Dance Arts Institute

Dance Arts Institute Canada name heralds a new era for the renowned School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Canada’s premiere professional dance training institution, established over 50 years ago. Following the launch of a fresh student-centred curriculum in the fall of 2022, Trajectory partnered with the school’s leadership to develop a new name, identity and story – the capstone of a seismic shift in the storied institution’s history, which included a move to Artscape’s Daniels Spectrum facility.

Michelle Yeung, the school’s managing director, shares, “We truly believe that through this process, we’re balancing the many priorities of the school; we know we are preparing ourselves to be a forward-moving organization that is a leader in contemporary dance and prepares leaders for the field.”

Historically, the school had trained dancers to become part of Toronto Dance Theatre. This process of deciding on a new name and identity was undertaken with the utmost care, keeping the needs of students in mind at every step. Yeung notes, “It’s about care and understanding, balancing the history as well as where we want to go.”