Spending most of her life dancing with the local modern dance troupe, earthdancers, has had a big impact on Emma Duncan.
Founded in 1989 by Heidi Strauss, Sunny Dixon and Stephanie Thompson, the group has raised more than $150,000 for local, national and international environmental organizations over the years.
Duncan, 19, said she's been with earthdancers for 12 years. Her time with the troupe was behind her decision to enrol in environmental studies at Laurentian University.
She's just completing her second year of university, with a special interest in how plastic impacts oceans.
In her spare time, Duncan helps to choreograph earthdancers' yearly fundraising shows, which run at Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario (TNO) April 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. and April 28 at both 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Duncan is also one of the performers.
Along with Friends of the Earth Canada, Vegetation Enhancement Technical Advisory Committee (VETAC) and Wild at Heart Refuge Centre, one of this year's earthdancers' beneficiaries is Junction Creek Stewardship Committee.
“I'm in environmental studies right now, and a big part of that is because I was so involved with earthdancers,” Duncan said.
“In meeting with all of the people we work with, Sarah Woods was a really big influence on me. She works with Junction Creek Stewardship Committee.
“I met her when they started the turtle research on Southview Drive. They put up turtle crossing signs. They use the money we donated one show to make the turtle crossing signs. She invited me to come and unveil one.
“Just talking to her, she was explaining how many turtles get killed every single day that started me on this path of why don't people care a lot about the environment.”
Earthdancers — a youth-run organization for students aged eight to 18 that works under the guidance of artistic director Denise Vitali and alumni dancers — stresses the importance of environmentalism.
“By being part of this group, we really have to speak to our name,” said April Machum, also an earthdancers alumni and choreographer.
“There's so much awareness for these kids about the environment. Being the mentors for some of the kids, we really instilled bringing the reusable water bottles to dance, carpooling to dance … just the small things.”
Beyond their yearly fundraising shows, earthdancers does an annual fall and spring cleanup on its adopted road of Pine Street and also does guest performances at community events.
Earlier this year, Northern Life presented earthdancers with a Community Builders Award for the work it has done over nearly three decades to create a more sustainable future.
Beyond its work to help the environment, earthdancers, featuring dancers at the pre-professional level, puts on a fantastic show.
The upcoming shows also feature a guest performance by the intermediate dancers Swansea School of Dance in Toronto, which is owned by Sunny Horwath, one of earthdancers' founders.
“We really hope that people come out to see this show,” Duncan said. “I think they won't regret it. I'm so proud to be a part of this group. We hope people come to see it and just love it as much as we do.”
Tickets to the event cost $14 for students and seniors and $22 for adults. They're available through TNO's box office. Visit letno.ca.
