Guelph Dance’s Local Initiatives support the work of Guelph and area profesional dance artists through a series of programs that contribute to artistic creation and professional development. These include:
- Artistic Residency Program that offer artists the opportunity to spend time focusing on the creation of new work. We encourage projects that seek innovation and artistic excellence as well as projects that look to engage with community members and amateur artists.
- The Breaking Ground Mentorship Program offers a Choreographic Mentorship to artists who are breaking new ground and working with local artists. Whether it’s by choreographing for the first time, for the first time after many years of absence, or experienced dance practitioners working with dancers new to the dance field or exploring new ideas; this program provides an opportunity essential to the dance field by enabling participants to take risks and focus on exploration. During this intensive program dance artists have the opportunity to work under the mentorship of highly experienced choreographers to discover new tools in developing their craft as well as the time and space to explore, all with the support of their peers along the way. Past mentors include Lina Cruz and Sharon B. Moore.
- Performance Opportunities of work-in-progress and completed work at the Guelph Dance Festival.
- Community Projects where professional dance artists work in collaboration with community members to create new work, strengthen bonds between individuals and contribute to broader community development.
- Networking Events that bring together the dance community and enable dialogue, exchange and the possibility for future collaborations.