Dance International Magazine
In Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the hard and beautiful north Atlantic Coast, Mocean Dance — whose name speaks to the dominant element in their environment, the Atlantic Ocean — has built a striking repertoire of commissioned and original work.
This hardy dance company, now in its 15th year, has nourished a diverse, lively and intimately connected arts community held together by a strong sense of place. Nova Scotia is the easternmost province of maritime Canada. It is tenuously linked to the mainland by a narrow stretch of red clay and marshland. This just above sea-level bridge looks as if a strong storm and tidal surge will wash it away. For Susanne Chui and Sara Coffin, co-artistic directors of Mocean Dance since 2012, a sense of place and a sense of self are inseparable.
