Kuumba Artist Feature: Shelley-Anne Castro
Harbourfront Centre’s Kuumba festival is spotlighting a different Black artist each day of February. Today we’re sharing the story of Shelley-Anne Castro.
Shelly-Anne was handpicked to dance for Carnival Cruise Line, and, having a thirst for travel, she accepted, beginning a multiyear journey that would take her from sea to sea, visiting over 150 countries. She was quickly promoted, managing casts and teaching choreography to industry talent. Her work was some of the best in the industry, regularly being featured in Carnival’s advertisements. Eventually she left the seafaring life and settled in Miami, where she lived for ten years. She had been born in Toronto, though, and after her stint in Miami, decided to go back to her home. Once back in the city, she settled in at Harbourfront Centre, eventually joining the School Visits team to teach children about the joys of dance. As a child who’d gone to Harbourfront Centre in the 90s, it was incredible to be an educator there, and, as an adult, working at Harbourfront Centre quickly familiarized her with the local arts scene.
Though her Wanderlust is mostly behind her, Shelly-Anne considers her extensive travel experiences to be among her greatest achievements. Reflecting on them now, in light of the pandemic, she’s pessimistic about whether travel will ever be the same again. Having had her fill of travel already, she considers her experiences to be some of her greatest gifts, and praises how travel can be a learning opportunity, about other cultures and traditions, a kind of enlightenment. The pandemic exhausts her sometimes, like everyone else, but it’s taught her the importance of energy management. “I have learned during these ‘unprecedented times,’ as everyone loves to remind us, that it’s important to invest your energy in the people, places and interests you value,” she says.
Perhaps because of her background as a choreographer and cast manager, her approach to artistry is very directed towards other people. She considers herself an “artist’s artist,” whose strengths are in exposing other people to their own capabilities. She tries her hardest to bring out the best in them. When she sees other artists excel, it inspires her, filling her with respect and appreciation. Reflecting this, the artist she most admires is Pharrell Williams, because of how he holds a mirror up to others, celebrating them and encouraging artists to be pluralists, which is important in a world where everyone feels pressure to pick a lane.
As a Black artist, she appreciates representation because it encourages people to see their own possibilities. However, she also points out that representation can be poorly handled. “Not all of our experiences are rooted in poverty and hardship. We all haven’t had to rise out of the lowest economic status, or government housing, to ‘make something of ourselves.’” She notes that Comedian Dave Chappelle always talks about how people assume he grew up in the “ghetto.” These patronizing stereotypes are, like any other stereotype, harmful and an obstacle. This gives her a special appreciation for artists who, through their own hard work and training, have excelled despite the stereotypes imposed on them because of the colour of their skin.
Shelley-Anne Castro is a dancer, choreographer and educator. She has been an industry leader for dance entertainment on Carnival Cruise Lines; worked with leading Broadway directors, including being cast in The Lion King; and has worked with North America’s leading choreographers. She is currently part of Harbourfront Centre’s School Visits team, producing dance-related educational material for youth. You can find her work on her Instagram (@breathe.love.inspire).
