Q 1) What has been your biggest take away with your new role as rehearsal director?
As the rehearsal director, part of my role was to look at the show from an audience’s perspective and serve as a creative partner to Dyana. I was surprised to learn, as I viewed the show through a different lens, that certain choices are made to serve the show, which may not be a dancer’s first instinct. Particularly with this show, Dyana and I sat in contemplation of how long was too long to hold moments of stillness. As a dancer, it can feel very foreign to be still on stage. But from an audience’s perspective, I can now see how these choices serve the show best. For example, we had worked on an intricate choreography sequence for several days but when we stepped back, we saw that the most complex choice wasn’t as effective at conveying the piece’s narrative as a simple walking pattern would. From my perspective, the choreography is tailored to bring the audience to the feelings that Dyana experienced during her 8-hour phone call, a feeling that many of us can relate to. The moments of stillness in the show serve to trigger a reaction in the audience. The discomfort of holding and the unexpected outcomes, help give a taste of the experience that inspired the show.
See Candace in Broken Rhythms upcoming production of ‘On Hold’
Premieres April 4 2025 at 7:30 PM McPherson Playhouse.
Candace Bruce (She/They) is a performer and educator based on the unceded territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən speaking peoples, known today as the Songhees and Esquimalt nations. As a professional dancer, Candace has worked for companies such as Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, Disney Cruise Line, Nickelodeon, and Netflix, where she gained experience working with different contemporary and commercial dance approaches. Candace returned to her hometown of Victoria in 2020, shortly after the pandemic halted her work internationally. Being a student of Dyana’s in her childhood, Candace was excited to reconnect with her upon returning. Candace has proudly been a member of Broken Rhythms ever since, performing locally and participating in the company’s national tour. She has appeared in several shows, including “1000 Pieces of Pi” (2021, 2022, 2024), “Above Me” (2022), “Chiaro:Scuro” (2023), and “Knotted” (2024). She is set to premiere the company’s newest work, “On Hold,” on April 4th, 2025. Candace had the distinct honour of serving as a guest choreographer in the company’s 2024 show, Knotted, and is excited to step into the role of rehearsal director this time around.
Broken Rhythms 