ARTISTS
Dana Michel
© Richmond Lam
Dana Michel
Canada／Choreographer, Live Artist
Dana Michel is a live artist. Her works interact with the expanded fields of improvisation, choreography, sculpture, comedy, hip-hop, cinematography, techno, poetry, psychology, dub and social commentary to create a centrifuge of experience.
Before graduating from the BFA program in Contemporary Dance at Concordia University in her late twenties, Michel was a marketing executive, and a competitive runner and football player. In 2014, she was awarded the newly created ImPulsTanz Award (Vienna) in recognition for outstanding artistic accomplishments, and was highlighted among notable female choreographers of the year by the New York Times. In 2017, Michel was awarded the Silver Lion for Innovation in Dance at the Venice Biennale. In 2018, she became the first ever dance artist in residence at the National Arts Centre, Canada. In 2019, she was awarded the ANTI Festival International Prize for Live Art (Kuopio, Finland). In 2022, the Canada Council for The Arts awarded her the Jacqueline-Lemieux prize in recognition of her contribution to dance in Canada. Finally, she was awarded the Prix de la danse de Montréal 2024 in the International Distribution category, presented by CINARS.
Based in Montréal, Michel is currently touring four solo performance works: "YELLOW TOWEL," "MERCURIAL GEORGE," "CUTLASS SPRING" and "MIKE".
Before graduating from the BFA program in Contemporary Dance at Concordia University in her late twenties, Michel was a marketing executive, and a competitive runner and football player. In 2014, she was awarded the newly created ImPulsTanz Award (Vienna) in recognition for outstanding artistic accomplishments, and was highlighted among notable female choreographers of the year by the New York Times. In 2017, Michel was awarded the Silver Lion for Innovation in Dance at the Venice Biennale. In 2018, she became the first ever dance artist in residence at the National Arts Centre, Canada. In 2019, she was awarded the ANTI Festival International Prize for Live Art (Kuopio, Finland). In 2022, the Canada Council for The Arts awarded her the Jacqueline-Lemieux prize in recognition of her contribution to dance in Canada. Finally, she was awarded the Prix de la danse de Montréal 2024 in the International Distribution category, presented by CINARS.
Based in Montréal, Michel is currently touring four solo performance works: "YELLOW TOWEL," "MERCURIAL GEORGE," "CUTLASS SPRING" and "MIKE".
2025 project
IN WATER I MUST
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photo by Clara Lacasse
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New creation by Canadian live artist Dana Michel, following her previous work with the theme of building trust in the workplace, to explore a different kind of trust with the theme of “water”. Rooted in both the artist’s personal experiences and the social and historical trauma in many racialized communities in relation to swimming, she will confront a personal and collective fear of water and explore a performance based on a relationship with water in Kinosaki, a city known for hot springs.
2022 project
MIKE
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“MIKE” photo by Carla Schleiffer
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Related programs with “Kyoto Experiment 2022”
With her unique language in dance, Canadian choreographer and live artist Dana Michel creates performances that break through social conventions and stereotypes. This international performing artist will stay to conduct research for her new creation on the subject of “trust” in the onsen streets of Kinosaki and Kyoto. After the residency, she will present her research in the frame of Kyoto Experiment 2022.
With her unique language in dance, Canadian choreographer and live artist Dana Michel creates performances that break through social conventions and stereotypes. This international performing artist will stay to conduct research for her new creation on the subject of “trust” in the onsen streets of Kinosaki and Kyoto. After the residency, she will present her research in the frame of Kyoto Experiment 2022.
