Biography

M  I  C  H  E  L  L  E      S  I  L  A  G  Y  

Contemporary dance artist MICHELLE SILAGY calibrates a close relationship among her arts practice and her teaching practice of 29 years. Silagy received her B.A. (Honours) Major in drama from San Diego State University (CA); is a School of Toronto Dance Theatre (STDT) Graduate (ON);  completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in the Dance Department at York University where her Thesis: Choreographic Play: Investigating Dynamic Choreographic Engagement With All Bodies, was nominated for a York University Thesis Award.

Silagy’s received her DanceAbility International [DAI] training from DAI founder Alito Alessi. She is one of ten inaugural Master DanceAbility International [DAI] Teachers who received her Master Teacher Certification in Montevideo , Uruguay and in Mexico City 2015. As a certified DanceAbility facilitator, Silagy performed with Alessi at the ImPulsTanz International Dance Festival in Vienna’s Museumsquartier and at the Cultural Centre Baja, Cali., Mexico. Silagy’s current research explores performance possibilities with; contemporary dance interpreters, musicians, visual artists, children — and — movers with multi exceptionalities such as individuals with Down Syndrome. Recent manifestations of this emphasis are: (RE)Trace, Performative Research at The Gardiner Museum in Toronto in September 2016.,  Flying Hearts a “Relaxed Performance’ which Silagy conceptualized in 2014 and later co-created Flying Hearts with Theatre Direct’s Artistic Director, Lynda Hill. Flying Heart’s was initially researched among educators and children who are on the autism and Down syndrome spectrum. ECHO, is also a multi-ability dance made by Silagy and shown at The Young Centre for the Performing Arts (made as a Nominee for The Soulpepper Theatre Dance Awards).

Silagy’s choreographic work has been presented throughout Toronto and at: The EnWave Theatre, Dusk Dances, The Gardiner Museum, Massey Hall, Koerner Hall, The Textile Museum of Canada, The Art Gallery of Ontario, The Art Gallery of Thunder Bay, Festivals throughout the country, within the historic Beurs van Berlage (Amsterdam), at Douglas Dunn Studio (New York City) in partnership with co-creator Jennifer Lynn Dick, in Inuvik (above the Arctic Circle) in the Northwest Territories with singer song writer Susan Aglukark and at Series 8:08, which she co-founded.  

As a dance education activist, Silagy offers courses in Sharing Best Practices in Bringing Dance to Schools and Communities for All Bodies. As an artist in residence at Queen’s University in 2012, Silagy developed multi-faceted art processing while folding visual, movement and dramatic influences — into — uncommon art making for and with school and community environments!   Silagy has facilitated and shaped courses for The Royal Conservatory’s and The Ontario Arts Council’s Artist. As the Program Director of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre’s [STDT] Young Dancers’ Program, Silagy develops creative movement classes and inclusive creative movement dance classes for youth. Silagy originated the STDT dance pedagogy courses for youth, which offer hands-on practice within the Ontario Public School System. As a Certified Mentor Artist for the Royal Conservatory’s Learning through the Arts Program [LTTA], Silagy delivered LTTA programming in Toronto, nationally and in London, England. Silagy enjoyed being among the Ontario Arts Council [OAC] Artist in Education Artist Roster for over 20 years. Her program conceptualization has been hailed by the OAC, as an exemplary model in delivering accessible and service oriented models for youth and school-based educators. 

…about Silagy’s approach to Choreography with Toronto’s illustrious Contemporary Dance Makers and Interpreters: “Michelle creates dance from a place of integrity and purity. Her work unfolds exquisitely, with a flow of moving imagery, and her choreography has a distinctive signature, inspired by the natural world and organic process. Her work reveals a refined aesthetic point of view, and her investigations are spurred by her intellectual and artistic curiosity. She articulates her artistic process in a detailed and thoughtful way, defending her need for space and time to consider her creation in the deepest possible way. Because of this rhythm of creative care, Michelle’s dance work is exquisite, with a deft, rigorous, reverential touch. Her vision compels time and sustains imagery in arcs of reflection and revelation, and her dances sparkle with wit and spirit. Her work is finely textured, closely calibrated spatially”. Carol Anderson: Seminal Contemporary Dance Innovator, Scholar, and Author. 

RECENT FORAYS in CREATING in TORONTO: She recently instigated WE Dance, inclusive dance sessions for adults, in partnership with STDT and Canada’s National Ballet School in 2019-2017. Silagy and Theatre Direct Artistic Director Lynda Hill co-created Flying Hearts, a relaxed performance for children who are differently abled. Flying Hearts danced by and made with Jessica Runge and Tylee Jones, premiered at the International Wee Festival 2018. Flying Hearts will embark upon a tour throughout Ontario in 2019.  This past summer, Silagy enjoyed collaboration with Andrea Nann to create Around the Moon, shown at Karen Kaeja’s Porch View Dances. Silagy is currently in process, making a new dance called the Reverie Duets with virtuosic artists: Jessica Runge and Naishi Wang and with two dancers who identify as being differently abled. 

…Selected Links on Silagy’s work: http://www.thedancecurrent.com/review/immaculate-perception-response and http://theatredirect.ca/about/resident-artists/