Deborah Lundmark
Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer

Deborah Lundmark, Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer of CCDT, has created more than 30 works for her company. These include collaborations with Danny Grossman, Holly Small, Toronto Children's Chorus and the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. From her Street Songs (1980) to Dancing Day (1989) and Platform Blues (2004), Deborah has impressed audiences and critics alike with her ability to nurture young dancers' natural joy in movement without sacrificing the technical precision expected of the professional.

Deborah ranks among Canada's leading specialists in movement for the young with thirty years experience as a ballet instructor and a supervisor of teachers-in-training both at the School of CCDT and from 1994 to 2000 at Ryerson Theatre School. Touring with CCDT, Deborah has shared her expertise with teachers from Barrie to Beijing.

Michael de Coninck Smith
Co-Artistic Director and Production Manager

Michael deConinck Smith has directed the planning and staging of over one hundred CCDT productions as Managing Director and Production Manager. In 1988, he conceived and produced CCDTs acclaimed collaboration with the Toronto Boys Choir and the Hanson Singers, the original WINTERSONG - dances for a sacred season.

In 1990, Michael produced CCDT's first major international tour to the People's Republic of China, and the following year the premiere of SONGS of INNOCENCE and of EXPERIENCE realized one of his long-cherished dreams.

In 1997 and again in 1999/2000, he planned CCDT's extensive tours of Northern Ontario, and in July 2002 led the company's return to Southeast Asia with performances in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Currently, Michael is overseeing the production of 30 Ontario Community Residencies designed to introduce young people to contemporary dance throughout the province.
 

Jordana Deveau
Associate Artistic Director

Jordana Deveau began her professional training with the Canadian Children's Dance Theatre in 1990, dancing in the company from 1994 to 2000, and performing the works of many eminent choreographers including Peggy Baker, David Earle, Margi Gillis, Keith Lee, and Holly Small.   As an independent dance artist, Jordana has performed the works of Sidra Bell, Piotr Biernat, Jesse Dell, Deborah Lundmark, Andrea Nann, Roger Sinha, and Santee Smith.  Jordana has been performing with Event Horizon Dance since 2006 and in 2009 became EHD's Rehearsal Director. As Associate Artistic Director of CCDT, Jordana is a dance educator, rehearsal director, and outreach workshop facilitator.  She recently  collaborated with Donna Krasnow, MS, on the book C-I Training: Conditioning with Imagery documenting Krasnow's conditioning system for dancers. Whether  producing, performing, or creating, Jordana strives to make contemporary dance work that is progressive, inclusive and accessible.

Meredith Thompson
Young Apprentice Director

Meredith Thompson is a native of Huntsville, Ontario who now enjoys a successful career as a dance artist in Toronto.  A dancer with the Danny Grossman Dance Company for the last seven years, she has also had the great privilege of working with Dancetheatre David Earle on many occasions, as well as a wide variety of other notable choreographers and artists.  In addition to working as a dancer, Meredith also takes pleasure in teaching, rehearsal directing, and choreographing.
 

Samantha Lazzaro
Core Director

Samantha began her Ballet training at the age of three where she immediately fell in love with the art of telling stories through movement. She graduated from Unionville High School’s Arts York Programme in 1999 and was a member of the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre during her High School years. In 2000 Samantha received a scholarship to attend New World School of the Arts/University of Florida a professional degree program consisting of a balance of ballet and modern techniques which included Graham, Limon and Horton. Upon graduation in 2004, Samantha received a scholarship to the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival before moving to New York City to pursue her career as a dancer. While in New York she danced with Wood Dance Company and taught Limon at Ballet Arts located in Manhattan’s City Centre complex. Samantha also received full scholarship to the Merce Cunningham studios where she explored the movement of his incredible technique. Samantha is thrilled to be back in Toronto and back at CCDT.

Elizabeth Varty
Marketing, Development and Arts Education
development@ccdt.org

Elizabeth Varty has a passion for the art of movement and the science of human motion. She has studied dance for more than 20 years, and began teaching at the age of seventeen. While completing her Honours BFA in Dance at York University she studied Choreography, Dance Science and Kinesiology, and Dance and Sports Injuries as well as Educational and Developmental Psychology. In 2008 she completed her post graduate certificate in Arts Administration & Cultural Management at Humber College.

Elizabeth enjoys a variety of roles in the dance community. As a dance artist she performed in Peterborough’s emergency #12 & 13 festivals in 2004 and 2005. In 2009 she choreographed the Janis Joplin-inspired piece Honey, I Know How You Feel for the BAZAAR dance festival at Toronto’s Opera House. As an administrator she has worked with a variety of dance schools, and has been the Coordinator of the Dance Teachers Alliance of Canada since 2008. In every role, Elizabeth enjoys combining her management skills and creative sensibility to bring innovative solutions to the dance community and elevate the status of dance in Canada.

Elizabeth has a keen interest in conditioning and injury prevention and recently completed her Pilates Teacher Training through Body Harmonics. Her teaching style combines the precision and efficiency of pilates and the philosophy and flow of yoga with the creative expressivity of her dance background. Elizabeth’s attention to anatomical detail and her fun, engaging instruction have earned the respect of students of all ages and backgrounds.

Arun Srinivasan
Production Personnel

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