A cultural, community friendly centre of learning offering classes in classical ballet, modern and contemporary dance in our building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Arts Administration Internship with

Bennington College Student

Vivian Robbins

December 12, 2011: The School of Dance is pleased to announce a seven week arts administration internship with Bennington College student, Vivian Robbins. As part of her internship in Ottawa, Vivian will work with The School’s artistic and administrative staff, learning about the intricacies of a Canadian arts education charity. Vivian, who has worked with the renowned National Dance Institute in New York and Ballet New York, will be assisting with classes and working on several of The School’s community outreach programmes, including the Dances for Youth by Youth mentorship programme, funded in part by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. “We are all looking forward to Vivian’s energetic and vital approach to dance education. We are delighted to be part of an international continuum of learning”, says Merrilee Hodgins, Artistic Director of The School of Dance.

Bennington College, Vermont, holds a distinguished place among American colleges and universities. It was the first to include the visual and performing arts in a liberal arts education, and it is the only college to require that its students spend a term - every year - at work in the world. Rooted in an abiding faith in the talent, imagination, and responsibility of the individual, Bennington invites students to pursue and shape their own intellectual inquiries, and in doing so, to discover the world’s interconnections. Beginning in the 1930’s, Bennington College has strong dance roots including its early colleagueship with dance legends Martha Graham, Doris Humphries and Hanya Holm.

Located at 200 Crichton Street in Ottawa and founded in 1978 by Merrilee Hodgins and Joyce Shietze, The School of Dance has an international reputation as a centre for excellence in arts education. Graduates of The School are performing with companies world-wide. The School of Dance is a registered private career college under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005. This Ontario designation complements The School’s federal registration as a non-profit, charitable arts education institution. The School of Dance Contemporary Dance Programme is an approved vocational training program by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities of Ontario.

For more information about Bennington College student Vivian Robbins’ internship with The School of Dance, please contact Merrilee Hodgins, Artistic Director.