The Dancers

Danielle Baskerville

Danielle Baskerville has known David Earle as both student and dancer for 18 years and danced with DtDE since it’s inception.  She dances across Canada, and occasionally in France, Belgium and Austria. She was born in Quebec and grew up in Victoria where she discovered David at the age of fifteen. These years with Dancetheatre David Earle, epic in depth and scope, will take another lifetime to celebrate. Most recent projects on the independent front include The Dietrich Group’s very successful premiere of DA Hoskin’s Artfag, presented by Buddies In Bad Times this past January.

Born in Quebec, Danielle began her dance training in Victoria, B.C., before attending the final two years of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre's Professional Training Program as a scholarship student. Upon graduation, she was invited to join Dancetheatre David Earle, and has been a featured member of the company for the past eight years. She has performed in over twenty new works by Earle across Ontario and throughout the West Coast of Canada, and has played a pivotal role in the revival and teaching of past repertoire. Her most recent projects as a member of DtDE include appearing in the revival of Earle's legendary wintertime epic, Court of Miracles; The Merman of Orford and The Death of Enkidu as part of the Jane Mallet Theatre's revival of the late Harry Somer's music; and an evening of sacred dance with the Guelph Chamber Choir at the River Run Centre.

Michael English

Michael English has been with Dancetheatre David Earle since its first performance in 1997.  In addition to dancing in most of the company's performances since that time, Michael was General Manager for DtDE for 10 years, and continues to play a pivotal role in the company's operations and development. 

Michael began dancing at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton as part of the Theatre Arts Program.  He then danced for four years with Mile Zero Dance, studying and working with Andrea Rabinovitch, Debra Shantz and Brian Webb, as well as a notably fun time choreographing for playwright Brad Fraser.  Times and Life pulled him eastward to dance in new works for Massimo Agostinelli and Tassy Teekman. He performed Jean-Pierre Perreault's Joe for tours in 1994 and '96, which led him to Toronto, guesting with the Danny Grossman Dance Company and originating roles for Allen Kaeja and Julia Sasso before joining Dancetheatre David Earle in 1997.

Graham McKelvie

Graham has studied and worked with David Earle for over 23 years and performed with the company for 11. A native of Saskatchewan he started his training in movement as a competitive figure skater. At age sixteen he pursued his dance training at the National Ballet of Canada, the School of London Contemporary Dance Theatre in England, and at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. Gaining a reputation for his expansive lyricism and exotic masculinity, he has inspired major roles in works by David Earle, James Kudelka and Patricia Beatty, among others. He continues to teach as a guest teacher nationally and internationally. He loves chocolate.

Barbara Pallomina

Born and raised in Toronto, Barbara has studied and worked with David Earle for over 16 years. She completed her training at the school of Toronto Dance Theatre and has danced with Dancetheatre David Earle since 1998 and also works for a number of independent choreographers in Toronto. Additionally Barbara choreographs, improvises, co-creates short dance films and teaches Moksha Yoga.

Evadne Kelly

Evadne Kelly (nee Fulton) was born in Birtle, Manitoba and grew up in Victoria, British Columbia. Since graduating from the School of the Toronto Dance Theatre on partial scholarship, she has had the honour of working with Dancetheatre David Earle as one of their core dancers.  With Dancetheatre David Earle, she has been involved with the reconstructions, including Court of Miracles, and new creations of numerous works.  While working as a pilates instructor, Evadne continues to perform with and be inspired by Dancetheatre David Earle.  Evadne has also performed the work of choreographers D.A. Hoskins, Allen Kaeja, Learie McNicolls.  As a co-founder of Conduit in 1998, she performed works by Sonya Biernath, Murray Darroch, D.A. Hoskins, Sharon Moore and Julia Sasso.  In 2002, she co-produced Esperanza, in which she performed works by Carly Wong, Graham McKelvie and Patricia Beatty.  In 2004 Evadne performed a duet choreographed by Julia Sasso in the Dora award winning Variété directed by Ross Manson.  Evadne also has a great love for playing her violin and has been enjoying performing in bars around Toronto. Currently, she is also upgrading her degree to a double major in Equity Studies and Anthropology at the University of Toronto.

Julia Garlisi

Julia Garlisi has been working with David Earle since 2003. She is a graduate of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre Professional Training Program. Along with being an active member of Dancetheatre David Earle, independently, she has been fortunate to work with Denise Duric, Janet Johnson, Newton Moraes, Suzette Sherman, Lacey Smith, Toronto Heritage Dance, and The Niagara Dance Company.  Julia has also created choreography for the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, Stratford Spring Works Indie Theatre & Art Festival, and the Suzuki String School. Most recently, Julia was nominated for the City of Hamilton Arts Awards.

Anh Nguyen

Anh Nguyen has danced with DtDE since 2005, with his first performance in Collecting Light. Born in Vietnam, he is a choreographer, composer and teacher.  Besides serving as artistic director for HNM Dance Company since 1995, Anh values the freedom and enrichment that come along with actively working as an independent artist.  He has had teaching and performance residencies across the U.S. and Canada including the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Peter Sparling Dance Company, Michigan Opera Theatre, and the University of Windsor. Anh's choreography and compositions have been commissioned by Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Dance Collective, American Ballet Theatre among many others.  In 2001, in recognition of his contribution to artistic and cultural life, Anh was given the Award of Excellence for Outstanding Artist.

Janet Johnson

Janet Johnson has worked with David Earle for 11 years and danced with DtDE since 1997. After graduating from York University’s Dance Program, she spent six years in Toronto.  While there she co-founded the eclectic company, PEDESTRIAN WALTZ DANCE PROJECT as well as danced for a diverse number of powerful Toronto-based choreographers. Since 1995 Janet has been living in the Guelph area where she actively pursues outreach dance efforts through extensive teaching, co-founding and co-directing the successful GUELPH CONTEMPORARY DANCE FESTIVAL as well as having the delight & honour of dancing with DtDE. In 2007 Janet was granted the Woman of Distinction Award in the category of Arts and Culture in Guelph, Ontario.

Meredith Thompson

Meredith Thompson happily made her first appearance with Dancetheatre David Earle in the Spring of 2002.  Since then, she has had the great pleasure of working with DtDE, dancing in both new works and the revival of some of Mr. Earle’s classics. Meredith graduated from York University with a B.F.A. (Dance) and a B.Ed in 2000. A dancer with the Danny Grossman Dance Company for six seasons, she has performed in a number of Mr. Grossman’s signature works, as well as those of Anna Sokolow, Paul Taylor, and the Clichettes. Independent dance endeavours have brought her together with a number of other notable choreographers and artists as well. Meredith has worked extensively as a teaching artist with the Toronto District School Board and is currently on faculty at George Brown Dance and Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre.

Georgia Simms

Soon after moving to Guelph to attend university, Georgia was thrilled to discover the amazing community of artists at Dancetheatre David Earle. She has been performing with the company since 2005. Georgia has also had the pleasure of dancing in works by Peter Randazzo, Denise Duric, Julia Garlisi, Janet Johnson and Suzette Sherman. Georgia's choreography has been presented at the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival and she a resident choreographer with the Guelph Youth Dance Company. She has taught modern dance at the Royal City School of Ballet and at the University of Waterloo, and continues to teach with DtDE at Temple Studios.