fall classes

The Art Shelter

Image: Zachary Bastille by Tamara Romanchuk

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Frog in Hand  began with a cast of frogs performing circus tricks under the artistic direction of sisters, Noelle Hamlyn and Colleen Snell, who were one and five years old at the time. From this whimsical debut springs our firm belief that art begins in humble places – including the mud and grass of our own backyards.  Although we are now a diverse collective of dancers, choreographers, musicians, actors, spoken word poets,  designers and visual artists, we are still inspired by where we find ourselves.

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We are storytellers. We are inspired by local tales, people, and communities that now extend beyond our back yard to include professional training at The Banff Centre, LADMMI, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, London Contemporary Dance School (UK), Shiseikan Budojo (Tokyo) and Barefoot College (Tanzania). With dance at the forefront, we blend disciplines, treasuring the interaction between space, place and the possibilities of narrative. We seek to blur boundaries that separate art forms, artists, audiences and communities; we collaborate with others who have similar aspirations.

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Frog in Hand  Company members have trained with Gaga Movement (Israel), Jacob’s Pillow, Third Rail (NYC), Peggy Baker Dance Projects, and ProArteDanza. We are all committed to listening for stories and working in community context. Since our first professional performance in 2012 we have produced 45+ original creations and 3 festivals sharing stories with audiences in parks, schools, gazebos, staircases, fountains, abandoned factories, elevators, galleries, street corners and theatres. 

Statement & Actions in Solidarity

Frog in Hand stands with Black and BIPOC communities in the fight against systemic racism. On June 28th, 2020 we released a statement affirming this stance, and outlining actions we would take to address these oppressions. In September 2020 we released a follow up and update on the actions taken so far. You can read our statement, and the steps we are taking to follow up, on the page below. We are open to feedback and listening. We understand this learning process is ongoing and lifelong.

Land Acknowledgement

This image is of local lands; the water tower is one of the oldest structures here in Mississauga. This picture was taken by artist and friend Nettie Seip. Frog in Hand works on these lands frequently, and they deeply inspire us. When we work here, we feel our responsibility to the delicate environment we exist within. Like the land, we believe the Arts contribute to healing; our relationship with the natural environment and the Arts contribute to the decolonizing journey we share.

As we work on these lands, Frog in Hand invites us all to consider how we will write the stories of our future... How we will choose to live together, how we will find ways to honour one other, and the delicate environment we exist within. 
 

Thank you for joining us as we tell our stories.