Welcome to NY Art Life Magazine, where we delve into the lives and stories of talented individuals in the artistic world. We recently had the absolute privilege of interviewing the incredibly talented Alicia Steeves, a vibrant Canadian dancer and choreographer. Now making waves in the New York City art scene, Alicia’s multidisciplinary skill is nothing short of inspiring. Alicia Steeves, this talented Canadian dancer, really lit up the stages with her work.
Her dance is a fascinating blend of grace, strength, and passion. It’s as if every movement she makes tells a story, drawing you in and leaving you thinking. It’s no wonder she’s struck a chord with audiences both in her home country of Canada and here in town! But Alicia’s talent doesn’t just stop at dancing. She is also an accomplished choreographer who has an innate instinct for creating mesmerizing dance sequences that effortlessly highlight each dancer’s strengths. Her work is a testament to her deep understanding of movement and space, using them creatively to express complex emotions and narratives. Her passion for her craft is contagious and inspires everyone around her to push themselves beyond their limits and explore their creativity.
Alicia Steeves is truly a force to be reckoned with and we can’t wait to see what she does next! We NY Art Life Magazine were struck and overwhelmed by her expressive strength.
NY Art Life Magazine: Alicia Steeves, let’s start by saying a prodigious talent from a small town outside of Toronto. You attended two of the most prestigious dance schools in Canada. Canada’s National Ballet and Alberta Ballet School. A beautiful and challenging start for a classical dancer.
Alicia Steeves: The National Ballet of Canada is a prestigious company, one of the best in the world, with an orchestra and a permanent home at the Water Carsen Center in Toronto. The new artistic director is Hope Muir. You can breathe the art of dance in every corner of the school. A unique and educational experience for a dancer. Alberta Ballet School is one of the outstanding schools, recognized as one of Canada’s leading dance schools.
NY Art Life Magazine: You received the Gold Key from Marymount Manhattan of New York, where they recognized your rigor and talent in dance.
Alicia Steeves: Yes, it is a great satisfaction for me to have received it. The Gold Key is awarded to the dancer who has achieved a high degree of excellence in their chosen field. It was awarded to me because I was recognized as having absolute academic integrity, strong self confidence, and the capacity for independent learning.
NY Art Life Magazine: You have recently worked and collaborated with extraordinary and internationally renowned artists. Such as the extraordinary artistic director and choreographer Sidra Bell, the dancer Jenn Freeman, the brilliant choreographer and filmmaker Darshan Bhuller, and again Christian Von Howard, Katie Langan, Netta Yerushalmy, Jennifer Archibald, and more. A dense and long list of extraordinary artists.
Alicia Steeves: The world of dance allows you to meet and work with wonderful people. Experiences that leave their mark on you. I have worked with some of the most amazing and internationally celebrated artists! Collaborating with the incomparable Sidra Bell. She is an artistic director, and visionary choreographer, was a dream come true. Working alongside Jenn Freeman, an indomitable spirit in the world of dance, was an absolute pleasure! The brilliant Darshan Bhuller, master choreographer and director, taught me nuances I hadn’t even imagined before. You’re right, a long and dense list.
NY Art Life Magazine: Your dance repertoire is as diverse as it is impressive, marked by performances in several prestigious venues and events. One of your notable performances was at The Alberta Dance Festival which took place at the Pumphouse Theater. The festival celebrates its commitment to the promotion and development of dance. You further exhibited your versatility and talent at the Fluid Festival. A Springboard production hosted at the Decidedly Jazz Dance Theater.
Alicia Steeves: Thanks for mentioning these two jobs I worked on. The Alberta Dance Festival is one of the largest dance festivals in Western Canada. Otherwise, the Fluid Festival is renowned for its innovative and boundary-pushing dance productions, providing both local and international artists with a platform to explore new dimensions of dance. My performance not only demonstrated my ability to adapt to different dance styles but also my dedication to pushing the boundaries of traditional dance.
NY Art Life Magazine: In addition to these performances, you have also taken part in the Dance Against Cancer’s Youth Movement. A worthy commitment in the social sphere.
Alicia Steeves: This event combines the power of dance with social awareness, aiming to raise funds for cancer research and support services. My participation in this event underscores my commitment to using my passion for dance to make a positive impact on society. Also, I have performed at Earl Mosley’s Diversity in Dance, an event that celebrates diversity within the realm of dance. This event showcases a wide spectrum of dance styles and cultures, which aligns perfectly with my versatile dancing skills. My performance at this event further underscores my dedication to embracing diversity in dance and my commitment to continually evolving as an artist.
NY Art Life Magazine: Your work is a questioning of societal norms and roles. It burgeons from a feminist perspective, pushing against the rigid walls of a traditional patriarchal society. Like water seeping into cracks, your art seeks to challenge, to change, to shape new realities.
Alicia Steeves: Through my art, I dare to question the societal gaze upon the feminine being. How does it shape us?, How does it confine us? and How does it liberate us? I yearn to change perceptions about the female body and feminine energy through my creations. Thus, as an artist deeply entrenched in this history and deeply inspired by the feminine spirit, I create. I recognize I question, I explore, I claim, all through movement, dance, and instant images. This is who I am, a Canadian artist, a feminist, a storyteller of the untold.
NY Art Life Magazine: Let’s now talk about your recent film ‘In Retrospect’, a compelling short film about dance, where you, in addition to dancing, are also the choreographer and director. It was presented at the Official New York Short Film Festival 2023 and was nominated for the Montreal Women’s Film Festival. You have ingeniously crafted this interesting work that takes us through an intimate journey of a couple. As I watched the film, I found myself fascinated by the raw and genuine portrait of the couple navigating through the labyrinth of their relationship, each stage rigorously depicted through captivating dance sequences.
Alicia Steeves: The film unfolds in the familiar confines of their house, each ambient metamorphosing into a new location, a new chapter in their tumultuous journey. The narrative is not merely a reflection of their past but rather a poignant exploration of their shared memories. As they dance each space seems to echo with a myriad of emotions, love, anger, despair, and hope.
The piece is about the discovery of oneself within a connection and the truths that arise from the interaction between fear and the earring for love. It investigates how we can dismantle the generational patterns ingrained into our being and find forgiveness for two people on conflicting trajectories.”
NY Art Life Magazine: Your choreography is nothing short of poetic. The fluid movements of the dancers delineate the contours of their relationship; every pirouette, and every leap resonates with the highs and lows of their shared narrative. The dance sequences provide a visual language to the unspoken words and suppressed feelings.
Alicia Steeves: Art has the task of exploring and describing emotions. Dance has the power to investigate these feelings more deeply and in the intimacy of the human soul. I hope that with this film I was able to convey this message. My goal was to weave together a complex tapestry of emotions and memories through dance.
NY Art Life Magazine: The love affair between an artist and New York! The city’s pulsating energy feeds the artist’s soul, stokes their creativity, and ignites a passion that translates into breathtaking art. It’s a symbiotic relationship. What is your relationship with New York?
Alicia Steeves: It is sometimes hard to feel grounded in your art in such a harsh environment like New York where everyone is hungry to make it. But it is equally as beautiful that this is a city that hosts so many experiences and art that helps remind you of why you chose to be an artist, reigniting the love for your practice.
Alicia Steeves (website)
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