Hosted by Aria Evans, Season 4 of The ‘D’ Word is focused on transformation – transforming the self, our relationships, our way of thinking and the social hierarchies we live within. We’ll be speaking with Robin Lacambra, Aurora Matrix, Cassa Pancho and Shannon Litzenberger about transformational experiences and how they are creating change locally, nationally and internationally through dance.
Aria Evans, host
Aria Evans is a queer, award winning interdisciplinary artist who’s practice spans dance, theatre and film. As a public speaker, activist and creative leader, Aria advocates for inclusion and the representation of diversity. Using their artistic practice to question the ways we can coexist, Aria appreciates conversations that challenge, build compassion and understanding, and that ultimately inspire change within the arts.
Photo credit: Marlowe Porter
Mayumi Lashbrook, Producer
Mayumi Lashbrook is a Japanese Canadian settler who seeks to expose, challenge, and rectify systems of oppression by creating innovative, introspective and inclusive dance theatre. Her primary practices span performance, choreography, creative production and education. She strives to create spaces that pursue an equilibrium of artistic excellence and compassionate care, through on and off stage initiatives.
Photo credit: Daniel Neuhaus
Dance – it’s something you do in your kitchen, on the dance floor or something you show off to your friends, right?! But what if we told you that dance influences the world and how we fundamentally live our lives. Hosted by Mingjia Chen and Britta B. over 6 episodes, The ‘D’ Word Podcast speaks with non-dancers and how dance has completely transformed their lives in ways you would never guess. The ‘D’ Word is crafted to expose the ways in which the world is affected by dance and movement, in order to highlight how fundamental it is in our lives.
Dr Peter Lovatt: Dance Psychologist
For our final episode of the season, Mingjia talks with Doctor Dance himself, Dr. Peter Lovatt. Dr Peter Lovatt is…
Lucius Dechausay: Director/Producer
This week Britta talks with director and producer Lucius Dechausay. Lucius Dechausay is an award-winning director, editor, producer and illustrator whose…
Christie Pearson: Architect
This week, Mingjia talks with architect Christie Pearson. Christie Pearson (B.Arch, B.E.S., M.Arch, OAA) is an architect, writer, teacher and…
Kyle Miller / Vanity a la Mode: Manager of Philanthropy / Drag Queen
This week Britta B. talks with drag performer and Manager of Philanthropy Kyle Miller. A graduate of The Randolph Academy…
Alex Samaras: Vocalist
This week Mingjia talks with vocalist Alex Samaras. Alex Samaras is recognized as one of North America’s leading singers in the jazz, experimental and…
Catherine Hernandez: Author
For our first episode, Britta B. talks with author Catherine Hernandez. Catherine Hernandez is a proud queer woman of colour…
Welcome to The ‘D’ Word
The ‘D’ Word by dance: made in canada premieres July 13th. In this limited series hosts Mingjia Chen and Britta…
Land Acknowledgement
dance made in canada | fait au canada’s Artistic Director and Co-Festival Director Yvonne Ng honours the traditional caretakers of…
Britta B.
Host
Britta B. is a Toronto-based spoken word poet, teaching artist, emcee and voice actor. Most recently, Britta was recognized as a 2020 Finalist for the Toronto Arts Foundation Emerging Artist Award.
She is an alumna of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity Spoken Word Residency and a 2018 Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab Fellow. Her works have featured in print, in sound and onstage in notable spheres such as CBC Arts: Poetic License, LitFest Bergen, TEDx, college and university campuses, as well as various poetry and art festivals across North America.
Currently, Britta is a Creative Writing MFA candidate at University of Guelph.
Visit her at www.brittab.com
Twitter/IG: @missbrittab
Photo Credit: Gilad Cohen, IG: @mrgiladcohen
Mingjia Chen
Host
beijing-birthed, toronto-dwelling vocalist-composer mingjia (MING-jee-ya) (she/her) writes music that’s equal parts fantastical & relatable, & performs it with courage & honesty. aside from making mischief with her chamber ensemble tortoise orchestra, she has performed with & written music for grammy-award-winning artists roomful of teeth and andrew yee, matt mitchell, james fernando, the science of what ?, david occhipinti, juliet palmer, christine duncan, GREX, pleasure craft, pomes, emily steinwall, & more. she has performed at various venues and festivals across canada, china & the US, & has produced 4 releases as a band leader. her EP feel seen, is described by the wholenote as “beautiful, mature and exceptionally coherent”. i care if you listen describes mingjia as “(having) strong command of timbral combinations” and “one to watch”. she enjoys drawing, dancing & watching the nickelodeon smash hit series avatar: the last airbender. since quarantine began mingjia has been taking lots of socially distanced walks & learning to play the guitar.
Photo Credits: Meg Moon, IG: @meg_moon
Grace Wells-Smith
Producer
Grace Wells-Smith is a journalist living in Toronto. Currently, she’s the managing editor of The Dance Current magazine and has been published by CBC, Toronto Star, Saltwire Network and Intermission. In 2020, she produced the podcast “Why, Tho?” with author Alicia Elliott. Wells-Smith holds a master of journalism from X University and a BFA in dance performance and choreography from York University. She has also completed an internship with the CBC’s investigative unit in Toronto.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Elliott
The ‘D’ Word Podcast is part of the 2021 Arts Encounters programming, which includes off-stage ways of connecting with dance, artists, and community. Arts Encounters is produced by Sam Hale.
Hosted by Aria Evans, the artistic director of Political Movement, Season 2 of The ‘D’ Word is all about activism. We are jumping into the work of three dance artists who through performance, choreography and production, are driving social justice. Through conversations about representation, caregiving and reclamation, we spotlight the issues that these artists care about to answer the question: How is our sector leading social change? Featured on the show is Ravyn Wngz, co-founder of ILL NANA/DiverseCity Dance Company and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Canada; Susie Burpee, a contemporary dance artist and mother; and Ruthe Ordare, a founding member of the all-Indigenous burlesque troupe, Virago Nation.
BONUS EPISODE: Danah Rosales
We have a surprise bonus episode to end our second season, hosted by Aria Evans. This week Aria talks with…
Ruthe Ordare on Reclamation
Our third episode looks at reclamation, with guest Ruthe Ordare. Ruthe Ordare (she/her) is the hips, thighs and bedroom eyes…
Susie Burpee on Care
For the second episode of our 2nd Season, Aria talks Care with Susie Burpee. Traversing both dance and theatre, Susie…
Ravyn Wngz on Representation
To launch our second season, host Aria Evans talks representation with Ravyn Wngz. Ravyn Wngz, “The Black Widow of Burlesque,”…
The ‘D’ Word – Season 2
This season we join host Aria Evans, the artistic director of Political Movement, to investigate the relationship between dance and…
Aria Evans
Host
Aria Evans (they/she) is an award winning, queer Toronto-based interdisciplinary artist working in dance, theatre and film. Aria is a certified Intimacy Coordinator and draws on their experiences of being multiracial (Afro-Indigenous, settler) to capture meaningful social and cultural themes through their interactive art. Collaboration is the departure point for the work that Aria creates with their company Political Movement. Aria was co-Artistic Director of hub14 from 2013-2018 and the Toronto, Ontario and Canada Council for the arts have supported Aria’s endeavours as well as the National Arts Centre, Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, CAHOOTS, Why Not Theatre, Volcano Theatre, Nightswimming Theatre, Jumblies Theatre, Native Earth Performing Arts, Nova Dance and b current. Aria is currently the Metcalf Artistic Director Intern at Soulpepper Theatre Company.
Photo credit: Tyler J Sloane
Grace Wells-Smith
Producer
Grace Wells-Smith is a journalist living in Toronto. Currently, she’s the managing editor of The Dance Current magazine and has been published by CBC, Toronto Star, Saltwire Network and Intermission. In 2020, she produced the podcast “Why, Tho?” with author Alicia Elliott. Wells-Smith holds a master of journalism from X University and a BFA in dance performance and choreography from York University. She has also completed an internship with the CBC’s investigative unit in Toronto.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Elliott
Hosted by Aria Evans, the artistic director of Political Movement, Season 3 of The ‘D’ Word is all about science and the mind. This season we will be exploring how ideas like curiosity, embodied physics, and shifting trauma through movement influence and interact with dance artists.
The impact of music on babies with Laura Cirelli
On Episode Four of Season 3 of The ‘D’ Word, Aria Evans discusses the impact of music on babies with…
Dance for Parkinson’s Disease with David Leventhal
On Episode Three of Season 3 of The ‘D’ Word, Aria Evans discusses the Dance for PD program at the…
Shifting trauma through movement with Snjezana Pruginic
On Episode Two of Season 3 of The ‘D’ Word, Aria Evans discusses shifting trauma through movement with Snjezana Pruginic.…
Perry Zurn and Dani S. Bassett authors of Curious Minds: The Power of Connection
On Episode One of Season 3 of The ‘D’ Word, Aria Evans discusses curiosity with Perry Zurn and Dani S. Bassett,…
The ‘D’ Word Season 3 Trailer
Hosted by Aria Evans, the artistic director of Political Movement, Season 3 of The ‘D’ Word is all about science…
Aria Evans
Host
Aria Evans (they/she) is an award winning, queer Toronto-based interdisciplinary artist working in dance, theatre and film. Aria is a certified Intimacy Coordinator and draws on their experiences of being multiracial (Afro-Indigenous, settler) to capture meaningful social and cultural themes through their interactive art. Collaboration is the departure point for the work that Aria creates with their company Political Movement. Aria was co-Artistic Director of hub14 from 2013-2018 and the Toronto, Ontario and Canada Council for the arts have supported Aria’s endeavours as well as the National Arts Centre, Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, CAHOOTS, Why Not Theatre, Volcano Theatre, Nightswimming Theatre, Jumblies Theatre, Native Earth Performing Arts, Nova Dance and b current. Aria is currently the Metcalf Artistic Director Intern at Soulpepper Theatre Company.
Photo credit: Tyler J Sloane
Grace Wells-Smith
Producer
Grace Wells-Smith is a journalist living in Toronto. Currently, she’s the managing editor of The Dance Current magazine and has been published by CBC, Toronto Star, Saltwire Network and Intermission. In 2020, she produced the podcast “Why, Tho?” with author Alicia Elliott. Wells-Smith holds a master of journalism from X University and a BFA in dance performance and choreography from York University. She has also completed an internship with the CBC’s investigative unit in Toronto.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Elliott