A Winnipeg contemporary dance school with professional and junior training programs, founded in 1972 as a division of Contemporary Dancers.
The School and Apprentice Program of Contemporary Dancers was founded by Rachel Browne in 1972 as a division of Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers. The School is located at 104-211 Bannatyne Ave., Winnipeg, R3B 3P2. The mandate of the Professional Program is to prepare students for careers in contemporary dance performance.
In 1981, 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 to focus on its unique mandate more fully. The School celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2012/2013.
The Senior Professional Program is a four-year professional training program for dancers seeking a career in contemporary dance performance. The Professional Program is affiliated with the University of Winnipeg, and students may receive up to 72 credit hours (13 full courses) for their work in the Program. Enrollment is limited to approximately 34 students for the Program as a whole. The Junior Program is geared toward middle school and high school students, and admission is by audition only. The General Program offers classes for ages 2 to adult in a non-competitive atmosphere.
Senior Professional Program applicants go through a three-stage audition: Stage 1 video auditions, Stage 2 in-person auditions, and Stage 3 personal assessments. A separate Junior Professional Program audition is also offered. The Senior Professional Program schedule runs from the beginning of September to the end of May, between 9:00am and 5:00pm.
The School is approved as a registered Designated Learning Institution by the Government of Manitoba and by Citizenship and Immigration Canada's International Student Program. The School is recognized as a leading national centre for professional contemporary dance training in Canada. Numerous graduates have continued to perform with renowned companies and choreographers locally, nationally, and internationally.