Q1: When in your life have you experienced being “On Hold”?
A: The obvious answer is the Covid-19 pandemic. However, for me, it was putting my dance practice on hold during that time. It was the first real break I had taken in 16 years, and I didn’t know what to do with myself. Dance had always been my constant – the one thing I could turn to in times of stress – but when things started opening up again, I didn’t rush back into the studio.
I realized that, for so long, my dancing had been driven by external factors – competitions, performances, grades. It had become more about meeting expectations and impressing others than about the joy of movement and self-expression. During that break, I found fulfillment in other movement practices that aligned more with my life at the time.
When I moved to Victoria and found Broken Rhythms Dance Company, things began to shift. It felt almost ironic that a show about being “on hold” would be what finally pulled me out of my three-year break from dance. Being a part of this company and creating this show has helped me reconnect with everything I didn’t realize I had missed about dance – the creative process, the hours spent in the studio learning, playing, and collaborating, the sense of being part of a team, and the excitement of performing in front of a live audience. Dyana’s choreography, in particular, brings back the freedom of expression that first drew me to dance. There’s structure, but we’re encouraged to make the choreography our own.
This experience has reminded me of what I love most about dance – the freedom, the creativity, and the joy of moving together as a collective. I’m incredibly grateful to share this experience with such talented artists who have all been so supportive to me as the newcomer this year.
Q2: What is your favorite moment in the show?
A: My favorite moment in the show comes in a piece that incorporates a sandbox. Without giving too much away, this section delves into the imagery of sand as time, exploring how time can feel like it slips away faster as we age. The quote by Niccolò Machiavelli, “The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it,” ties in beautifully with the work that I do in this piece. My interaction with the sandbox represents both the loss of control and the eventual clarity that comes with accepting the passing of time. In the end, I realize that every moment, every memory, every grain of sand that passes through my fingertips has shaped me. There’s a quiet, powerful sense of gratitude for being present in those moments, for the life I’ve lived, and for seeing time pass through a clearer lens. It’s a reflection on time, memory, and how we can come to peace with its passing. I’m excited to see how this piece resonates with the audience and the impact it will have on the McPherson stage.
See Makenna in Broken Rhythms upcoming production of ‘On Hold’
Premieres April 4 2025 at 7:30 PM McPherson Playhouse.
Bio: Makenna (she/her) was born and raised on the ancestral lands of the Lheidli T’enneh People, also known as Prince George. Growing up in a musical family, she developed a love for the arts from an early age. To channel her endless energy, her parents enrolled her in various sports, but it was dance that she ultimately connected with. Makenna quickly became immersed in Northern BC’s dance and musical theatre scene, competing in numerous festivals and performing in many of the community’s summer musicals. She feels incredibly fortunate to have grown up in a place that offered such rich opportunities to develop her passion for performance. Makenna went on to earn degrees in Dance and Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, where she honed her contemporary technique and explored choreography, improvisation, theory, and intersectionality in dance. She performed in various works at the university theatre until the pandemic paused live performances. After graduating, Makenna moved to Victoria, where she discovered Broken Rhythms. “On Hold” marks her first performance with the company.
Broken Rhythms 