb. 26-28, 2009
*this is not a "review"

GO SEE THIS SHOW! Reschedule, postpone, rebook, whatever you have to do. This is a rare occasion to experience a consummate artist, who can become anyone and becomes everyone somehow in this two-part (uh... you'll see what I mean) solo performance event. Very few artists could do what Livingstone does with this material and succeed like she does.

First a disclaimer: given the premise, to me, of the performance itself (the blurriness and slipperiness and uncapturability and glorious, grubby, brilliant excess of being, (undefinably)humanwomanmanchildballerinapèrenoelmoviestar
skatersingerroadierockerhawkerhookerloserloverlifeguardangel...) and the program note (about the gift, what it is, where it comes from, how to live it, give it...) and my experience being in the theatre tonight (patiencecuriosityjoysorrowlovefear
desirerepulsioncompassion... hallellujah!), trying to write in everyday language honestly feels a bit like sacrilege. Also, others have done so effectively – here for example.

So I will just say this: Livingstone goes all the way, I mean into her experiential imagination and her expressive/extended body, with exquisite sensitivity in both physical and vocal nuances (watch how she puts down and picks up the cap of the bottle, or falls over the couch backward, or trips into the curtain, or unfolds her fourth finger as she opens her hand, listen as she modulates her "ho" up and down a quarter tone while shifting from ecstasy to grief...) There is no room for doubt, hesitation, self-consciousness, question, distance, irony. What she reveals is life really, or, as she sings at the end, "pure imagination" – the force of it erupting, through a kind of humble surrender to it. She gives herself over and then offers what arises back to us. This act is generous in the most self-less way. A gift.

But its not gentle or easy to accept necessarily. Some might find moments uncomfortable, raw perhaps. It's certainly not conventionally beautiful dancing, or dancing even - or conventional in any way. It is very funny at times (that's 3 now).

And I feel nourished (and just a little bit giddy actually).

Go be nourished too.

© P. Megan Andrews 2009

Not for publication or distribution without prior consultation with the author.