Visit the new Film Releases page to view CCDT's recent dance films and mini-documentaries, created in the time of Covid-19.
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- digital programme -
Wintermission 2025
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It’s an honour to welcome you to Wintermission 2025. Since stepping into the Director role this year, I’ve been continually inspired by our young dancers—their dedication to their craft and their genuine commitment to one another. Watching them grow, support each other, and strengthen their artistic voices has been a joy.
Tonight celebrates the community that makes this program possible. The Accelerated Training Program reflects our shared belief in nurturing the next generation of artists, and your presence and support mean so much.
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My sincere thanks to Deborah Lundmark, Michael deConinck Smith, Ryan Lee, Dana MacDonald, Megan Nadin and all the artists and staff for their support. A special thank you to the parents whose steady support helps make this program thrive. Enjoy the show!
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Helen Cox, Director of the Accelerated Training Programme
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Between These Waves (excerpt)
Choreography: Zachary Cardwell
Music: Peter Gregson
Dancers: The Accelerated Training Program
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Tonight you will see an excerpt of Between These Waves by Zachary Cardwell, a work that moves through three emotional compositions by cellist Peter Gregson. The two scores presented this evening are choreographed around themes of loss and hope—how these are embodied individually and navigated as a group.
It has been a true pleasure collaborating with the ATPs, Deborah and Helen, and outside eyes Angela Blumberg and Meghan McMartin. Together, we shaped a dance that shifts in speed, weight, depth, and lightness; weathering like a storm at sea. Through our collective effort, perspectives, and artistry we create and share dance.
I hope you enjoy.
Guest Performance: Glimpse of Us
Choreography: Kin Nguien & AJ Velasco
Music: Joji
Dancers: Kin Nguien & AJ Velasco of KINAJ Dance Company​​​
A Day of Light (excerpt)
Choreography: Hannah Kiel
Music: Gregory Harrison and Frances Miller, with cello by Blanche Israël
Dancers: Leia Buan, Steven Johnson, Juliette Lee, Shaina Momeni, Tristyn Murray,
Kyra Simm-Smith, Eva Teece-Soter, Naomi Tyson, Ayla Vandenberg, Mia Vogel-Alexiou, Alice Whyte-Lewis, Jamarie William, Cailyn Yam
Understudies: Nayanne Rayner, Maxine Robert
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Thinking of the winter solstice, I was inspired to celebrate the arrival of the first lengthening day. Though it goes by so quickly, it is like our innocent time and we cherish those moments in the sun forever.
~intermission~
In the Flicker, A Spark (2025)
Choreography: Megan Nadain
Music: Aaron May & David Ridley, Travis Lake, Alex G
Dancers: The Accelerated Training Program​
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Boundless thanks to the dancers for diving in with such ‘full hearts & strong spirits’, eagerly committing to counting the seemingly uncountable music and reminding me that no matter what there is ‘still time for dancing and falling love.’
Soul Reverberations
Choreography: Naomi Tyson
Music: Timmy Thomas
Dancers: Alice Whyte-Lewis, Ayla Vandenberg, Cailyn Yam, Eva Teece-Soter, Kyra Simm-Smith, Mia Vogel-Alexiou, Nayanne Rayner, Shaina Momeni​
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PARTY ANIMAL (2025)
Choreography: Ryan Lee
Music: LVDF, Yosi Horikawa
Dancers: The Accelerated Training Program
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Wintermission
Artist Biographies

Deborah Lundmark
Co-Founder, Artistic Director & Resident Choreographer
Deborah Lundmark has created more than 40 works for her company. These include collaborations with the Danny Grossman Dance Company, the Toronto Children's Chorus and Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and blues artists Thompson Egbo-Egbo and Jerome Godboo. From her Street Songs (1980) to Dancing Day (1989), Precipice (2010) and Alien Grace (2018), Ms. Lundmark has impressed audiences and critics alike with the power, precision and artistry of her unique company. She has commissioned over one hundred works from a who’s who of Canadian choreographers including David Earle, Carol Anderson, Tedd Robinson, Santee Smith and Ofilio Sinbadinho and from abroad, Colin Connor, Sidra Bell, Kevin Wynn (USA) and Alexander Whitley (UK). Her company has won Toronto Arts Foundation’s prestigious Arts for Youth Award and has been critically acclaimed as "a national treasure" numbered "among the ranks of Toronto’s top dance companies" by The Globe and Mail. Her dancers have gone on to perform with many of the world’s leading companies including the José Limón Dance Company whose recent 70th anniversary CCDT helped to celebrate with performances of José Limón’s The Winged at New York City's Joyce Theater.
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Photo by Gary Ray Rush

Michael deConinck Smith
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Michael deConinck Smith has directed the staging of over three hundred CCDT productions including five appearances at the Canada Dance Festival. In 1988 he conceived and produced CCDT’s acclaimed collaboration with the Toronto Boys Choir and the Hanson Singers, the original WINTERSONG – dances for a sacred season, now a three-decade-old tradition. In 1990, Michael led CCDT’s first international tour to the People’s Republic of China, and the following year the premiere of SONGS of INNOCENCE and of EXPERIENCE, featuring commissions by ten leading choreographers, realized one of his long-cherished dreams. From 1997 to 2000 he planned CCDT’s extensive tours of Northern Ontario, and in 2002 led the company’s return to Southeast Asia with performances in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru, Malaysia. In 1994, Michael oversaw the purchase and renovation of CCDT’s 509 DANCE studios, now an intergenerational crossroads for Canadian dance. For fifteen years Michael has led his company’s Ontario Community Residencies Program introducing more than 300,000 young people to contemporary dance in theatres throughout Ontario. Most recently, he produced CCDT’s Scotland tour to the Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival followed by the company’s inaugural appearances at the storied Joyce Theater in New York City as part of the José Limón Dance Company’s International Dance Festival in celebration of their 70th Anniversary.
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Photo by Gary Ray Rush
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Helen Cox
Accelerated Training Program Director
Helen Cox, M.A. is an educator, choreographer, and mentor whose career bridges the UK and Canada. She began her teaching career in the United Kingdom, working with organizations such as The Royal Ballet School, The Royal Opera House, Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, the ISTD, Trinity Laban, and Central School of Ballet.
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Since relocating to Canada in 2022, Helen has been on faculty at Alberta Ballet School and served on the Board of Directors for Dancers’ Studio West. Now based in Toronto, she joins Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre as Director of the Accelerated Training Program and faculty member with the school.
Helen is also entering her third year as a Rambert Grades Ambassador, representing in Canada a contemporary dance syllabus developed by Rambert and Rambert School that champions creativity, individuality, and artistic expression.

Megan Nadain
Choreographer
Megan Nadain (she/her) is a Toronto-based dancer, choreographer and dance educator originally from North Vancouver, BC. She is a graduate of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre and was the recipient of the The Hnatyshyn Foundation Developing Artist Grant during her first year. She has been a company member with Dancetheatre David Earle and has worked independently with Darryl Tracy, Nicole Nigro, inDANCE, Toronto Heritage Dance and Miranda Abbott. She has the pleasure of being a faculty member at The School of Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre teaching Creative Movement and Modern and has directed CCDT’s Core Apprentice Program for the past 8 years; she is thrilled to take on the directorship of the Accelerated Training Program. Megan is also on faculty at Dance Arts Institute (formerly the School of Toronto Dance Theatre) teaching in The Professional Program and Adult Contemporary Dance. She has also worked as a dance educator at York University and The National Ballet of Canada’s In Studio program and facilitates the dance programs at several independent schools in Toronto. Two projects that she has been involved with recently that she is exceptionally passionate about are Bridging Generations Through Dance with Dancing with Parkinson’s and Moving together: Choreographic mappings of children with diverse dis/abilities and their neurological responses to a dance-play event with Coralee McLaren.
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Photo by Dancetheatre David Earle

Ryan Lee
Choreographer
Independent Dance Artist Ryan Lee graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such companies as Human Body Expression, ProArteDanza, Toronto Dance Theatre, Kaeja d’Dance, Anandam Dancetheatre, inDANCE, The Chimera Project, Frog in Hand and TOES for Dance. Much of this work included creating pieces for the stage and mentoring emerging artists.Ryan has also rehearsal directed for Transcendance Project and Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre.
Ryan holds a faculty position at Centennial College, teaching Contemporary and Partnering courses and has been a lecturer at Toronto Metropolitan University since 2020. He has been commissioned to make choreographic works by ProArteDanza, Anandam DanceTheatre, TMU, Dance Arts Institute, George Brown College, Branksome College, The Emerging Artist Intensive, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, Cawthra Park, Etobicoke School for the Arts and Rosedale Heights School for the Arts. Ryan’s work has been presented at festivals such as Dance Ontario Dance Weekend and SummerWorks. In 2020 Ryan co founded The Platform, a Toronto based collective focused on creation through collaboration.​
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Hanna Kiel
Choreographer
Dora winner Hanna Kiel is from Seoul, South Korea, and moved to Vancouver in 1996. She has presented her work at 12 Minutes Max, PlanB Singles and solos Festival, Dancing on the Edge Festival and Pulse at the Scotiabank Dance Centre in Vancouver. In 2007, she collaborated with Yoko Ono as a dancer and choreographer at the Centre A. Moving to Toronto in 2008, Hanna has continued choreographing for: Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, Conteur Dance Academy, George Brown Dance, Toronto Metropolitan University, School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Kenny Pearl’s Emerging Artist Intensive, IGNITE, ProArteDanza, Ballet Jörgen, Alias Dance Project, The National Ballet of Canada, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, Toronto Dance Theatre, Kaeja d'Dance, Dusk Dances and Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in Calgary. She also collaborated with Tarragon Theatre on their 23/24 production ‘Cockroach’ and is currently working with Silk BathCollective as a choreographer. In 2012 she won Northwest Dance Project’s ‘Pretty Creatives’ international choreographic competition and she was an E-choreographer in 2015 for Springboard Danse Montreal. Hanna is a founder and artistic director of Human Body Expression and a resident choreographer at Canada’s Ballet Jorgen
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Zachary Cardwell
Choreographer
Zachary Cardwell is a Toronto-born dancer, choreographer, and educator recognized for his open creative process, respect for individual voices, and commitment to artistic excellence. Zachary has been working with CCDT since 2021 as a guest teacher, leading company class, and teaching modern in SunDance 2024.
Zachary began dancing at age 11 and later trained at Etobicoke School of the Arts and Canada’s National Ballet School’s Young Dancer’s Program. A graduate of Arts Umbrella’s Post-Secondary Dance Program and former member of the Arts Umbrella Dance Company, Zachary has worked with internationally recognized choreographers including Crystal Pite, Azure Barton, James Kudelka, and Lesley Telford. He was a company member with Toronto Dance Theatre under Artistic Director Christopher House and is now a sought after freelance dancer and choreographer performing works across Canada, Mexico, Holland, and Italy.
Zachary is part of the artistic faculty at Canada’s National Ballet School, teaching in the Professional, Recreational, Adult, Community and Adaptive Dance programmes. He has guest-taught at the University of Toronto, Arts Umbrella, the Down Syndrome Association of Toronto, Nia Centre For The Arts, and Assemblée Internationale.
He is thrilled to be presenting Between These Waves, for ATPs in the
2025/26 season!
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Photo by Natasha Gerschon​​
Guest Performers: Kin Nguien and AJ Velasco
KINAJ
Choreographers Kin Nguien and AJ Velasco are the creative force behind KINAJ, a cross-genre movement practice founded in 2020. Together, they redefine storytelling through dance by blending street styles with contemporary movement, improvisation, and partnering. Their shared choreographic voice pushes artistic boundaries while staying grounded in intention, emotion, and connection. As they continue evolving their artistic practice, Kin and AJ are also developing SYNC&FLOW, a community-focused initiative offering emerging dancers opportunities for growth, training, and creative exploration.
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Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre presents
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Wintermission
2025/2026 Season
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CCDT and the School of CCDT Founders & Directors
Deborah Lundmark & Michael deConinck Smith
Company Rehearsal Directors
Ryan Lee & Dana MacDonald
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Director, Accelerated Training Program
Helen Cox​
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Accelerated Training Program Dancers
Avielle Cole-Kim, Petra de Villiers, Adele Hawke, B Lee, Kate Lee, Maya Greenwood, Serena McGinley, Violet Harris, Alexis Perritt, Eve Pittendreigh, Inaaya Rajani Kiffer, Annabeth Seedhouse, Madeleine Borg, Freya Sibley, Aisling Helmer​
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Company Performers
Leia Buan, Steven Johnson, Juliette Lee, Shaina Momeni, Tristyn Murray, Kyra Simm-Smith, Eva Teece-Soter, Naomi Tyson, Ayla Vandenberg, Mia Vogel-Alexiou, Alice Whyte-Lewis, Jamarie William, Cailyn Yam
Understudies: Nayanne Rayner, Maxine Robert
Accelerated Training Program Accompanist
Jake Oelrichs
Manager, School of CCDT
Kathryn Fallowfield
Director, Marketing & Outreach
Shikha Chowhan
Thank you
Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre is profoundly grateful for the generous support from the friends and family of our aspiring artists. It is thanks to donations from people like you that we are able to foster artistic growth within these young dancers, both in the studio and live onstage.
Thank you to our CCDT Board of Directors
Philip Aikin, Chairperson
Paula Prociuk Blacklock, Vice Chairperson
Kenny Pearl, Board Member
Many thanks to our Silent Auction contributers



Kendra Epik Photography
​Britta deConinck Smith
The Epicure Shop

and a special thank you to our individual contributors
Zahra Karimi
Lisa Mendelson
Sonya Teece
Julia Hamilton & Thomas Tyson
Erin & Jason Vandenberg
Nancy William
Jessie Yam
Kaija Vogel & Vassilios Alexiou
Sharon Whyte & Andrew Lewis
Angela Cole-Kim & Alex Kim
Valerie Hawke
Andy Soter
Tara Norton & Bruce Greenwood
Susanna Chwang & Kevin Harris
Brian Hawke
Anna Manuel
Ying Xu & Leo Li
Emilie & Jim McGinley
Tae Hee Kim & James Perritt
Farah Ali & Cale Pittendreigh
Jennifer Rayner
Anne-Sophie Ramette & Thomas Robert
Karen & Jeffrey Seedhouse
Naakai Garnette & Tai Simm-Smith
Linda Van Den Brink & Etienne De Villiers
Blessyl & Ryan Buan
Lauren Dade & Jacques Lee
Rubina Khan
Farheen Mahmood & Safdar Abidi
Caitlin Stidwill & Steven Borg
Stephanie Violin & Tim Sibley
Zahra Rajani
Maggie O'Connor & Tanner Helmer
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