Call for dAncE curaTors
Independent Dance Curators select, support and contextualize the Dancemakers programming for public sharing.
Dance Curators are encouraged to ‘dream projects into being’ that may not be programmed in traditional performance venues, companies or festivals.
Priorities include: Site-specific projects in specific locations/settings, projects that engage with and integrate communities/audiences and projects that deeply consider the curatorial context of the work and projects that engage with a range of dance forms and traditions.
Dance Curators play a vital role in responding to larger contextual realities and urgent needs related to dance and presenting dance in Canada. We are explicitly looking to support various dance forms, performances that engage with land, social issues and that centre BIPOC voices.
We are interested in curatorial projects that are clearly able to answer ‘why this now’?
Each Curator will be expected to engage with audiences through a full production or a work-in-progress showing along with discussions, workshops, participatory events, community-building and/or other porous approaches that includes community interaction.
The process:
This call will close on August 15 2025.
A Selection Committee (comprised of community members and past independent Curators) will review projects together and may choose to engage in follow up conversations if needed during the first few weeks of August.
The Guest Curators will be engaged with Dancemakers over a ten-month period:
- preparation and Dance& workshop offerings in September-December 2025
- public sharing(s) and shows occurring in March-June 2026
Guest Curators will receive a $8,000 curatorial fee based on CADA rates.
Other things to note:
Dancemakers has a list of offerings for Guest Curators to select from in terms of supports provided for projects (such as):
- Up to $20,000 for artist fees to actualize the project
- Producing support from Dancemakers’ Co-Artistic Producer Cara Spooner
- Funds for Booking space, venue rentals, hiring technicians, etc
- Accessibility supports
- Promotion of event(s)
- Documentation (photo, video & commissioned written document/essay)
Questions & Access:
If you have questions or experience any barriers in accessing or completing this application, please contact producer@dancemakers.org. We are open to other formats and paces and want to learn how to make these kinds of processes easier for applicants.
Attend the Info Session:
As part of our ‘What Can Dance Curation Do?’ discussions, there will be time for in-person and online quesiton and answers on July 17 from 5:30-7:30.
There are a series of FAQs below that we will continually be adding to during the process as questions arise!
Apply noW!
For more information reach out to:
producer@dancemakers.org
quEstiOns?
What if I’ve never curated anything before?
We are interested in supporting a wide range of voices, experience levels and approaches to dance Curation. If you are thinking deeply about dance and curious about the process of curation, those are the only requirements!
Does the dance project I select need to be confirmed before I apply?
Each Curator works with us for a year to develop their projects. You should have a specific artist, dance project and group/community in mind when you are applying – or at the very least know what process you’d like to use for selecting which dancers/dance projects you will share with audiences!
You should know WHY you want to share the work(s) you want to curate.
Why do I have to include ‘Community Interactions’ in the proposal?
We are interested in the relationship between Curator, Artist(s) & Audience.
In thinking about how you are framing what you have selected, what embodied knowledge would be of importance for audiences to experience with the work? How would conversations, community events, reading groups or other forms of dialog deepen an audience’s involvement?
How do I build the project budget?
Each Curator has the support of a Dancemakers Producer.
The Producer will help shape and craft the budget based on industry standards and ethical Living Wage standards.
Do dance projects need to be locally based?
We are interested in following the Curator’s lead in what they think audiences need.
If a Curator wants to bring a work from elsewhere, we will work with the Curator to try our very best make this happen!
Also, if an international Curator has a clear reason why curating a project in Toronto or Canada is important, they can outline that in their application too.
Can I curate my own choreography?
Curation is a different role than self-presenting your own choreography.
We interested in Dance Curators who select, support and contextualize the Dancemakers programming for public sharing. ‘
Dance Curation offers an opportunity to step outside of the inner-workings of a project and locate a work/project in a bigger conversation.