Dance Production Residency 2026

Lisa Davies has been working in the professional dance field for over thirty years, in Quebec and internationally. Throughout her career, she danced on international stages as a performer (Les Grands Ballets, Édouard Lock/La La La Human Steps, Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe etc.), as a guest teacher and rehearsal director for over 15 different companies (Emily Molnar/Ballet BC, Christian Spuck, RUBBERBANDance Group, BJM Danse, Akram Khan Company, National Ballet of Canada, Ballet Zurich, Czech National Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Cas Public, Wayne McGregor Random Dance Company, etc.), and founded Danse à la Carte where she was general and artistic director for nearly a decade. In addition to supporting hundreds of professional performers and choreographers annually via daily training, residencies and networking opportunities through dance, the organization annually holds the intensive TransFormation Danse as well as Propulsion, which has taken turns welcoming renowned artists from all walks of contemporary life (Edouard Lock, Hofesh Shechter, Margie Gillis, Louise Lecavalier, Virginie Brunelle, Catherine Gaudet, Victor Quijada, Frédérick Gravel, Alan Lake, Sylvain Emard, Mélanie Demers, Marcos Morau, Adi Salant, Alexandra Spicey Landé, Emmanuelle Le Phan….) in order to provide workshops and networking opportunities to the dance community. In the past decade, Lisa’s commitment to art and artists has supported hundreds of dancers and choreographers and as many creative projects locally and internationally. Sought after for her expertise and renowned for her integrity, her passion and her dedication to exploring and advancing the practice, she took over the artistic direction of the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2023.

Medhi Walerski was appointed Artistic Director of Ballet BC in July 2020. His leadership tenure has been highlighted by an artist-centred approach and deep commitment to creation and innovation, an expanded global touring program, increased dancer compensation and equity, a world-renowned brand identity, and unprecedented audience growth.

Raised in France, Walerski initially trained in Normandy with Laurie Bokobza and Christine Caroly before joining the Conservatoire Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. He danced at the Paris Opera Ballet and the Ballet du Rhin before joining the Nederlands Dans Theater in 2001. For more than a decade, he was an integral part of the company, contributing to the creative, innovative style that NDT is famed for. Walerski was awarded the prestigious Dutch dance prize VSCD Zwaan in 2013.

Walerski has worked closely with many renowned choreographers, creating alongside and performing works by Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev, Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, and Wayne McGregor among others. Walerski’s choreographic debut was in 2008 for NDT 2. Since then, he has created numerous acclaimed works for NDT and Ballet BC including Petite Cérémonie (2011), Chamber (2012), GARDEN (2016), Silent Tides (2021), just BEFORE right AFTER (2022), Pieces of Tomorrow (2024), and Last light (2025), as well as works for Bern Ballet, Goteborg Ballet, the Ballet State of Georgia, StaatBallet Hannover, Staattheater Wiesbaden and Charlotte Ballet.

As an educator, he is regularly invited to lecture and give workshops at dance conservatories, intensives, and festivals around the world.
 

Please check back regularly for additions to the faculty list.