AGOinsider: When did your love for dance begin? 

Galway: My love of dance started at a very young age. I took classes in jazz, ballet, tap, modern and musical theatre after school. During those years, I learned how powerful dance was and what joy it brought me. When I joined Canada’s National Ballet School and was surrounded by inspiring teachers, musicians and like-minded peers, I fell in love with all the nuances of the art form. 

Skinner: My love for dance began before I can even remember. For as long as I can recall, movement has always piqued my interest and drawn me in. There’s something both incredible and indescribable about what I feel when I’m dancing. It’s like I am the most connected to myself, aware of every part of my being. While I don’t recall exactly when my love for the art form began, my parents have a memory of me as a toddler mimicking one of Elvis Stojko’s routines from TV. I was too young at the time to remember the moment, but I think it must’ve been one of the first signs dance would become a part of my life.

AGOinsider: What makes dance so expressive? 

Galway: Dance has many qualities that allow the artist to express themselves creatively. The body is capable of so much expression. I feel there are limitless possibilities to explore with my body and its relationship to my emotions. When paired with music, I believe dance to be a powerful tool that can evoke strong feelings, not only in the artist but also in the audience. It is that shared experience that can be so moving and so intimate. 

The challenges that dance has for creative expression have become more evident during the pandemic. It is an art form that usually requires many people to work closely together for one vision. The presentations typically are in a theatre and this hasn’t been possible during this past year. Dancers need to train with each other many hours a day to present their art form. 

Skinner: Dance is boundless, existing in a way that makes it borderless to limitations. There’s freedom in dancing; freedom to tell a story, to entertain, to relay a message, to share a thought, to make a statement as well as freedom to just be. It’s a beautiful vehicle for creative expression.

With any art form, there’s always the possibility that the idea trying to be conveyed doesn’t come through. While that could be viewed as a challenge, it also enables a variety of perspectives and interpretations, which is one of the beautiful outcomes of art. The ability to move, to spark a reaction, and to create dialogue is a part of what makes art so special.