Receiving mentorship is an opportunity to receive reflective advice and observation that’s based on the mentor’s own experience and opinion. Mentors might look to help a mentee develop their own sense of “individualism” and confidence in decision-making.

Receiving mentorship is not the same as receiving coaching or therapy. 

The mentors are experienced dancers and choreographers who are dedicated to provide support to the next generation of contemporary dance artists. There are 20 mentors, who range in age from 27-70. More than 50% identify as BIPOC. 

Together, the mentors have held the following positions in the dance industry: 

• Dancer
• Choreographer
• Artistic Director
• Founder
• Ballet Mistress/Master
• Rehearsal Director 
• Administrator
• Psychotherapist
• Director
• Cinematographer
• Teacher

Adji Cissoko

• Current Position: Dancer with Lines Ballet
• Positions Held: Dancer with National Ballet of Canada, Teacher, Certified Life Coach
• Mentoring Focus: Audition preparation, communication, goal setting, self-representation, physical/spiritual/emotional development, choreographic process, finding your voice, social responsibility.

Arthur Stashak: 

• Current Position: Freelancing in Dusseldorf Germany
• Positions Held: Soloist with Ballet am Rhein, Dancer with Grand Theatre Lódz
• Mentoring Focus: Audition preparation, goal setting, physical/spiritual/emotional development, finding your voice, social responsibility, leadership, moving counties/cities, being the underdog, advocating for dance, digital creations.

Assis Carreiro: 

• Current Position: Independently Represents International Choreographers, Designers, and Consultants, and Arts and Cultural Projects
• Positions Held: Artistic advisor to DanceEast’s Rural Retreats, mentoring for Mercury Creatives, consultant to the Australia Council, International Market Development Consultant for Canada’s CAPACOA, Cultural Strategist for Canadian High Commission, Head of Strategic Planning and Development at New English Ballet Theatre, Artistic Director of Royal Ballet of Flanders, and more…
• Mentoring Focus: Goal setting, self-representation, finding your voice, leadership, negotiation, networking, establishing projects.

Carolina Mancuso: 

• Current Position: Freelance Dancer and Teacher in Traslasierra – Córdoba, Argentina
• Positions Held: Dancer with Netherlands Dance Theatre I and II, Dancer with The Hamburg Ballet of John Neumeier, Creator and Teacher of Entropy-Movement Class, Costume Designer, Assistant Choreographer
• Mentoring Focus: Audition preparation, goal setting, self-representation, physical/emotional/spiritual development, choreographic process, finding your voice, social responsibility, leadership, finding studio space, moving countries/cities, creative development.

Charlie Prince:

• Current Position: Freelance Dancer and Creator
• Positions Held: Danced with Omar Rajeh – Maqamat, Benoit Lachambre, Cie. Alias, Venice Biennale (dir. Marie Chouinard), Montréal Danse, Andréa Peńa & Artists
• Mentoring Focus: Audition preparation, communication, goal setting, self-representation, physical/spiritual/emotional development, choreographic process, finding your voice, social responsibility, negotiation, networking, establishing projects, finding studio space, moving countries/cities, creative development, financial planning, project management, being the underdog.

Geoff Chang:

• Current Position: Vice President at Arts Consulting Group
• Positions Held: Trustee of Dance/USA, General Manager at the Mark Morris Dance Group, Executive Director at Dušan Tynek Dance Theatre, General Manager at the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, worked at Rambert Dance Company, and practiced as a commercial lawyer in the UK
• Mentoring Focus: Communication, negotiation, networking.

Hoor Malas: 

• Current Position: Freelance Dancer and Choreographer
• Positions Held: Independent dance artist; choreographies like “Regression”, “Three Seconds”, and “Hanging”; member of Leish Troup; danced with Cie Alias; Solo Tanz Festival; and Danceweb
• Mentoring Focus: Communication, physical/spiritual/emotional development, choreographic process, social responsibility, creative development.

Jera Wolfe:

• Current Position: Freelance Choreographer
• Professional Experience: Associate Dance Artist with Red Sky Performance and Peggy Baker Dance Projects, Choreographer for National Ballet of Canada, Canada’s National Ballet School, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, and Ryerson University, and has presented his work at Fall For Dance North, Danse Danse, Jacob’s Pillow, Festival des arts de Saint-Sauveur, Canadian Stage, and Banff Arts Centre for Arts and Creativity. 
• Mentoring Focus: Audition preparation, communication, goal setting, self-representation, physical/emotional/spiritual development, choreographic process, finding your voice, social responsibility, leadership, negotiation, networking, establishing projects, finding studio space, moving countries/cities, creative development, financial planning, project management, being the underdog, being an advocate for dance, digital creation.

Kate Flatt:

• Current Position: Choreographer, Director, Movement Director
• Positions Held: The creation of the original musical staging for RSC’s “Les Miserables” (1985-2019), choreographer for The Royal Opera, Phoenix Dance Leeds, The National Theatre, and many others, as well as had her work on feature films like in “Chaplin”, “Restoration”, and “The Avengers”.
• Mentoring Focus: Choreographic process, feedback, idea development.

Martin Ten Kortenaar:

• Current Position: Dancer with The Dutch National Ballet
• Positions Held: Dancer with The National Ballet of Canada, The Dutch National Ballet, and various freelance work
• Mentoring Focus: Navigating company life, being a dancer representative, classical ballet.

Matz Skoog:

• Current Position: Life Coach
• Positions Held: Dancer and Artistic Director of English National Ballet, Artistic Director of The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Dancer with Netherlands Dance Theater and Rambert Dance Company
• Mentoring Focus: Success coaching, confidence and motivation, career development and transition, personal development, leadership development for senior arts professionals.

Maurice Causey:

• Current Position: Director of Contemporary Dance at The European School of Ballet
• Positions Held: Dancer with Ballet Frankfurt, Gothenburg Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada, Freelance choreographer for numerous dance companies, schools and projects worldwide
• Mentoring Focus: Social responsibility, spiritual development, emotional development, physical development, finding your voice, leadership, choreographic process, self-representation, communication, mobility, life-changing injuries.

Syreeta Hector:

• Current Position: Freelance Choreographer, Teacher
• Positions Held: Dancer with Adelheid Dance Projects, Danny Grossman Dance Company, Political Movement, Peggy Baker Dance Projects, and Toronto Dance Theatre
• Mentoring Focus: Audition preparation, communication, self-representation, choreographic process, leadership, negotiation, networking.

Nikki Holck:

• Current Position: Managing Director of Peridance Center
• Positions Held: Dancer with The National Ballet of Canada, Dancer and Rehearsal Director with Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, dancer in various freelance projects
• Mentoring Focus: Classical and contemporary dance, administration, teaching and directing.

Olivia Ancona:

• Current Position: Freelance dancer in Berlin
• Positions Held: Winter Guests | Alan Lucien Øyen, Batsheva [the main company and the Young Ensemble], and L-E-V
• Mentoring Focus: Freelancing in Europe, being foreign, navigating communication, decision-making, contracts, and harnessing your skills/creativity within different contexts and styles.

Olivier Coëffard:

• Current Position: Freelance dancer, rehearsal director and teacher
• Positions Held: Dancer with Netherlands Dance Theater, Malandain Ballet Biarritz, Dantzaz Kompaina, and Europa Danse
• Mentoring Focus: Audition preparation, communication, goal setting, self-representation, finding your voice, physical development, spiritual development, emotional development, social responsibility, leadership, negotiation, mobility, creative development, being the underdog, dance advocacy.

Richard Chen See:

• Current Position: Director of Archives, Stager, and Rehearsal Director for Paul Taylor Dance Foundation
  Positions Held: Repetiteur for Paul Taylor Dance Foundation, dance faculty at Peridance and Taylor School, international guest teacher, former dancer with Paul Taylor Dance Company, ODC/San Francisco, Oakland Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre, and various independent productions ranging from musical to experimental theater
• Mentoring Focus: Navigating a freelance career in the Dance Industry, bridging pre-professional training and professional life in dance and beyond, arts management, and entrepreneurship.

Rosalynde LeBlanc:

• Current Position: Associate Professor and current Chair of the Dance Program with Loyola Marymount University
• Positions Held: Produced and Co-directed Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters film, Dancer with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, Dancer with Mikhail Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Project, Dancer with Liz Gerring Dance Company
• Mentoring Focus: Discrimination in the studio, being the underdog, project management, creative development, establishing projects, leadership, social responsibility, finding your voice.

Terry Hyde:

• Current Position: Psychotherapist for Counseling for Dancers
• Positions Held: Dancer with The Royal Ballet, London’s Festival Ballet (now ENB), and performed in West End musicals, Film, and TV
• Mentoring Focus: Audition preparation, communication, goal setting, self-representation, finding your voice, leadership, negotiation, dance advocacy.

Tom Hurwitz:

• Current Position: One of America’s most celebrated documentary cinematographers (winner of two Emmy Awards, the Sundance and Jerusalem Film Festival Awards for Best Cinematography)
• Positions Held: Co-directed and was the Director of Photography for Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters film, as well as created dance films on Paul Taylor, George Balanchine, Alvin Ailey, Bill T. Jones, Twyla Tharp, the SAB, the ABT, Jane Dudley, and others
• Mentoring Focus: Creative development, feedback, project management, digital creation.

The mentorship sessions are 100% online, using Google Meet. A Dansii administrator will meet you on Google Meet 10 minutes before your session starts to walk you through the mentee waiver form, receive digital payment, and ensure that the mentor arrives on time. Before the session, mentees often feel curious, nervous, and excited. After the session, most mentees feel confident, inspired, and motivated. 

Before your first session Dansii will send you tips and tricks to make the most out of your time with your mentor. 

If you choose a “Double Tempo” Mentorship Session, the session will be 30 minutes long. 

If you subscribe to “PRO”, the session will be 1 hour.

1. Identify what areas of your career you would like to focus on improving.
2. Identify the qualities of your ideal mentor.
3. Ask yourself if there are specific positions in the industry that you would like your mentor to have experienced. 
4. Ask yourself if it’s important that your mentor is BIPOC or LGBTQI+. If yes, try to be as specific as possible. 
5. Ask yourself if there are specific locations where you want your mentor to have lived or to be currently living. 

Once you have the above questions answered, browse each mentors profiles and find your match. If you would like help with this process, contact us and request a mentor matching form. Once filled out Dansii will get back to you with your mentor match(s) within 2 business days.

Mentoring helps to develop your dance career and the dance industry. Here are the kinds of benefits you may start seeing after 8 months of mentorship:

• Mentees are promoted 5 times more often than those without mentors (SOURCE)
• Mentors themselves are 6 times more likely to be promoted (SOURCE)
• 89% of those with mentors believe their colleagues value their work, compared with 75% who do not have mentors (SOURCE)
• 87% of mentors and mentees feel empowered by their mentoring relationships and have developed greater confidence (SOURCE)
• 70% of all jobs are found through networking (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics and Yale University. 2016)
• 91% of workers who have a mentor are satisfied with their jobs (SOURCE: NBC and Survey Monkey. 2019)
• Mentoring programs boosted minority representation at the management level from 9% to 24% (SOURCE)
• As well as promotion and retention rates for minorities and women from 15% to 38% as compared to non-mentored employees (SOURCE)

1. “Double Tempo”

• Price = $28.75 
• Details: 
  • Get support fast.
    These sessions are designed for the speedy or for those on a tight budget. Come prepared with 2-4 questions for your mentor of choice. After these sessions you’ll feel full of thoughts that will carry you forward on your journey.
  • What’s Included?
    • 30 minutes of mentorship (via Video Call)
  •  Testimonials: 
    • “Carolina was incredibly attentive and all the things I brought up, she gave fantastic suggestions for.” – Judy Luo, Ex-Dancer with Ballet Rambert
    • “[My mentorship session] made me feel validated in the sense that I had a more established artist agreeing that it is a challenging path to be a dance artist. I felt less alone in my struggles.” 
    • “Afterwards, I felt empowered and even more curious….I have been thinking about the many “nuggets of inspiration” that Nikki provided me throughout the rest of the week.” 
    • “I utilized this service for a very specific purpose of information. I wanted to “crowdsource” from current professionals in specific roles that I aspire to be. Now that I have collected what I think is adequate information, I will be moving forward with my career and education planning…!”

2. “PRO” 

• Price = $85.25 per/month 
• Details: Start an easier life by joining PRO. Contemporary dancers and choreographers who have a mentor are more confident, 5 times more likely to receive more responsibility from their directors, and are more satisfied in their jobs. Join PRO and feel the results first-hand. 
• What’s Included?
  • 60 minutes of mentorship per month (via Video Call)
  • 1 email chain with your mentor (equivalent to 2 replies from the mentor, approx 15 minutes of their time)
• Recommendation: Statistics show that the long-term impacts of having a mentor begin after 8 months of consistent sessions. 
• Testimonials:
  • “I was so inspired by Maurice and can feel like there is a lot to learn from him. I am curious to continue questioning and discussing together.” – Daniel Myers, Dancer with Staatsballett Wiesbaden

Schedule your mentorship session today! 

1. Choose your mentor;
2. Choose your package (See “Pricing and Packaging”);
3. Send an email to boxoffice@dansii.com with your choice of mentor + 2 dates/times that work for your schedule.