Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers
| Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Name | Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers |
| Year founded | 1964 |
| Founders | Rachel Browne |
| Principal venue | Rachel Browne Theatre |
| Website | winnipegscontemporarydancers.ca |
| Artistic staff | |
| Artistic Director | Jolene Bailie |
Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers is Canada's longest continuously running modern dance company.[1][2] Founded in 1964 as Contemporary Dancers Inc., it has presented original works of this new art form in many theatres, school and public places in Winnipeg[3] as well across Canada and the United States.
The company also creates avant-garde and expressionistic dance-theatre. To this end, it began to train dancers in 1972 when it created the School of Contemporary Dance, which In 1995 became its own legal entity.[4]
Creation[edit]
Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers was formed as a student group by former ballerina Rachel Browne.[2] By 1970, the company received recognition as a fully professional dance group and began to receive Canada Council grants.
In circa 1983-1984, it was called Contemporary Dance Canada as it briefly sought an international mandate.
During its 60 years of continuous activity, dancers have performed over 500 new works. These included dances by American choreographers like James Waring and Dan Wagoner as well as by innovative Canadian choreographers like Jennifer Wootton Mascall, Linda Rabin, Margie Gillis and of course Rachel Browne.
Browne also encouraged her dancers to choreograph for the WCD.[5] Her own original works that reflected her humanistic viewpoints.[1][6] She devoted 48 years to the company as Artistic Director, resident Choreographer, teacher and in other leadership roles until her death in 2012.[3]
Artistic Directors[edit]
1964-1983 Rachel Browne
1983-1984 Bill Evans
1984-1990 Tedd Robinson
1990-1991 Charles Moulton
1991-2005 Tom Stroud
2005-2017 Brent Lott
2019- Jolene Bailie
External Links[edit]
https://www.winnipegscontemporarydancers.ca/[edit]
https://rachelbrowne.org/about/
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b Holmberg, Arthur; Solorzano, Carlos (2014). World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Volume 2: The Americas. Vol. 2. Routledge. p. 640. ISBN 1136118365.
- ^ a b Crabbe, Michael; Botaitis, James (3 April 2015). "Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers". Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
- ^ a b Scene Staff (11 June 2012), Remembering Rachel Browne, founder of Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 1 February 2016
- ^ "History | SCD". Retrieved 2024-06-18.
- ^ Anderson, Carol (3 April 2015). "Rachel Browne". Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
- ^ "Choreographic Works". Rachel Browne. 2014-06-05. Retrieved 2024-06-18.