Festival of New Dance is our yearly dance festival presenting compelling and provocative contemporary works by dance and interdisciplinary artists from across Canada and abroad, reflecting the diversity of our local, regional and national communities. Our mission is to curate a program that challenges and inspires our community to think deeply about the performance experience, to stimulate conversations between artists and audiences that nurture a wider understanding of artistic aesthetics as well as social and cultural points of view. All taking place in St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador.
As part of the NDW’s shift from choreography to dance presentation, the Festival of New Dance was first held in 1990 under the direction of Ann Anderson, then subsequently under Lois Brown and then Anne Troake. In 2002, after a 1-year hiatus, NDW was re-established as a division of Resource Centre for the Arts and through the combined efforts of Roberta Thomas and Sarah Joy Stoker, as well other key community members (i.e. Louise Moyes, Alison Carter and Lisa Porter). It was at this time NDW experienced a critical resurgence.
Through increased funding from all levels of government NDW has established itself as a respected Atlantic Canadian specialized dance presenter who has had a significant impact, not only on the cultural scene of our province, but on the region and national dance ecology. In 2008, Calla Lachance assumed the role of Executive Director and in 2017 she became NDW’s Artistic Director.
Over time, NDW has presented close to 140 Canadian dance artists through the Festival of New Dance, enabling audiences here can catch a glimpse of the stories dance is telling elsewhere. We have nurtured the development of numerous original works by local artists and we ensure local artists are not left out of essential conversations that shape the discipline.
