It’s finally that time! With the VCFS 2021 performance officially set in motion, we are ready to hire our dancers! As mentioned earlier, though COVID19 has altered the structure of our performance for the year, the show must and will go on!

For the past 23 years, the dance portfolio has brought an undeniable spirit to the VCFS stage. This year, we are so excited to welcome Joseph Oladimeji as our new Head of Dance!

A message from Joseph Oladimeji (2021 VCFS Head of Dance, VCFS Dancer/Choreographer):

“My experience with VCFS has been very fulfilling, from being a dancer, to a choreographer and now the head of the dance portfolio. I wouldn’t change anything about it! The best parts of my experience have been the memories I’ve made, the opportunity to challenge myself as an artist and a performer and the chance to share my talents with the rest of the world.

VCFS has been such a safe haven for dancers like me, who miss being on stage, dancers who had to pick an academic route rather than pursing a career in it. It offers us a chance to relive some of our best memories while making more. As Head of Dance this year, planning the year has been different from the previous year due to COVID-19. Therefore, my initial plan for how the portfolio would look has been altered to fit our current state. Auditions this year for dancers and choreographers will be held remotely (more details to come), we will be hiring a much smaller team compared to the previous years so we are better able to implement social distance protocols when necessary.

This year, I will be looking for dancers and choreographers who are able to work with different styles of dance. Versatility is a must! The logistics of the show itself is still in the works, but one thing I know about the dance portfolio is it’s ability to adapt wherever, whenever and to whatever. Though the amount of dancers per scene may have decreased slightly due to safety measures, the dancers will still have a huge responsibility and impact, as they have in the past!

My hope is that everyone who is part of the dance portfolio feels like their voice is heard and they are a vital part of our mission. I look forward to meeting the prospective dancers and choreographers! It’s going to be a good year… I can feel it.”

If you wish to apply, you can do so through the link below! Best of luck to you!

https://www.voguecharityfashionshow.com/apply

In order to give anyone debating whether they wish to join the 2021 dance portfolio an idea as to what they can expect if they do, some former dancers and choreographers have written a brief memoir about their experiences on VCFS:

Megan Tse // Dancer

“After being blown away as a VCFS audience member during my first three years at Queen’s, I finally decided to audition for the dance portfolio in my fourth year. I was thrilled to receive an acceptance and warm welcome to become a part of the dance portfolio and was even more surprised at the amount of creative talent across the entire cast and crew! Having been a dancer for my entire life, performing on stage during the final shows was one of the best experiences of my university career. However, knowing that all the efforts of hard work and proceeds went towards a great cause made being a part of this club that much more rewarding! Thank you VCFS for all of the amazing memories and friends I have made- I am forever grateful.”

Julia Gollner // Dancer

“I have loved dancing since I was three years old, and I felt like I'd have to let it go in University. I found a few ways to keep dance a part of my life at Queen's, but I struggled to find a place that would allow me to challenge myself, meet other dancers, and perform on a physical stage again. I loved that I was able to be in a full course load, work a part time job on campus, and maintain my commitment to the show. I felt like I was an important part of each dance I was in and loved the sense of community that formed across the entire cast. Dancing in Vogue was one of the best opportunities I had at Queen's, and I only wish I had auditioned in my lower years!”

Bianca Celotti // Dancer, Choreographer

"I’m forever grateful for my time with vogue. Vogue was an opportunity that allowed me to collaborate with and learn from extremely talented and inspiring individuals, while providing me with the opportunity to bring my own creative dreams to life with an insanely talented team. Being part of vogue was a special part of my university years. I’m forever grateful for all the incredible individuals I met along the way!”

Taylor Errington // Dancer

“My experience being a dancer for Vogue has been one of the highlights of my journey at Queen’s thus far. Growing up as a dancer, my first year at Queen’s was difficult as I decided to take a break from dance and focus on academics. When I heard about Vogue in my second year, I was ecstatic to audition and find my passion again for dance. Even though I hadn’t danced for a full year and was nervous about the audition, everyone was so welcoming, encouraging, and made me want to be apart of the Vogue team that much more. The time I spent on Vogue has been so rewarding. Not only was I continuously learning new skills and talents from others on the team, I met some life long friends that I got to share these amazing memories with. From the first rehearsal to the last show, I was continuously inspired by everyone around me and thankful for the space that the Vogue team allowed for creativity, curiosity, and constant fun. Vogue allowed me to fall back in love with dance and I am so grateful for that. I encourage everyone who is interested in Vogue to take a step out of their comfort zone, try something new, and audition for the cast because you won’t regret it!”

Megan Alexandra // Dancer

“As a first year student at Queen’s, VCFS was the perfect club to join. I was able to continue my love of dance (for as many hours a week as I wanted, while still adjusting to university life) and I made so many new connections within the dance scene on campus. The best part of vogue was being able to fulfill my passion while raising money for such an amazing charity alongside such amazing people. I will forever cherish the memories I made through Vogue in my first year and I am beyond excited for years to come!”

Ashley McKoy // Dancer

“Vogue has introduced me to a largely diverse, talented group of students who have come together to support a great cause. The hard work put in by each cast and crew member was evidently shown both throughout the process of creating the show and by the final product - the show itself. As a vogue dancer, it was inspiring to be surrounded by hard working individuals who worked to provide the best environment and show possible. I look forward to seeing what VCFS creates this year!”

Skylar Alexiss // Dancer

“Dancing for VCFS was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at queens thus far. Vogue provides a platform for such a diverse range of talent. I left every all cast and rehearsal feeling unbelievably inspired. However, vcfs is incredible not just for its talented performers, but for the environment it fosters. Your vogue cast truly becomes your family as they support and cheer you on every step of the way. Being part of a showcase this incredible is an honour and knowing it supports a deserving cause makes it that much better.”

Lauren Thompson // Dancer

“Dancing in vogue has been one of the most formative and fulfilling experiences of my undergrad. When I finally decided to audition in second year I was excited to meet other students who missed dancing as much as I did, and was quick to realize the supportive vogue community would bring me incredible friends and an opportunity to do what I loved again. Show week is the highlight of my year as it is a representation of what a collective of Queens creatives can achieve when working towards a common goal. I love vogue and everything I have gained throughout the past few years, and I know my time at Queens would lack a lot of creativity and love if it weren’t for the VCFS family.”

Madeline Bush // Dancer

“Being apart of the Vogue Charity Fashion Show allowed me to combine two areas of my life that I am very passionate about; dance and giving back to my surrounding communities. Despite the fact that I was only in one choreographed piece, I was still challenged and able to grow as a dancer and as a person. It gave me the time and opportunity to perform in the show but also the chance to watch from the sidelines and see everything come together. Dancing in VCFS opened doors for me and helped give me the confidence I needed to join the executive team for the upcoming 2021 show. Myself and so many others have so much to thank Vogue for and being a dancer was just the beginning.”

Tianna Murray // Dancer

“Vogue Charity Fashion Show has truly shaped my time here at Queen’s University in such a significant way. By working as a team to raise money in giving back to a community that has given us all so much, VCFS has allowed me to branch out in ways I never would’ve experienced at Queen’s. As a dancer, I am extremely thankful to have connected with such a talented group of young individuals from diverse faculties, within a safe space. The love and encouragement I have received from everyone has truly helped me flourish; I recommend everyone to try and join our team, or at least attend the show.”

Brooke Moretti // Dancer

“Being a dancer for the Vogue Charity Fashion Show was the highlight of my second year at Queen’s. We’re all from different places, coming from different studios and types of training; but we were able to come together and create a cohesive group that shared the same passion for dance and supporting charitable organizations. In such a short amount of time, I got to learn from numerous talented dancers and choreographers that helped me explore my creativity and dance abilities. Although minuscule, my contribution and participation in the dance portion of the Vogue Charity Fashion Show aided in the overall success of the show and really humbled me to know that I was apart of something bigger than myself.”

Julia Fagen // Dancer

“Being a dancer for VCFS was an incredible and rewarding experience. The entire cast and crew of vogue gave a sense of community that was so welcoming and hard-working. I was so happy that I was able to do what I love while giving back to the Kingston community. Seeing the whole show come together on stage was amazing to both watch and take part in! I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Vogue!!”

A message from the Head of Dance and the VCFS 2020/2021 Executive Team:

We sincerely hope you consider joining our team! We anticipate this year is going to be unlike any other, full of wonderful and exciting surprises! We at VCFS strongly believe in community. We also believe in establishing an inclusive environment that is a safe place for all, at all times. Though we intend to uphold the VCFS values, we also come to you this year, promising new ones. In addition to supporting Almost Home as our chosen charity, VCFS recognizes the significance of the issues brought to light by recent attention on the Black Lives Matter movement. Specifically, the importance of continuously advocating for and working towards justice with marginalized communities, especially Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous and people of colour. As the groups that face the most oppression within society, these individuals tend to be in most need of services like those that Almost Home provides. Disparities within accessibility to healthcare and shelter for QTBIPOC are greatly heightened due to their identities, which is why the work of this charity is so necessary. We will be working with Almost Home to support initiatives that focus on QTBIPOC specifically within their organization. Additionally, we are also committing to supporting QTBIPOC within our own organization, the Queen’s community, and Kingston at large. We promise that our support will be unwavering and look forward to being held accountable for this.