David Earle

David Earle (born 17 September 1939) is a Canadian choreographer, dancer and artistic director. In 1968 Earle was co-founder and co-artistic director of Toronto Dance Theatre alongside Patricia Beatty and Peter Randazzo, where Earle choreographed new modern dance pieces. In 1996 Earle started his own company called Dancetheatre David Earle where he continues to choreograph new works, to teach, and to create with the next generation of modern dancers. David Earle has received many accolades; a member of the Order of Canada, a recipient of the Jean A. Chalmers Award for Distinction in Choreography, also an honorary doctorate degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.[1]

David Earle
Born (1939-09-17) 17 September 1939
Toronto, Ontario
OccupationChoreographer, dancer, artistic director
Current groupDancetheatre David Earle
Former groupsToronto Dance Theatre

Early life and training

David Earle was born in Toronto on 17 September 1939. He grew up in the suburb of Etobicoke. Earle's dance training began at the age of five with ballet and tap lessons from Toronto teachers Beth Weyms and Fanny Birdsall, debuting at Eaton Auditorium. In 1947, at eight years of age, David Earle joined Dorothy Goulding's Toronto Children's Players, where we would act for eleven years.[1]

After graduating High School at Etobicoke Collegiate Institute, David Earle studied Radio and Television Arts for two years at Toronto's Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. At the age of twenty he left Ryerson after a Bolshoi Ballet performance inspired him to dance; he auditioned and was accepted as a scholarship student at Canada's National Ballet School.[1] There he would meet Eurhythmics teacher Donald Himes who introduced him to the Laban technique at, modern dance artist, Yoné Kvietys' studio. David would go on to perform for two years with Kvietys' company.[1]

In New York David Earle studied with Martha Graham. He was a dancer with the José Limón Dance Company for a single season, then assisted with setting up the London Contemporary Dance Theatre in England.[2]

Toronto Dance Theatre

After returning to Toronto Earle co-founded Toronto Dance Theatre with Patricia Beatty and Peter Randazzo in 1968.[2] They agreed to share the role of artistic director and each create choreography for the company. Earle became known for emotional theatricality and attractive ensemble pieces. As time passed Earle assumed a more dominant role in the affairs and choreography of the company.[3]

Earle joined the founders in 1977 to buy St. Enoch’s Church to convert it to the Winchester Street Theatre.[4] In 1979 Earle created the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, a training program for professional modern dancers.[2]

One of Earle’s dances during this time was Miserere, originally part of a larger work called Exit, Nightfall (1981). The piece incorporates liturgical themes[2] and other religious imagery.[5]

Earle and the other founders offered the artistic directorship of the company to Kenny Pearl in 1983.[3]

During this time, Earle continued to choreograph in various places across Canada. In 1984 he created Sacra Conversazione at the Banff School of Fine Arts. The piece touches on themes of mortality and grief and is danced to Mozart’s unfinished Requiem Mass. The piece was later remounted with Toronto Dance Theatre in 1986.[6]

In 1987 Earle returned as Toronto Dance Theatre’s sole artistic director. He continued in this role until 1994, where he became artist-in-residence with the company for two years.[2]

He was profiled in Moze Mossanen's 1987 documentary film Dance for Modern Times, alongside Christopher House, James Kudelka, Ginette Laurin and Danny Grossman.[7]

Dancetheatre David Earle

After leaving Toronto Dance Theatre in 1996 Earle founded a new dance company called Dancetheatre David Earle, in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. His recent work features collaborations with choirs, orchestras and chamber choirs.[2]

In 2014 Earle premiered Exile, performed by three dancers. The piece drew upon traditional modern dance and was danced by young artists.[8]

Choreography

David Earle has choreographed more than 130 works over five decades as founder/artistic director of Dancetheatre David Earle and co-founder/co-artistic director of Toronto Dance Theatre.[1]

YEAR TITLE Music Notes
2014 Exile[8]
2006 Only 2 For 4 In 5[1]
2006 Barn Dance[1]
2006 Pavanne From The Sleeping Beauty[1]
2006 Shalom[1]
2006 Partings[1]
2005 The Heart at Night[1]
2005 The Bridge of Dreams[1]
2005 Collecting Light[1]
2004 The Merman of Orford[1]
2004 The Death of Enkidu[1]
2004 A Farther Shore[1]
2003 Piccolo Teatro or Self Portrait as a Drowned Man[1]
2003 Jesu, Meine Freude[1]
2003 Sealevel[1]
2003 Somewhere I Never Traveled[1]
2002 A Play of Light[1]
2002 King David[1]
2002 Zoroaster[1]
2002 The Reproaches[1]
2002 Vanishing Perspectives: parts one and two[1]
2002 Strip Show[1]
2001 Richot Mass[1]
2001 Tango for String Quartet[1]
2001 Meridian[1]
2001 Dirait-on[1]
2001 In Spite of and Because[1]
2001 Le Minotaur[1]
2000 L'Histoire du Soldat[1]
2000 Horizon[1]
2000 Night/Summer[1]
2000 The Creatures of Prometheus[1]
2000 There Was a Song[1]
1999 Three Winter Prayers[1]
1999 Imagined Memories[1]
1999 Ex Voto[1]
1999 Reunion[1]
1999 Endangered Worlds[1]
1998 Vertical Thoughts 3[1]
1998 Serious Games Part 1[1]
1998 Serious Games Part 2[1]
1998 Three Duets for Two Friends[1]
1998 In Memoriam[1]
1998 Kyrie[1]
1997 Walking in Venice[1]
1997 Danny Boy[1]
1997 Walking in Venice II[1]
1997 Last[1]
1997 Hour of Light[1]
1997 Une Cantate de Nöel[1]
1996 Elsewhere[1]
1996 Maelstrom[1]
1996 Ark of the Covenant[1]
1996 Sang[1]
1995 Furniture[1]
1995 Stardust[1]
1994 Three Bach Arias[1]
1993 Pillow of Grass[1]
1993 Errata[1]
1993 The Painter's Dream[1]
1992 Architecture for the Poor[1]
1992 Untitled Monument[1]
1992 Visible Distance: A Bach Suite[1]
1992 Angels and Victories[1]
1992 Undetermined Landscape[1]
1992 The Clay Forest[1]
1992 Diving for the Moon[1]
1991 Romeos & Juliets[1]
1991 The Voice of the Ancient Bard[1]
1990 Capriccio[1]
1990 Romance[1]
1990 Autumn Leaves[1]
1990 Dreamsend—A Melodrama in 12 Moving Parts[1]
1990 Openings and Inventions[1]
1989 Ancient Voices of Children[1]
1989 El Amor Brujo (Wedded to Witchcraft)[1]
1989 Schéhérazade[1]
1988 Palace of Pleasure (or Death by Love)[1]
1988 La Valse[1]
1988 Chichester Psalms[1]
1987 Sunrise[1]
1987 Cantata {renamed The Triumph of Love, 1988}[1]
1987 Cloud Garden[1]
1986 Emotional Geography[1]
1986 Sacred Garden[1]
1985 Adagio from "The Theatre of Memory"[1]
1984 Orpheus and Euridice[1]
1984 Cape Eternity[1]
1984 Sacra Conversazione[1]
1983 Realm[1]
1983 Court of Miracles[1]
1982 Ormai[1]
1982 Dido and Aeneas[1]
1981 Moonchase[1]
1981 Exit, Nightfall[1]
1981 Journey[1]
1981 Christmas Concerto[1]
1981 All the Books in Heaven[1]
1980 Courtyard[1]
1980 Akhenaten[1]
1980 La Bilancia[1]
1980 Frost Watch[1]
1980 Emozioni[1]
1979 Time in a Dark Room[1]
1979 Rejoice in the Lamb[1]
1979 Raven[1]
1979 The Wedding Dance[1]
1978 Courances[1]
1978 Sweet and Low Down[1]
1977 Fauré Requiem[1]
1977 Mythos[1]
1976 Quartet[1]
1975 Waltz Suite[1]
1975 Deux Épigraphes Antiques[1]
1975 L'Hôtel Splendide[1]
1975 Vignette[1]
1975 Field of Dreams[1]
1974 Bugs[1]
1974 Parade[1]
1973 Ray Charles Suite[1]
1973 Baroque Suite Finale[1]
1973 Atlantis[1]
1972 Lyrical Solo[1]
1972 Baroque Suite Duet[1]
1972 Lament[1]
1972 Boat, River, Moon[1]
1971 Balleto al Mio Bel Suon[1]
1971 Legend[1]
1971 The Silent Feast[1]
1970 Operetta[1]
1970 Portrait[1]
1970 Pie Jesu[1]
1969 Lovers[1]
1969 Fire in the Eye of God[1]
1969 A Thread of Sand[1]
1968 Angelic Visitation #1[1]
1968 Angelic Visitation #2[1]
1968 The Recitation[1]
1968 Mirrors[1]
1967 Witness of Innocence[1]
1963 Recitative and Aria[1]

Accolades
  • 2012 - Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal[9]
  • 2011 - Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, Laureate[10]
  • 2009 - Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, Individual Category[1][10]
  • 2006 - Walter Carsen Prize for excellence in the performing arts[1]
  • 2005 - Honorary Doctorate of Laws, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario[1]
  • 2002 - Jacqueline Lemieux Prize, Canada Council for the Arts[1]
  • 1998 - Muriel Sherrin Award, Toronto Arts Council Foundation [1]
  • 1996 - The Order of Canada [1]
  • 1994 - Jean A. Chalmers Award for Distinction in Choreography.[1]
  • 1988 - Toronto Arts Award for Performing Arts - Toronto Dance Theatre co-founders David Earle, Patricia Beatty and Peter Randazzo.[1]
  • 1987 - Clifford E. Lee Award from the Banff Centre for the Arts [1]
  • 1987 - Dora Mavor Moore Award for best new choreography for Sunrise.[1]
  • "[ David Earle's ]... work Sacra Conversazione has been selected by Canadian dance professionals as one of ten Canadian choreographic masterworks of the twentieth century."[1]

References
  1. Green, Michele (2007). "David Earle Exhibition". Dance Collection Danse. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  2. Crabb, Michael; Cauthery, Bridget (4 March 2015), "David Earle", Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, retrieved 19 April 2015
  3. Crabb, Michael; Cornell, Katherine (4 March 2015), "Toronto Dance Theatre", Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, retrieved 19 April 2015
  4. Walker, Susan (13 November 2008), "Show celebrates two anniversaries", The Toronto Star, Tor Star Newspapers Ltd., retrieved 19 April 2015
  5. Citron, Paula (16 September 2011), "Six modern-dance pioneers strut their stuff, beautifully", The Globe and Mail, The Globe and Mail Inc., retrieved 19 April 2015
  6. Bowring, Amy (3 August 2009), "Pearl Remounts Earle's Sacra", The Dance Current, retrieved 19 April 2015
  7. Littler, William (27 November 1987). "Dance feature puts viewers on stage". Toronto Star.
  8. Forcier, Marie France (4 June 2014), "Dancing with the Devil-May-Care", The Dance Current, retrieved 19 April 2015
  9. "The Governor General of Canada". The Governor General of Canada. 19 July 2017.
  10. "Ontario Arts Council Awards". 19 July 2017.
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