The Isolation Diaries: Dance artist Olivia C. Davies

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      The Artist

      O.Dela Arts' Olivia C. Davies is a dance artist, choreographer, community-arts facilitator and emerging curator of Anishinaabe, French-Canadian, Finnish, and Welsh heritage. She has created works like “Crow’s Nest and Other Places She’s Gone” and curated the Matriarchs Rising program as the Dance Centre’s Artist-in-Residence . Since lockdown, she's been busy bringing projects online, including cocuration of the 2020 Made in BC - Dance on Tour program, which presents a free, online symposium bringing together dance artists, choreographers, and directors who share a passion for creating atypical dance interventions on May 26-29. May 30, she presents interview and clips from Matriarchs Uprising Festival and other repertoire here for Virtualian Festival from 4 to 5 p.m. on Zoom; and keep an eye for new offerings on O.Dela Arts as part of her ongoing #homeourwaylive, a new performance and conversation platform via Zoom.

      No. 1 thing that’s getting you through

      Getting my hands dirty in our shared household garden patch. I'm trying to take a few minutes each day to tend to the plants and shrubs as a form of meditation, and to get away from my screen. Going for walks around the block and witnessing all the beauty that is in bloom right now is motivating me. Also, remembering that this too shall pass.

      Comfort Food

      My partner makes the best home-made salsa so it's been my go-to with blue corn chips. I'm no baker so I've also stocked up store-bought croissants and my local bakery's delicious muffins. Go find Black Rook BakeHouse now.

      Quarantine Soundtrack

      Rock 101. I think I've heard "Highway to Hell" over 100 times in the past few weeks and it still doesn't get old. Also, the new LAL album, Dark Beings, plus RTJ 1, 2, or 3 to keep me motivated through the darker days.

      Streaming Now

      Currently binge (re)watching The Office as I can have it playing in the background while I'm puttering around and the jokes never get old. And recently tapped into Talking Sh*t With Tara Cheyenne podcast for her interview with Justine A. Chambers. Most memorable quote: "Wait, should I be baking right now?!?"

      Creative or learning outlet

      Ocean and Crow Yoga Studio has kept me moving with their online classes. I also try to keep up a practice of having a living room dance party once a week, until I can get back into a studio and have true freak out without worrying about injuring myself bumping up against walls and furniture, or stumbling over cats. I've learned a lot about hosting Zoom meetings; doing this for the Arts Council of New Westminster and Made in BC - Dance on Tour. And one of my colleagues over in Australia, Mariaa Randall, set up a group on FB for other Indigenous artists to come together and share weekly provocations for creative response. My heart has been set on fire by the powerful responses we are sharing each week. It's feeling like the seeds for future creative acts and collaborations are being planted here.

      Survival Tip

      Breathe, deeply and often and keep hope alive in your heart. A human can live (approx) three days without water, three minutes without air, but only three seconds without hope.

       

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