History
In 2008, Lamondance performed as a collective for the very time. Gisele Santoro, esteemed artistic director of the International Dance Seminar in Brasilia, commissioned Lamondance to create the show RED, which was performed at the National Claudio Santoro Theatre in Brasilia, Brazil, one of the most important theatres in the country.
The success of this performance prompted Hayley Walker (RNB Dance - Principal) and Charlie Costello (RNB Dance - President of the Board of Directors) to move forward with the idea of creating a dance training program. Monica Proença and Lara Barclay then founded Lamondance in 2009 with the mission of helping emerging dancers transition into the world of professional dance. The high quality of training, accompanied by unique choreography, gave the company early stability.
From 2009-2014, the artistic direction of the company was headed by Lara Barclay and Monica Proenca, with Davi Rodrigues joining in 2010 as co-director. In 2014, Davi Rodrigues assumed the position of Artistic Director of the company and has since been responsible for the company's distinctive artistic identity.
Lamondance performed in Canada and Brazil with the shows “RED” (2009), “Human,” “Angels (2013), “And Spark” (2016), and in Germany at the Tanzart Festival in Nordhausen in 2011 with the choreography “Terra Arrida” by Monica Proença. In 2021, the company closed the Vancouver International Dance Festival, performing “Before Dawn” by Artistic Director Davi Rodrigues.
Lamondance is a place where art is taken care of at the highest calibre. With emphasizing original choreographic voices comes the responsibility of presenting shows that will leave an imprint in the audience’s mind and connect them to the dance world. This is a responsibility Lamondance upholds proudly.
For the first ten years, Lamondance operated under the umbrella of RNB Dance and Theatre Arts, a not-for-profit society based in North Vancouver. In June of 2019, Lamondance was incorporated as Lamondance Arts Society to continue its mission of facilitating the evolution of contemporary dance as an art form and its presence within the community.
Lamondance is Registered as Lamondance Arts Society. Charitable registration number: 78681 5274 RR0001
With gratitude as guests, we acknowledge that Lamondances' activities take place on the unceded territories of the Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
Our Mission:
● We exist to promote artistic excellence, creation, production, and performance of contemporary dance. We do this by supporting, educating, and challenging our artists to take creative risks.
Our Vision:
● To contribute to our local and provincial vibrant artistic communities through professional, high-level training; performance; and cultural exchange with communities across the province, the country, and around the world.
Our Values:
● Diversity and inclusion are important to us. We commit to connecting people of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities by providing inclusive access for the community to our performances and supportive entry for emerging artists to a professional dance company.
ANNUAL REPORT
Dedicated to change.
We are a not-for-profit organization with the mission to prepare young emerging dance artists providing a place to facilitate the evolution of contemporary dance as an art form and be present within the community.