We all know 2020 wasn't an easy year. But, with the help of family and friends close to me, I was able to enjoy 2020 and thankfully live most of the year in laughs, relaxation, and hope for the future. Rather than think of it as "difficult," it was simply a "different" time. A little gratitude goes a long way.
The biggest event for me this year was, of course, my operation. Apart from the anxiety of the ACL surgery itself, I was afraid of losing career opportunities once I had it. Since then, I am so thankful to realize I need more faith in myself. We all need more faith in ourselves.
The work I've put in toward my artistic pursuits and - even more so - the care of others around me (thank you, all you angels) have culminated in a growth of opportunities even during the COVID pandemic.
"I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
- attributed to Thomas Jefferson
I'd like to share what I've been doing and bring awareness to the organizations who have helped me during this time. Without further ado...
JUNE - JULY: I rehearsed with ReelHeART Toronto as an actress for their online Live Script Read. I never imagined I would win an Actress Award for my work.
The evolution was gradual. I started as more minor characters and then as understudies to missing cast members until, finally, I was confirmed reading for 6 different roles in the same script (Ache by LeLe Park).
You could say that I have absent actors to thank for this win. Much gratitude to the festival for granting me this honour!
ReelHeART puts out a call for actors for their script reads annually. They also invest similarly for Halloween and other festivities. This was a volunteer position for me, though the award did come with a small prize! If you're interested in participating, make sure to check their website at reelheart.com or social media regularly. An independent artist must always take the first step in participating in order for more opportunities to come.
ReelHeART International Film Festival premieres films from emerging and independent filmmakers in a competition format, along with other participatory features.
JULY: Earlier this year I applied for production work for TO Love-In's Summer Love-In Festival 2020. Finally - with much excitement on my part - they emailed in June and offered me the position of Virtual Stage Manager/Tech Assistant.
With the onset of the pandemic, dance activities have largely moved online. Working with the Love-In allowed me the learning curve to adapt and practice my skills for an online platform.
My favourite activity of the Festival must be Short & Screen (originally Short & Sweet).
Performers must limit their work to two minutes.
It was beyond inspiring to see how dancers and movers have adapted to the current climate and gotten creative with their own hallway, bedroom, or lighting.
We had a DJ-ed afterparty (spun by one of our very own directors of Short & Screen, Andrew Tay, who is now Artistic Director of Toronto Dance Theatre) to celebrate the closing of the Festival, and I was filled with so much gratitude for the wonderful people - audience and performers alike - who were dancing their hearts out to the music through their screens.
Dance is well and alive.
I found out about this production role through TO Love-In's newsletter. The organization frequently sends out news about artist calls, jobs, and Generator opportunities. "Generator is a mentoring, teaching, and innovation incubator that expands the skills, tools, and competencies of independent artists, producers and leaders..." (Google). Visit TO Love-In's website at tolovein.com for more information and to subscribe.
TO Love-In (Toronto Dance Community Love-In) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the collaborative nurture of emerging and professional movement artists. They provide workshops, performances, and resources, particularly those of more niche inclinations.
AUG - SEPT: From my work at TO Love-In, I was invited to be Digital Coordinator for the Canadian Dance Assembly (CDA)'s Annual General Meeting 2020. I assumed responsibilities for accessibility support, which gave me invaluable knowledge in acquiring local live human captioning (CART) and ASL interpreters. It is information that will surely inform my own dance and artistic practices in the future.
Shortly after, I joined the CDA as a member myself. Joining the CDA means participating in actions that will support the positive development of dance in Canada as well as having accessible resources for the independent and organizational artist.
Due to the pandemic, the CDA's membership fee for 2020 transitioned to a pay-what-you-can format, ranging from free to any amount you want.
Visit the CDA's website at cda-acd.ca/en. Site information is available in both English and Canadian French.
The Canadian Dance Assembly (CDA) is a national non-profit organization that brings issues of relevance in the dance industry to government levels and helps facilitates change in professional dance.
Thanks to all these organizations for helping me grow and learn in these different times. The work you do is important.
My takeaway from these opportunities combined? Put in a little effort every day. I remember once having a discussion with a friend who was unsure if their efforts would be enough to realize their dream. I told them that as long as they put in the effort day by day, no matter how little, those efforts would one day accumulate to a great amount. Looking back, they would see how much they strived.
Consequently, because of their efforts, more and more opportunities would present themselves. The year of 2020 made me realize just how much this holds true. Have courage, put in the effort every day, and one will have no worry of future opportunity.
Comments