About the London Dance Ensemble
London Dance Ensemble is a group of young dancers with a flair for performance. Dance students have auditioned for placement in the group and have demonstrated a required set of dance skills. The Group, originally the London Dance Centre Performance Group, was formed in 1996 with official charitable organization status. Although the dancers are student amateurs, striving for professional standards is always expected.
Preparation for two major productions each year comprises the main focus of the London Dance Ensemble. Rehearsals take place every Saturday for a Christmas show in December and one in spring. Past Christmas productions have been inspired by classic stories such as Alice in Wonderland, Hansel and Gretel and The Little Matchstick Girl. Our spring shows have generally been mixed programs of dance featuring ballet, lyrical, tap and jazz set to original choreography.
Educational outreach has always been a major component of the London Dance Ensemble program. Our productions meet Ontario curriculum requirements for the arts in education. Over the years, our special school board performances have provided an opportunity for thousands of London and area children to experience live dance theatre. During our public shows, we have also enjoyed corporate sponsorship for tickets which are then made available to children involved in the Memorial Boys and girls Club and Big Sisters of London.
Complementing the two major shows, The London Dance Ensemble has prepared concert pieces for various community events throughout London. Over the years, the Ensemble has performed for the Western Fair, the London International Children’s Festival, Dance Werks and in 2004, the Ensemble performed at the Opening Ceremonies for the Ontario Winter Games.
The London Dance Ensemble hires a professional artistic director and choreographers to provide the kind of theatrical performance experience and skills which are outside the range of what dance students typically learn in their class work. Dancers in the London Dance ensemble are divided into three age groups: Junior Apprentices: 8-9 years of age; Apprentices: 10-12 years of age and Members: 13 years of age. Young dancers under the age of eight are invited to be a part of the group’s Christmas production.
The dancers are dedicated to creating beauty and pleasure for others while building self-confidence and personal skills which will enhance their own futures. Some will go on to professional training in dance or the performing arts, as several of the dancers have, while most will pursue other lines of work and study. What all will leave with, however, is the commonly-shared experience of being a part of the London Dance Ensemble.
Mission
The mission of the LDE is to provide young dancers with theatrical performance experience in a non-competitive environment while striving for excellence. It fosters the technical and artistic advancement of each member and the team as a whole, in order to build self-confidence and personal skills for future endeavours, both theatrical and non-theatrical.
Vision
Our vision is to achieve excellence in dance by challenging ourselves through hard work and determination while respecting our bodies, following our passion, and seeking continuous improvement and sharing our joy and love of dance.
Our Artistic Director
Victoria Carter
Principal & Artistic Director, BA (Fine Arts), Licenciate Cecchetti I.S.T.D. (CBS), M.C.D.T.A. . Charter Member Society of Russian Ballet, Graduate National Ballet School, Lecturer and Adjudicator Dance Festivals in Britain, Canada and USA
Preparation for two major productions each year comprises the main focus of the London Dance Ensemble. Rehearsals take place every Saturday for a Christmas show in December and one in spring. Past Christmas productions have been inspired by classic stories such as Alice in Wonderland, Hansel and Gretel and The Little Matchstick Girl. Our spring shows have generally been mixed programs of dance featuring ballet, lyrical, tap and jazz set to original choreography.
Educational outreach has always been a major component of the London Dance Ensemble program. Our productions meet Ontario curriculum requirements for the arts in education. Over the years, our special school board performances have provided an opportunity for thousands of London and area children to experience live dance theatre. During our public shows, we have also enjoyed corporate sponsorship for tickets which are then made available to children involved in the Memorial Boys and girls Club and Big Sisters of London.
Complementing the two major shows, The London Dance Ensemble has prepared concert pieces for various community events throughout London. Over the years, the Ensemble has performed for the Western Fair, the London International Children’s Festival, Dance Werks and in 2004, the Ensemble performed at the Opening Ceremonies for the Ontario Winter Games.
The London Dance Ensemble hires a professional artistic director and choreographers to provide the kind of theatrical performance experience and skills which are outside the range of what dance students typically learn in their class work. Dancers in the London Dance ensemble are divided into three age groups: Junior Apprentices: 8-9 years of age; Apprentices: 10-12 years of age and Members: 13 years of age. Young dancers under the age of eight are invited to be a part of the group’s Christmas production.
The dancers are dedicated to creating beauty and pleasure for others while building self-confidence and personal skills which will enhance their own futures. Some will go on to professional training in dance or the performing arts, as several of the dancers have, while most will pursue other lines of work and study. What all will leave with, however, is the commonly-shared experience of being a part of the London Dance Ensemble.
Mission
The mission of the LDE is to provide young dancers with theatrical performance experience in a non-competitive environment while striving for excellence. It fosters the technical and artistic advancement of each member and the team as a whole, in order to build self-confidence and personal skills for future endeavours, both theatrical and non-theatrical.
Vision
Our vision is to achieve excellence in dance by challenging ourselves through hard work and determination while respecting our bodies, following our passion, and seeking continuous improvement and sharing our joy and love of dance.
Our Artistic Director
Victoria Carter
Principal & Artistic Director, BA (Fine Arts), Licenciate Cecchetti I.S.T.D. (CBS), M.C.D.T.A. . Charter Member Society of Russian Ballet, Graduate National Ballet School, Lecturer and Adjudicator Dance Festivals in Britain, Canada and USA