Series 8:08

Performance Workshop. The participants presented short dance works-in-progress and received audience feedback.

With a considerable sense of community pride and excitement, the first workshop was held in February 1993 in the gym at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church, under the leadership of Series 8:08 founding Directors, dance artists Sarah Chase, Michael du Maresq and Michelle Silagy.

During the next three years Series 8:08 worked closely with the Dance Umbrella of Ontario and made the transition from a volunteer organization to one supported by government arts councils and the Laidlaw foundation. An important alliance was forged in 1994 with the Metro-Central YMCA. The Y's ongoing support of Series 8:08 has been vital to the project's success.

A changing of the guard took place in 1995 with Susan Lee, Yvonne Ng, and Jessica Runge replacing the founding directors, and establishing a new administrative structure and an expanded artistic vision: one that safeguarded the Choreographic Performance Workshops as the core activity and built on the momentum Series 8:08 had generated. The season now features a series of Alternative Dance Technique Classes (ATCs) and the annual curated Season Finale, in addition to the Performance Workshops.

Throughout the history of Series 8:08, the organization has remained artist-driven, working to support the development of dance in our community through programs that respond to the needs of Toronto's local artists, community and audiences.Performing in front of an audience is a basic need for all dancers. Series 8:08 was formed in 1992, when a group of artists from the Toronto community recognized the lack of performance opportunities for independent dancers and companies and responded by establishing the monthly 8:08 Choreographic.