Dominique
Turcotte
Licentiate, CC-CICB
Senior pedagogue - Over 40 years of experience
Ballet & Pointe work
Dancer Conditioning
Basic Pedagogy Applied to Dance
Ballet Pedagogy
Pilates / Yoga
Professionalism - Rigour - Enthusiasm
Who am I?
A Licentiate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (London) and active member of Cecchetti Canada and Cecchetti International Classical Ballet, I was admitted to Canada's National Ballet School (NBS - Toronto) a the age of 10.
I spent five years in the Professional Ballet-Academic Program before exploring other avenues which lead me to dance with a Jazz dance company and introduced me to teaching. In the summer of 1978, I returned to NBS for the Teacher Training Program. One year later, I was invited to join the school's artistic staff, and I taught at NBS for four years before returning to Quebec City to marry.
Initially senior ballet teacher and manager of the classical ballet division for Le Centre de danse Les Ballets Jazz (1983-85), I was Executive and Pedagogical Director of Le Centre de danse de Québec, renamed L'École de danse de Québec, from 1985 to 2009.
Having retired from L'EDQ in 2009 and following a two-year sailing sabbatical, I returned to teaching on a freelance basis in 2011.
I have always been actively involved in the development of my profession and of the dance sector in general. At the present time, I serve on the Board of Directors of the Réseau d'enseignement de la danse (RED) and Cecchetti Canada.
I have also authored a number of pedagogical and Blog articles in French, a few of which I hope to translate into English. I also translate various publications from French to English and vice-versa, currently for both RED and Cecchetti Canada.
Professional Resume
Pedagogical Experience
(short version)
1979-83 - Canada's National Ballet School (Toronto). Teacher in the Professional Ballet Program (Grades 6 to 10), the Teacher Training Program and Junior Division. Classical Ballet & pointe work, private coaching, pre-character.
1983-85 - Le Centre de danse Les Ballets Jazz (Quebec). Senior Ballet teacher for the Bursary Program and the Regular Sector. Manager of the Classical Ballet sector. / Compagnie Danse Partout (Quebec). Ballet teacher for this modern dance company's professional dancers.
1985-2009 - (Le Centre de danse de Québec) L'École de danse de Québec
Executive and Pedagogical Director / Ballet teacher. Under my leadership, the school became one of three professional dance training institutions in the province of Quebec, recognized by both the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education.
2011 to now - Freelance pedagogue
Guest teacher for, among others: l'École supérieure de ballet du Québec and Ballet Divertimento in Montreal, Quinte Ballet School of Canada in Belleville, DansEncorps in Moncton and Halifax Dance, as well as on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, as a guest of the Ministry of Culture. In the Quebec City area, I teach for the Dance-Academic Programs of Élédanse and QMDA.
Other Realisations
1983 to now
- Currently on the Board of Directors for Cecchetti Canada and the Réseau d'enseignement de la danse (RED)
- In the past, I have also served on the BODs of the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD), the Conseil de la Culture de Québec et Chaudière-Appalaches (CCRQCA) and CAPDO.
1987 to now - Translator of articles and documents from French to English and vice versa.
1995 - Creator and co-animator of "Terpsichore", a ten-episode series on dance, produced by Télécomm 9 (community television, Quebec).
2006 - Co-author of a seven-level dance syllabus for recreational and preparatory schools (and responsible for the 2011 and 2020 updates), for the Réseau d'enseignement de la danse (RED).
2008 to now - Author of several pedagogical and Blog articles.
Awards & Recognition
1997 - Finalist in the Cultural Development category of Quebec City's Prix d'excellence de la Culture.
2008 - Recognized as one of 400 women having contributed to the development of Quebec society (Empreinte d'elles: 400th anniversary celebrations of Quebec City)
2008 - Laureate of the week Le Soleil - Radio-Canada (November 17), recognizing "exceptional people of the Quebec City region".
2009 - Laureate in the Arts & Culture category, the YWCA's Femmes de mérite (Women of Distinction) Gala.
Professional Dance Training / Diplomas
1970-75 - Canada's National Ballet School (Toronto). Professional Ballet-Academic Program, grades 6 through 10. ISTD Elementary and Intermediate Cecchetti exams (currently Intermediate and Advanced 1).
1978-79 - Canada's National Ballet School (Toronto).
Teacher Training Program. Graduated after one year. ISTD Elementary and Intermediate National Dance exams (as a student teacher).
1980 - Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (London, England). Associate & Licentiate Teaching exams, Cecchetti Society Branch.
2006 - Centre Pilates de Montréal (CPM).
Pilates Matwork Instructor Certificate.
2018 - Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT).
First level certificate.
2020 & 2022 - The Ballet Blog - Lisa Howell
Level 1 Teachers Course and Level 2 Flexibility Intensive.
1980 to now - Always eager to acquire new technical, artistic, pedagogical, somatic, anatomical and psychological knowledge, I have participated in numerous workshops and training sessions over the years with, among others, Cecchetti Canada, Canada's National Ballet School, the RQD, the SQDM, and including Feldenkrais, Pilates, Yoga, the Franklin Method, the Ballet Blog and PBT.
© Dominique Turcotte 2023
Photo credits: Shaun Simpson 2017 (headshot), Jim Mneymneh 2015 (blue tunic).