Performing Arts - Professional Associations

The Alberta Dance Alliance (ADA) is a provincial organization dedicated to promoting dance and its many forms in Alberta. A not-for-profit establishment, the ADA was created in 1984 and receives financial assistance from Alberta Community Development.

Once a year, the Alberta Dance Alliance presents the Festival of Dance, a non-competitive festival displaying a wide array of dance talent. In an attempt to bring dance to the mainstream, the festival offers various workshops on current dance styles, discussion groups and sometimes even provides dance classes in interesting locations around the city of Edmonton. One year, the food court of the City Centre shopping mall was transformed into a temporary ballroom where individuals could enjoy learning the fundamentals of ballroom dance. Meanwhile, hip hop and break dance classes were held in clothing stores, while ballet and modern dance were being taught at the Muttart Conservatory.

Volunteers are an integral part of the Alberta Dance Alliance support structure. Members of the community donate their time to help organize festival events and workshops, compose newsletters and mail-outs, even file and sort documents. Each of these volunteers recognizes the importance of the Alberta Dance Alliance in that it offers a multitude of resources while providing a provincial network for the dance community.