Music plays a role in absolutely everything I do, professionally and artistically! It is the reason why I started dancing as a child. I did play an instrument briefly as a teenager, but ultimately using my body as my instrument spoke to me more, and so this is the path I pursued. I danced for ten years with Opera Atelier, which deepened my love of Baroque music and introduced me to the world of opera. Through this exposure, I’ve been fortunate enough to create several choreographic works for opera companies, for both singers and dancers alike. Designing movement that complements vocal phrasing, not just for those who have to execute it, but for those experiencing it, is an entirely unique and satisfying process.
My work in television and film allows me to explore music from every different time period and of every genre, and this is thrilling. Often it means playing with the juxtaposition of a movement or dance scene with a very unexpected musical pairing, to achieve a narrative effect. And some of my favourite moments in this work is in the edit suite after everything has been shot, when we’re working with scored music and overlaying it in precise moments to find a cadence that enhances the drama or expresses the choreography in a new light. Music can change not just how you hear, but how you ‘see’ everything.
My work as director of Hit and Run Dance Productions involves designing tailor-made performance experiences for any type of event or showcase, and this typically means selecting the music first, to create the mood or vibe. Everything else, including the choreography, follows from there. I’m the type of choreographer who visually designs the basic structure of a piece in my mind first once I hear the music. Music inspires and dictates everything I do, rather than approaching it from the movement first and then placing it on the score.
And finally, my ballet fitness company relies heavily on music, because all of our classes are conducted to curated playlists. Music is vital here; it has the power to lift the spirit of a room full of people, to give them energy to push through difficult physical exertion, and to encourage that amazing endorphin release, the high that comes from movement. This is where I get to really play, to explore every genre of music, to discover new artists, play with rhythm, base line and flow. Curating these playlists and witnessing how they inspire my students is one of my favourite things to do!
Of all the things I was doing when COVID-19 hit, the one I have had to let go of completely is dancing in the presence of others. While we can still present work online, live performances with an audience and dancing together in the studio in a class setting or rehearsal is obsolete. This means absolutely all of my professional work has been affected.
Last Saturday (April 18) I was to have premiered a new piece for Esprit Orchestra’s New Wave Festival, a solo work for Maurizio Azzan’s Where the here and now of nowhere is, with cellist Cameron Crozman. Sadly, this performance (and the entire festival) has been postponed, as have all performances and festivals around the world. Absolutely every artist across the globe has been affected.
All of our work for Hit and Run Dance Productions has also ground to a halt, including an extraordinary site-specific performance with Canadian contemporary artist Brendan Fernandes, Free Fall, at the Art Gallery of Ontario, which has likewise been postponed.
My studio, the Extension Room, is closed for business, as of course we cannot gather to dance and sweat together. Unfortunately, although we are government-mandated to shut down, we (along with other small businesses) are still obliged to pay our rent (which, in Toronto, is enormous) and all of our other operational costs. Sadly, this could mean the demise of at least half of the small businesses in the city.
Once circumstances allow, I am determined to pick up all the pieces! I am hoping that the shows I have been commissioned for will eventually find new dates. However, it may be a much longer time than we anticipated before audiences will be able to gather for live performance.
Similarly, I’m hoping to be able to open my studio again; however it may be in a different location and context. My fitness program, the Extension Method, has already undergone a restructuring during quarantine. Since I cannot teach live groups, I currently teach free online classes, not only for my studio community, but for anyone who wishes to tune in and stay active at home. To be honest, there are some beautiful positives associated with this. I have reconnected with students who haven’t been able to attend classes in person for years. My viewing audience has grown exponentially, and now I am reaching students across the globe. We, as humans, are resilient and creative.
I’m also continuing to work in the development stage of my creative projects, writing grants and virtually meeting with composers and writers for productions that will hopefully be presented down the road. My focus while in quarantine is to find ways to make art and movement viable and relevant in a different format. We don’t know how long it will be before we can gather in groups as we did. There may be serious restrictions; the general public may be nervous. The ultimate scenario, I believe, may be a tempered one, in that we find a balance between in-person and virtual experience, so I am working towards finding ways to present dance, theatre, music on screen in a new manner.
My husband is a filmmaker, and we have started exploring this - for example speaking with a colleague, an opera singer, about ways to shoot and present dance with classical and new music in a manner that is appealing and accessible to children; and using the art of filmmaking to present a multi-dimensional experience involving several artists who don’t have to be in the same place, or at least with minimized contact in a controlled environment. There are unlimited possibilities!
Jennifer Nichols is a dancer, choreographer (for both stage and screen), director and teacher (of dance and fitness) based in Toronto. Her work can be seen on screen in the upcoming Netflix series, Tiny Pretty Things, for which she is head choreographer.
