The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance is proud to be home to its own professional dance company, led by Artistic Director Laurence Lemieux. Compagnie de la Citadelle is known for its creative processes and intimate performances of classic works and new creations.
Compagnie de la Citadelle has evolved significantly over the last couple of decades. Founded in 2000 by Laurence Lemieux and Bill Coleman (formerly Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie), the company toured extensively around the globe in its early years and has remained a force in the Canadian landscape of contemporary dance.
In 2007, the company’s efforts shifted with the purchase of a Salvation Army Citadel in Regent Park and its renovation into studio, office, and theatre space. The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance officially opened in 2012, providing a home for then-resident choreographer, James Kudelka, and artistic director, Laurence Lemieux’s creative processes and intimate performances. Through remount initiatives, the company also dedicates itself to the preservation of important Canadian dance work, making available iconic repertoire to a new generation of dancers.
The Compagnie has produced an extensive body of work since its foundation in 2000, including Interiors, Les Paradis Perdus, and Looking for Elvis, created by artistic director Laurence Lemieux, and From the House of Mirth, Love Sex & Brahms and Malcolm by James Kudelka.
Having created over twenty-five original works, Laurence Lemieux continues to explore the extraordinary range of her choreographic voice through the company, with works ranging from explosive, intimate creations like Love me out of it (which she performed with iconic Canadian punk band Teenage Head), to large scale productions like Vimy 1917, that toured to France for the 100th anniversary of the battle.
James Kudelka, resident choreographer from 2008-2020, was instrumental in positioning the company on the local and international scene. Over the course of his twelve-year tenure, Kudelka revisited many of his finest works, and contributed new, contemporary creations, including the beloved duet, Four Old Legs. His presence expanded the company’s public recognition, and increased audiences eager to see the work of one of the country’s finest choreographers.
