Moonhorse Dance Theatre

✨EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT✨

We are thrilled to announce Nicola Pantin as this years CPP Choreographer!

Spots have all filled for this years piece BUT if you are kicking yourself for not signing up earlier, all hope is not lost...

Visit the 🔗 https://tr.ee/Xkdp6dT8cw
and JOIN OUR WAITLIST!

GET TO KNOW NICOLA

NICOLA PANTIN is a native of Waterloo, Ontario. She is an award winning independent choreographer, dancer and instructor, based in Toronto.

She has worked with numerous choreographers and companies including Corpus, Jenn Goodwin, Robert Desrosiers, Hanna Kiel, PBJ Dance, Bill T. Jones, Gabby Kamino, Siona Jackson, Neesa Kenemy, Mitch Kirsch, Sharon Wong.

Nicola currently sits on the board for Expect Theatre and the Advisory Board for Moonhorse Theatre. Nicola is also co artistic director, with husband Adam Nashman, for 3degrees; as well as a member of the faculty at George Brown Dance, Pegasus Studios and Creative Children’s Dance Centre.

We are excited to create with you, Nicola!

Join the creation of a new piece by choreographer Nicola Pantin and perform in our 2024 production of Older & Reckless!

Join us from October 10th - November 9th!
For all dates and details visit the registration 🔗 below.

https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/7a8f9599-2e6f-48fc-9761-8a528cba2516

Take it from Alice... OR come see for yourself!

Tomorrow we are back in the studio with Bee Pallomina and THERE IS STILL TIME TO SIGN UP!

REGISTRATION 🔗
https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/1e8100df-a18a-4263-b20f-675bbf22fe90

🚨PLEASE NOTE - Tomorrows class (May 29th) is at a different location! Join us at Toronto Dance Theatre, 80 Wi******er Street, (IN STUDIO A) from 2-4PM.

We look forward to moving with you!

STAY IN THE LOOP!

Sign up for our newsletter today: https://moonhorsedance.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=f32d834e1825a5c8ff44c4f06&id=56277073b6

We feature not only what Moonhorse is up to but also what our friends in the Toronto Dance community have going on!

Each month we update you on
✅ Company updates
✅What’s coming up on stage
✅Class announcements
✅CHECK IT OUT: Community Events & special offers!

🌻 THIS WEEK - Dancing Into Summer!

We are very excited to welcome you back into the studio under the guidance of 4 awesome instructors, including our Dance Encounters Coordinator, Michelle Silagy (June 12)!

🌻Dancing Into Summer
📍 In-Person @ Eastminster United Church
‼️PLEASE NOTE - May 29th will take place at Toronto Dance Theatre (Wi******er St. Theatre) Studio A
🗓 MAY 8, 15, 22, 29 & JUNE 5, 12
⏰2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
💸 $115 full session, $20 drop in

REGISTER TODAY!
🔗 https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/1e8100df-a18a-4263-b20f-675bbf22fe90

Dance Encounters facilitators are all celebrated lifelong Dance artists!

✨ GET TO KNOW OUR INSTRUCTORS ✨
Contemporary dance artist Michelle maintains a dynamic relationship between her arts practice and her teaching practice of 35 years.

Silagy is a International facilitator and trainer. She has mentored teachers and artists throughout Ontario and Canada and in London, England. Silagy originated WE Dance, adult inclusion classes, in partnership with the school of Toronto Dance Theatre and Canada's National Ballet School. She is an Inclusion Facilitator for Andrea Nann’sDreamwalker Dance Company.

Her choreography has been presented in Amsterdam, above The Arctic Circle, New York, Ontario, and Toronto and she is currently developing The Reverie Duets, a multi-diverse dance funded by TAC and OAC.

🌻 NEXT WEEK - Dancing Into Summer!

We are very excited to welcome you back into the studio under the guidance of 4 awesome instructors, including Bonnie Kim (June 5)!

🌻Dancing Into Summer
📍 In-Person United Church
‼️PLEASE NOTE - May 29th will take place at Toronto Dance Theatre (Wi******er St. Theatre) Studio A
🗓 MAY 8, 15, 22, 29 & JUNE 5, 12
⏰2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
💸 $115 full session, $20 drop in

REGISTER TODAY!
🔗 https://www.zeffy.com/.../1e8100df-a18a-4263-b20f...

Dance Encounters facilitators are all celebrated lifelong Dance artists!

✨ GET TO KNOW OUR INSTRUCTORS ✨

For more than 35 years as a dance artist, Bonnie has managed to do the impossible: remain a dance fan. Although the constant hustle of securing gigs in an under-appreciated industry has almost made her retire/quit 100 times, she has built a, sometimes, thriving portfolio career that includes teaching, performing, mentoring choreographing, writing, and outside eye-ing.

Outside of teaching for Toronto Metropolitan University her accolades include being named one of Toronto’s top five dancers by Eye Weekly and rehearsal directing hundreds of people in Sylvain Émard’s Le Grand Continental!

We look forward to moving together!

🌻 TWO WEEKS until Dancing Into Summer!

We are very excited to welcome you back into the studio under the guidance of 4 awesome instructors, including Bee Pallomina (May 22, 29)!

Dancing Into Summer
📍 In-Person United Church
‼️PLEASE NOTE - May 29th will take place at Toronto Dance Theatre (Wi******er St. Theatre) Studio A
🗓 MAY 8, 15, 22, 29 & JUNE 5, 12
⏰2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
💸 $115 full session, $20 drop in

REGISTER TODAY!
🔗 https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/1e8100df-a18a-4263-b20f-675bbf22fe90

Dance Encounters facilitators are all celebrated lifelong Dance artists!

✨ GET TO KNOW OUR INSTRUCTORS ✨
Bee Pallomina (she/they) is a dance artist making and performing work for stage, installation, film/video and puppets. She is currently involved with creative projects with Germaine Liu, Public Recordings and Mabelle Arts. Their practice includes movement, care, and the everyday. She is an artist, educator, and mom. Bee holds an MFA from York University and is currently studying Expressive Arts Therapy.

Come connect to self and community through movement!

✌️WEEKS until we dance into summer!

We are very excited to invite you to our next session of Dance Encounters Classes facilitated by these awesome humans and movers!

Nova Bhattacharya, Nova Dance(May 8, 15)
Bee Pallomina (May 22, 29)
Bonnie Kim (June 5)
Michelle Silagy(June 12)

REGISTRATION 🔗
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/1e8100df-a18a-4263-b20f-675bbf22fe90

🌻 IN-PERSON - WEDNESDAYS
⏰2pm - 4pm EST
🗓️MAY 8, 15, 22, 29; JUNE 5, 12
📍Eastminster United Church Gymnasium
‼️PLEASE NOTE - May 29th will take place at Toronto Dance Theatre (Wi******er St. Theatre) Studio A

We look forward to moving with you!

🌻 Dancing Into Summer starts in 3 weeks!
We are very excited to welcome you back into the studio under the guidance of 4 awesome instructors, including Nova Bhattacharya (May 8, 15)!

Dancing Into Summer
📍 In-Person United Church
🗓 MAY 8, 15, 22, 29 & JUNE 5, 12
⏰2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
💸 $115 full session, $20 drop in

REGISTER 🔗 IN BIO

Dance Encounters facilitators are all celebrated lifelong Dance artists!

✨ GET TO KNOW OUR INSTRUCTORS ✨

Nova Bhattacharya is an award-winning, barrier-breaking, artist and cultural leader. She’s always been a rebel reinterpreting traditions and reinventing rituals. In 2008, she founded Nova Dance, embracing the principle that building for the margins ensures inclusion for everyone. The Company offers a space for vital conversations through movement, serving community with kindness, compassion, and generosity. Nova believes that dance expresses the essence of our humanity.

Amidst all this instability, now is the time to support each other!

We, at Moonhorse Dance Theatre, along with Arts practitioners throughout Canada, have been listening and observing as many changes occur in our industry and how the loss of so much foundation is affecting the health of professional artists spiritually, mentally, physically, and practically.

From the AGO going on strike, to turmoil at Hot Docs; the loss of dozens of rehearsal and performance spaces, and announcements of Government funding cuts amidst overwhelmingly large numbers of Arts Councils applications for funding; the list of discombobulated theatres, dance companies, galleries, and organizations reaches across the country.

MDT is dedicated to the support of lifelong dance artists: those who have spent their entire lives through thick and thin, mastering their craft, taking risks creatively and financially, repeatedly waiting for months for their project grant approval to know if they are working or not. Yet year after year they persevere. Amidst all this instability, now is the time to support each other and the arts communities we so love.

How can you help ⁉️

✨Learn about grant dissemination processes of the arts councils by visiting their websites and contact them with concerns. Linked below is a recent letter from the Director/CEO of the Canada Council of the Arts addressed to the Canadian Arts Community. It gives you an idea of where we are at…
https://canadacouncil.ca/spotlight/2024/02/supporting-the-arts-community?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CEO-Letter---Feb-2024-(EN)&utm_source=Envoke-0---General-List-(EN)&utm_term=Supporting-the-Arts-Community%3A-A-Letter-to-the-Community-fro&eid=b6740aab4700e9ad05c17534e56526be&fbclid=IwAR1YOtSJYXCD9E66hyNCFq1_ftcm4c3nb6jYQzNgUE5aZ6QZdH5j2Q97RS4_aem_ASNTCGLQ-ZCQPOO6YLF3B1do_GeAPvNnklaZKD4RDU4fHqoqcxSDSMHgHCZrV1TrIjLir4SHukRFIFpIWlyg0PGk

✨Listen carefully to policy makers as they speak about cultural and arts issues.

✨Talk to your friends, families, and colleagues about the importance of arts programming in our cities and towns.

✨Support by donation to Arts organizations that you wish to see grow.

✨And most importantly, go see a show! Bring a friend!

We are rich in culture.

One more chance to see this exquisite, tender offering by lifelong dance artists Sarah Chase and Marc Boivin.

Beautiful, powerful and thoughtful work. Don't miss it!

In Conversation with Marc Boivin The door opened west Choreographed by Sarah Chase and performed by Marc Boivin April 10, 11, 2024 How long have you been developing this work? The work began in 2015. There was never any rush to finish it. Creating it implied having the time to go through the choreographer’s process which includes...

🌻DANCING INTO SUMMER

We are excited to invite you to our next session of Dance Encounters classes!

✨ 🔗 REGISTER - https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/1e8100df-a18a-4263-b20f-675bbf22fe90

🌻These classes foster a “come as you are” exchange between all dance levels of participants.

🌻We invite any person 45+, encouraging folks both professional and non-professional to join us, in-person, on Wednesdays.

🌻Each class is designed to welcome mature moving bodies in an exploratory, inspiring environment.

This session you have the opportunity to move with
😍 Nova Bhattacharya (May 8, 15)
😍 Bee Pallomina (May 22, 29)
😍 Bonnie Kim (June 5)
😍 Michelle Silagy (June 12)

We look forward to moving with you!

Help us give these awesome humans a warm welcome!

We are thrilled to welcome Dancer, Choreographer, Actor, Administrator, Educator, Advocate and all round pro, SUSIE BURPEE; and former ED of the Dancer Transition Resource Centre, AMANDA HANCOX, to our Board of Directors.

SUSIE sat on our advisory to offer advice and listen to ideas for our Founder Claudia Moore and is now making a deeper commitment to MDT.

AMANDA, a true artist in her own right, has dedicated her career to managing artists in transition, and championing lifelong artists in all their chapters! She is a perfect addition to the MDT board.

Lucky us!

"Curious, clever, creative and caring, Ms Moynihan moves with dedication through the dance community, wholeheartedly serving and inspiring every artist who’s been fortunate to have her on their side. She was a devoted ally throughout all my artistic endeavours during our time together and I am deeply grateful."
- Claudia Moore, Founding Artistic Director Moonhorse Dance Theatre

It is with deep gratitude that Moonhorse Dance Theatre bids farewell to our longstanding board member and Chair, Christine Moynihan.

Christine has worked with Moonhorse Dance Theatre since the early days as an administrator, to then become a board member, and eventually step up to the position of Chair of the Board of Directors. Her investment with the company spanned over 20 years!

We at Moonhorse are sad to see her go but fully support Christine’s decision to move on and enjoy her artistic pursuits and family at this stage in her career.

We cannot thank her enough and wish her a multitude of love and success!

ONE WEEK until 🌷 Dancing Into Spring and Carol Anderson is back!
If you have yet to experience her class, you are in for a treat ➡️

Dancing Into Spring
📍 In-Person United Church
🗓 March 6, 13, 20, 27
⏰2:00pm - 4:00pm EST

REGISTER 🔗 IN BIO

The folks we onboard to facilitate Dance Encounters are nothing short of celebrated dance luminaries...

✨ GET TO KNOW OUR INSTRUCTORS ✨

Carol Anderson is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, writer, movement educator and director. Since starting her professional performing career in 1970 with pioneer Judy Jarvis, she has danced, taught and choreographed in professional, educational and community settings across Canada.

A founding member of Dancemakers, she worked with the Toronto company from 1974-89 as a dancer, choreographer and in artistic leadership roles.

Carol was on the dance faculty at York University from 2002-2016.

Since the late 1980s she has chronicled Canadian dance in books, articles, notes and online resources, and since 2012 has offered Embodied Writing movement/writing workshops with Terrill Maguire.

A licensed Pilates MatWork instructor and Level 1 Instructor of GYROKINESIS®, she now focuses on promoting mindful motion with senior movers.

Carol continues to perform and choreograph dance for stage and non-traditional venues, and in 2021 was a founding creative leader of Flight: Prince Edward County’s Festival of Contemporary Dance.

✨ We can't wait to move with YOU✨

Did you catch BEAR?

Happy Saturday everyone! Here are some weekend reflections from our AD Allison on her recent solo show BEAR, presented at Citadel + Compagnie !

“To be honest, as soon as they opened the house on opening night, I was reminded as to why I had stopped performing. It’s terrifying! However, there’s something about creating and performing at this age that is truly liberating. My collaborators and I don’t have the energy to w**d through any inauthenticity, so what ends up on the stage is pretty raw and true.

During the run, I was struck with how many audience members related and appreciated the ‘this is me, this is now’ approach to the piece. Even though before I got onstage I felt truly self-conscious of what I was about to share, once I began, the whole experience became empowering.

The focus that Moonhorse Dance Theatre has on lifelong dance artists over the age of 45 is so important. Having a lifetime of experiences to draw from while creating makes the work of my peers and seniors nuanced, rich and textured.”
~ Allison Cummings, Sore for Punching You

Photo credit: Omer Yukseker

🌷 Dancing Into Spring starts in ✌️ weeks!
We are very excited to welcome Darryl C. Tracy into the studio and for YOU to experience his awesome classes on March 6th and 13th.

Dancing Into Spring
📍 In-Person United Church
🗓 March 6, 13, 20, 27
⏰2:00pm - 4:00pm EST
💸 $75 full session, $20 drop in

REGISTER TODAY
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/ecdfa13b-761c-40df-b136-56a327abb023

Dance Encounters facilitators are all celebrated lifelong Dance artists!

✨ GET TO KNOW OUR INSTRUCTORS ✨

Darryl is a Toronto based artist who loves the human body. He is involved in dance, choreography, movement facilitation and teaching.

He has performed with many Canadian and European choreographers over the last 25 years and has also created 42 works through commissions and self-productions!

🌷 DANCING INTO SPRING 🌷

We are excited to invite you to our next session of Dance Encounters classes!

✨REGISTER TODAY✨
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/ecdfa13b-761c-40df-b136-56a327abb023

These classes foster a “come as you are” exchange between all dance levels of participants.

🌷We invite any person 45+, encouraging folks both professional and non-professional to join us, in-person, on Wednesdays.

🌷Each class is designed to welcome mature moving bodies in an exploratory, inspiring environment.

* Please note that there are no online classes this session *

🌷This session you have the opportunity to move with Darryl Tracy (6th, 13th)
& Carol Anderson (20th, 27th) 😍

We look forward to moving with you!

As we wrap up our current Dance Encounters sessions and get ready for Dancing into Spring (Starting March 6th!) we want to take a moment to celebrate our Dance Encounters Coordinator Michelle Silagy .

We couldn’t have such a wonderful program if it wasn’t for her hard work and dedication!

Let us tell you a bit about her! And if you haven’t yet, come meet her at our In-person classes in March.

As a contemporary dance artist Michelle maintains a dynamic relationship between her arts practice and her teaching practice of 34 years.

She is a busy bee! When she's not coordinating Moonhorse Dance Encounters Classes she is...

✨Getting ready for a Dreamwalker Dance Company
Winter Gathering "Leap with Us" on Feb 29 at The Theatre Centre

✨Working with Wild Soma as their Movement Inclusion Advisor

✨In the studio working with the 2nd year professional training dancers attending the Dance Arts Institute

✨Part of a team of 10 international artists from around the world working with Alito Alessi and his legacy of sharing DanceAbility International Training

✨Enjoying taking in the bounty of creativity and dance in Toronto, enjoying walking throughout the city, catching light at all times of the day settling on: buildings, bunnies and her partner!

Learn more about this wonderful human and her wide range of arts experience on our website!

IN-PERSON CLASSES START NEXT WEEK (Jan 24th)!

We are very excited to invite you to our next session of Dance Encounters Classes - Dancing Into The New Year.

REGISTRATION 🔗
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/f3166537-76f7-440e-802c-07b6beb43e7a

💫 IN-PERSON - WEDNESDAYS, 2pm - 4pm EST
January 24, January 31, February 7, February 14

Each class is designed to welcome mature moving bodies in an exploratory, inspiring environment.

Today we are excited to feature our IN-PERSON INSTRUCTORS:

Julia's classes share in a range of experience- spiralling motion, the teachings of the trees, embodied connections, and the beauty of our blue planet as it spins on through the vast universe. And maybe with some sparkly disco magic mixed in. Part choreographed and part improvised, Julia shares guided frameworks to explore our humanity through movement expression.

Charmaine Headley's class "Be Moved ..." is created to inspire and engage diverse physicalities to experience and explore their creativity safely whether seated or standing. It is designed to strengthen the body; develop flexibility and touch the soul while developing self-confidence and self-love.

MDT has some exciting new staff introductions as we begin the year, and we hope you get a chance to get acquainted with these fine folks soon.

Introducing Heidi McDonald (Left)
– MDT Administrative manager

Heidi loves to brighten a person’s day, whether that’s with a chat, a cup of tea, or by checking things off a to-do list. Her favourite work environment involves surrounding herself with creative people while managing their administrative needs, and she is thrilled to now be doing this for Moonhorse Dance Theatre!

Introducing Orin T. McRey (Right)
– Marketing/Communications and Media Manager

Orin channels her passion for communication and story telling through her multifaceted career as an interdisciplinary performer, movement facilitator, host, and Social Media/Communications Manager. She revels in facilitating experiences that foster empowerment and play while nurturing connections to both community and the Earth.

We are over the moon to congratulate Patricia Fraser and Susan Macpherson upon receiving the Order of Canada!

Pat Fraser - For her lasting contributions to Canadian contemporary dance as an artist, dancer, educator and artistic director.

Susan MacPherson - For her lifetime devotion to dance as an artist, educator, director, researcher and mentor.

We, at MDT along with the wider dance community, were so happy to hear the news that both Patricia Fraser and Susan MacPherson both received the 2023 Order of Canada. Both these women have made an everlasting impact on the contemporary dance ecology in Canada. What an achievement and well-deserved recognition!

ONLINE CLASSES START NEXT WEEK (Jan 9th)!

We are very excited to invite you to our next session of Dance Encounters Classes - Dancing Into The New Year.

💫 ONLINE - TUESDAYS, 11am - 12pm EST
January 9, January 16, January 23, January 30, February 6, February 13

💫 IN-PERSON - WEDNESDAYS, 2pm - 4pm EST
January 24, January 31, February 7, February 14

REGISTRATION 🔗 - https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/f3166537-76f7-440e-802c-07b6beb43e7a

Each class is designed to welcome mature moving bodies in an exploratory, inspiring environment.

Today we are excited to feature our ONLINE INSTRUCTORS:

Carol Anderson's classes open energy pathways, and support maintaining range of motion and functional strength. Move with fluidity and the joy of integrating breath, intention, and movement. Move mindfully, with creative curiosity, and understanding.

Penny Couchie's classes are aimed at exploring and investigating the relationship between place, land and our own landscapes. We will engage in creating small dances inspired by big questions. What are we moved by? How do we celebrate the multidimensionality of who we are and the multitude of ways we express ourselves?

Charmaine Headley's class "Be Moved ..." is created to inspire and engage diverse physicalities to experience and explore their creativity safely whether seated or standing. It is designed to strengthen the body; develop flexibility and touch the soul while developing self-confidence and self-love.

Come dance with us into the New Year!

We are excited to launch our next session of Dance Encounters classes!

These classes foster a “come as you are” exchange between all dance levels of participants. We invite any person 45+, encouraging folks both professional and non-professional, to join us...

💫 ONLINE - TUESDAYS, 11am - 12pm EST
January 9, January 16, January 23, January 30, February 6, February 13

💫 IN-PERSON - WEDNESDAYS, 2pm - 4pm EST
January 24, January 31, February 7, February 14

Each class is designed to welcome mature moving bodies in an exploratory, inspiring environment.

We hope to see you there! ​

More info + REGISTRATION 🔗 - https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/f3166537-76f7-440e-802c-07b6beb43e7a

What a year we’ve had here at Moonhorse Dance Theatre.

A transitional year full of learning curves, growth, bumps, and triumphs, and with a pretty decent vibe all round.

We hosted two mentoring partnerships!
Sashar Zarif with Kathia Wittenborn
Julia Sasso with Tracey Norman

Older & Reckless was such a blast!
The stage was graced by the presence of Hanna Kiel with Allen and Karen Kaeja, Joel Valantín- Martínez with Kevin Ormsby, Takako Segawa with Heidi Chan, the amazing Denise Clarke, and 16 enthusiastic community participants!

Our Dance Encounters classes have grown exponentially, attracting a loyal group of both non-professional and professional dance artists 45+.

Exciting introductions to come in the New Year!
(teaser announcement 😉 - https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/f3166537-76f7-440e-802c-07b6beb43e7a )

In the mean time, we wish you a wonderful holiday filled with rest… and food and all the good things.

Happy Holidays from the Moonhorse team!
See you in 2024