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LAMONDANCE PROFESSIONAL CONTEMPORARY TRAINING PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Lamondance’s curriculum educates the dancers in, and provides the tools for, the following areas:

• Experimental Anatomy & Body Conditioning for Dancers

• Contemporary & Classical Dance Training & Movement Systems

• Approaches to Composition

• Choreography as Research Practice

• Interdisciplinary Exploration & Collaborative Experimentation

• Repertory & Performance

• Improvisation Frameworks & Scores

• Creation, Documentation, Archiving

• Choreographic Labs

• Movement Aesthetics/Context

• Nutrition

• Future Career Preparation

• Mental Health Awareness
  
  
  

Program Description / Lamondance Approach

Lamondance professional contemporary training program provides a broad curriculum including a solid foundation in Contemporary Dance delivered through classes and coaching, physical and intellectual instruction, and extensive performance experiences which enable the dancers to expand their technical skills and versatility.

Dancers partake in Lamondance's (LMD) professional training program for 37 hours per week. Each day begins with 2.5 hours of technique (Injury Prevention and Classical/Contemporary), taught by core faculty members.

As dance is a physical endeavour, injury prevention is key to a successful career. Dancers begin each day at LMD with a 50 minute class focusing on injury prevention. These classes improve technique and performance by strengthening the body’s core (abdominal and back muscles) while improving coordination, breathing, balance, alignment, and optimizing flexibility. The goal is to teach the dancers exercises that prepare their bodies for the day ahead and provide invaluable conditioning tools they may implement when working solo. Injury prevention classes combine education of anatomical structures, Pilates, Yoga, stretching, and floor work in various ways to help with flexibility, strength, stamina, and coordination.

Following injury prevention classes are technique classes of either a classical or contemporary foundation, depending on the day. Classical ballet classes aim to explore Ballet as a Contemporary movement practice, bridging the space between tradition and potential. Approached through an anatomical lens, students are encouraged to discover their individual perspectives on effectiveness. This class offers space for relevant and positive discourse around a potentially powerful form. Contemporary classes are highly technical, movement-based classes investigating the line of human movement and how it can affect the broader strokes of our dancing. In these classes, elements of several dance genres, where dancers strive to connect the mind and the body through fluid dance movements, are combined.

Partner work is a strong part of the curriculum and is developed through contemporary and contact improvisation classes. These classes offer different approaches and techniques that help develop the non-verbal lead-follow connection necessary between partners. Learned approaches and techniques are practised in real time during creations/rehearsal periods

Acting is also an important tool for dancers. The dancers are guided in a series of different acting techniques that serve to elevate their dancing.

The core of the syllabus is the Creation Process, Repertoire, and Performance. The creation process is focused on the ability to take choreographic risks and facilitate the journey from conception through rehearsals to the final performance. It is directly connected with repertoire and performance, both of which investigate individual phrases created on the spot as well as phrases from the company repertoire. Students focus on quick assimilation and exploration of movement, in terms of quality and musicality, and on building exciting and challenging performances in each semester. Performances are a key component as the dancers train to develop their skills and adapt to different performing environments.

Professional Development Workshops

Each year LMD offers professional development workshops designed to prepare the students for the next step in their professional career as complimentary learning. These workshops are as follows:

Nutrition seminar: This seminar is designed to answer questions and provide suggestions with regards to dancers' food organization. It is run by a community professional in a collaborative manner – dancers are invited to discover options for choosing the right foods for their unique bodies that will ultimately aid them in the journey of becoming professionals.

Dancing with a Healthy Mindset: Mental Health can be a difficult topic for many young people, especially in the workforce/ dance community. Having tools to talk about mental health in a clear and compassionate way is a necessity for our profession. A trained professional guides these workshops/seminars in a collaborative manner, allowing the students to discover what might work well for them as movement artists. 

Craft Development, Camera + Movement Workshop: Students experience an in-depth process guiding them through the creation of a short dance film. The focus is on movement research and development, story-boarding, composition, and shooting scenes developed throughout the series of classes.

Resume building: All students attend a 2-hour lesson where cover letters, resume formats, and relevant information to be included on a resume are discussed. Dancers then have a week to prepare their resume and submit it for review. The LMD artistic staff looks over each submission and makes the appropriate suggestions and edits to improve the resume. 

Photo shoot: Each season LMD offers a professional photo shoot where dancers have the opportunity to create an image they feel represents who they are as an artist. In preparation for the photo shoot, dancers submit an outfit and pose for artistic review. The LMD artistic staff assists the student in executing their vision. Dancers can order the final images (at cost) if they desire. These photos play a key role in portfolio and audition material.Mock audition: Led by a leading professional from the local community, this audition simulates the experience of auditioning for a repertoire company. Dancers begin with a short ballet class and transition to contemporary repertoire. A short interview and feedback session from the professional follows the audition.

Feedback and Accountability

Each student receives individual bi-monthly meetings with the Artistic and Associate Directors, where goals, developments, and personal feedback from faculty members are shared. These meetings are conducted in a constructive and open minded environment free of negative judgement and are followed by constructive feedback, helping students develop their goals and perform analytical self-assessments alongside their mentors. Students also receive two artistic assessments each season, which include overall progress and evaluations from staff.

Daily Schedule

A day in the life of a Professional Training Program Dancer is designed to provide the student with appropriate technical training and exposure to LMD repertoire while simultaneously introducing them to the practice of working in a professional dance company.

• 50 minutes injury prevention (Yoga, Body conditioning, Floor work, Walk/Run) 

• 1.5 hours of Dance Technique, Monday through Friday (Ballet and Contemporary)

• 3.5 hours Repertory, Creations and/or Workshops, Monday through Friday, 10:30 am to 2:30 pm

• All students have a 30 min lunch break

• Additional rehearsals on Saturday afternoons, 3 pm to 7 pm

• Performance and choreographic workshops outside training hours, with the dance community and facilitators
  
  
  

An overview of the program in its entirety regarding the number of hours spent in each area is as follows: