Raoul Wilke on The History of Jazz, Staying a Student & Balancing Confidence and Humility

In this episode, Scott sits down with Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist and Dora Award winner Raoul Wilke for a conversation filled with depth and inspiration. Raoul shares his journey from discovering dance to becoming a professor, unpacking the history of vernacular jazz, the creation of his crew Moon Runners, and the importance of staying a lifelong student. Known for his incredible wisdom, he offers powerful reflections on balancing confidence with humility, navigating burnout, and building meaningful community through dance. From music and fashion to visual art, this episode is packed with nuggets of wisdom for any artist looking to grow and evolve. This episode was recorded in Nov 2024.

00:00:00 - Welcome and intro

00:03:08 - How Raoul approaches foundations and choreography in his teaching

00:06:07 - Career as a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University

00:06:51 - History of vernacular jazz

00:11:52 - How he got started dancing

00:15:37 - The origin story of Moon Runners dance crew

00:17:53 - Creating long-lasting friendships through dance

00:21:06 - Learning new styles as someone new to the city

00:21:37 - The importance of forever staying a student

00:26:01 - Balancing confidence and humility

00:28:25 - Raoul’s first show: “Young, Gifted, and Jazz” and winning the Dora Award

00:33:56 - Dealing with burnout

00:38:02 - Representing Canada at Summer Dance

00:42:36 - How Jazz influenced his love of fashion

00:46:35 - Resources for those interested in learning more about jazz

00:49:26 - Musical inspirations

00:53:09 - Passion and natural talent for visual art

01:00:10 - The blending of art forms

01:01:39 - What to expect in one of Raoul’s classes

01:05:07 - Where to find Raoul

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HOSTED BY

Carmen Forsyth

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Scott Forsyth

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Contact: info@thestudionorth.com

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Join Scott & Carmen Forsyth every week as they dive deep into the dance community, go behind the scenes of Studio North, and sit down with some of North America’s most successful dancers, teachers, and choreographers.

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