WHAT'S HAPPENING?
Our 2027 ESDF Showcase
“Dance Is Medicine”
Jr. High School Showcase May 5th, 2027
High School Showcase May 6th – 7th, 2027
Registration for the 2027 season, “Dance is Medicine,” opens September 12th and closes October 12th, 2026.
ESDF At A Glance
In 2025, our Student Care Committee raised over $100,000 in scholarships, providing opportunities for young dancers to continue their dance journey outside their high school dance programs. We are so grateful to our community partners for their generous donations. Here are the 2025 recipients of the ESDF Scholarships and Bursary.
My dance journey began when I told my teacher I wanted to quit. I’d been dancing since I was ten—starting with K-pop choreographies and LA-style rehearsals—but always felt disconnected. The community I craved didn’t exist for someone like me. I found myself in spaces removed from what it meant to be a Black girl in the dance community. I felt that no one in the dance world looked like me. The women I admired were thin, light-skinned, and wealthy. I am tall, dark-skinned, bigger than most, and living in a city where I rarely see dancers who reflect me. I believed the industry wasn’t built for girls like me—that being a choreographer wasn’t possible. Everything changed on a field trip to a tap show led by a Black woman who was a powerful force. I wasn’t a tap dancer, but seeing her on that stage—unapologetically Black, confident, and successful—shifted something in me. I haven’t missed a rehearsal since.
Become A Community Partner
Help us, help the students by becoming a community partner! Contact us for more details and we’ll show you how you can be a part of changing the lives of so many of our deserving youth!
“East Side was a major part of my time in High School. The training I recieved from all of the different dance choreographers and teachers helped me to become not only better at dance, but to better understand what trainging programs were being offered once I left high school.”
Giving back to her community is important to Prudence and now, she has come back to her local high school to teach traditional African dance to the younger students, giving them the inspiration they need to believe in themselves and their talent.
Contact Us
Contact us for the latest updates, news and important information throughout the year. There is a lot that goes on here at ESDF and the society and its board members are here to answer your questions.
Don’t forget to email us to register your school for the upcoming festival!
info@eastsidedancefestival.ca