CHRISTOPHER HOUSE
Artistic director of Toronto Dance Theatre since 1994, Christopher House is one of Canada’s most exciting choreographers. He has transformed
TDT into a company known internationally for its fresh, intelligent and provocative dance.
House’s work is motivated by a profound curiosity about art and life. Born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland, he studied Political
Science and Philosophy before switching to Theatre and Dance. His keen interests in travel, science, the visual arts, cinema and literature
continue to inform the development of his work.
Early choreographies such as Glass Houses and Vena Cava were praised for their kinetic brilliance (The New York Times) and
formidable craft and vision (The Globe and Mail, Toronto). Since 2000, when TDT premiered Nest to critical acclaim, House has
specialized in creating full-length multi-disciplinary works full of exhilarating ideas as well as stunningly beautiful movement. Recent
productions, such as Severe Clear and Persephone’s Lunch, examine such themes as the creative process, the ambiguity of signs
and the manufacture of memory. He draws inspiration from the individual gifts of his remarkable dancers and from collaboration with such
artists as Kim Soo-ja, Scott Eunson, Jeremy Laing, James Robertson and Phil Strong.
In addition to TDT, Christopher House has created choreographies for many companies including Portugal’s Ballet Gulbenkian, the National
Ballet of Canada, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and Ballet British Columbia, and for soloists such as Peggy Baker, Guillaume
Côté and Laurence Lemieux.
an intellectual force in the flighty North American dance scene
The Village Voice, New York
an arcing imagination of immense proportions
The Globe and Mail, Toronto
a fresh voice in modern dance
The New York Times
House’s movement has the quality that marks the best choreography: it manages to be surprising while still appearing
inevitable
it’s a rare gift.
Ottawa Citizen
House’s unique voice bodes well, not only for his company, and for Toronto’s dance community, but our dance culture
as a whole.
Ballet Tanz, Germany
Photography credits:
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