That's a Wrap

Well here it is, my final entry of this blog, and my thank you, for what has been an amazing run in Toronto. All of which, you have all contributed to, in some form or another. It's been a long time since I've contributed to this forum, not for lack of interest, but mostly because I had felt that I had said most of what I wanted to say, in relation to what I set out to accomplish with these writings. Hopefully to inspire, to educate, and to make young dancers everywhere know that all that we go through, is pretty universal. I've also been putting off the writing of this last entry, because in an odd way, it feels the same as closing a show. I have loved Toronto greatly, and have felt that for the most part, it has loved me back. The business, although not remotely steady in this country, has been very good to me, and I'd like to think that I, in turn, have been good to it.
I write this entry, at the kitchen table, of a tiny little house on Blue Rocks Road, in Lunenburg Nova Scotia. As I look out the window, to the harbour on this bright, sunny day,  I can't help but feel sentimental, as I look back on the last twenty eight years, and on the people, and the experiences, life has afforded me. All of you have helped shape the artist I have become, and for that, I am extremely grateful.
So, lets get down to it shall we, why the change? I wish I could give you just one answer, but really, there are many. What I can tell you, is that about three years ago, I started to feel a shift in my life, and the lives of  those in the business around me, that one would consider to be their tribe. (People who are like minded and share your interests.) Now in this long career, I have gone through a few tribes, and with each evolution, the people I had shared time with are all wonderfully flawed, interesting, and gifted artists. Many of us stay connected, but it is the nature of both living in the city, and how our careers evolve, many of us do not. What can be quite wonderful, is when we do get to re connect, we can pick up exactly where we left off, which in itself, is a wonderful thing.

Myself with my friend and mentor
 Stelio

 I first felt this when my friend, (and someone I consider a mentor), Stelio Calagias left Toronto. I had known Stelio since I had moved to Toronto, and had taken his class, on and off since that time. For over ten years, I had been teaching at his studio, Metro Movement, and during that time, I had developed a great fondness for him, and his generous spirit, which you felt fully as you entered through the doors of Metro Movement. Although he handed over the studio to very capable, wonderful people, (Kalie Hunter and Phil Nero), when he left, it felt like an end to an era. The shift in my universe, was beginning to take shape.

Ballet class selfie at Metro Movement 

Upon Stelio's leaving, a snowball effect had been put in place. Friends that I had danced with or who had taken my class were no longer around. Many were off doing shows, having babies, and some had left the business entirely. Par for the course.  One day, while taking ballet class, I looked around and realized, that once again, I was the last man standing, and although it was a pretty full class, I felt like I was on my own.

Teaching class at Metro Movement

As for my teaching, although I had always managed to do pretty well, when you teach at a drop in studio, students really come and go in waves. People start to get jobs in the industry, ( which is what you hope for them), or their schedule all of a sudden changes, they move away, and many move on from the business entirely. It's a never ending cycle of people entering and leaving your life.  As well, to be completely honest, over time, as a teacher, you come in and out of favour constantly. There are times when your popularity soars, and your class is packed, and times when you are no longer the hottest ticket in town. It's just the way it is, and it happens to everyone who teaches. It's not personal, it's just reality. I've loved the dancers I've had the opportunity to teach, I really have, and in turn, they have taught me so much.

Oddly enough, through this time, I was coming off some amazing career highs. From playing Lank in Crazy For You, doing two wonderful productions of Mary Poppins, in three wonderful theatres, and getting to play Mr. Braithwaite, (my dream role), in Billy Elliott, life after fifty really delivered. Not to mention, I had started booking some choreography jobs. I was living a pretty cool dream, and if you've read more of my writings, you'd know that I've had, and continue to have, a pretty blessed career.

Through the years, I had also managed to secure very flexible work outside of theatre, to sustain me during those down times. It was during this time, I was working for the C.O.C. in Toronto for the last few seasons, and in fact loved that job. It is a very artist friendly environment, and allowed me a lot of freedom when it came to booking shows. Management at the C.O.C. tends to hire a lot of interesting people, who are artists themselves, be they dancers, singers, writers, photographers, you name it. You are never lacking for great company or good conversation. (It's a place I highly reccomend to anyone in the arts who needs to supplement their income.)

As Mr. Braithwaite, backstage at MTC

Much of my work over the last few years  had taken place at The Capitol Theatre in Port Hope. Port Hope is a tiny little picturesque town in Ontario, which I had developed a great fondness for. In many ways, no one was more surprised than me. I mean really, I'm a city guy. I always took advantage of the city and all it has to offer, why all of a sudden this new found fondness for small town living? It turns out, there are many reasons. I love the pace, the beauty, and how friendly the people are. There's nothing I like more, than walking down the street and having someone say hello to me, or going to a really great farmers market.  I have also developed a great affection for The Capitol Theatre, and for those who work there. So far, I have done five shows there, one of which I choreographed, and the most recent, I choreographed and also played a small role in. This theatre has served me well and has given me many opportunities, for which I am grateful.

Mordcha and Avram/Myself and Jeremy Lepalme,backstage at Fiddler in Port Hope

So again, you may ask, why the need for change? On the surface, one might think that to ask for anything more than what I'd already accomplished, could be considered to be fool hardy. After all, nothing was going poorly, and the length of my career alone had far exceeded my expectations. So really, what gives? Its simple really, I had started to feel that life was becoming extremely predictable, and it was time to shake things up a bit. We decided on Lunenburg as we have family here, love being by the ocean, and love the community. Lunenburg has a real history to it, and is a World Unesco Heritage town. The charm of this picturesque, tiny little village on the water, is equally matched by the friendly, welcoming nature of its people. Many in the arts end up moving here, and when you wander the streets, it's easy to see why. Lunenburg has a real pulse when it comes to the arts, and maybe here, there could be opportunity to start something new. In recent years, a world class music academy, (L.A.M.P., Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance), has taken flight, along with the Folk Harbour Music Festival, and the Lunenburg Doc Fest. Perhaps there is room for a small summer theatre to emerge, who knows. For now, I'm leaving my options open, and I'm hopeful that the right opportunities will present themselves, at the right time.

So just to be clear, I have not left the business, but rather just changed postal codes. My career will most certainly be different, but for me, different equals inspiration. Am I done with Toronto, absolutely not. Toronto was my home for twenty eight years, and I plan to come back for both business and pleasure.

Myself with Kellie Nuovo, former student, and someone who continues to ispire

So, life changes, careers evolve, people leave, and we make room for others. Not to neccessarily fill our shoes, but maybe to pick up where we left off. It's important to remember, there's a lot of humanity in what we do, and we must always strive to keep that alive for the generations that follow. I've loved being the Oldest Male Chorus Dancer in Toronto, but now its time for a new chapter, and for someone else to claim that title...whether you like it or not. I've had countless opportunities, and many wonderful life experiences along the way. From working with Carol Burnett, to watching Liz Mawson sing The Words, night after night in Anne of Green Gables, what we do is a gift. Performing in not just one, but two Pantos with Mr. Dress Up was definitely a highlite, almost as much as seeing Kellie Nuovo dance again, after having renal failure, and becoming septic while working over seas, (her parents were told to come and say goodbye to their daughter). These are just a couple of examples, of the many cool experiences life has bestowed upon me, and my hope for all of you is that with hard work,  you get to realize all that you are able to become.  What we do is far more than a job, it's an identity. As I've said before, I've never really believed we get to choose what we do, but rather, it chooses us. So, remain open, work hard, take risks, and above all be kind, and stay humble, and as always, I promise that I will strive to do the same.

Rest assured, this isn't good-bye, but simply, I'll see you soon.

With Great Love and Affection
Stephen Scott Findlay- A.K.A.- The Former Oldest Male Chorus Dancer in Toronto