Dandelions in the Wind
"A reminder that we can never be complacent"
- Stouffville Free Press
Dandelions in the Wind
"A reminder that we can never be complacent"
- Stouffville Free Press
A word from the Playwright - Jennifer Dance
"DANDELIONS IN THE WIND is my life's work. It encompasses so much of the emotion that I experienced during the sixties and seventies as a young white woman married to a young black man. Keith was attacked by Skinheads in the UK, left on the pavement with a severely fractured skull. He made what we thought was a full recovery and we moved to Canada looking for a safe place to raise our mixed-race children, but shortly after our arrival he died... shockingly... unexpectedly... a complication from the earlier head injury. I was five months pregnant with our third child.
"Four decades have not faded the image that was seared onto my soul the day of the funeral: our three-year-old clutching dandelions she had picked for her daddy, the October sun transforming the lowly weeds into filigree globes of silver, and her curls into a halo of gold. The funeral had taught her that flowers mean 'I love you', but she was perplexed as to how to give them to her father. I blew some of the parachutes heavenwards. She watched them float back to earth, her bottom lip trembling. And then she said, 'If I think really hard, can I think the flowers to daddy?'' " - Jennifer Dance
DANDELIONS IN THE WIND brings the history of racism and civil rights into a modern format. Music varies from spoken word to slave chants, and from gospel songs to toe-tapping dance numbers. The Civil Rights era creates a changing backdrop for the events unfolding on stage, but the underlying question is “Where are we now...today?"
Image: Keith and Jennifer, 1971
Quisha Wint - Director
Jennifer Dance - Playwright
Quisha Wint - Director
Quisha Wint is the founder and president of QW Productions whose mission is to provide outstanding and professional entertainment in a classy and nostalgic atmosphere, while providing a platform for artists and musicians to showcase their musical gifts. She aims to educate both the public and upcoming artists on the importance of “re
Quisha Wint is the founder and president of QW Productions whose mission is to provide outstanding and professional entertainment in a classy and nostalgic atmosphere, while providing a platform for artists and musicians to showcase their musical gifts. She aims to educate both the public and upcoming artists on the importance of “real” music and why it needs to be kept alive.
Quisha is a graduate from the jazz program at Humber College, and has performed with well-known musicians in many parts of Asia, Europe, North America, and the Caribbean. Currently living in the GTA, she is well established in the tight-knit music industry. She is a phenomenal and expressive vocalist who also inspires others to live out their dreams.
About us
Jennifer Dance - Playwright
Quisha Wint - Director
DANDELIONS IN THE WIND corporation is a Theatre Arts group whose mission is to create knowledge, understanding and compassion on issues that relate to justice and equality in today's world. Our mandate is to use excellent entertainment to both educate and touch hearts, creating positive change by inspiring individuals to simply do better.
DANDELIONS IN THE WIND corporation is a Theatre Arts group whose mission is to create knowledge, understanding and compassion on issues that relate to justice and equality in today's world. Our mandate is to use excellent entertainment to both educate and touch hearts, creating positive change by inspiring individuals to simply do better. Our vision bridges the rift between ethnicity, culture and faith, breaks racial stereotypes and promotes healing and equality. KJ Group has a heart for youth, as both performers and audience. Young people will change the world.
DANDELIONS in the WIND premiered in Toronto during Black History month of 2017. Funds are now being organized and plans consolidated to move the show forward. Although the show is for all ages from 10 to 100, our focus is on youth. We are particularly interested in having educators move alongside us. If you would like to be part of this amazing journey please contact us at jenniferdance.author@hotmail.com
Jennifer Dance - Playwright
Jennifer Dance - Playwright
Jennifer Dance - Playwright
Jennifer Dance is a Best-Selling Canadian Author of Award-Winning books for young people. (RED WOLF, HAWK and PAINT) She frequently speaks at schools where students are reading her books, inspiring the new generation to stand up for justice and equality, and fight to make the world a better place. With Dandelions in the Wind she ret
Jennifer Dance is a Best-Selling Canadian Author of Award-Winning books for young people. (RED WOLF, HAWK and PAINT) She frequently speaks at schools where students are reading her books, inspiring the new generation to stand up for justice and equality, and fight to make the world a better place. With Dandelions in the Wind she returns to her roots of black-white racism, digging deep through the pain of her past to create the characters of Sarah and Ben.
Canada Council for the Arts has recognized Jennifer's creative writing ability by awarding her a prestigious grant to work on her latest novel for young people: an Alzheimer's story.
Jennifer was nominated as a Woman of Excellence in the J.S. Woodsworth Awards for Human Rights and Equity, and is honoured to have received the 2016 Senior Achievement Award from the Government of Ontario.