History

Dance Imagination’s History

Dance Imagination is a modern repertory dance company of young people from Burnaby, B.C. with members ranging in age from 6 to 18.  This non-profit organization was founded in 1990 by Chris LePage and Dawn Howey. The dancers work with professional choreographers as well as having the opportunity to choreograph their own pieces.

Dance Imagination performs at elementary schools around the Lower Mainland area, entertaining and educating school age children.  They also perform at community events like Burnaby’s Discovery Days, Canada Day, New Westminster’s Hyack Festival, Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, local and provincial dance conferences, and have appeared three times at a national dance conference in Seattle with the Kaleidoscope Dance Company.  Dance Imagination has also performed at Cavalcade of Stars, Burnaby’s Centennial Celebrations at Swangard Stadium and the Pacific National Exhibition, Simon Fraser University, Showcase 2000 and other special events.  Each June they produce their own show at the Shadbolt Centre to premiere their new dances.

Dance Imagination has performed and taught dance on 6 occasions at the triennial “dance and the Child international” dance conferences in Copenhagen, Denmark (2015), Kingston, Jamaica (2009), the Hague, The Netherlands (2006), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil (2003) and in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (2000).

Chris LePage is cofounder and Artistic Director of Dance Imagination and the Creative Dance Association.  Chris has taught dance for over thirty years in the Burnaby School system and was a director of the Burnaby Festival of Dance for twenty years.  Chris has worked with the Ministry of Education to help evaluate learning resources for dance, taught level II and III movement for the B.C. Orff program and is a member of the Dance Program Advisory Council of C.A.H.P.E.R.D., B.C. Dance Educators Association and daCi Organization (Dance and the Child International).

Dawn Howey is a cofounder and Artistic Director of the Creative Dance Association and Dance Imagination.  Dawn was also a director of the Burnaby Festival of Dance for ten years.  Dawn has danced with Arts Umbrella, Terpsichore, Pacific Ballet Theatre, the Burnaby Arts Centre and has performed all over the Lower Mainland.  She has taught modern, jazz, creative and art/dance for over thirty years.

Brittany Howey has been a dancer/performer/choreographer with Dance Imagination for the past 24 years. She has taught dance at the Creative Dance Association, Coquitlam Parks & Recreation programs and the Burnaby School District. She has performed at daCi conferences in Brazil, The Haque, Jamaica, Copenhagen and Canada. Brittany is trained in a variety of dance styles including Irish, Modern, Hip Hop and is a certified Zumba Instructor. Brittany’s passion is to create choreography that allows dancers the opportunity to explore and express their own creative and artistic talents. She has also taught dance workshops at daCi conferences.

Dance Imagination Performances

School Performances  

145 Elementary Schools located in Burnaby, Vancouver, Coquitlam, Richmond, PortCoquitlam, Port Moody, North Vancouver, Maple Ridge, Langley, Ridge Meadows, New Westminster, Surrey

Theatre Performances 63

Burnaby A’Blaze – James Cowan

Cavalcade of Stars (2)

Inlet Theatre – Port Moody

James Cowan Theatre (6)

Michael J. Fox Theatre

Shadbolt Centre – Opening Ceremonies

Showcase – Studio Theatre (5)

Studio Theatre Shadbolt Centre (48)

Surrey Arts Centre

Taplights Theatre – Seattle

Terry Fox Theatre

dance and the Child international

13th ’dance and the Child international’ Conference – 2015 – Copenhagen, Denmark

11th ’dance and the Child international’ Conference – 2009 – Kingston, Jamaica

10th ‘dance and the Child international’ Conference- 2006 – the Hague, the Netherlands

9th  ‘dance and the Child international’ Conference – 2003 – Salvador, Brazil

8th  ‘dance and the Child international’ Conference – 2000 – Regina, Canada

Other Performances

All Saints Parish – Coquitlam

B.C.D.E.A. (Dance Educators Assoc)   –   1998,1995

Bahai Centre – Burnaby  –  2001, 00,  99

Bonsor Rec Centre – Burnaby (2)

Buckingham Multicultural Evening  –  1996

Burnaby A’Blaze  –  1993

Burnaby Centennial Celebrations(Swangard)  –  1992

Burnaby Festival of Dance –  2000, 97, 94, 91

Burnaby Guides, Brownies & Sparks   –  2012, 2006

Burnaby Showcase  –  2006, 04, 02, 00

C.A.H.P.E.R. Dance Conference  –  1991

Canada Day – Burnaby  –  2003,  2001

Canada Day – Coquitlam  –  2002, 2000

Cavalcade of Stars –  2006, 2001, 1992

Children’s Hospital – Vancouver  –  2001, 1999, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92

Commonwealth Games – B.C.  –  1994

Creative Dance Centre – Seattle (2)  –  1993, 1996

Crossing Boundaries – Robson Square  –  1998

Discovery Days – Shadbolt Centre Burnaby  –  1994 to 2004

Dogwood Pavilion – Coquitlam  –  2004, 1998

Douglas College – Q.D.P.E. Conference  – 1993

Early Year’s Festival – Surrey  –  1998

Golden Spikes Days – Port Moody  –  2001

Hyack Bandshell Performances (9) 2009 – 1992

Hyack Festival Parade (18) 2009 – 1992

Kids Only Fashion Show  – Burnaby  –  1993

Metrotown Mall, Burnaby  –  1996

Northwest Dance Conference, Seattle  –   1996, 95

P.N.E. – Forum – Vancouver  –  1994

Poirer Rec Centre – Coquitlam (2)

Q.D.P.E. Conference  –  1991

Santa Claus Parade of Lights  –   1996 to 2010

Schou Centre – C.A.H.P.E.R Conference  –  1992

Shadbolt Opening Ceremonies – Bby.  – 1995

Simon Fraser University  –  2004, 97, 96. 95, 94, 93, 92, 91

Surrey Conference Centre

Swangard Stadium – Burnaby’s 100th  –  1992

UNICEF with Charlotte Diamond – Van.  –  1997

Vancouver Festival  –  1994

Vancouver Mason’s Centre  –  1992

Dance Styles Performed

Modern, Creative, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Irish Stepdancing, Folk, (including Brazilian, Chinese, Finnish, Spanish, Western) Highland, Hip, Hop, Dancehall, Beladi, Jive, Breakdance, Salsa, Swing, Line Dancing, Props (using gymnastic balls, streamers, parachutes, etc.), Tap

Guest Choreographers

Barbara Caioli, Kesseke Yeo, Lisa Jordan, Laura Cvitkovitch, Julia Zennstrom, Beca Coloma, Melissa Gomes, Nina Perez, Lisa Robb, Leslie Dyer, Ruth Emerson, Gisela Loeffler, Andrea Simpson-Fowler, Trevor Klushin, Valeri Pawlik-Wright, Michele Yonge, Pat Parker, Shawne Chastko, Jennifer Nikoli, Dana Kosalko, Anne Mullins, Gloria Creighton, Judy Herridge, Michelle Hersey, Josie DeBaat, Cora Kinoshita, Jennie Ford, Jodie Bosley, Stevan Rkulovic, Martha Couch, Rhonda Cooper, Tasha Lawson, Leslie Wilson, Sarah Atkinson, Emma Towson, Claire Hayes, Kelly Minato, Jacci Collins, Dianne Carr, Valerie Ho, Jacqui Triebor, Christian Pardo, Gabriel Rivera, Mae Calinisan, Amy Lahoda, Alina Faustman, Carla Mellado, Tracy Whitelock, Oleksandr Prtnov, Shelayne Mulholland, Heather Carpenter, Kristen Sjoman, Kimberly Peabody, Becky Laird, Calee Christoffersen, Mary-Jane Thies, Kylah Powell, Taryn Faustman, Ana Mihajlovic, Jenna Jankowiak, Brittany Howey, Olivia Pisacreta, Madeline de Shield, Myah McCarthy, Jennifer Alexander, Laura Sperling