Dance Immersion Ontario

Dance Immersion produces promotes and supports dancers and dances of the African Diaspora. We offer presentation skill development and networking opportunities for Blacks in dance serving artists who practice contemporary and traditional movement forms. We have simplified our vision and mission statements and expanded programming through three interconnected platforms: Presentation Incubation and Education. We provided opportunities for artists throughout the pandemic while working to improve our branding and stabilize operations with a fairly new staff. We expanded our incubation support to provide artists with resources fees and experienced mentorship to develop stronger work for audiences. On-Line Activities: - Created and produced our new Instagram Live Discussion Series which includes a written blog and online discussions with artists about topics that have so far focused on education in African Diasporic dances. This engages the public beyond dancers in conversation about dance and brings in new followers to dance Immersion. - Ran an online Bantaba discussion dance battle (Krump vs. Hip Hop) and Artists of the Diaspora meetings with artists in Alberta to the same results listed in the point above. - Instituted monthly Artist Profiles in our newsletters that now also serve as an archive of Canadian Black artists on our website. This program is researched and executed by Jillian. - We also secured over 150 new newsletter sign-ups gained after each recent presentation and the online initiatives. MUKUTHÔ: This incubated and co-presented commissioned dance and music work by Casimiro Nhussi of NAfro Dance in Winnipeg Pulga Muchchoma and Kobena Aquaa-Harrison Toronto created a new work centered around Mozambican dance and ceremony. This work garnered 5 Dora Award nominations. IN MY BODY: This collaborative presentation with CanStage TO Live and creative partners from the Candance Creation Fund saw the Toronto-premier presentation of IN