Bare Nerve
Bare Nerve is the choreographic collective of dance artists Emma Kerson and Jane-Alison McKinney. Acting as the formalization of their 15-year artistic relationship, the project-based collective seeks to create multifaceted, piercingly visceral performance works. Their new work “hard wire” has been in development since 2019 supported through residencies at Shawbrook Residential (Ireland) and the National Ballet of Canada’s CreativAction. They are thrilled to be continuing the development through Arts Orillia’s Dance + Design residency. Following two scientists in an embodied study of rocks and permanency, “hard wire” plays with unexpected, fragmented moods and dramatic shifts of physicalized states, ultimately leading to a deeper reflection on life in the face of a climate in crisis.
Artist Bios
Emma Kerson (Creator & Performer)
Raised by the sea in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Emma Kerson is a dance artist drawn to making as a means to understand one another through collaborative experiences. Her work has been developed in residencies thanks to adelheid, Citadel + Compagnie, Mocean Dance, MOonhORsE Dance Theatre, the National Ballet of Canada, Peggy Baker Dance Projects, and Shawbrook Residential (Ireland). Her work has been commissioned by Blue Ceiling Dance, The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, and has been presented by platforms across Canada. Emma has interpreted works of artists including Julia Aplin, Patricia Beatty, Elizabeth Chitty, Jennifer Dallas, Robert Desrosiers, David Earle, Sylvain Émard, Lisa Phinney-Langley, Michael Sean Marye, Jane-Alison McKinney, Sharon Moore, Peter Randazzo, Simon Renaud, and Tedd Robinson.
Jane-Alison McKinney (Creator & Performer)
Originally from New Brunswick, Jane-Alison McKinney is a dance artist inspired by the power of liveness, collaboration, and reactivity. In 2016, she was awarded a Metcalf Foundation Internship with adelheid under the mentorship of Heidi Strauss. She recently performed in Strauss’ “on air”, which was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble. Jane-Alison’s choreography has been presented nationally by platforms such as Luminato (Creative Current), Chinook Series, Summerworks, Guelph Dance Festival, Citadel + Compagnie, and Tangente. Her work has been developed in residency through Toronto Dance Theatre, Peggy Baker Dance Projects/ Canada’s National Ballet, Connection Dance Works, the National Ballet of Canada, and Shawbrook Residential (Ireland).
Noah Feaver (Lighting Designer)
Noah Feaver is a Dora Award nominated lighting designer. He works frequently in Dance and Opera and has designed for companies such as: Edmonton Opera, Toronto Dance Theatre, Tapestry Opera, Human Body Expression, Holla Jazz, Citadel + Compagnie, Zata Omm, The Royal Conservatory of Music, Against the Grain Theatre, and Rock Bottom Movement. Noah holds a BFA from Toronto Metropolitan University’s Performance Production program and spent two summers at a lighting design practicum at The Banff Centre. Noah is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada.