Critics’ Choice- 2002 marked the 25th anniversary of DanceWorks. These tributes by Toronto’s dance critics still resonate.
 Michael Crabb The National Post, CBC Radio |
 Paula Citron The Globe & Mail CFMX Radio |
 Deirdre Kelly The Globe& Mail |
 William Littler The Toronto Star |
Artistic Point of View
and From the Orchestra Stalls
2002 marked the 25th anniversary of DanceWorks.
These recollections by series artists, past board members and colleagues still ring eloquently.
Peggy Baker
I remember a dance artist at A Space in the early seventies whose choreography left her literally tangled up in a snarl of red tape. She also appeared without warning at functions of all kinds, the mysterious and intrepid Unknown Dancer, a paper bag over her head. What beautiful poetry then, that the very same Mimi Beck has since become a virtuoso at navigating the business and bureaucracy that support our field to the advantage of the staggering number of artists she has presented at DanceWorks over the past twenty-five years. And while she still may not be immediately recognizable to the broad public that attends her events, she has been instrumental in bringing scores of dancers and choreographers to prominence in this city.
I’ve been part of the DanceWorks audience myself since the single digits. I could even have been at DW1. What was it? My personal DanceWorks choreographic history is a twenty year bookend: a piece in 1982 for Music/Dance/Orchestra, Holly Small and Michael J. Baker (and yes, he danced!), and a solo for Nova Bhattacharya to be unveiled at the tail end of 2002. The numbered titles that enumerate each successive presentation and the ever-expanding list of alumni printed on every programme confirm that Mimi Beck’s achievements and DanceWorks’ success are both impressive and very much in progress.
Peggy Baker
Image:Crystal Pite/Richard Siegal “Double Story”
