The heat brings flexibilty and sweat to the dancer. So look for some limber, purified souls at Divers Cite performances, shows at Parc - La Fontaine, the Shawinigan Street festival, and the festival at Saint Saveur. The reunited cast of Joe is also back rehearsing for their four month european, fall tour and struggling to sport the obligatory coat and chapeau. Courage, mes amies!

Having a difficult time finding time to write theses days. My mind feels clogged up with things I haven’t said or had time to really think about. It is amazing how much energy can be expended on meaningless tasks; waitressing is a series of immediate distractions. Anytime I try to think about other things I screw up or get told I look too serious. It is humbling to go from being on a professional roll to having to do something else to pay the bills for a while.

I guess I haven’t wanted to reveal my present situation in blog form lately. Want to be able to positive and inspired but have to confess to being a little worn out from struggling. Right now, I am not working for anyone else or training and there aren’t many shows to discuss, so I haven’t known what to say. I am aware that money is the common complaint in this blog but it sure is challenging hoop to jump through. Hard to avoid discussing it because it determines so much of what I am able to do with art. My situation is echoed by the lives of many of my friends who are trying to figure out how to survive till they get paychecks in September. I know our problems are minor compared with the plight of so many people the world over. But I guess if this space is platform to reflect the lives of young urban artists, the search for clams is a big part of it. *The successful emerging artists I know are wealthy (or at least their parents are). They don’t have to work other jobs and have the necessary materials bought for them. The result is success because they have time to create work rather than chase after a means to make it. If government funding continues to erode we will only have the artistic efforts of rich kids to reflect and inspire society. I think it is important for art not to be elitist that other voices are represented. I received an email petition a few months ago protesting the proposal to eliminate all art classes from secondary education in Quebec. I moved to this province because I thought it was a place in Canada where art was valued as an essential part of life. What is happening here.

This month, I like almost everyone I know received negative results from the Canada and Quebec arts councils and have to figure out new solutions to funding projects. Quebec told the collective I am a part of, that our project fell into the very good category. That it was well written, clear, interesting, realistic and that we had a strong team but we were below the cut off line for available funds. Being in the midst of producing this project it is more than a little disappointing. What it means is that we have to spend more time finding funding than actually making the work. For the Canada Council I spent about three months writing one of my proposals and like everyone else had to wait four months to find out the results and won’t get feed back till September (grants were submitted in March). Basically, applying for a grant is a huge waste of time. I guess the lesson is that you can’t count on or even hope for them and if by some miracle you do receive make sacrifices to the Gods.

I am so bored of the financial problem, I have been trying to solve it for years and am definitely not alone there. Why do all the clichés about artists have to be true?

I haven’t been writing here because I am not sure what insights I have to offer up from my life right now. Am having fun developing movement material and collaborating with other artists. Our preliminary work with projection is exciting and I know this project will be worth all the effort being put into it.

This summer I am happy to be supporting myself but missing Winnipeg’s fresh, clean air and my old friends. I want desperately to lie down by water and rest. I am inspired by the future but treading water in the present, trying to stay in shape mentally and physically and articulate the perspective I want to share with the world. Like most people I am also struggling with the state of the world. Trying to understand the devastation and hardships people face and put my own petty problems in perspective. I am looking to develop a genuinely lighter and more inspired point of view.

Its been good to see some friends back from travels and have got to do more of that.

Space, progress - processing
Rejection, next step
Formulate a plan

Go outside Absorb sunshine Go outside
Absorb sunshine   
Enjoy summer moments   
Believe in solutions     
Create opportunity        
Manifest creativity

Chill   Bake Sweat    OpenChill   
Bake Sweat    
Open up

Goodbye,

Erin