Porch View Dances 2024
Porch View Dances is Real People Dancing in Real Spaces.
Join us for our 13th Annual Porch View Dances (PVD), as we celebrate the stories of our local neighbourhood by taking dance out of the theatre and into our daily lives. Founded by Karen Kaeja, PVD is a one-of-a-kind community dance event that brings together creators and everyday folk from around Tkaronto, some of whom have never danced before, to create unique performances in Seaton Village, Toronto.
We're delighted to announce the addition of Artistic Producer Mayumi Lashbrook to the PVD team this year. Mayumi is joining us as part of a special initiative aimed at expanding our PVD communities, perspectives, and artistic repertoire. Mayumi has dedicated her efforts to selecting works that foster connection and significance, with a deliberate focus on amplifying underrepresented voices in dance and voices from past Porch View Dances.
Dates: July 17 - 20 at 7pm, July 21 at 2pm
Ticket Prices: Pay as you wish
Starting Location: London St, Seaton Village, Toronto (between Euclid and Palmerston)
Click here to view the full program
Route Map
PVD Artistic Director, Founder & Concept
Karen Kaeja
PVD Developed by
Karen Kaeja
Allen Kaeja
Artistic Producer & Curator
Mayumi Lashbrook
Project & Production Manager
Malgorzata Nowacka-May
Emcee & Tour Guide
Kunji Ikeda**
Choreographers
Esie Mensah (Vignette), Fer Camacho** (Porch), Sid Ryan Eilers (Porch), Zita Nyarady** (Porch)
Flock Landing Lead
Mio Sakamoto**
Flock Landing Dancers
Kiah Francis, Yui Ugai, Rajvi Dedhia
Vignette Dancers
Rosie Harbans
Installation Artists
Jim Adams, Heryka Miranda
**Funded by RBC Emerging Artist
Production/Stage Manager
Sharon DiGenova
Technical Assistant
Shanna Miller
Videographer
Kendra Epik
Photographer
SVPhotography
Publicity
Murray Paterson Publicity Group
2024 Administrative Team
Marketing & Social Media Coordinator*
Jessica Cen
Development Officer - Fundraising*
Shona Kiyama
Administrative Assistant*
Mio Sakomoto
Archival Assistant*
Charlotte Cain
Production Assistant*
Kathy Le
Produced & Presented by
Kaeja d’Dance
*Funded by Canada Summer Jobs
Have you read about this year's PVD? Check out the press!
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"As its billing states, this popular outdoor festival, now in its 13th annual season, uniquely features “Real People Dancing in Real Spaces.” Non-professional performers work with professional choreographers to create original works that often riff off their urban surroundings. With so much bleakness in the news these days, “PVD,” the brainchild of Toronto company Kaeja d’Dance’s co-founder Karen Kaeja, promises instead to embrace themes of joy, laughter and silliness."
-Michael Crabb, Toronto Star
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"It’s a kind of aftermath of the isolation of the pandemic, and learning to re-engage with each other. It’s a playful way of finding common ground. The neighbourhood itself becomes part of the process as well as the performances as she began to make connections with the homeowners and other neighbours along the streets of the area. “It’s a great neighbourhood,” Mayumi says. “Part of that is the architecture.”
-Anya Wassenberg, Ludwig van Toronto
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"With the continued rise of opposition and polarity, community projects like Porch View Dances are an opportunity to release ourselves from personal challenges and instead, find connection with one another,” says Mayumi Lashbrook, Curator and Artistic Producer of PVD 2024. “PVD has surprised and delighted audiences for 13 years, and each year we are reminded of the joy that exists in our lives that we often pass by without noticing. It is with this inspiration that this year’s festival looks through the lens of a child’s playful eye. We invite audiences to let loose, have fun, and engage in meaningful experiences with those around them.”
-Newswire, My Scena
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Mention and PVD info
-Now Playing Toronto
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REVIEW "Despite the fact that Porch View Dances is 13 years old, the concept remains astonishingly unique. A mainstay of a Toronto summer, this community dance event — “real people dancing in real spaces” — continues to delight on so many levels. Truly makes you feel part of a community."
-Paula Citron, Ludwig van Toronto
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Launched in 2012, PVD has grown into a highly anticipated recurring event, considered “a poster child for site-specific dance done right” (The Globe and Mail). In addition to its landmark Seaton Village series, additional iterations of PVD have taken place across Ontario with events in Ottawa, Kitchener, and with Lakeshore Arts in Long Branch, New Toronto, and Mimico in South Etobicoke as well as Moncton N.B.. Kaeja d’Dance continues its commitment to prioritize working with performers and collaborators who are underrepresented, often in race, gender, sexuality, age or dance form, in the dance community on this project. PVD engages ‘real people dancing in real spaces’ and in this way sends the strong and powerful message that art is for everyone.
-Stage Door News
Give to Light Up A Porch!
PVD 2024 invites you to LIGHT UP A PORCH campaign!
Each donation will be matched with 1 of 3 porches to imbue a creative feast. 100% of your contribution will go towards bringing to life one of Toronto’s joyful hidden gems.
A sincere thank you for your continued support.
The campaign has now ended.
PVD Artistic Director, Founder, Concept - Karen Kaeja
Co-Artistic Director - Allen Kaeja
Meet the Team and Choreographers
Flock Landing Dancer - Rajvi Dedhia
Jessica Cen - Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
Project and Production Manager - Malgorzata Nowacka-May
Artistic Producer & Curator - Mayumi Lashbrook
Vignette Choreographer, Performer - Esie Mensah
Tour Guide - Kunji Ikeda (RBC Intern)
Porch Choreographer - Fer Camacho (RBC Intern)
Porch Choreographer - Zita Nyarady (RBC Intern)
Vignette Dancer - Mary-Rose Harbans
Porch Choreographer - Sid Ryan Eilers
Flock Landing Lead - Mio Sakamoto (RBC Intern)
Installation Artist - Jim Adams
Flock Landing Dancer - Kiah Francis
Installation Artist - Heryka Miranda
Sharon DiGenova - Production/Stage Manager
Shanna Miller - Technical Assistant
Flock Landing Dancer - Yui Ugai
