Recording: Brendan Swanson & Sid Eillers

Artist: Brendan Swanson & Sid Eillers

Song: [improvisation]

Recorded at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (coexisDance #113), February 28, 2026.

Brendan Swanson & Sid Eillers - [improvisation]

The coexisDance series, which has been bringing together improvisers from Toronto's music and dance scenes for more than a decade, seems to have been thriving lately. Settled into Cabbagetown's CCDT, there's a proper floor and room to set up a large illuminated circle for the performances, musicians strewn around the perimemter and getting a chance to improvise with two different dance artists over the course of the evening. Raphael Roter has brought curatorial energy to the series, with a passion for bridging two vibrant communities that might not rub elbows enough. [Do note that these field recordings are, by necessity, "incomplete" without the dancers' physicality, but I think it's worth preserving this work from some excellent players in the community.]

Brendan Swanson was on piano for his pieces, here joined by Sid Eillers, who created a stereophonic narrative with moving pronouncements from across the range of the dance floor.

Recording: Kayla Milmine & Sid Eillers

Artist: Kayla Milmine & Sid Eillers

Song: [improvisation]

Recorded at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (coexisDance #113), February 28, 2026.

Kayla Milmine & Sid Eillers - [improvisation]

The coexisDance series, which has been bringing together improvisers from Toronto's music and dance scenes for more than a decade, seems to have been thriving lately. Settled into Cabbagetown's CCDT, there's a proper floor and room to set up a large illuminated circle for the performances, musicians strewn around the perimemter and getting a chance to improvise with two different dance artists over the course of the evening. Raphael Roter has brought curatorial energy to the series, with a passion for bridging two vibrant communities that might not rub elbows enough. [Do note that these field recordings are, by necessity, "incomplete" without the dancers' physicality, but I think it's worth preserving this work from some excellent players in the community.]

Closing out the night, this set saw Milmine dipping into her trove of extended techniques for soprano sax, with plastic tubing and bells making an appearance, while Eillers provided vocalizations and facial animations, ending the set curled up in Milmine's lap.

[Kayla Milmine will be busy with several shows coming up, but I'm especially keen on this just-announced Sonomadic Music show at Annette Studios on Sunday, April 12th. There will be sets from The Clearing (Kayla Milmine/Jonathan Kay/Nick Fraser/Marilyn Lerner) plus Happy Apple (Allison Cameron & Joe Strutt).]

Recording: New Chance & Rowan-Muriel

Artist: New Chance & Rowan-Muriel

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (coexisDance #113), February 28, 2026.

New Chance & Rowan-Muriel - [excerpt]

The coexisDance series, which has been bringing together improvisers from Toronto's music and dance scenes for more than a decade, seems to have been thriving lately. Settled into Cabbagetown's CCDT, there's a proper floor and room to set up a large illuminated circle for the performances, musicians strewn around the perimemter and getting a chance to improvise with two different dance artists over the course of the evening. Raphael Roter has brought curatorial energy to the series, with a passion for bridging two vibrant communities that might not rub elbows enough. [Do note that these field recordings are, by necessity, "incomplete" without the dancers' physicality, but I think it's worth preserving this work from some excellent players in the community.]

A bit of a throwback here, with Vic Cheong bringing out the trusty ol' DL4 to create some etherial vocal loops.

[New Chance will be guest-hosting Karen Ng's Tranzac residency on Thursday (March 26th) presenting the intruigingly-titled "Kate Nankervis and Vic Cheong Create a Breathable Space" alongside a performance from guest Nifty.]

Recording: Brandon Davis & Joel Lawrence

Artist: Brandon Davis & Joel Lawrence

Song: [improvisation]

Recorded at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (coexisDance #113), February 28, 2026.

Brandon Davis & Joel Lawrence - [improvisation]

The coexisDance series, which has been bringing together improvisers from Toronto's music and dance scenes for more than a decade, seems to have been thriving lately. Settled into Cabbagetown's CCDT, there's a proper floor and room to set up a large illuminated circle for the performances, musicians strewn around the perimemter and getting a chance to improvise with two different dance artists over the course of the evening. Raphael Roter has brought curatorial energy to the series, with a passion for bridging two vibrant communities that might not rub elbows enough. [Do note that these field recordings are, by necessity, "incomplete" without the dancers' physicality, but I think it's worth preserving this work from some excellent players in the community.]

Joel Lawrence flexed like a bow scraping at the strings while double bassist Brandon Davis brought a vibrant energy to his playing in this set.

[Brandon Davis will be leading his Stations Quartet (alongside Patrick O'Reilly, Luan Phung, and Germaine Liu) in The Southern Cross on Wednesday (March 25th).]