I would like to thank Anne Valois, Head of Dance at the Canada Council for the Arts for this opportunity to research and learn more about, as well as contribute to an area of work within, the Canadian dance sector that I believe so passionately in. I am grateful also to her colleagues at the Canada Council, including Julie Poskitt, Monique Léger, Louise Gagné, Jerry Longboat, and Lisa Roberts for their suggestions and assistance in leading me to artists and projects that I might have otherwise missed. I would also like to thank Rochelle Hum who skilfully guided me through the complexities involved in publishing this collection of stories. My deep appreciation goes to those artists, participants, programmers and organizers involved in the many dance animation and community-based projects I encountered during my research. I was always welcome to observe and, in some cases, to participate in the activities. Their generosity in sharing these personal stories was heartening. I would also like to acknowledge other stories not included in this collection. I trust that the Web site will be a forum for more of these stories to be shared. I will reserve my most sincere gratitude for Deborah Meyers, who acted as my mentor and editor on this project. Deborah's succinct and insightful comments were instrumental in helping me to tease out the essential elements of the stories. Her unwavering support and confidence in my ability to meet this challenge helped me throughout the process. There are others I would like to acknowledge for their contribution to this project. My thanks are extended to Amy Bowring and the Society for Canadian Dance Studies for recognizing the value of this research and providing a context for its dissemination through the Society's conference and Web site. Michael Ripley's expertise and patience as the designer of the Dancing Our Stories Web pages are very much appreciated. I would like to thank Fran Brafman and Imogen C. Whyte for their speedy and accurate transcriptions of the interviews. Their strong interest in the project was also a source of encouragement. I am also truly indebted to Anne Russo's longtime support of my work in Victoria and her continued encouragement. Dr. Joanna Ashworth at Simon Fraser University's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue and Mirna Zagar at The Dance Centre in Vancouver were very generous with their helpful advice during my initial research. I would like to acknowledge my subjective viewpoint and declare my own interests as a researcher. My experiences of observing community dance and animation projects as a dance officer with the Arts Council of England confirmed for me the inherent rewards and value of dance animation as an integral part of the dance ecology. As a consultant in community dance practice and Director of the Community Outreach Program for the Victoria Dance Series, I am a strong advocate for this work as well as a practitioner in the field. TOP of PAGE Photo Credits Home <doshome.html>, Lata Pada Narrative <latapada.html>, Sue Lambropolous Narrative <slambropolous.html>, Bill James <billjames.html>, Terrill Maguire Narrative <terrillmaguire.html>, Elizabeth Kidd Narrative <elizabethkidd.html>
National Ballet of Canada workshop. Photo: David Hou. What's New <whatsnew.html>, Observations and Recommendations <observe.html>, Resources <resources.html>
David Cox, FIRE... where there's smoke, Judith Marcuse Projects. Photo: David Cooper. Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg Narrative <tcfriedenberg.html>, Dancing Our Stories - Forum <forum.html>
Class given by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, Move It! program, Joe Ink Performance Society. Photo: Yun Lam Li. Zab Maboungou Narrative<zmaboungou.html>, Karen Narrative <kjamieson.html>, Allen and Karen Kaeja Interview Narrative <aandkkaeja.html>, Saille Abbott Narrative <sailleabbott.html>, Alia G. Narrative <aliag.html>
Class given by Zab Maboungou (in the foreground), Studio Danse Nyata Nyata. Photo: Thiery Arnold. Dena Davida Narrative <denadavida.html>
Ève Lalonde and Ivana Milicevic, in Jeux de fous, by Paul-André Fortier, Fortier Danse-Création, choreography and photo by Michael Slobodian. Joe Laughlin Narrative <jlaughlin.html>, Darien Thira Narrative <darienthira.html>, Helen Walkley Narrative <helenwalkley.html>, Candice Larscheid Narrative <clarscheid.html>
Class given by M'Bemba Bangoura, youth arts program, dance Immersion. Ray Goodfriend <rgoodfriend.html>, Goals and Themes of Dance Animation <goalsthemes.html>, Acknowledgements <aknow.html>, Conclusion <conclusion.html>
Ray Goodfriend, I Am Here, a residency project, with artists in residence Kathryn Ricketts and Laurel Murphy, Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre. Photo: Laurel Murphy. Judith Marcuse Narrative <jmarcuse.html>
David Cox, FIRE... where there's smoke, Judith Marcuse Projects. Photo: David Cooper. Kathryn Ricketts Narrative <kricketts.html>
Ricketts Dance Co. Photo: Jens Hemmel Anne Flynn Narrative <anneflynn.html>
From Dance Montage '04. Choreography by Roxana Menzies Paul André Fortier Narrative <pafortier.html>
From Jeux de fous, by Paul-André Fortier, Fortier Danse-Création, choreography and photo by Michael Slobodian. Vivine Scarlett Narrative <vivinescarlett.html>
Rukus dance group, performing Rukus. Photo: David Hou Sharon Vanderlinde Narrative <svanderlinde.html>
Second Soloist Je-an Salas conducts a Get to Know Each Other Movement Workshop with Kids Corps members. Photo: Sharon Vanderlinde
Photo Courtesy of The National Ballet of Canada TOP of PAGE | 
