The Company

Cathy Lace

Board Chair, Recipient of Human Rights Award

The power and joy of dance have always fascinated me. Being on the board has given me the opportunity to participate in the continued growth of this visionary  dance  company.  The pandemic has brought many challenges, but it has also allowed us to focus as an organization on what is important:  sharing our passion for dance through performance and training.  Together, our extraordinary staff, dancers, and volunteers are trying to  build a company which is committed to nurturing creativity,  innovation and collaboration; celebrating diversity, inclusion and respect;   asking important questions; and engaging our audience and our community. 

The power and joy of dance have always fascinated me. Being on the board has given me the opportunity to participate in the continued growth of this visionary  dance  company.  The pandemic has brought many challenges, but it has also allowed us to focus as an organization on what is important:  sharing our passion for dance through performance and training.  Together, our extraordinary staff, dancers, and volunteers are trying to  build a company which is committed to nurturing creativity,  innovation and collaboration; celebrating diversity, inclusion and respect;   asking important questions; and engaging our audience and our community. 

Joanna Ivey

Co-Founder and Board Vice-Chair

ProArteDanza grew from a deeply held belief that dance performed with whole -hearted physical commitment and artistry cannot fail to move. To me, the form of dance does not matter but it the investment of the artist in their work and their desire to provoke feeling and reflection. I love ProArteDanza because this is at the core of what ProArteDanza is about and everyone involved brings this to their work: from students, company dancers to volunteers, designers and staff. I love the curiosity and passion that is steeped into all aspects of the organization and firmly believe the world needs more ProArteDanza!

ProArteDanza grew from a deeply held belief that dance performed with whole -hearted physical commitment and artistry cannot fail to move. To me, the form of dance does not matter but it the investment of the artist in their work and their desire to provoke feeling and reflection. I love ProArteDanza because this is at the core of what ProArteDanza is about and everyone involved brings this to their work: from students, company dancers to volunteers, designers and staff. I love the curiosity and passion that is steeped into all aspects of the organization and firmly believe the world needs more ProArteDanza!

Susan Colbert Wright

Board Secretary

As an enthusiastic supporter of the Toronto dance community, both independent artists and collectives, for over 10 years, I was honoured to be asked to join ProArteDanza’s Board of Directors. I knew many of the company dancers and felt a connection, but upon meeting the Artistic Director and the other Board members and seeing the passion and dedication, I was even more convinced to participate and contribute. The level of commitment and the devotion to dance is so high and it is profoundly rewarding to be a part of this team.

As an enthusiastic supporter of the Toronto dance community, both independent artists and collectives, for over 10 years, I was honoured to be asked to join ProArteDanza’s Board of Directors. I knew many of the company dancers and felt a connection, but upon meeting the Artistic Director and the other Board members and seeing the passion and dedication, I was even more convinced to participate and contribute. The level of commitment and the devotion to dance is so high and it is profoundly rewarding to be a part of this team.

Al Nasturzio

Board Treasurer

I originally learned about ProArteDanza from my daughter who was a competitive dancer. She learned about the summer intensive program and wanted to audition. Her audition was successful and she was selected to participate. From day 1 of the program she came home exhausted, but loved it.  It was physically challenging. After seeing the final show at the end of the summer, I was literally blown away. The show and dancers were amazing, but the growth that I saw in my daughter’s dance ability and strength was incredible. I became a believer in what Roberto had created and jumped at the opportunity to get more involved.

I originally learned about ProArteDanza from my daughter who was a competitive dancer. She learned about the summer intensive program and wanted to audition. Her audition was successful and she was selected to participate. From day 1 of the program she came home exhausted, but loved it.  It was physically challenging. After seeing the final show at the end of the summer, I was literally blown away. The show and dancers were amazing, but the growth that I saw in my daughter’s dance ability and strength was incredible. I became a believer in what Roberto had created and jumped at the opportunity to get more involved.

Moze Mossanen

Board Member

I’m very proud to be connected to ProArteDanza as a board member. The company’s philosophy of “passion in performance” as well as the extraordinary body of dance work are what impressed and inspired me in the beginning. And in the five years since I’ve been a board member, I’ve come to a deeper understanding, appreciation and respect for the excellence that the artists are continuously aiming for and achieving. I’m also proud of the great team around the company, all of whom give generously of their own energies and talents in nurturing the remarkable entity that is ProArteDanza. 

I’m very proud to be connected to ProArteDanza as a board member. The company’s philosophy of “passion in performance” as well as the extraordinary body of dance work are what impressed and inspired me in the beginning. And in the five years since I’ve been a board member, I’ve come to a deeper understanding, appreciation and respect for the excellence that the artists are continuously aiming for and achieving. I’m also proud of the great team around the company, all of whom give generously of their own energies and talents in nurturing the remarkable entity that is ProArteDanza. 

Staff

Sasha Ludavicius

Training Coordinator

Adina Herling

Finance Officer

Hayley Goldenberg

Marketing and Communications

Zachary Cardwell

Executive Assistant

Sasha Ludavicius

Training Coordinator

Sasha Ludavicius is a professional freelance contemporary dance artist in Toronto. She studied ballet internationally but discovered her passion for contemporary dance in Montreal. Ludavicius was the recipient of the ProArteDanza’s SIP Apprenticeship Award and apprenticed with ProArteDanza during their 2015 season. She has been dancing with the company ever since she received her first apprentice contract. In 2016, she graduated from The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. She was selected to be a part of the 2017/18 RBC Emerging Artists Project with Peggy Baker Dance Projects. Additionally, she is a freelance contemporary dance teacher, personal trainer as well as a certified yoga instructor in Toronto. For the past two years, she has been the Training Coordinator and the Rehearsal Director for ProArteDanza’s Summer Dance Intensive Program.

Adina Herling

Finance Officer

Adina Herling began her career in Arts Management after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Dance at the University of Calgary and Diploma in Dance Performance from Ryerson University.  After working with a number of arts organizations including Alberta Ballet School, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Genovese Vanderhoof and Associates, and Dance Umbrella of Ontario, she founded Adina Herling Arts Management in 2002, providing arts management services to small-scale dance organizations.  Current clients include Fujiwara Dance Inventions, Tribal Crackling Wind, Moonhorse Dance Theatre, pounds per square inch performance, Dreamwalker Dance Company, ProArteDanza, Dusk Dances and BoucharDanse.

Hayley Goldenberg

Marketing and Communications

Hayley Goldenberg is a Toronto-based Social Media & Marketing Manager specializing in marketing for the Theatre & Dance Community. 

As an artist herself, she brings an in-depth knowledge, specificity, and passion to her work in communications. She has managed successful marketing campaigns for university programs, theatrical institutions, and many dance organizations around Toronto. She currently serves as Social Media & Marketing Manager for Moonhorse Dance Theatre, CanAsian Dance, Fujiwara Dance Inventions, Tribal Crackling Wind, and pounds per square inch performance. Along with her communications-specific experience she has extensive experience in arts administration and artistic leadership. She is thrilled to be joining the team at ProArteDanza!

Zachary Cardwell

Executive Assistant

Zachary Cardwell has been a member of the arts community as a dancer, dance teacher, and choreographer in Toronto since graduating from the Arts Umbrella Post-Secondary Program in Vancouver, BC. Zachary has had the pleasure of performing works by choreographers such as Crystal Pite, Marie Chouinard, Mats Ek, Sharon Eyal, James Kudelka, and Aszure Barton, among others. In 2017, Cardwell toured Holland performing in the ITS Dance Festival as well as Netherlands Dans Theatre & Korzo’s Shortcuts XL. In Toronto, he has worked with Zata Omm Dance Projects, Dusk Dances, Re: Research (Adelheid), Toronto Dance Theatre, and ACE dance theatre. Zachary teaches and choreographs at schools and studios around the city as well as independently, and has been Executive Assistant at ProArteDanza since 2019.