Dave danced as a child in the UK in the 1950s as part of the Rudolf Laban Creative Dance program. He studied all aspects of dance including historical dance, modern technique and dance notation in training as a P.E. teacher. In the late 1960s, he viewed post-modern dance events in New York City, by artists such as Rudy Perez. Other 1960s influences were Ballet Rambert (London, UK) and Moving Being (Cardiff, Wales). Moving into dance teaching, choreography and performing in the 1970s, he studied at Centre of Movement, Toronto (Til Thiele - ex Mary Wigman Director) and Synergy, Vancouver (Linda Rubin – ex Anna Halprin performer). Dave toured Sweden and Australia with partner Viv Moore in the 1980s as Remote Control both teaching and performing.

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Dave recently retired after thirty years at McMaster University where he founded the McMaster Dance Company. He also founded Hamilton Dance Company in 1997. His main creative outlet is The Parahumans, a multidisciplinary dance company founded in 1992, which toured England in 2002 and 2003. Dave has been centrally involved in the Toronto dance scene since the early 1980s and was a board member with Dance Ontario for 11 years. He also performed/ choreographed for the first dance fringe festival in Toronto (fFIDA) in 1991. His dance documentary, Boy Dancer received the Fan’s Choice Award at New York – Long Island film festival in 2011. Dave co-produced the Hamilton Site-Specific Dance Festival and Dance Animation Hamilton, produced over 50 shows for McMaster Dance Company,  and 20 shows for The Parahumans. Dave was Associate Producer for Viv Moore’s, Body Percussion Festival, as part of Harbourfront’s Next Steps Series in December 2017.

 

He has an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies (Dance/Physical Education/Psychology) from York University with a focus on Dance and Somatic (Mind/Body) Practice. At McMaster University Dave taught – Body, Mind, Spirit; Somatics; History of Modern Dance; Dance in Contemporary Society. He also co-ordinated the Human Movement Practicum and Lifestyle courses for Yr. 1 and 2 Students.

 

Recent (2018) projects have included – Experimental Dance Solos Showcase; Day of Delight presenting ‘Angels and Humans’; coexisDance; Super Wonder Gallery Cabaret; Experimental Lighting Workshop; Short Dances as part of New Blue Festival; 21 Chopin Nocturnes; New Jazz Dance Improvisations.

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Other projects have included: choreography for 'Dance for Parkinson's – McMaster School of the Arts interactive xbox/brain regeneration project; choreography for Nesia, a Holocaust dance film by Mikel Guillen; Somatic Movement sessions for artists and public. 

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