At Dance Nova Scotia, we believe that dance is more than movement—it’s a vital thread in the cultural fabric of our province. Behind every performance, studio, and community class are passionate individuals who inspire, teach, create, and uplift through the power of dance.
Our Community Spotlight series is dedicated to celebrating the dancers, choreographers, teachers, and instructors who are shaping the dance landscape across Nova Scotia. Whether they’re mentoring the next generation, pushing creative boundaries, or keeping traditional dance forms alive, these individuals are making an impact in ways both big and small.
Each spotlight will share their stories, experiences, passions, challenges, and contributions—offering a glimpse into the diverse and vibrant dance community that spans our province. Join us as we recognize the heart and soul of dance in Nova Scotia, one story at a time.
Dance Nova Scotia is pleased to shine our community spotlight on local Halifax, NS dancer Bianca Clish.
Tell us a little bit about you. What is your dance background, how did you get started, and how long have you been dancing?
I started dancing when I was 4 doing ballet, moved on to hiphop and tried out contemporary , and once covid hit I completely quit up until a little later I came back then I switched studios to something more professional and i’ve been dancing with my new studio for about 3 years now .
What styles of dance have you trained in?
HipHop
Fusion
jazz funk
Polyswagg
What is your personal style of dance that you currently practice or perform?
HipHop I constantly practice on both teams i’m on , outside of my studios I teach myself jazz, fusion and polyswagg dance styles to expand my pallet
What have you found most challenging in your dance journey?
comparing myself a lot of the times to those who are higher up in their dance career, and even overworking myself and overthinking on making everything perfect
Is there a favorite or most memorable performance or production you’ve been part of?
costal culture clash has been one of my favourites because of the event it is and the way it showcases urban culture , and recently I was dancing at magnetic world with the States Twinz , both were very memorable and so fun!
Have you had the opportunity to venture into choreography? If so tell us about that.
yes ! I was able to choreograph a peice to Quoias song “closure” for our magnetic world performance, along with teaching a pop up class . other than that I work on my choreography at home by myself , i have many finished and unfinished pieces no one has seen.
What is your favorite thing about dancing?
the way i can let free and be my pure authentic self , with facials, the way I move my body, it allows me to forget about the bad things that are going on around me
What is your least favorite thing about dancing?
I don’t have a least favourite thing besides when if i’m on a competitive team or if i’m doing a duo with an individual, and they don’t put in any effort or dance full out , to me I find little things like that can make dance a bit more difficult to work with especially where I’m so focused, And i’m dancing with someone who doesn’t care so much not only is it bringing me down but the whole team down , specifically in a competitive sense!
Who has inspired you in the dance world? Who are your dance heroes?
Kirsten dogen and paris gobel are two of my biggest inspirations within the dance world itself, they both allowed me to expand my pallet to other dance techniques that aren’t as used . most importantly micheal jackson is my biggest influence in why im even dancing today , as a kid I loved him and anytime he was on it would make me dance.
What is the dream stage you would want to perform on?
cochella for sure being with big artists or even making choreo for a big artist or working with choreographers like parris and kirsten !
How do you ensure you stay strong and fit enough to perform? What are some of your wellness strategies?
dancing and working out regularly, and pushing myself to my fullest i possibly can , even recording myself to look back so i can see what i can fix or make different.
What are some of your non-dance passions?
painting
singing
songwriting
rapping
baking/ cooking
What’s coming up for you? Any new projects you’re working on?
trying to make more choreo for future pop up events, other than that only competitions for my dance company
What are your personal dance goals?
Getting paid and acknowledged for my hard work as a dancer. and working with other incredible dancers and choreographers and artists
What advice would you give to youth in dance?
don’t compare yourself to others but have someone you can look up too in dance .
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