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Initiated in 1982 by UNESCO, International Dance Day is marked annually on April 29 across Canada and around the world. We are thrilled to share this year’s International Dance Day message by the amazing breaker, artist and athlete Phil Wizard.

What does dance mean to me?
It seems like such a simple question, yet the answer is far from that.
How can I break down something that has given me more than I could have hoped for in this life in a short paragraph?
I’ll try my best.

Dance to me means freedom, the freedom to create.
One of my favourite things about dance (and for myself breaking specifically) is the endless nature of it. Every day is an opportunity to explore something new, and I feel like a giddy child going to school for the first time when I go into the studio each and every day.

It’s showing up and expressing how I feel that day, exploring the direction that my body and mind feels it needs to go. Sometimes its powerfully, pushing my body to its limit and then seeing that line blurred. And other times it’s softly, allowing the music and movement to take over. Sometimes it doesn’t even feel like me, the moment takes over and I’m just along for the ride.

Dance means Sharing.
I enjoy being in the studio alone, I think it’s important to be able to be alone with your art. But dance is also about community. It’s about building with others. Exchanging ideas, and concepts. It’s about laughing at the falls and helping each other get up.

Dance means Building.
Building your craft, your style, your community, and your relationships. I’ve had the opportunity to travel around the world because of this dance, and as I do so my mind expands seeing new cultures, communities, ways of living and approaching the dance. And through that the ideas I have continue to flourish, my community continues to grow, and my circle gets larger. And I have so much gratitude for the people I’ve met, and the friend I’ve made along the way because of this dance.

Dance means Joy.
There is so much joy in dance. From allowing music to guide the body and soul, to creating a new move. From the kitchen wiggles, to dancing in front of thousands in the biggest events in the world.

And dance is definitely not all sunshine and rainbows.
There are so many bad days, often more than the good. The practices that make you question if you’re even good enough to do this. The days where you just want to give it all up. The failures, the judgement, the disappointment. Yet through it all, every good and bad experience, there was always a reason, and a lesson. And it’s the lens as a dancer that I’m able to take those things into the other aspects of my life. The consistency despite the bad days, the discipline to keep going, and through it all a theme of thankfulness and gratitude.

Because I never thought I’d go from dancing on concrete at Robson Square at 12am, from the small 8×8 linoleum floor in my living room, to dancing all over the world, on the biggest platforms and stages, in front of thousands, with people that I can confidently call family.

So what is dance to me?
It’s everything.

Thank you to The Dance Centre for asking me to write a message for International Dance Day. This is outside of my comfort zone, and so here we are trying to grow and say yes to things that intimidate me. I’m thankful for the opportunity to talk about the thing I truly love most in this world.

I think most of you reading probably won’t know who I am.

My name is Philip Kim, more commonly known as Phil Wizard. I’m a breaker based out of Vancouver, BC Canada, and I represent the United Rivals, and Redbull BC One All Stars Crews. I’m fortunate enough to be breaking as a career, traveling the world to compete, teach, and perform. Most recently breaking has been added to the Paris 2024 Olympic program as a new sport discipline. I’ve been fortunate enough to qualify and will be representing Canada this summer. And more importantly I’m just a kid who loves to dance, and who hopes I can continue dancing for as long as my body will let me.

Thanks for reading 🙂

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Read about The Dance Centre’s International Dance Day 2024 events.

Explore dance performances currently presented by The Dance Centre. Each season, you’ll find new dance shows. See what’s on today.

Photos: Jax Hsu and courtesy of the artist