Artistic Director
Leanne Koziak
Mentors Around the World
As a young child I had dreamed of being a performer – a singer, dancer, actress. Throughout High School I had no clue what I wanted to be‘ when I grew up’ so I followed the suggestion of my best friend – Computing Science. If I had had any idea how sexy computers would become twenty years later, I might have stuck with it. However, programming ALGOL W code was time-consuming with little gratification, and I realized I didn’ t want to spend my life in front of a computer. The joke is on me though, as I pretty much do.
There were three major shifts in my life that led me to the formation of Vinok Worldance, a professional company presenting the music and dance of the world’ s cultures. The first was dropping out of university to enter the Dance Program at Grant MacEwan, where I not only earned my Diploma and took the first year of the teaching program, but I was also introduced to a number of mentors and ideas. These teachers helped me to understand that while creativity could not be taught, it could be cultivated. They certainly gave me the courage to want to go further in my career as a dancer.
This courage led to the second event that was critical in developing my career – a move to Amsterdam to join a professional dance company. This not only opened my eyes to the wealth of the world’ s cultural dance, but it was a treasure of connections to choreographers, costumers, musicians and dancers. This company, then Internationaal Folkloristisch Danstheater, was the inspiration for Vinok. There were so many mentors, and their advice and guidance proved invaluable to the formation of our own company.
The connections we gained in Amsterdam allowed for the third major event – a twenty-month research tour of Eastern Europe. This included private instruction, village research, classes with companies, and attending various festivals and dance events. The mass of video, books, photos, and musical recordings formed the foundation of dance material that birthed Vinok Worldance. The numerous mentors along the way helped to prevent some mistakes as their guidance provided access to their vast knowledge and experience.
Things have changed drastically over the nearly 30 years since we started Vinok. In particular the Internet has changed the way we access information. Today it seems that I could access much of the information and research from the comfort of my laptop. What a divine joke to bring me full circle! However, nothing can replace the real interaction with human mentors.
Artistic Director LEANNE KOZIAK
Vinok Worldance Ph: 780.454.3739 Fax: 780.454.3436 leanne @ vinok. ca website: vinok. ca, leannekoziak. ca
Christina Louise Photography
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