Sampradaya Dance Centre celebrates official opening

Lata Pada (centre) cutting the ribbon at opening ceremony

Lata Pada receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from Governor General David Johnston

>> by Samantha Mehra

On June 20th, Sampradaya Dance Creations (SDC) celebrated the official opening of its new studio and theatre space, the Sampradaya Dance Centre, in Mississauga, Ontario. At an opening ceremony in front of an audience of supporters, guest speakers Peter Caldwell (director and CEO, Ontario Arts Council), Dr. Dev Sainani (board of directors, Ontario Trillium Foundation), the Hon. Harinder Takhar (Minister of Government Services, Ontario) and Preeti Saran (Consul General of India, Toronto) offered their congratulations on this milestone moment in the company's history. The celebration also included a lamp-lighting ceremony and a performance by Sampradaya Dance Creations' dancers. In a press release, Founder and Artistic Director Lata Pada, CM, spoke of the new centre as a functional space for the South Asian dance community, stating, "We want this to be a place for the community to gather and witness the wealth of local and international talent." The new space boasts a multi-purpose studio and theatre, with retractable seating for an audience of 100. In the fall of this year, SDC will invigorate the space with the launch of its own series program, titled the Horizon Series, which aims to feature the local talents of emerging South Asian dance artists.

On June 18th, Pada, along with several other members of the dance community, was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal at a gala at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall. The medal recognizes the significant contributions of Canadian citizens to the Canadian community; 60,000 Canadians are awarded the medal throughout the year in celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's coronation.

CLC to open newly renovated dance centre

>> by Cynthia Brett

On February 14th, 2012, Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie (CLC) officially opens the Citadel, a newly renovated centre for contemporary dance in Toronto's Regent Park. Located at 304 Parliament St., the former 1912 Salvation Army Citadel has been redesigned by Diamond & Schmitt Architects into a dance centre with a 1,800-square-foot studio/theatre, a 900-square-foot studio, office space for CLC and accommodation for out-of-town artists. The facility is also home to YogaBeat, which hosts pay-what-you-can yoga classes. CLC made its home in the Citadel in 2007 when co-artistic directors (and husband and wife) Bill Coleman and Laurence Lemieux moved the company from Montréal to Toronto. They soon became part of the Regent Park Revitalization Project and launched the Brick by Brick Campaign in 2009 to raise funds for renovations. The opening will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebration and open house from 5pm to 6pm. February 15th through 25th, CLC presents Les cheminements de l'influence (Pathways of Influence), the Citadel's first official performance (although Company Vice Versa unofficially performed Children of the Triangle there in January). The Brick by Brick Campaign to raise funds is ongoing.

www.colemanlemieux.com

www.citadeltoronto.com

CCDT turns on the switch for SolarDance

CCDT Co-Artistic Director Michael deConinck Smith with solar panels on 509 roof

>> by Jacqueline Hansen
Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (CCDT, formerly Canadian Children's Dance Theatre) is bringing in the green by going green. The recently renamed company got started on a bright idea it calls SolarDance arts education. Ninety-six solar panels, spanning 6,000 square feet of the studio’s rooftop, will generate enough energy to raise $15,000 for CCDT annually. The company says the new income will finance year-round dance scholarships for twenty neighbourhood children. CCDT is located in Cabbagetown, sandwiched between some of Toronto's wealthiest and poorest citizens.

New facility and scholarship for Dance Victoria

>> by Samantha Mehra

Dance Victoria recently announced the creation of The Chrystal Dance Award, a new scholarship worth $11,500 aimed at helping emerging dancers and choreographers pursue further studies at accredited institutions outside of Canada. It also aims to support mid-career dancers and choreographers interested in self-directed studies outside of Canada with a mentor, dance company, or via group activities (workshops, research, residencies). Named for Victoria pediatrician Dr. Chrystal Kleiman, who left a large bequest to the organization, the scholarship is open to both emerging and mid-career dance artists, and will be awarded for the first time in Spring 2011. Applications for the scholarship will be available on January 2, 2011 at DanceVictoria.com. Only dancers resident in Western Canada may apply. Dance Victoria has also acquired a new 11,800 square-foot facility at 2750 Quadra Street after six months of negotiations with the former owner of Victoria Arts Connection. The facility offers three fully outfitted dance studios, three office suites, lobbies and a commercial kitchen. The facility, which is now Victoria's central dance community centre, offers ongoing programs as well as creation residencies, professional mentoring and the LOLA Projects. It has already become home to several dance companies including Boston Dance Collective, Shan-e-Punjab Dance, Wanda Kivitt Dance, Alma D'Espana, Red Hot Swing and others.
DanceVictoria.com

Merce Cunningham Studio faces possible closure

>> by Cynthia Brett
Almost 4,000 people signed a petition opposing the closure of New York's Merce Cunningham Studio and requesting a new and expanded Merce Cunningham Center. Students grew concerned over the Studio's fate when The Cunningham Dance Foundation announced its Legacy Plan following Cunningham's death in July 2009. According to the petition, 25% of technique classes have been cut in the past year and students have been told they may not be able to finish their certificate programs. The Foundation has responded to the petition and outlined the goals of the trust as set up by Cunningham.

Sign the petition: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-the-merce-cunningham-studio.html

Read a response from the Merce Cunningham Trust: http://studentsforcunningham.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/response-to-the-petition/

New tap centre opens in Ontario

Everett Smith and Kim Chalovich / Photo by Ross Photography and ES Photography

>> by Cynthia Brett

September 9th marks the grand opening of the Tap Dance Centre, eastern Canada's only studio devoted solely to tap dance. Located at 2480 Cawthra Road in Missisauga, Ontario, the Tap Dance Centre is co-founded by Kim Chalovich, founder of What's On? Tap!, and Everett Smith, fourth-place finalist of So You Think You Can Dance Canada (SYTYCDC) Season 2. It aims to provide both private and open classes for people of all ages while offering opportunities to audition for companies and professional shows. In a press release, Chalovich remarks that this is "big for the dance community", describing it as a "centre for all ages with the full commitment to one discipline: Tap!" Smith commented that, "Creating a space and standing behind something that represents solely tap is such an uplifting and breathtaking experience. The 'Tap Dance Centre' is a place for any tap enthusiast to call home." Chalovich has a career in dance spanning over twenty years and she is also the founding director of the Eastern Canadian Tap Conference. In addition to Smith's rise to fame on SYTYCDC, he has danced for Katy Perry and Ludacris, appeared in Hairspray: The Movie and onstage in Grease and Footloose.
http://www.tapdancecentre.com/

Tap Dance Centre to open in Mississauga, ON

>> by Veronica Lincoln

Talks of a new facility has tappers on their toes! Mississauga, Ontario, will welcome its new Tap Dance Centre in the summer of 2010. Kim Chalovich of What’s On? Tap! and SYTYCDC’s Everett Smith have collaborated on the project in an attempt to promote and preserve the art form of tap dance. This facility and its teachers are hoping to encourage young, advanced level tap dancers to join their Performing Youth Companies, which will be groomed for professional performances. More information about summer classes for all ages and experience levels will be released shortly.

SOCAN accepts Dance Ontario's offer

>> by Brittany Duggan
The Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) has recently agreed to Dance Ontario’s proposed Individual Licensing agreement for its studio members – a license that will enable dance teachers to legally use copyrighted music for any number of classes, with any number of students, at any studio, school or alternate teaching venue for an individual fee of $67.20, taxes included. Dance Ontario, acting on behalf of its studio members, began a discussion regarding a proposed individual license under Tariff 19, which covers Fitness and Dance Classes, in December of 2008. The membership-based association invited interested studio owners, independent dance teachers, two SOCAN representatives and a British Association of Teachers of Dancing representative to negotiate a possible offer. A year later, the Individual Licensing agreement is in place and members have until mid-February to contact Dance Ontario to be included.