Thread: Toronto Dance Scene

Hi,

This year in April I went to Toronto for the IBDCC, I was totally blown away by the city and the dance community. Recently I have seriously started considered moving there, I'm young and not tied down to anything in my hometown.

Can anyone tell me what the toronto dance scene is like? Are there a lot of opportunities to study different forms of dance? Do they have lots of workshops come through there?

And has anyone ever moved somewhere to study dance?

Any answers would be great thanks.

V

I'm from about 45 minutes away from Toronto but I did a show when I was home with some dancers from the big city. :) (Valizan, Meagan Sheilds and Bhuz's MellyBelly) Everyone I met was so kind and so talented.

Arabesque Academy who run IBCC is the most well-known (lots of talented dancers, every dance teacher or instructor I ever had in Canada had completed their pro course)
Arabesque
They also have a lot of talented musicians that they work with

Audra runs the Dark Side Studio (she brings a lot of the tribal/TF dancers around Sharon Kihara, Rachel Brice, etc)
Cleopatra's Bazaar Classes

There's also great live music there.
When I was home I danced with a member from the Toronto Tabla Ensemble Toronto Tabla Ensemble
Gurpreet Chana
The Tabla Guy - Gurpreet Chana
Again so talented, kind and humble.

Hannan (who owns Bhuz) and Roula Said
Toronto Bellydance

I took one of Roula's workshops when I lived in Canada between Asia jaunts...stretching while she sung us an Egyptian lullabye was one of my favorite class moments ever.
Toronto Bellydance
(Meaghan is one of Roula's students)

Hi,
Toronto does indeed have a great dance scene!

I'm only there now once or twice a season. The new owner of Hannan's Bellydance Studios, Nada Krysko, is a native of Cairo with an impressive dance resume. She and the whole staff at Hannan's Bellydance Studios are excellent, well trained teachers who present a variety of styles. Check out HannanDance.com and RhythmoftheNile.com

I know that I saw amazing growth in the scene only being there five years.

I didn't see your nationality on your profile. Just so you know, it is possible to be steadily employed as a dancer there, but if you don't have Canadian citizenship or residency, supplementing your dance income with teaching or other work could be difficult.

-Hannan
HannanSultan.com

I've been in Canada for 7 years and in Toronto for 4 years. I have to say..its an amazing city for the arts. There is a lot of opportunity, but one has to know how to find it. But as a city, it is very tolerant of other cultures and art forms from other cultures.

Another aspect I would like to point out is that Toronto is also home to some universities with some very unique dance programmes, which often allow the dance student to research on the dance genre of their specialization..I would, in particular, like to point out York University's Graduate Dance programme and University of Toronto's Theatre department. There's many options, just depending on the direction of things you see for your dance work/career here in Toronto.

If you're out in the 'burbs near Oakville, check out BellyUp (www.BellyUp.ca)

So far, they're the most friendly, supportive dancers & instructors I've found in Toronto (my second home). They support the whole community in the GTA and not just their own functions.

Most recently, Joharah from BellyUp was the co-sponsor (along with DeeDee of Little Egypt) bringing Fifi Abdo to Canada!

Plus, her studio is awesome. I've taught on 4 continents and I have yet to find a studio as sexy, snuggly and just puts me in the mood to dance and dance and dance!

Have fun and maybe we'll see you sometime at BellyUp!

Toronto!