Molly Johnson Performs Two Dance Pop Ups in Cape Breton

photo credit: Marlowe Porter

With two free performances in our ongoing Pop Up Series, Molly Johnson adds her passion for movement to the continued celebrations of the NSTT’s 75th Anniversary.

Wednesday, July 31, 2:00 p.m.

James McConnell 

Memorial Library
50 Falmouth Street, Sydney

Friday, August 2, 

5:00 p.m.

Baddeck Public Library
520 Chebucto Street, Baddeck

“I don't even remember there being a moment where I said: "I'm going to be a dancer" - it was just what I knew I would be and my parents championed that choice, despite money being tight, despite there being no arts programs at my school or training within my community. When I started to dream big and travel beyond the borders of the island, the Talent Trust helped my parents get me there.” 

Thank you to the CB Regional Library especially Chris Thomson and staff in Sydney and Kate Oland and staff in Baddeck for hosting the events.

Molly Johnson Biography

Born and raised in Baddeck, Cape Breton Island, Molly Johnson creates body-based performance projects and texts that investigate connection through the universal and familiar on themes of how to be. Molly has had residencies at Toronto Dance Theatre, Lake Studios and Schillerpromenade 37 (Berlin), presented her work at hub14 (Toronto) and Kinetic Studio (Halifax), and curated League of Explorers, a series of travel photo slide nights in residence at hub14. A Dora-Award winning dance artist, Molly has interpreted the work of such brilliant women as Nova Bhattacharya, Susie Burpee, Tina Fushell, Sharon Moore, Sabina Perry, Julia Sasso, and Heidi Strauss. She has spent a decade of summers performing in public spaces with Dusk Dances and was a key collaborator with Marie France Forcier/Forcier Stage Works from 2007 to 2016. Based in Toronto, Molly has also danced for Montréal’s Le Carré des Lombes, performing the work of Danièle Desnoyers across Canada and internationally on an ongoing basis since 2010. A 2013 Finalist for the Toronto Arts Foundation Emerging Artist Award, Molly travels by herself often and is a freelance writer in the space between. 

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In 2019, the Talent Trust is celebrating its 75th  anniversary featuring former scholarship recipients with a travelling art exhibition, pop-up events in theatre, music, and dance, film screenings and more.

The 75th anniversary activities are supported by the province of Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality, The Craig Foundation, Canadian Federation of Musicians, and Margaret and David Fountain. 

Come to our July Pop-Ups in Music and Dance, and a Visual Artist's Panel Discussion

Do you want to take a break once in a while and add a concert, dance performance, or visual artist panel to your summer day? We have the right combination for you. (smile) The next ten days are filled with wonderful anniversary events and all  are free and open to the public. Come on out and bring your friends and family.  Pop-up Music events with Triptych Ensemble: Talent Trust alumni Jennifer Farrell, Hilary Brown, accompanied by Lynette Wahlstrom will pop-up on Tuesday, July 23 from 12:15-1:00 p.m. at St. Matthew's United Church, Barrington Street, Halifax. Thursday, July 25 from 2:00-2:45 p.m. at Kinross Hall at Parkland at the Lakes, 122 Baker Drive in Dartmouth. We thank The Canadian Federation of Musicians for their support.  Dance Pop-Up with Molly Johnson in Cape Breton. Please join Molly on Wednesday, July 31 at 2 p.m. at the Cape Breton Regional Library in Sydney for a dance pop-up. Molly is originally from Baddeck and lives now in Toronto.  First You Dream: Celebrating 75 Years of the Talent Trust at MSVU Art Gallery till July 28, 2019. The traveling art exhibition features ten former scholarship recipients in visual arts and will be shown at MSVU Art Gallery in Halifax from May 18 - July 28, 2019 MAKING AND MENTORING:  Wednesday, July 24 at 6:00 p.m. In conjunction with First You Dream: Celebrating 75 Years of the Nova Scotia Talent Trust, MSVU Art Gallery is hosting a panel discussion on the topic of mentorship with artists Lux Habrich, Dan O’Neill and Pamela Ritchie. MSVU Art Gallery Director Laura Ritchie will facilitate a conversation about the artists' experiences with mentorship and how it has influenced their respective practices and professional development. All are welcome and refreshments will be served. The show will travel to CBU Art Gallery in Sydney from August 16 - October 4, 2019 and then to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia-Western Branch in Yarmouth November 22, 2019 - May 17, 2020. We thank the province of Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality, The Craig Foundation, the Canadian Federation of Musicians, and Margaret and David Fountain for their generous support of our 75th anniversary year.  Tune in every first Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. to CIOE-97.5FM to hear interviews with Talent Trust scholarship recipients. Host, Breagh MacKinnon will be on air with the Talent Trust Artist Spotlight again on August 1, 2019 at 1 p.m. interviewing Gina Burgess and Marcel d'Entremont. We thank Jim Robson and all the volunteers at CIOE 97.5 communityradio.ca for their generous support.  Hope to see you at one or many of the events. (smile) Take good care, Jacqueline Jacqueline Steudler, Executive Director  PS: Want to hear more? Please sign up for our newsletter. Want to support the next generation of Nova Scotia artists? Donate today! (smile) Want to hear more? Please sign up for our newsletter Want to support the next generation of Nova Scotia artists? Donate today! In 2019, the Talent Trust is celebrating its 75th  anniversary featuring former scholarship recipients with a travelling art exhibition, pop-up events in theatre, music, and dance, film screenings and more. The 75th anniversary activities are supported by the province of Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality, The Craig Foundation, Canadian Federation of Musicians, and Margaret and David Fountain.

Molly Johnson, Aliah Schwartz, Georgia Skinner and Jacinte Armstrong at Kinetic Studio's Season Launch on Nov 4 and 5, 2017 in Halifax

KINETIC STUDIO LAUNCHES SEASON WITH OPEN STUDIO SERIES

(text and images below from their press release)

November 4 and 5, 2017 at 8 PM

DANSpace, Halifax

Open Studio will showcase four dance pieces by Molly Johnson, Aliah Schwartz, Georgia Skinner and Dustin Harvey. A post-show discussion on Saturday will be facilitated by Kinetic Artistic Director Jacinte Armstrong.

http://thisismollyjohnson.com/

Toronto-based, Cape Breton raised, Dora Award winning choreographer Molly Johnson will present Me and the Patriarchy. A finalist for the 2013 Toronto Arts Foundation Emerging Artist Award, Molly also dances for Montréal’s Le Carré des Lombes, performing the work of Danièle Desnoyers nationally and abroad.

Blunder Blunder. Photo by Willie Wilson.

Canning’s Aliah Schwartz, 2015’s Lieutenant Governor's Award and 2014 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award, is in the beginning stages of creating and developing an aesthetic with Montreal’s Guillaume Loslier-Pinard.

Together they are Blunder Blunder and will show their first piece No Need for Blue Jeans Here is “situated in a limbo between life and death, the line between humour and tragedy.” Schwartz is currently completing her BFA in contemporary dance at Loslier-Pinard’s alma mater Concordia University.

Georgia Skinner + Joel LeBlanc. Photo by Joanna Bryson

No stranger to the Open Studio Series, Halifax’s Georgia Skinner’s Clench working title) is an exploration of how particular emotions manifest in the body with a focus on anxiety, stress. Isolated, intuitive, and palpable, Clench is a tribute to habitual motions of  bodies under stress, the trickery of panic attacks and the struggle to feel content. Recently seen at the Bus Stop Theatre in Votive Dance’s EAST MEETS WEST, Georgia is a member of Halifax’s Nostos Collective and The Woods Hip Hop Society.

Tickets $8 student, seniors, artists, $10 regular. ( http://www.kineticstudio.ca/boxoffice or at the door)

Location - DANSpace-on-Grafton, 1531 Grafton St, Halifax NS.

Molly Johnson, Chloe Hart, and Aliah Schwartz show their dance work at the Open Studio Series, January 30 and 31, 2016

Aliah Schwartz, dancer, choreographer

It gives me great pleasure to see three NSTT dance scholarship and award winners in the same program, plus Kinetic Studio's Artistic Director Jacinte Armstrong is a former NSTT scholarship recipient herself.

Kinetic shares fresh choreographic works with the Open Studio Series

From Kinetic Studio's press release: 

"Kinetic Studio brings a selection of fresh choreographic works to Halifax audiences in their annual Open Studio series. The January edition of Open Studio presents four works by Molly Johnson, Chloe Hart and Aliah Schwartz, Michèle Slattery, and Don Rieder.

With the Open Studio Series, Kinetic Studio reaches out to distinct communities and brings together a strong selection of invigorating, thoughtful, and imaginative work from dance artists and makers.

Artistic Director Jacinte Armstrong speaks to the intent of the event: “I find it exciting that all of the featured artists share ties to the Maritimes. For some this showcase is a homecoming, a chance to share what they’ve gathered on their travels. For others the Open Studio series offers a space for reinvention, expansion, and experimentation. Seasoned dance makers appreciate this chance to break with tradition and push boundaries.”

- Works Featured in Open Studio January 30th and 31st -

Originally hailing from Cape Breton, Toronto-based Molly Johnson (2002/2003 NSTT Pat Richards Award) brings unapologetic solitude to the stage and investigates the lost art of just being in what other people think of me...

Inspired by the rich landscape of Labrador, Michèle Slattery, manifests in movement the undulating temperament of the Churchill River in No Catch.

In Cornstarch and Other Dilemmmas, Aliah Schwartz (2013 Robert G.Jackson Award, 2014 Canada Games for Young Artist of Excellence Award, 2015 Lieutenant Governor's Award) and Chloe Hart (2014 Robert George Jackson Award) return to Halifax from Montreal and explore the spectrum of anger using household kitchen appliances.

Don Rieder brings the third instalment of his trilogy Heartbreak Pajamas. The work Burnt I finds love, hope, and community in a time of hardship.

Date - January 30 & 31st 8pm

Tickets - $10 | Students & Seniors $8

Location - DANSpace, 1531 Grafton St, Hfx

About Kinetic Studio

Kinetic Studio is a Halifax-based non-profit organization dedicated to the development and presentation of contemporary dance choreography and performance. Kinetic supports professional dance by offering workshops and presenting a seasonal program of performances for finished and unfinished works.

Website - http://www.kineticstudio.ca/

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/kineticstudiodance?fref=ts

Twitter account (@StudioKinetic) - https://twitter.com/StudioKinetic