Tabby Donaldson – The Art of Movement

Dance is best expression of oneself, a time to release all inhibition and be free, a time to challenge your body’s movements, a time to feel alive. Tabby Donaldson knows how to do just that, whether it is within himself or within others. He is able to create movements the entire audience can feel. Tabby Donaldson is a dancer, a choreographer, a mentor and a creator; he is an artist. He says “Anything that gives a person room to be creative and be themselves is art.”

When did you start dancing?

I started dancing at the age of 6. I would dance to and imitate Michael Jackson, MC hammer, Bobby brown and Kriss kross. I started to take it seriously after grade school but I stopped dancing for a bit because I fell in love with Basketball. I PLAYED REC BALL AND HIGHSCHOOL BALL but I’ve now been a professionally dancer for 15 years.

Why do you dance?

I dance because it gives me a feeling I can’t get anywhere else. I love the entertainment factor, where I can make people feel good through dance. Dance takes me away from everything, it’s my comfort place. It’s a place where I’m forced to be me and create.

Whats your favourite type of dance?

My favorite type of dance would be Dancehall and Afro. There is no other movement like it.

How has dancing changed your life?

Dance kept and keeps me busy. I grew up in an area where trouble would easily follow you. But I love music, and dance gave me opportunity. I’ve been around the world; being able to entertain people in around the world like Belize, Jamaica, St kitts, new york, Miami etc is truly a blessing. I’ve been able to share the stage with artists such as Mr Vegas, Chris brown, Rihanna, Ginuwine, ll cool j, and Neyo, just to drop a few names. Dance is so universal, it brings people together.

Where do you teach?

I teach all around the city doing workshops for dancers. As well, I teach at studios providing choreography for kids’ competitions. And for anyone that just wants my flavour.

What’s the most difficult type of dance?

I wouldn’t say I know what the most difficult form of dance is, but if I were to choose the most difficult for me, it would probably be break dancing.

How has dance changed in the last decade?

I can say that over the years genres become more popular to listen to compared to others. The Caribbean dances are a lot more popular these days as you will hear it all over the clubs more and more. Afro has been around forever and people have really gravitated to the afro sounds. The African dance style is very popular these days. 10 years ago, not a lot of people were dancing to this. We also have social media as a platform to show our talents which makes it easier to be seen. I will say that there are pros and cons to this type of exposure.

What’s your day-to-day?

I work at a treatment center working with teens with mental health issues. Anywhere from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, autism, behavioral issues etc. They keep me humble and real to myself and others.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is combined with a few things… It would be to land a tour… which I have before, but I would love to choreograph an entire show for an artist, travel the world and entertain. I also love my job at the treatment center working with kids and teenagers with mental health. I know I would continue to work in the child and youth work department regardless of where dance takes me.

What made you start Kool Kids Section?

I remembered coming up as a dancer but never in the studios. I never knew what it meant to be paid to dance. As times changed and years went by, I came to understand that dance is a business. A lot of young dancers are paying one another to learn styles that interest them. I believe in getting paid for the work that you do, however as a youth worker this was an opportunity for me to give back to the dance community by having young individuals come in and learn for free. Give them opportunities that I never got as a teen coming up in the dance industry. It’s a way for them to get prepared for the industry if they see themselves doing this long term. The company is also run by Nazar volkeveski

How does dance influence others?

There’s a lot of choreographers and dancers that young individuals look up to who are well known and financially stable doing what they love. Luther Brown made me take choreography seriously, as he is one of the biggest choreographers in the world. I also learn from one of my mentors who used to manage me, Trevor Brown. He trained me in a way to learn that style is very important and so is knowing the business side of dance. A few dance individuals who influenced me taught me that if you work hard, there are no limitations.

Explain the dancing community?

The dance community here in Toronto isn’t that big. There are a lot of great dance teachers and talented individuals in the city. Sometimes there might not be jobs here as often as other places in the states but we make it work. The people in the community are passionate about their craft and I feel that everyone pushes to be the best they can be.Explain the dancing community?

Why is it important to connect with dancers?

I think it’s important because sometimes the dancers or choreographers are the ones who might land you a job. Choreographers need dancers so that they can bring the choreographer’s vision to life and dancers need the choreographer because you need the movement which is being created. You also need that leadership role which sometimes is not the easiest role to take on.

How does instagram influence the dance world?

Instagram lets us know what new song is trending, or the latest hottest dance move that might be trending. Instagram helps dancers connect with other dancers around the world. You might not be able to see the latest moves that are created in another country because we live here in Canada. Instagram gives us that vision which makes us a bit more aware of what is happening in music and dance.