Get to know your CADA/West

August 2013 Member's Newsletter

This month's edition features insurance resources; a profile of CADA/West's Board of Directors 2013–14; and our monthly dance citizenship challenge.



insurance resources

'Tis that time of year again...hopefully you're having a great summer and are feeling rejuvenated as you prepare to head back into the fall.

As professional dance artists, we often work on contract. This means that we are likely responsible for our own insurance/benefits coverage. Are you covered?

CADA/West has 180 resource posts to help you in the full-time business of managing your arts career. These are broken down into several categories, including all things insurance. Consult these posts for info on:

Personal Workplace Insurance in AB & BC


EI for Self-Employed Artists & Cultural Workers


Extended Health Comparison—To buy or not to buy?


CDA's National Health Insurance Program


Facility Rental FAQS


Events & Entertainment Insurance Brokers


and more...




CADA/West Board of Directors 2013—14

We would like to introduce our Board of Directors, elected by the Members of CADA/West at our July 28 Annual General Meeting.

We are happy to announce that all of this year's board are returning members. We thank these representatives from our community for their generous contributions to CADA/West and its membership:


Josh Martin

independent dance artist / co-artistic director of The 605 Collective

Josh is a diversely trained dance artist, primarily working as co-artistic director of The 605 Collective and performer for Wen Wei Dance.



Jason Dubois

Executive Director for Dance Victoria

For the past 13 years, Jason has been involved with various dance and theatre organizations throughout western Canada. His credits range from administrator to designer and include work with Curtain Razors, New Dance Horizons, Kidd Pivot, Joe Ink, Martha Carter, Lola Dance, The Holy Body Tattoo, Wen Wei Dance and Vancouver New Music.



Lexi Vajda

independent dance artist

Lexi trained at the Goh Ballet, Danzmode Productions and Pacific DanceArts and has further pursued her training with the Modus Operandi contemporary training program. She has had the pleasure of working with OutInnerspace Dance Theatre, Amber Funk Barton, Alison Denham, Karissa Barry, Jennifer Mascall and MOVE: the company.



Kat Single-Dain

writer / director / choreographer / co-founder Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret

Graduating with honors from UC Berkeley and UBC, Kat found her niche in the rare and wonderful intersection of character development, clowning and dance—prioritizing honesty in art to connect performer and audience. She is the Performance Director for the Parade of Lost Souls Festival.



Vanessa Goodman

dance artist / co-artistic director The Contingency Plan / Pilates Instructor

Vanessa received her early dance training in Toronto and holds a BFA from SFU. A company member with Dancers Dancing since 2006, she has also interpreted works for Justine A. Chambers, Jennifer Clarke, Marla Eist, James Gnam, Lisa Hostman, Jennifer Mascall and Julia Sasso. Vanessa’s choreography, with The Contingency Plan and independently, has been presented at various venues.



Stephanie Gutierrez

lawyer / musician

Stephanie practices labour and employment law as well as general civil litigation. She received both her Law degree (L.L.B., 2008) and her undergraduate degree in Sociology and English Literature (B.A., 2005) from UBC, and has a performer's diploma in piano from the London College of Music and Media (Dip. L.C.M., 2001). In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys music, yoga, painting and drawing.



Jason Queck

arts administrator & manager

Jason is an arts administrator whose work in dance has included positions with The Dance Centre, and as General Manager for Co.ERAGSA and Flamenco Rosario.



Starr Muranko

independent dancer / choreographer, artistic associate Raven Spirit Dance

Starr is a professional dancer and choreographer in traditional & contemporary aboriginal dance and works with Raven Spirit Dance and the Dancers of Damelahamid.



Philippa Myler

independent dancer / co-director Triadic Dance Works / choreographer / teacher

Philippa is co-director of the contemporary dance collective Triadic Dance Works. She performs her own work and teaches dance to children.



Kim Sato

independent dancer / director, founder SOULdiers Company & Project Soul

Kim has been the Director of the SOULdiers Company for the past 5 years, an audition-based semi-professional hip hop company with whom she shares her passion for funk styles and hip hop culture. She also directs Project Soul, a crew that educates youth about hip hop through a 45min theatrical street dance show.



Tejinder Singh

Bhangra dance artist / executive director Surrey India Arts Club

Tejinder has studied Bhangra since 1985 and enjoys a wide and successful career as a performer, choreographer, teacher and producer. He moved to Canada from India in 1999 and began working as executive director of the Surrey India Arts Club.







Speak With Your Feet

This month's dance citizenship challenge...

Plan to attend the Canadian Dance Assembly's National Conference.

The CDA comes out west, hosting its National Conference in Vancouver this November 19–20. This is a great opportunity to voice the points of view of Western Canadian dance artists, cultural workers and supporters. So, save the dates, keep apprised of announcements and plan to get involved on a national scale this fall.

CADA/West shares joint membership with the CDA and all CADA/West members are automatically members of the CDA. As members, you should be getting emails from them. If not, please check out the Membership section of their site. Also, follow them on Twitter & Facebook.




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designed, written and built by Deanna Peters, CADA/West Communications Officer