LISA DAVIES APPOINTED ARTISTIC AND PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE ÉCOLE DE DANSE CONTEMPORAINE DE MONTRÉAL
Montreal, March 9, 2023 – The École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (EDCM) has appointed Lisa Davies as its new Artistic and Program Director. Founder and director of Danse à la Carte, which supports local dance communities through research, creation, development, and networking, as well as TransFormation, its intensive contemporary dance internship program, the former Les Grands Ballets canadiens de Montréal dancer will succeed Lucie Boissinot, who will leave the school in June 2023 after 18 years at its helm. The school had announced her departure in April 2022, while an international call for candidates was issued last fall. “We are delighted to welcome Lisa Davies as Artistic and Program Director of the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal. Ms. Davies is joining a contemporary dance training program of the highest caliber. With her appointment, the school is sure to maintain its role as a leader in contemporary dance training in Quebec, Canada, and internationally.” – Sophie Emond, Chair of the EDCM Board of Directors “The appointment of Lisa Davies is an important step for EDCM. Lisa enters the position with a strong track record in the dance community both as a performer and as a trainer. I am confident that she will continue to passionately build upon Lucie Boissinot’s important legacy of student development and success.” – Yves Rocray, Executive Director of EDCM A Legacy Turned Towards the Future Over the past few years, EDCM has made significant strides in positioning itself as one of the leading training centers for contemporary dance performance, to better meet the wide range of skills required for choreographic creation today. The result is a consolidated training program, the recruitment of students beyond its borders, collaborations, and events created in partnership with several national and international artistic institutions, as well as all the graduates who make Quebec shine. Continuing the School’s mandate and maintaining its values of student development are at the heart of Lisa Davies’ ambitions. Her wish is to take the program even further, by giving young dancers the benefit of the contacts she has been able to make throughout her career and by focusing on the development of a versatile performance skill set. “I am very happy to begin this new professional chapter. After several years as a guest teacher with companies here and abroad, I feel the need to be involved with students over the long run. One of my priorities will be to prepare students for the careers that await them, to foster their employment opportunities, and to develop the artist within each of them.” – Lisa Davies A Personality Rooted in the Quebec and International Dance Scene With over 30 years of experience in the dance industry, Lisa Davies has been a guest teacher for numerous national and international companies, and has held many other roles within the dance ecosystem, notably as a rehearsal director, ballet mistress, and guest teacher for renowned international institutions such as RUBBERBANDance Group, The Akram Khan Company, Wayne McGregor Random Dance Company, BJM danse, Czech National Ballet, Ballet Charlotte, Ballet Zurich, Ballet BC, Stuttgart Ballet. She is currently the Executive and Artistic Director of Danse à la Carte, an organization she founded that offers training for dance professionals. Known for its diversity of styles, its classes and workshops attract many artists from here and abroad, as well as high-caliber choreographers. About the École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal Specializing in the training of contemporary dance performers, the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (EDCM) has established itself as a center of excellence for the performing arts in Canada. Recognized for its avant-garde and rigorous teaching, the EDCM is a fertile ground for artistic research and development as well as the emergence of new trends. Since its founding in 1981, it has trained more than 450 professional dancers who have distinguished themselves on the national and international stages. Affiliated with the Cégep du Vieux Montréal, EDCM is accredited by the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec and supported by Canadian Heritage. Photo : Sasha Onyshchenko |