National Presenter Conference (October 3-8, 2016)
In 2016, along with industry stakeholders, NDW played a key role producing a National Conference on Indigenuous Dance in Canada along with an Atlantic Dance Showcase. The conference marked the fourth year in a five-year pilot partnership with the Alliance of Canadian Dance Networks. The pilot was supported by Canada Council for the Arts’ Audience and Market Development Program and saw over 45 dance presenters from across the country converge on St. John’s for three days of discussions and workshops aimed at elevating the understanding of, and capacity for, indigenous dance presentation in Canada.
Margaret Grenier, Artistic Director for Dancers of Damelahamid, was the conference's keynote speaker and Stan Hill, former Chair of ArtsNL, moderated a series of discussions with indigenous artists, including Grenier, Lara Kramer, Saraine Carson Fox, and seasoned prairie presenter Robin Poitras.
The National Presenter Conference and Atlantic Dance Showcase was supported by The Atlantic Presenters Association, The CanDance Network, Made in BC: Dance on Tour, Ontario Dances, and La Danse sur les routes du Québec and was funded by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Canadian Heritage, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Business Tourism Culture and Rural Development and the City of St. John’s.
Atlantic Dance Showcase (October 3-8, 2016)
The Atlantic Dance Showcase offered a series of performances from some of Atlantic Canada’s most celebrated and innovative dance artists. Artists from the Atlantic Canada region had an opportunity to present market-ready works to the conference participants and the public, which provided conference participants an overview of dance within the region.