Karen Jamieson Receives Isadora Award for Excellence in Dance

2016 Isadora Award winner Karen Jamieson

The Dance Centre has announced the the recipient of this year’s Isadora Award for Excellence in Dance. Vancouver choreographer Karen Jamieson receives the award in recognition of her contribution to BC’s dance scene through a career spanning over 40 years which encompasses community-engaged and cross-cultural work, as well as creation and performance.

“Karen is renowned as a choreographer and dance artist, and also as a mentor to many in our dance community, and an inspiring and generous artist. The emotional power of her work is acknowledged by critics and audiences alike, and she is recognized through this award for her contribution to the overall development of dance in British Columbia and Canada," said Mirna Zagar, Executive Director of The Dance Centre, in a press release.

"Her ability to bridge traditions, and the awareness and appreciation she has nurtured through her many collaborations with First Nations dance, have helped empower others to embrace cultural diversity and appreciate the differences which enrich our dance culture.

"The Award also acknowledges her work in the development of community-engaged dance, through which she has invited people to engage in the practice of art-making, building up and expanding the understanding of the art form among the public. Constantly challenging the boundaries of the art form and her own artistic practice, as well as encouraging others to tread the path into unexplored territories, Karen continues to be a significant force in Canada’s dance landscape.” 

The annual Isadora Award, named after the great dance pioneer Isadora Duncan (1878-1927), was instituted by The Dance Centre in 1999 to recognize and celebrate the achievements of the dance profession in British Columbia. Recipients receive an Isadora Award sculpture specially created by the eminent glass artist Mary Filer, fully subsidized rehearsal space at Scotiabank Dance Centre to the value of $1000, and $500 cash. Previous Isadora recipients have included Jennifer Mascall, Susan Elliott, Peter Bingham, Chick Snipper, Crystal Pite, Joe Laughlin, Wen Wei Wang, Judith Garay, Paras Terezakis, and Lee Su-Feh.

More information about the Isadora Award, The Dance Centre and Karen Jamieson can be found in the official award announcement here.