Ruth Douthwright is a contemporary dance artist dedicated to sharing and spreading dance around the globe. With the support of the Canada Arts Council Ruth spent several years traveling and learning dance, theatre and music. While based in London UK from 2001-2003 Ruth studied at Laban and worked freelance for arts & education organizations, namely; Activation Trust (UK foundation with school in Kenya), Eastside Education Trust (London UK) and created an evening of dance at The Canada House London, UK. Ruth completed her professional studies at Ecole de danse contemporaine de Montreal and has been a certified teacher of The Axis Syllabus since 2004. Ruth was a performer and collaborator with Frey Faust and company ABCDC in France, California and Belgium. In Brussels, Ruth developed a program at Saint Pierre Hospital providing dance and therapeutic practices for youth with HIV. Highlights:The Patria Series with R. Murray Schafer , 2001 Canada Summer Games, National Artists Program Dance Director and performances with the Belgian dance and voice company, L’Inattendue Compagnie and choir Meli Melo. Her ongoing research and performance events with Kevin O'Connor (dance and aerial artist) exploring The Ecological Body. Ruth now lives in London, Ontario with her partner and 2 children where she is active on the board for The Centre for Creativity and a volunteer at The Circle Woman’s Centre. Ruth runs regular dance events both locally and internationally. www.axissyllabus.com
Corinne Garlick is a painter and educator living in London Ontario. She currently shows her work through galleries and at home for the London Artist Studio Tour and her own annual Open House. Corinne studied art at Bealart and later got her BFA at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, specializing in oil painting and sculpting. Since 2000, Corinne has enjoyed a full time career of making art and teaching in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Victoria, British Columbia and now London. You can see her work along with her husband's (who is a full time artist as well) at www.dickandjaneart.ca
Dorit Osher is a dance artist, educator and psychotherapist. She had a career as a professional contemporary dancer with Free Flight (S.A), Batsheva (Israel), Ballet Rambert (U.K) and as an independent dance artist in Europe and Canada. Dorit is currently the artistic director of a new dance company in London called Contemporary Dance Collective. She has a BFA in dance from York University, a Masters degree in Theory and Criticism, with a focus on trauma and the body, and a Masters of Clinical Social Work. Dorit integrates dance/movement, expressive arts, mindfulness, Jungian and somatic oriented psychology in her work as a dancer and psychotherapist where she specializes in addictions and eating disorders. www.doritosher.com
Sheila Horrell has been drumming for the last 25 years, ever since being introduced to the primal magic of the drum by master percussionist Ubaka Hill. After studying percussion with various drummers here and internationally, she has been facilitating workshops and Drum Circles for many groups in Southwestern Ontario, including schools, universities, camps, nursing homes, conferences and agencies. As well as facilitating drumming, Sheila is also a member of several percussion groups in London - "Las Chicas de Rumberas" a women's Latin ensemble, Wingnuts an improv group, and Bibadgicougi, an eco-fusion group. As well she sings and plays with WomenSpiritSong choir, and Joyful Noise choir. Sheila is a proud volunteer at My Sister's Place where weekly drumming on a Monday morning gets the week of to a fine start, and also volunteers with the Grand Theatre, The Women's Circle at Brescia and Heart-Links, a small London NGO which walks in solidarity with a community of women and children in the desert regions of Northern Peru.www.sheilahorrell-play.com
Vidya’s PhD thesis was on the history of bharatanatyam. She performed, taught and documented this form for many years in India. For the last eight years, since moving to Canada, she has worked with the Toronto dance company inDance http://www.indance.ca/
