Founded in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2001 by Carolle Crooks Fernando, Sarah Rozee, Sara Harrigan, Alicia Orr MacDonald, and Lisa Phinney Langley, Mocean Dance is recognized nationally as a leading company from the Atlantic region. Now led by Artistic Director Carolle Crooks Fernando, the original founders continue to perform, choreograph and provide artistic vision for the company. Working with both locally and nationally renowned choreographers, Mocean brings together talented artists to create exciting new work that is rooted in collaborative process, stretches physical and emotional boundaries and finds authenticity.
A Company-in-Residence at Halifax Dance since 2002, Mocean has produced and presented new shows annually, including Quintecentric, influx, Coast to Coast, Mappa Mundi, Given the Circumstances, Live in 3, and their recent 10th anniversary mainstage, Decennium. The company has created over 20 original works with choreographers from across the country, including Susie Burpee, Sharon Moore, Susan Elliott, Roger Sinha, Michael Trent, Lesandra Dodson, Lisa Phinney Langley, Cory Bowles, Estelle Clareton, Howard Richard, Allen and Karen Kaeja, Andrea Leigh-Smith as well as company members Sara Harrigan and Carolle Crooks Fernando. Mocean has also been featured in the work of dance and theatre artists Gwen Noah (Vestige) and Mary Ellen MacLean (Velocipede). The company has appeared in San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, and in theatres across Ontario and all four Atlantic Provinces.
In addition to its creation and performance, Mocean has developed successful residency programs bringing contemporary dance to communities across the region, has performed and led workshops for thousands of students, and has filmed a half-hour television special for Bravo!, which also aired on CBC. The company is dedicated to community outreach and the development of future audiences through performances, residencies, school events, workshops, informal showings and discussions. Recently, Mocean launched a pre-professional creation project, the Gen Y Project, to promote the development of the next generation of professional dancers in Halifax.
Mocean is committed to being based in Nova Scotia and contributing to its growing dance and arts community by providing opportunities for creation, performance, collaboration, development and education.
Mocean Dance is a member of Dance Nova Scotia and the Canadian Dance Assembly, and many of its members belong to the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists (Ontario Chapter).