Session Descriptions

If you wish to view the CAPACOA Conference schedule, please click HERE. 
To view CAPACOA showcase details, please click HERE. 

Thursday, November 14

Standing Council Meetings I 11:30am - 3:00pm 

Location: Global Public

Dance and Ballet Company standing council members will gather for a pre-conference break-out meeting and working lunch to connect with colleagues and discuss emergent issues. This is a rare opportunity for cross-country exchange in-person, which rotates between councils. Members unable to attend in-person will be able to join through an online meeting platform (Zoom). Members wishing to attend this meeting should be in touch with membership@dancecanada.net

Friday, November 15

Cultural Competency Indigenous Bus Tour of Ottawa I 8:45am - 12:00pm
Location: Meet at ALT Hotel Lobby
Facilitators: Josée Bourgeois and Christina Ruddy
Bus Tour Coordinator: Ashley Bomberry  

Join us for a 3-hour bus tour as we explore vital aspects of Indigenous history in Ottawa. After departing the Alt Hotel, we will travel to the Zibi Development site, this site is located along the Ottawa River and although not part of Zibi, a beautiful view of the Chaudiere Falls.  This location is important to not only Algonquin people but all First Nations, Metis and Inuit as the Ottawa River was once an international highway of trade for Indigenous people. From there we depart along Wellington St, which will include the Parliament Buildings and 131 Wellington St, both have an interesting past and future to be discussed. The last stop will be at the National Arts Centre which recently opened the first Indigenous Theater department. We will conclude with a discussion and performance. Members of the performing arts community are welcome on this tour, to encourage a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous history, culture, and present-day resilience.

Exhibit Hall I 12:00pm - 1:30pm

Location: ALT Hotel

The Exhibit Hall is open several times throughout the conference and includes areas for networking and meetings. It is an excellent opportunity to promote or raise awareness of your activities.

Making Space for Conflict and Dialogue | 1:30pm - 3:30pm 
Location: ALT Hotel
Facilitator: Meg Saxby  

As an arts community, how do we manage conflict between ourselves? What do we do when people hurt each other in our community? How can we respond supportively to people who have been directly harmed, while also changing the cultures and structures that make bullying and unhealthy conflict possible? This workshop uses experiential and Theatre of the Oppressed techniques to understand our own responses to conflict, explore different of dealing with it and make space for healthier dialogue about how to treat each other well in arts spaces we work in.

A group agreement to support safe participation for all will be available online leading up to the workshop. The session will be facilitated by Meg Saxby, with therapeutic support for participants available from Tracy Montgomery. 

This project is supported through Toronto Arts Council Strategic Funding as part of Generator’s Transform Dance project, which is about finding ways into healing and community accountability within the dance sector in Toronto. In particular, we are interested in transforming the conditions that enable harassment (sexual, gender-based and otherwise) and abuses of power.

The Artists' Voice - Speaker: Animikiikwe Couchie I 4:15pm - 5:15pm

Location: Carlton Dominion Chalmers Centre

Animikiikwe Couchie is an emerging multidisciplinary dance artist from Nipissing First Nation. She has worked across a number of disciplines and artistic genres. Most notably, she has engaged and worked with a number of large-scale community arts projects, including Like an Old Tale / Jumblies Theatre and Dances of Resistance / Aanmitaagzi. Continue reading about Animikiikwe below

Dance Break - Bboyizm | 5:15-5:30pm

Location: Carlton Dominion Chalmers Centre

Saturday,  November 16

Great Knowledge Café I 8:30am - 10:15am
Location: ALT Hotel
Table Facilitators: Coming soon

In collaboration with CAPACOA, attendees are invited to a knowledge sharing activity with experts exchanging ideas on themes ranging from market development to audience experience.

To take part in this activity, prior registration is mandatory.

- Registration will be available at the registration desk throughout the length of the Conference until the beginning of the activity;
- You can register to a maximum of two tables, one table for the first round and one table for the second round;
- There will be between 7 and 8 places available by table for each round;
- Each round will consist of sharing knowledge by the experts and International delegates and a Q & A period.

Movement and Meditation | 10:45am-11:30am
Location: ALT Hotel
Facilitator: Join Siôned Watkins (Dance Education Associate and Teaching Artist for NAC Dance)

A Movement and Mediation class that will stretch you out and leave you feeling focused and calm.

Discussion on what is professional dance in the 21st century | 12:30pm - 2:30pm
Location: ALT Hotel
Facilitator: Kristina Lemieux

Join a discussion on what it means to be a professional dance artist. What does arriving as a professional mean? What purpose does distinguishing emerging from professional serve? Who decides when someone is professional? Is this imposter syndrome? Systemic barriers working to keep some people out?

Session: Cultivating Conversation, Creating Context and Intentional Intersectionality | 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: ALT Hotel 
Facilitator: Nova Bhattacharya

Artistic Director Nova Bhattacharya will be facilitating our closing session entitled Cultivating Conversation, Creating Context and Intentional Intersectionality. Making the most with the humans in the room, Nova Bhattacharya hosts a workshop that creates time and space for reflection and connection. Nova is a compelling speaker who was recently featured on the CBC’s The Move.

Speaker Bios

Animikiikwe Ode Couchie-Waukey

The Artists' Voice

Animikiikwe Couchie is an emerging multidisciplinary dance artist from Nipissing First Nation. She has worked across a number of disciplines and artistic genres. Most notably, she has engaged and worked with a number of large-scale community arts projects, including Like an Old Tale / Jumblies Theatre and Dances of Resistance / Aanmitaagzi. In 2013, Animikiikwe worked within acclaimed choreographer Penny Couchie’s dance theatre piece entitled “When Will You Rage?”. She narrated and danced within her mother’s piece. It was the most influential project that Nimikii has the privilege of working on, and also her first professional theatre project. In 2015 she worked on a project called Dances of Resistance with Aanmitaagzi, which was a three-year long process. This project involved working with a team of skilled artists who put their energy and time into seeing the vision be brought to life. She attended 3 years of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre’s 4-week summer dance intensive. In 2015 she completed her studies at the Canadore College Theatre Arts Program. In May 2018 she completed her training at the Ecole de Danse Contemporaine de Montreal. In September 2019, she was a part of the cast of Unnatural and Accidental Women, marking the opening of the inaugural season of the National Arts Centre’s new Indigenous Theatre department. She would like to thank her parents, Penny Couchie and Sid Bobb, among many other arts organizations and artists for giving her the space to explore her art form within in these projects.

Ashley Bomberry

Indigenous Bus Tour of Ottawa Coordinator

Ashley Bomberry is Mohawk from the Six Nations of the Grand River territory. She is a writer, producer, director and actor for film and theatre. Her short documentary film, Hoop Dance, premiered at the Female Eye Film Festival and she continues to write and create projects within an Indigenous storytelling framework. Ashley recently co-produced The Hunt, a short VR film, written and directed by Danis Goulet, included in the 2167 installation at TIFF Bell Lightbox Theatre. It features a predominantly Haudenosaunee cast and the film is predominantly in the Mohawk language and shot on Indigenous territory in Tkaron:to and on Six Nations. As a producer and curator for multicultural and diverse showcases, Ashley creates discussion and aims to build bridges between marginalized and non-marginalized groups with her work. Ashley focuses on her Indigenous roots and endeavors to impart strength, hope, and healing in Indigenous communities around the world.

Josée Bourgeois

Facilitator - Indigenous Bus Tour of Ottawa 

Josée is an Algonquin First Nations multi-disciplinary artist who was born in Ottawa and raised mostly in Toronto. She began her dance journey as a gymnast and contemporary dancer with training from Flames of Hope. Josée was able to build a strong foundation of passion for stage performance with a drive to bring creation through dance at a very early age. When she began her first year of high school, she was signed to the Ford International modelling agency and began a lengthy journey as one of Canada’s only First Nations high fashion models. At the age of 23, she made a profound decision to begin learning Pow Wow dancing and her life completely shifted through this decision.

Josée has focused her lifestyle over the past 12 years to traveling as a Fancy Shawl and Jingle dress dancer on the Eastern Pow Wow Trail, making roots with her son Little Thunder, creating a positive impact through dance arts on her ancestral Algonquin territory and collaborating with artist like DJ Shub, DJ Classic Roots, and DJ Rise Ashen. Other highlights of Josée’s dancing journey include studying under Victoria Hunt at the Banff Centre, dancing in National Arts Centre’s Wild West Show- Gabriel Dumont Story, and performing
as Kina Nimiwag (Contemporary Pow wow dance troupe) in the opening act for the Backstreet Boys at Ottawa’s Bluesfest 2019. Josée is committed to continuing trailblazing and reclaiming space as an Algonquin Artist all over Turtle Island and across the world.

Christina Ruddy

Facilitator - Indigenous Bus Tour of Ottawa 

As a proud Algonquin woman of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, Christina has spent her career working to empower Indigenous youth through education, language and capacity-building. She has worked in grass roots movements such as Friendship Centres, in post-secondary institutions such as Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario and with Lakehead University in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Education. Since returning to the Ottawa Valley, she has become a passionate advocate for reconciliation in the National Capital Region. Christina is a successful alumnus of the first graduating class of the Native Community and Social Development program from Georgian College and in 2012 received the Board of Governor’s award of Excellence – Distinguished Alumni for her work with Indigenous people.

She has worked to bring about change in Indigenous education and to make schooling more inclusive and Indigenous-focused through the Indigenous mathematics research study with Ontario teachers to incorporate Indigenous ways of teaching into the Ontario mathematics curriculum.

She has collaborated with educators and administrators from the Renfrew County District School Board, and has worked as a mentor with Indigenous artists in other communities who have been part of this work. Christina has shared her experiences as an Algonquin artist and researcher at a number of conferences, and web series. In 2018 Christina, along with Dr. Ruth Beatty, was awarded the Indigenous Partnership Research Award during Lakehead University’s Research and Innovation awards ceremony as a testament to her leadership in this project.

Bboyizm

Dance Break 

Bboyizm is the premier street dance company in Canada, run by dancer-choreographer Crazy Smooth. We promote and preserve the foundation, authenticity and essence of all street dances. Our creations and our programs are platforms for authentic self-expression by artists and students alike. Our motto is “Dance to express, not impress”.



Kristina Lemieux
Facilitator - Discussion on what is professional dance in the 21st century

Kristina Lemieux is an accomplished arts manager with more than 20 years of professional experience. She is also a contemporary dancer. Raised in Treaty 6 territory (rural Alberta), Kristina lived in Edmonton, attending the University of Alberta, for 10 years before heading to Vancouver where her passion for the arts has driven collaboration, creation, and innovation in the Vancouver arts scene for over a decade. After working with Generator in a freelance capacity for several years, Kristina made the move to Toronto in January 2017 to take on the role of Lead Producer of Generator.

Kristina has worked with many of Vancouver's leading art organizations and she co-founded Polymer Dance, a group dedicated to bringing dance experiences to non-professional dancers. Kristina remains tied to Vancouver through her project Scaffold, a coaching and skill development service designed to support performing artists and groups. She is the co-founder and Creative Producer of F-O-R-M (Festival of Recorded Movement) and works frequently with the Dancers of Damelahamid and Coastal Dance Festival.

Meg Saxby 

Facilitator - Making Space for Conflict and Dialogue 

Meg Saxby, MSW, RSW, (www.megsaxby.com) is a social worker, educator and clinician. She has over ten years of experience in feminist sex education, newcomer support services, gender-based violence prevention and response and the cooperative movement. Meg works with both individuals and organizations who want to imagine, build and restore relational health for better relationships, healthier workplaces and a more just world.



Tracy Montgomery
Therapeutic support - Making Space for Conflict and Dialogue 

Tracy Montgomery is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, a lifelong teacher and learner who loves bodies and the people who live in them. Somatic Experiencing is a method for resolving trauma and restoring aliveness in the body. Tracy works to invite and support individuals to come into calm, ease and curiosity through loving presence and gentle movement practices. 




Siôned Watkins
Facilitator - Movement and Meditation

Siôned Watkins began dancing at a young age and performed in her first professional production at the age of 13. After training with Le Groupe De La
Place Royale in Ottawa, she received her diploma from Les Ateliers de Danse Moderne de Montréal and began a vibrant professional career. She has danced for many choreographers including Tammy Forsythe, Sarah Williams, Dana Gingra and Bouge De Là. With Danièle Desnoyers’ company, Le Carré Des Lombes, Siôned had the opportunity to perform internationally for 10 years and was involved in 5 creations. Also a certified GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® instructor, Siôned is dedicated to sharing contemporary dance and these movement modalities with professionals and students alike. She has taught at École De Danse De Montréal, UQAM, Concordia, Ottawa University, School of Dance and Ottawa Dance Directive. Currently, Siôned is the Education Associate and Teaching Artist for NAC Dance and Acting Company Manager.

Nova Bhattacharya
Facilitator - Cultivating Conversation, Creating Context and Intentional Intersectionality

Nova Bhattacharya is a dancer, choreographer and cultural leader who has been working to make positive change in multiple circles for more than three decades. Trained in the multi-disciplinary form of bharatnatyam, her curiosities and collaborative spirit have led to a compelling body of work. She is an active participant in civic life speaking for dance, for the arts and always for equity – within the arts and in society at large. Her activism and profile take her from dance conferences to arts symposiums to cultural consultations, where, in addition to promoting the arts at large, she is frequently called upon to lead, model and address issues of cultural diversity in national and international forums. Nova Dance is the first dance company to be invited into a long-term partnership with Toronto’s Theatre Centre, and is currently creating a large scale production, Svāhā supported by Canada’s National Arts Centre featuring 75 women. www.novadance.ca