Youth dance conference brings Ontario dancers together

Mariano Abarca / Photo: Lauren Van Gijn & Bobbie Dhindsa

>> by Jaimée Horn
With the goal of educating students and teachers alike about the value, scope and diversity of dance in Ontario, the Pulse Ontario Youth Dance Conference provides equal opportunities for all levels of dance students to benefit from the experiential learning and discovery that dance can provide in non-competitive environments. This year’s conference, held at York University from May 10th through 13th, had close to 200 participants who were enthusiastic to take in the workshops, evening performances and social events. Keynote speaker Mariano Abarca, recognized internationally as having put Canada on the map for hip hop dance, received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the dancers in the auditorium on Friday evening. His meaningful message directed to the youth and educators was to stay curious and creative. “Experience everything. Learn as much as you can and then build on that foundation. Be original. Ask questions. You are the scientists of this art form.” The conference, whose vision is to bring together dance students, teachers and dance professionals from across Ontario, manifested for the first time in May 2006. The conference is dedicated to providing students affordable opportunities to experience the art form, and develop their literacy and understanding of dance.

Men outnumber women in STDT's first-year class

>> by Cynthia Brett

For the first time in The School of Toronto Dance Theatre's (STDT) history, there are more men than women in its first-year class. Of twenty-two students, twelve are men. Artistic Director Patricia Fraser commented that the school has seen an increase in the number of men auditioning, as well as an improvement in their dancing. A collective statement from the first-year class says that, "In this and other cultures there seem to be more men gravitating to the arts in general. Contemporary dance is now a more accepted career for men to pursue.... There may always be something of a stigma against male dancers, because the wider population doesn't yet entirely understand what we do; however, it's possible that seeing dance in popular culture, on TV shows such as So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars, has put men 'on the map' in terms of dance." Here's a look at the number of men in the first-year class over the last five years: 2011, 12 of 22; 2010, 7 of 24; 2009, 5 of 25; 2008, 9 of 25; and 2007, 3 of 22.

National Ballet of Canada introduces summer intensive

>> by Samantha Mehra

For the first time, The National Ballet of Canada will host a summer dance intensive from July 4th through 15th, 2011, from 9:00am to 3:00pm daily. The ten-day summer intensive provides students, aged fourteen through eighteen, the opportunity to learn from professional dancers at the National Ballet's studios in The Walter Carsen Centre in downtown Toronto. In addition to ballet classes, students will be offered intensives in pointe, jazz, hip hop and repertoire. This year's faculty of professional dancers includes Rex Harrington, Tanya Howard, Stacey Shiori Minagawa, Kate Kernaghan, Jonathan Renna, Jonathan Arsenault and Shavar Blackwood.
https://national.ballet.ca/education/programmes/adult/Summer_Dance_Intensive

509 Collective classes to come to an end

>> by Naomi Brand
Come December 17th Toronto's 509 Collective will no longer be running morning technique classes. "There are several reasons for the Collective's end," says Canadian Children's Dance Theatre's (CCDT) Managing Director Michael deConinck Smith. "The most fundamental is that not enough dancers are able or willing to bear even the subsidized class cost." As well, a lack of availability of senior teachers and loss of class schedule posting in The Dance Current all "served to confirm that the community as a whole was no longer able or willing to collectively keep the classes going." The class was formed in 1991 as The Teachers' Collective by Patricia Fraser, Patricia Miner and Sylvain Brochu to provide a daily, affordable morning class for independent modern dancers in Toronto. In 2004, in an effort to help with some of the administrative load and expenses associated with the classes, CCDT took over the operation under the 509 Collective. Dancers with class cards are encouraged to use these by the closing date as there will be no refunds.

UPDATE: New university credit course for dancers

>> by Brittany Duggan
Ryerson University, in partnership with the Dancer Transition Resource Centre (DTRC) and The National Ballet of Canada, is offering Critical Thinking, a course for professional dancers. The course, offered Monday nights for eleven weeks, will allow professional dancers the opportunity to earn university credits while continuing to work. Amanda Hancox, executive director of the DTRC, has confirmed sixteen students from the National Ballet and two independent artists are currently enrolled. This course is being piloted as a step towards developing a specialized degree program for professional dancers through Ryerson University.

Canada-wide master class with Rex Harrington

Rex Harrington / Photo by Sian Richards

>> by Cynthia Brett
On September 25th The National Ballet of Canada broadcast a nation-wide master class taught by Rex Harrington as part of Culture Days. Registered participants across the country took this free class streamed live from the Walter Carsen Centre in Toronto from 2:00-3:30pm. Culture Days, running September 24th through 26th, is a national initiative to raise awareness and engagement of all Canadians in art and culture. Free, interactive events took place across Canada to encourage public participation and discovery.
http://www.culturedays.com

Calling all teachers - we want your input!

This past season The Dance Current partnered with Canada's National Ballet School to bring you a regular column Tips for Teachers.

We are looking for your input on the topics we have covered and suggestions for next season.

The link below will take you to a five question survey.

http://tiny.cc/zbp7y

Please forward or share this email with anyone you feel may have suggestions for this column

New contemporary dance class initiative in Calgary

>> by Cynthia Brett
The Calgary Contemporary Dance Collective, initiated by Helen Husak, Naomi Brand and Kelly McCann, is now offering drop-in contemporary dance classes and a complimentary Friday fitness class until April 2010. The dance classes are held at the Free House Dance Plus every Monday and Wednesday from 9:30-11am. Guest instructors include Joanne Baker, Hannah Stillwell, Darcy McGehee, Kelly McCann, Ainsley Sudds, Natalie Poissant and Hilary Maxwell. The Friday fitness class, which features plyometric movement training, is held at the Evergreen Theatre from 10-11am. Instructors for the fitness class are Quinn McCrimmon, Sarah Irvine and Helen Husak.