Bio

A conscientious and daring artist, Jolene Bailie is a dancer from Winnipeg who has cultivated her own unique and innovative career as a solo performer.  Self-motivated and ambitious, her projects are invested with mystery, integrity and intimacy and are viewed with respect by the local and national dance community.

Committed to the art of dance, Jolene has produced and performed over 200 solo concerts and numerous independent tours. At a pivotal point in her career, Jolene has been presented on numerous occasions in Canada and abroad, including performances in New York City in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Jolene's artistic activities are often supported with grant awards from The Canada Council for the Arts, The Manitoba Arts Council and The Winnipeg Arts Council.  

Jolene maintains an active and exciting schedule, having recently completed her fifth self-produced cross-Canada tour. She has commissioned seven new solo works, re-mounted thirteen existing works, choreographed three solos for herself, four works for her mentorship project, SURGE and over one hundred and twenty-five dances for schools.  As a soloist, she has worked with independent choreographers and directors Stephanie Ballard, Marc Boivin, Rachel Browne, Marie-Josée Chartier, Denise Clarke, Deborah Dunn, Bill Evans, Don Halquist, Allen Kaeja, Joe Laughlin, Jim May, Gaile Petursson-Hiley, Julia Sasso and Nina Watt.  She has been presented at the Joyce SoHo INBOUND Festival in New York City (2008),  The State University of New York in the Brockport Summer of Dance 2007 program, Studio 303 in Montreal (2003, 2004, 2006), New Dance Alliance’s 20th Anniversary Performance Mix Festival in New York City (2006), as well as the Dancing on the Edge Festival in Vancouver (2002, 2004, 2005), Perimeters Performance Symposium in Regina (2005), the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival (2005), the 9^th International Solo Dance-Theatre Festival in Stuttgart, Germany (2005), The Stream of Dance Festival in Regina (2002), The Her-icane Festival of Women’s Art in Saskatoon (2004) and various fringe festivals. As a soloist, Jolene has also performed with Bill Evans in Port Townsend, Washington (2005, 2006), in showings at SUNY Brockport University (2005) and in New York City at City Centre Studios with The Limon Institute (2005). In 2006, her own choreography and performance for Terrain, a film shot in Madison, WI, directed and produced by Allen Kaeja and Doug Rosenburg, premiered in Ottawa at the Canada Dance Festival, in 2006 her home show, Rooms With A View, was co-produced by Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers.  Her yearly cross country tours have been great successes, generating an exciting response from critics and audiences alike. Jolene is currently working on Bill Evans’ duet Hard Times to be performed with Don Halquist, and a new solo for herself which will premiere in Winnipeg in February 2009. 

Jolene was born and raised in Winnipeg where she began her formal dance training with Barbara Daurie and continued her studies at The School of Contemporary Dancers Senior Professional Program, from which she graduated in 2000.  Jolene has been the recipient of awards for her talent from The Canada Council for the Arts, The Manitoba Arts Council, The Winnipeg Arts Council, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Dance Manitoba, and The Limón Foundation. In 2001 she was awarded The CIBC World Market Award for Creativity and Innovation for her choreography for The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School’s Professional Program. She holds a B.A. Honors Degree in Theatre, the Gold Medal Award for Academic Excellence from The University of Winnipeg and a Teaching Certificate from The Royal Academy of Dance. 

Jolene is also well-respected for her education activities and teaching expertise, having taught in numerous schools in Winnipeg and across Canada, with her teaching being largely influenced by Bill Evans. Jolene has been a key faculty member of The School of Contemporary Dancers faculty since 1997, teaching classes in all levels of the school and annually preparing students for exams and performances. In 2005, Jolene initiated a project-based mentorship called SURGE.

As an ensemble dancer, Jolene has also worked with Trip Dance Company, Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers, Ruth Cansfield Dance, Gaile Peturrson-Hiley and Stephanie Ballard. Jolene continues to further her own training on a regular basis with technique classes, workshops and seminars.

Bailie's artistry is potent, flavorful, complex, and will force your eyes open to her excellence. – Winnipeg Free Press

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