Working Together for Change

The Cana­di­an Dance Assem­bly invit­ed CDA mem­ber Dance Com­pa­nies from across Cana­da to par­tic­i­pate in a 5‑session learn­ing pro­gram host­ed online this Fall 2025.

Work­ing Togeth­er for Change is a pilot project that aims to resource dance com­pa­nies and sup­port equi­ty-dri­ven trans­for­ma­tion with­in exist­ing mod­els of orga­ni­za­tion­al man­age­ment and engage­ment.

What does the pro­gram offer?

• A 5‑session expe­ri­en­tial learn­ing con­tain­er cen­tered in rela­tion­ship and care. Ses­sion top­ics include: orga­ni­za­tion­al lead­er­ship, embod­ied con­flict res­o­lu­tion, equi­ty in employ­ment and com­mu­ni­ty engage­ment.

• Tools and skills to sup­port par­tic­i­pants in for­ward­ing equi­ty in their arts work.

Pro­gram Overview and Sched­ule

Ses­sion 1: Lead­ing with Care 
Facil­i­tat­ed by Ayla Vej­dani

Ses­sion 2: Embod­ied Con­flict Res­o­lu­tion Part 1 
Facil­i­tat­ed by Pam Tzeng

Ses­sion 3: Embod­ied Con­flict Res­o­lu­tion Part 2 
Facil­i­tat­ed by Pam Tzeng

Ses­sion 4: Cen­ter­ing Equi­ty in Employ­ment Prac­tices 
Facil­i­tat­ed by Kar­la Eti­enne

Ses­sion 5: Nur­tur­ing Com­mu­ni­ty Rela­tions 
Facil­i­tat­ed by Kar­la Eti­enne

Work­ing Togeth­er for Change is root­ed in CDA val­ues of pur­pose, care, access and anti-oppres­sion. The pilot pro­gram is devel­oped through CDA’s par­tic­i­pa­tion in Cul­tur­al Plu­ral­ism in the Arts Move­ment Ontario’s CPAMOPOC 5* project fund­ed with the sup­port of Cana­da Coun­cil for the Arts and Cana­di­an Her­itage.

*Plu­ral­ism and Orga­ni­za­tion­al Change Through Anti-Racism and Equi­ty Edu­ca­tion in the Arts Cohort 5.