'It's a chance to celebrate': London Dance Festival returns this weekend

The London Dance Festival returned this weekend, with performances, music, art and workshops happening at Ivy Park downtown.

Presented by the Centre of Movement Arts, executive director Elizabeth "Bizz" Varty says planning was down to the last minute because of the pandemic and the uncertainty it brought. 

"It's a relief [to host the festival] and a little bit terrifying because there's a lot more to manage this year to keep people safe. The dancing will be the same, we've always had outdoor festivals, but keeping audience members apart and safe is the challenge," she told CBC News.

Although it's been difficult, Varty says she's grateful to get the opportunity to host the festival this year.

"There's an energy exchange between dancers and the audience, it changes your sense of where you end and another person begins. When you're dancing with another person, the audience feels that even though they're not dancing, it's so much more powerful in person."

Among the team of artists and performers who are taking part in the festivities is Kaitlin Torrance, a choreographer and dancer. Torrance says it was a unique challenge to shift to a digital platform during the pandemic because it's harder to connect with the viewers.

"For those of us who are used to performing in a live setting, it's a whole new world that we've all been scrambling to get into and to continue to share art with audiences in some capacity," she said. "For dancers, it's a challenge not because of the space that's required to move, but also brings a whole new level to collaboration. Quite often, we need each other's bodies in a present space to be able to create."