A name change is coming to The School of Toronto Dance Theatre

We are thrilled to share with you more exciting news of change for The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. As the School responds to the ongoing developments of the art form and adapts to the needs of our students and the greater dance community, we continue to turn the pages of our new chapter. It is with respect for our history, foundation, future dreams and goals to inform you that we will be changing our operating name in a few months.
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The current name, The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, has been a formative presence in the Canadian dance landscape for many years. As you may have read, we have been embarking on timely changes at the School beginning in September 2021 upon the arrival of new Artistic & Pedagogical Director, Sasha Ivanochko. In the Fall of 2022, we announced a new and innovative student-centred curriculum for the Professional Training Program, which will be phased in completely by 2025. Earlier this year, we announced that we will be moving to a new state-of-the-art facility at Daniels Spectrum, located in the vibrant community of Regent Park.

Read more about our new curriculum and space

Our New Name

A new name welcomes these amazing changes, and it will more accurately represent who we are today and the institution we aspire to be. It is just one aspect of our overall mission to transform our organization. Our new name is aligned with our desire to build an institution that is focused on the evolving needs of the dance and arts sector, to bring into focus the emphasis on research and developing career skills, and to advocate for and legitimize Contemporary dance practices as a viable professional pursuit. ​

 

The process of changing the name has been complex and thrilling. It has brought energy to the organization; inspiring us to think and innovate expansively. We began this process in 2021, guided by a Rebranding Committee, navigating through community consultation with the utmost care and consideration. Over the next few months, we look forward to sharing more about this process with you, answering your questions, and inviting you to step into the School’s next chapter with us in becoming a forward-moving leader in Contemporary dance. The new name will be announced this Spring.

The School and the Company

While the School and the Company were founded together, we have operated as separate organizations since 1978. We have collaborated and will remain as strong partners in dance in the community. Our transformation serves to highlight our independent identity and growing organization in our new training facility and reflects our current and continued evolution as a post-secondary dance training institution. Rest assured that our mission, vision and values remain unchanged and as a solid foundation moving forward.