BONUS EPISODE: The Battle of Body Shame with Candice Irwin
Like many dance artists, Candice Irwin started experiencing body shame when she was a young dance student, and it almost made her quit entirely. Now a dance educator herself, she works to create body shame free classes for her students. In this bonus episode, Candice speaks with guest host Aria Evans about her feature, “The Battle of Body Shame”, in…
The Artist Behind the Work with Nicole Inica Hamilton
We have arrived — our first season finale! For our final episode, Nicole Inica Hamilton joins host Esie Mensah to talk about the dance media field and the importance of getting to know the artist behind the work. Hamilton is the host and producer of Turn Out Radio, a counsellor and the artistic director of Inica Dance Industries. She is…
The Ecological Mindset with Anne-Catherine Lebeau
For years, Anne-Catherine Lebeau worked as an actress and a rehearsal director. But she was always uncomfortable with the amount of waste that the sector was producing. In 2019, she co-founded Écoscéno to help artists and companies make the ecological shift. But going sustainable means more than buying less stuff; the mindset includes conversations about working conditions, gender equality, and…
Part 2: Unpacking Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival with Collette Murray
Collette “Coco” Murray is back! This week, we continue to unpack Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival, as the festival launches this weekend. Host Esie Mensah and Murray dive into questions such as: How is Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival intertwined with the dance industry? Why is the media’s depiction of the festival harmful? How can dance artists and teachers ensure they aren’t appropriating Black…
Unpacking Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival with Collette Murray
Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival (formerly Caribana) is often known as just a street party, but many folks don’t understand the social significance of the event. Before the festival starts on July 28, Collette Murray is here to talk about what has been lost to the commercialization of the event and what you need to know before you go. A long-time Carnival…
Reimagining Ballroom with Rufi Oswaldo
This week, Rufi Oswaldo calls in from Calgary. A former dancesport competitor, Oswaldo is now the artistic director of Dancers’ Studio West. He’s here to talk about the constraints he felt within competitive ballroom – including rigid gender roles – and how he moved into contemporary dance and pursuing a PhD researching same-sex partner dance. You can read a full…
Inside a Changing Institution with Mavis Staines
For our first episode, Mavis Staines joins Esie Mensah in studio. Staines is the CEO and the artistic director of Canada’a National Ballet School and she’s here to talk about systemic issues within educational institutions and the work that goes into making real, and lasting, change. EPISODE 1 TRANSCRIPT Esie Mensah: Hello, I’m Esie Mensah. I’m a multidisciplinary artist in…
Introducing: Currently in Dance with Esie Mensah
Inspired by stories from The Dance Current, Canada’s national dance magazine, this summer podcast features rich conversations about the issues affecting dance communities and society at large. Hosted by dance artist Esie Mensah and released every two weeks. TRAILER TRANSCRIPT Esie Mensah: Hello, I’m Esie Mensah. I’m a multidisciplinary dance artist in Toronto. I’ve worked at Shaw Festival, Soul Pepper Theatre, danced for Rihanna, Drake,…