Visit the new Film Releases page to view CCDT's recent dance films and mini-documentaries, created in the time of Covid-19.
Artistic Director | Deborah Lundmark
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Photo by Francesca Chudnoff
Bringing Creativity, Artistry, and Professional Performance Experience to Young Dancers
Nondiscrimination Policy
The Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre upholds a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination. We do not discriminate, and shall not condone discrimination, on the basis of race, colour, religion, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, or disability. We strive to be inclusive in all of our activities and operations.
Mandate
To develop and maintain a contemporary dance repertory company of professional calibre comprised of emerging Canadian dance artists performing the works of diverse choreographers for children, youth and the general public.
Vision
We envision a unique company-based, performance-centred model of intergenerational artist development bringing together dancers under nineteen years of age with established and emerging choreographers, composers, designers and teachers.
We strive to act as a contemporary dance nexus from which the highest-calibre artistry may be cultivated, by way of this hybrid approach merging development and presentation, studio and stage.
We offer professional productions locally and abroad for all ages, next generation and established artist residencies, a continuity of development programs from age eight to professional, educational outreach, career guidance and community engagement initiatives for dance artists to explore and to showcase their craft.
We value and express inclusivity and diversity, underpinned by humanism, in all of our undertakings; the composition of our company, our visiting artists and our audience reflects the community that we serve.
We seek to pioneer dance for young audiences (DYA), and to inspire them with repertoire uniquely embodied by young artists.
We find the highest expression of our vision in our company dancers cultivating distinct artistic voices through the creation and performance of transformative repertoire, propelling them into successful careers as dance performers, educators, writers, designers, and company founders.
Our History
Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre is a repertory company founded in 1980 for emerging artists under 19 years of age by Artistic Director, Deborah Lundmark, and Managing Director, Michael deConinck Smith. Company members and audiences alike enjoy one of Canada’s largest and most diverse repertoires including creations by such dance luminaries as David Earle, Carol Anderson, Danny Grossman, Margie Gillis, and Peggy Baker and, more recently, Colin Connor, Jennifer Archibald, Apolonia Velasquez, Hanna Kiel, and Jera Wolfe, among many others. Presentation highlights include appearances at Toronto’s Princess of Wales and Royal Alexandra Theatres for the Creative Trust and Dancers for Life Galas and five invitations to the Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa. A leading touring company, CCDT has introduced over 300,000 young people to dance through its Ontario Arts Access program, and won the Toronto Arts Foundation’s prestigious Arts for Youth Award for its development of young artists and young audiences.