Media Release - May 1, 2006
Alberta Dance Theatre for Young People to perform on International stage in The Hague, Netherlands, July 2006

Alberta Dance Theatre for Young People has been invited to perform at the Dance and the Child International conference in the Netherlands in July of 2006. It is an honor to be representing Alberta on an international stage at such a vital gathering. DaCi conferences occur every three years and the primary mandate of this worldwide organization is to promote expressive, creative and positive dance experiences for young people both in educational and studio settings. Modern creative dance companies for youth, from around the world, with profiles similar to ours, are featured at each conference. These companies are considered an exemplary model of what 'healthy' dance experiences for young people can look like. As we are Canada's only 'modern creative' dance company and we are 25 years old, DaCi has invited us to return. In 2003 we performed at their conference in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

Alberta Dance Theatre for Young People will perform 2 pieces on the international stage at the conference. This project involves 10 young dancers and two professional choreographers, Jason Stroh and Nicole Mion, both of Calgary. This project is unique in that the pieces were co-created between the young dancers and the adult choreographers. The pieces reflect the young dancers own ideas, they are a representation of who these young people are. The concepts for the choreography tie into the daCi conference theme, reflecting the theme of "Coloring the Senses". The choreography was created collaboratively during a one week residency at the Banff Centre in March.

Conference Details

From July 2nd to 9th the Dance and the Child International (daCi) conference will take place in The Hague, Netherlands. DaCi conferences occur every three years and the primary focus of the conference is dance education and the promotion of effective, healthy dance for young people worldwide. DaCi is a non-profit, global organization formed in Alberta in 1978. The conferences feature 8 days of workshops, seminars, lectures, key note speakers and performances, pertaining to methodologies and research in the field of dance for young people. Dance educators from across the world are invited to present their research or teaching/choreographing methods, in an official setting, for all registered delegates of the conference. Conference proceedings are published and all sessions are videotaped for archives and purchase. Delegates and presenters, at the conference, represent over 20 countries worldwide. For more information on the conference, please visit www.daci2006.nl.