Fight For What You Want – Allyson R. Trunzer

BY: ALYSSA MAHADEO

Allyson R. Trunzer is a biracial, Toronto-based artist of Antiguan, Barbudan, and German descent. Born in 1992, Allyson was mostly raised here in the city, but for about three years of her life, she lived in Barbuda.

“While I was there, I started dancing jazz, just the basic fundamentals at outreach community center like places,” Allyson shares. “Then upon moving back to Toronto at nine years old, I started taking ballet classes under a dance teacher at a local church.”

Dancing as a child allowed her to explore and learn different styles of dance. She stuck with ballet and was able to also learn some more jazz and even tap. The studio where she learned did a lot of classical training was predominantly Caucasian.

Going into High School, Allyson attended the Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts. She was accepted into their drama focus program and was eventually able to partake in more dance related activities through their performance art classes. Upon graduation, she received an Ontario Scholar Award, for Senior Dance, which allowed her to continue her dance career by attending Ballet Creole’s Professional Training Program in Toronto.

“I was a part of Ballet Creole’s professional training program for two years,” Allyson recalls. “Through that, I kinda off launched my career in performance, dancing with KasheDance as well as Lua Shayenne.”

In 2012 Allyson was awarded the Access and Careers Development Grant by the Ontario Arts Council in which funded her studies at The International Visa Program at Peridance Capezio Centre in New York City.

“Since 2013 I have been in and out of the dance scene, due to various things like dance injuries, personal problems and a spectrum of other things that have come up,” Allyson says. “It’s only been a year since I’ve been back in the dance community, working as a dance teacher and then working on the Shades project over the last couple of weeks.”

Although she has been in so many intensive dance training courses, Allyson says it wasn’t really to be a performer. Her main focus has been to get as much training as possible to become a teacher.

“For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a dance teacher,” she explains. “It was something I really wanted to do, I wanted to be an entrepreneur and perhaps one day start my own school, and I wanted it to be in the Caribbean.”

Allyson says that long-term, dance was always a part of the bigger plan, but as far as specifics she is doing a little bit of everything now. “I’ve been teaching part-time, dividing my time between that and rehearsals while also traveling back to Antigua and Barbuda,” she says.

While it may seem a bit sporadic, Allyson explains that it’s been a bit of a multilevel year for her, working things out, and putting things in place while also practicing and honing her art.

“Doing side jobs, trying to work as an artist, while also being able to support myself and get the things I need is important for me,” Allyson shares. “I still live at home, and my parents have been so supportive of me as I get my bearings.”

“I think we’ve all wanted me to launch off and be able to support myself, but my father has been very understanding about me wanting to get back into something that I love.” Having that family support as a working artist is very important Allyson reiterates, “If I didn’t have that I would be juggling a lot of jobs just to make ends meet.”

In the industry, Allyson says that she is considered a very tall dancer, and she has always looked up to other tall female dancers in the industry for inspiration. “I was also inspired by people who aren’t dancers, female entrepreneurs like Oprah, people who have made a name for themselves and have this holistic, emotional, spiritual, mental and physical way of being.”

Allyson has really been drawn to contemporary work over the last couple of years, as it is important that she is able to share stories and narratives through her movement. “Being able to tell and evoke a story, to share something that is relatable that is raw that is real, it brings awareness to communities and society as a whole.”

“When I dance I feel free.”

Allyson has facilitated dance workshops with schools in Ontario, as well as in Antigua and Barbuda, and intends to aid in the development and implementation of community arts and educational programs for youth, primarily in the Caribbean. She continues to develop her artistry through performance, instruction, and collaboration.

“If dance is a career you hope to pursue you have to keep fighting for what you want, you really have to believe in yourself, keep practicing your art, and eventually the opportunities will come,” Allyson explains. 

“Don’t be afraid to create your own opportunities, sometimes as young artists, we feel that we have to dance for other people. Believe in your own ideas and work to have them come to fruition.”