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About The Senior Professional Program

The School of Contemporary Dancers is recognized as a leading national centre for professional contemporary dance training in Canada. The School’s Professional Program is renowned across the country for the excellence of its training methods and high calibre of its students and graduates.

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The Professional Program of The School of Contemporary Dancers is a four-year professional training program for dancers seeking a career in contemporary dance performance. The Fourth-Year of the Program is a special bridging year from the professional student to the professional emerging artist level. Fourth-Year dancers are given opportunities to connect with the professional community

and to undertake professional projects. 

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The School of Contemporary Dancers is a recognized post-secondary institution. The School is approved as a registered Designated Learning Institution (DLI) by the Government of Manitoba and by Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) International Student Program (ISP). In addition, the School is approved by the Manitoba Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy whereby students are eligible for the Canada Student Loans Program and the Manitoba Student Aid Program. All dancers who successfully complete the four-year Program a certificate of graduation from the Professional Program of

the School of Contemporary Dancers.

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The Professional Program, while maintaining its autonomy, has undertaken an affiliation with the University of Winnipeg whereby students may choose the option to receive up to 72 credit hours (13 full courses) for their work in the Program. Upon completion of 42 additional non-dance academic credit hours (7 full courses), students are eligible for a BA (Honours) Degree with specialization in Dance through the Department of Theatre and Film. These additional credits may be undertaken concurrently during the years within the Professional Program. Therefore, the Professional Program and the University of Winnipeg degree may both be completed within the four-year period. 

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The Professional Program of The School of Contemporary Dancers gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage,

the Manitoba Arts Council, the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council,

and The Winnipeg Foundation.

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Choreographer: Davida Monk

Structure of The Program

The Professional Program is a four-year program. The schedule for The Program is from the beginning of September to the end of May between the hours of 9:00am to 5:00pm. Exciting optional professional projects in Level 3 and 4 are contracted throughout the year.

Sample Senior Professional Program Schedule:

First Term

Beginning of September to Mid-December

  • Technique (Faculty/Guests)

  • Repertory (Faculty/Guests)

  • Guest Choreographers (Local, National, International)

  • Performance: "Exchange Projects" - December

  • Local, National, and International Professional Project Opportunities (Level 3/4)

Winter Break

  • Mid -December to beginning of January - Starting after the "Exchange Projects" performances annually.

Second Term

Beginning of January to End of May

  • Technique (Faculty/Guests)

  • Repertory (Faculty/Guests)

  • Composition Course

  • Performance:  "Blueprints" (Student choreographic works) - January

  • Winnipeg Public School Tour Performances - February

  • Guest Choreographers (Local, National, International)

  • Performance: "Dance Reflections" - May

  • Spring Intensive: Technique, Body Mechanics, Repertory (Darryl Tracy)

  • National and International Tours (Levels 2/3/4)

  • Local, National, and International Professional Project Opportunity (Level 3/4)

Spring Break

  • End of March for one week

Summer Break

  • Beginning of June to End of August

Descriptions of Levels

Level 1 (3 Schedule Options)

Level 1 provides three possible options in regard to the Professional Program schedule. In Level 1, students may elect to enroll in academic courses at The University of Winnipeg. Level 2/3/4 attend from 9:30-5:00.

 

Option 1

Regular: First Term (Monday to Friday 9:30-1:00)

Technique, Repertory, Partnering, Improvisation, Music, Legacy, Voice, Body Mechanics and Conditioning

Regular: Second Term (Monday to Friday 9:30-3:00)

Technique, Repertory, Partnering, Improvisation, Music, Legacy, Voice, Body Mechanics and Conditioning

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Option 2

Regular: First Term (Monday to Friday 9:30-1:00)

Technique, Repertory, Partnering, Improvisation, Music, Legacy, Voice, Body Mechanics and Conditioning

Intensive: Second Term (Monday to Friday 9:30-5:00)

Technique, Repertory, Partnering, Improvisation, Music, Legacy, Voice, Body Mechanics and Conditioning, additional Intensive Repertory

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Option 3

Intensive: First Term (Monday to Friday 9:30-5:00)

Technique, Repertory, Partnering, Improvisation, Music, Legacy, Voice, Body Mechanics and Conditioning, additional Intensive Repertory

Intensive: Second Term (Monday to Friday 9:30-5:00)

Technique, Repertory, Partnering, Improvisation, Music, Legacy, Voice, Body Mechanics and Conditioning, additional Intensive Repertory

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Level 2 (Monday to Friday 9:30-5:00)

Technique, Repertory, Partnering, Paedagogy, Music, Legacy, Voice, Body Mechanics and Conditioning, Touring

Level 3 (Monday to Friday 9:30-5:00)

Technique, Repertory, Partnering, Composition, Legacy, Voice, Screendance, Body Mechanics and Conditioning, Touring, Professional Projects

Level 4 (Monday to Friday 9:30-5:00)

Technique, Repertory, Partnering, Composition, Legacy, Voice, Screendance, Body Mechanics and Conditioning, Touring, Professional Projects, Scholarships for Bridging into the Profession during Level 4 and Post Graduation

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Curriculum

Core courses:

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  • Contemporary Dance Techniques (including Limon influenced) with barre, centre warm-up, traveling warm-up

  • Ballet for Contemporary Dancers

  • Contemporary Repertory

  • Contemporary Performance

 

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Additional courses:

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  • Improvisation

  • Composition (optional)

  • Dance Paedagogy (optional)

  • Partnering

  • Voice

  • Body Mechanics

  • Conditioning

  • Dance Legacy

  • Individual Coaching

  • Screendance

  • Bridging into the Profession

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4th Year Special Projects:

 

All students obtain professional projects during their fourth year in The Program.

 

Scholarships are awarded to all Fourth Year students to support the transition from student to emerging professional artist during fourth year and during the first years post graduation as emerging artists.

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Click the button below to see what our graduates are doing now!

 

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Spring Dance Intensive:

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The annual Spring Dance Intensive is designed to provide an intensive dance program for members of the Professional Program of The School of Contemporary Dancers, and for professional contemporary dancers. The Intensive offers courses with guest teachers of renowned repute. The Spring Dance Intensive has attracted professional dancers and professional dance students from across Canada and beyond.

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Choreographer: Robyn Thomson Kacki

Our Mandate

The mandate of the Professional Program of The School of Contemporary Dancers is to prepare students for careers in contemporary dance performance. In realizing this mandate, the objective is to provide a strong technical and artistic training, which will allow the dancers to perform the diverse movement styles required by

different choreographers and companies.

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The Program promotes a rich interconnectedness with the professional dance community. The Directors view this as an integral part of providing a vibrant and stimulating environment for the training of future professionals and for providing the foundation for a successful transition into the profession.

“The School of Contemporary Dancers is directed with dedication and integrity by a vastly experienced team of Artistic Directors and Artistic Associates. The artistic direction is robust and is committed to fostering and developing artistic excellence.”

 

– Canadian Heritage Assessor

Our Philosophy

The Program focuses on developing dancers that are technically strong, and artistically dynamic and open. It is the objective of the Program to develop dancers that have the facility to manifest the diverse artistry required by different companies and choreographers. We view the essence of training to be the removal of obstacles limiting the emerging of the artist within. To be ‘technical’ is to be optimally unbounded and free.

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To achieve this, the Program is designed to provide an individual approach to dance training. There is a focus on mentorship and opportunities for all students to work on featured roles in Repertory, and Performance. As a result, enrollment is limited to approximately 34 students for the Program as a whole.

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Extensive performance experience is central to the Program’s Philosophy of Training. The Program presents two performance series in December and May, public school tours in Winnipeg, as well as performances featuring the choreographic works of the Level 3 and 4 students, special performance projects, tours, and festivals.

Choreographer: Christina Medina

Our Founders

The School and Apprentice Program of Contemporary Dancers was founded by Rachel Browne in 1972 as a division of Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers. In 1981, the Apprentice Program was recreated and Odette Heyn and Faye Thomson co-founded the Professional Program. In 1995, the School was separately incorporated from the company of

Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers in order to focus on its unique mandate more fully. 

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Odette Heyn, C.M. and Faye Thomson, C.M. have co-directed the Professional Program for over 40 years. Under their direction the Program has developed into one of the leading contemporary dance performance training programs in Canada. Core staff for several years have included School Founder, Rachel Browne, C.M.,

Artist-in-Residence, Stephanie Ballard, and Artistic Associate, Gaile Petursson-Hiley.

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Throughout the history of the Professional Program, numerous graduates have continued to enter the profession and perform with renowned companies and choreographers locally, nationally, and internationally. The Program has also been the source of distinguished choreographers and artistic directors within

the Canadian contemporary dance community and beyond.

Choreographer: Stephanie Ballard
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