Enhance Dance

Enhance Dance is an educational initiative that strives to enhance dance teaching, training, performance, and wellness through equity-informed and evidence-based principles and practice in:

• dance education & training
• complementary training for dancers
• dance teacher education & preparation

with highly qualified dance educators and healthcare professionals.

*see our Glossary of Terms for definitions of terms used above.

News

Enhance Dance Founder, Andrea Downie is delivering the online Healthy Dancer Certificate (HDC) and Healthy Dance Practice Certificate (HDPC) course to the BSc and MSc students at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, February 10-13, 2025. Andrea is also currently completing the IRIS Inclusive Dance Teacher Certificate with Stopgap Dance Company.

Enhance Dance affiliate Amber Downie-Back (recipient of the Chrystal Dance Prize) along with Dance Victoria and Impulse Theatre will be presenting 'on the nature of...' in May 28 & 29, 2025 in Victoria, BC. This interdisciplinary work explores themes of memory and nostalgia, while incorporating interactive and digital elements with dance performance and sound. Downie-Back will collaborate with Emilie van der Waals, a Netherlands-based contemporary dancer and choreographer, and sound designer Angus Gaffney, to push movement and sound in collaborative contexts with other media such as digital and video art.
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​Resources & More:

• Check out our Articles & Resources page for articles and links to free resources, including Andrea Downie's article, Equity-Informed Dancer Wellness (2022) and her presentation, (Re)Visiting Dancer Wellness (2021).
• ​​See video from Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, including a look at the company's conditioning work with Andrea Downie (at 3:15).

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Andrea Downie with students.

I was so very fortunate to take the C-I Training level one certification course with Andrea. After teaching in a variety of disciplines for 25 years, Andrea’s clear and inspiring approach changed not only the what of my teaching practice, but also the how. I found her to be very knowledgeable and inspiring as a teacher/leader. In particular, her knowledge of anatomy and safe yet effective dance practice was a highlight for me. She presents her courses as she does herself, with authenticity. I came away feeling confident and ready to share the knowledge she imparted to us."
​~ Mandi Sutherland, LLB, MT and RAD Examiner