Andrea Nann is a Toronto based contemporary dance choreographer, performer, teacher and artistic director of Andrea Nann Dreamwalker Dance Company. Following her graduation from York University's Department of Fine Arts in 1988, she became a full-time member of the Danny Grossman Dance Company (DGDC) where she created, performed and taught major roles from the works of Mr. Grossman and guest choreographers, until 2003. During her fifteen years with the DGDC Ms. Nann was featured in works by Paul Taylor, Anna Sokolow, Rachel Browne, Patricia Beatty, Robert Desrosiers, David Earle, Lester Horton, Lawrence Gradus, The Clichettes, Peter Randazzo, Judy Jarvis, David Earle, and Charles Weidman. During her years working with DGDC, Ms. Nann began to explore her own choreographic talent and began to perform her work independently. Although Ms. Nann continues to appear as a guest artist with the DGDC, in 2003, she resigned from her position as a senior dancer in order to pursue an independent career as a choreographer, performer and teacher of her own repertoire.
As an independent choreographer, performer and producer Ms. Nann has collaborated with author/poet Michael Ondaatje, poet/musician Gordon Downie (The Tragically Hip), composer/cellist/vocalist Anne Bourne, visual artists Wayne Ngan, Michael Caines and Janet Morton, composer John Gzowski, erhu master/composer George Gao, designers Aisling Sampson, Cheryl Lalonde, Peter Chin, Arun Srinivasan, Glenn Davidson, musical group The Skydiggers, musician Andrew Cash, pianist Andrew Burashko, poet Chris Chambers, video artist Samm Higgison, and filmmakers Nick Depencier, Brian Johnson, Lisa Hayes, Nicole Mion and Veronica Tennant.
What the critics say about the Nann/Ondaatje collaboration:
“Sensuous Evening Proves Spellbinding” The Globe and Mail Saturday June 7, 2003
“The performance begins with Ondaatje reading a brief description of their story to the darkened auditorium from backstage. When he returns to take his seat with the audience, it's obvious that the author is making a statement: Nann's interpretation of his work should speak for itself. And it does, very clearly and gorgeously so.”
“Given the audience's rhapsodic response to Nann's pair of Ondaatje-inspired dance pieces, which book-ended a mellifluous reading by the author, one would hope this spellbinding event will be repeated elsewhere.” - Alexandra Gill
“ Poetry Meets Dance And It's Perfect Synergy ” The Vancouver Sun, Saturday June 7, 2003 “When a great poet and a gifted dancer turn their attentions to performance, as Michael Ondaatje and Andrea Nann have just done in celebration of Asian Heritage Month, synergy between literature and dance are gracefully achieved.” “Her movement fills the space around his lines. And his lines seem written on her body. Nann's resulting movement appears entirely organic – never contrived – as though the dance grows out of the literature by necessity, and the words had some foreknowledge of Nann's dance. Andrea Nann's dances are the ideal reader response.” – Michael Harris
Ms. Nann's dances have been presented in Ottawa at The Canada Dance Festival; in St. John's at the Sound Symposium; in Hamilton at Theatre Aquarius by Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts; in Vancouver at The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, The Roundhouse Community Centre by Dance Allsorts, Dances for a Small Stage, Dance In Vancouver and Dancing on the Edge Festival; in Montreal at Centaur Theatre by Acces Asie; in Moncton with DancEast; in St. Catharine's at Brock Centre for the Arts; in Sudbury at White Water Gallery; in Nepean at Centennial Theatre; on Hornby Island by Hornby Festival Society; in Gibsons at Heritage Playhouse; at the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival; and at Toronto 's Premiere Dance Theatre, DanceWorks Mainstage, CanAsian Dance Festival, dance - made in Canada, Spring Rites, Betty Oliphant Theatre, Damn Straight, Harbourfront Centre, York University, Dusk Dances, WellWorld Gala, Artefect Gallery, Fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists, Debutante Ball, Cabbagetown Festival, Dances for a Small Stage, Series 808, The Theatre Centre, Dance Ontario Dance Weekend, Stardust Picnic, The Concert Hall; and on stage with rock group The Skydiggers.
Ms. Nann also produces The Whole Shebang , a critically acclaimed live multi-arts program which brings together and features exciting and diverse artists for performances and workshops in celebration of cultural and artistic diversity in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Along with Ms. Nann's collaborators, other artists whom she has brought to the dance stage include writers Dionne Brand and Souvankham Thammavongsa, musicians Margo and Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies), and singer/songwriters Sarah Harmer, Kathleen Edwards, Andrew Cash, Andy Maize, Josh Finlayson and Mary Margaret O'Hara.
In 2003, Veronica Tennant O.C. created Shadow Pleasures an award winning film that features two dances Ms. Nann created with Michael Ondaatje, Cato and Alice and Meditation #5 – On Loss and Desire . In May 2005 Shadow Pleasures won a record breaking seven Golden Sheaf awards at the prestigious Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival including an award for Best of the Festival.
As an independent dancer Ms. Nann has created over forty original roles for a long list of Canadian choreographers including Peter Chin, Susan McKenzie, Bill James, Holly Small, Nicole Mion, Emmanuel Jouthe, Patricia Beatty, Michelle Silagy, Roberto Campanella, Robert Glumbek, Kate Alton, Terrill Maguire, Juan Antonio, Denise Duric, Janet Johnson, Joe Laughlin, Joan Phillips, Susan Cash, Nenagh Leigh, and Alvin Tolentino. Ms. Nann has performed as a guest artist with many illustrious dance companies including Peggy Baker Dance Projects, Corpus, Proartedanza, Co. ERASGA, Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers and DanceTheatre David Earle.
Ms. Nann leads community workshops and educational projects for the Toronto District School Board and for National Asian Heritage Month. She has been commissioned to create new works for Toronto Dance Theatre, The Art of Time Ensemble, CanAsian Dance Festival, Ryerson University, the York University Dance Ensemble and Cawthra Park Secondary School.
Ms Nann has twice been nominated the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performances in SOURC E and in Peter Chin's Language.