Festival Team

Randy Glynn

Choreographer, dancer, teacher and Founding Artistic Director of the Company of Angels and Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal, Randy Glynn has been a recognized figure in the world of Canadian Contemporary Dance for over 4 decades. A critically acclaimed principal dancer with the legendary Danny Grossman Company for a decade, Randy began choreographing in the early 1980s. In 1987 he formed his own company, The Randy Glynn Dance Project, which toured across Canada and presented four seasons at Toronto’s prestigious Premiere Dance Theatre. Works among his critically acclaimed repetoire include: ‘Mr. Pinhead’, ‘After Godot’ and ‘Dancing in the Third Act’. In 2008 he was invited to Berlin to direct the Circus Cabaret Show ‘MyLife’ at the Chamaeleon Theatre in the heart of the city. The show ran for a year and was seen by over 100,000 people.

Randy’s choreography has been produced and presented by companies in Canada, Ireland and the US. A Dora Mavor Moore Award nominee, he is also a recipient of the prestigious Clifford E. Lee Choreography Award. In recognition of his work, ‘Dancing in the Third Act’, Mr. Glynn was selected as one of five finalists for the 2015 Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award. This was the first time since the inception of the award that dance was named to the Masterworks shortlist.

In addition to his position as Artistic Director of Company of Angels and FODAR, Randy has, for seven years, been at the helm of Halifax-based Live Art Dance Productions, as Artistic Director. Live Art Dance is the only dance presenter in Atlantic Canada programming a full-season contemporary dance series featuring international calibre artists. He leaves that position in August of this year. “It’s time for me, to step back a bit and take some more relaxed family time.” Randy and his partner, Pamela Grundy, have a home in Granville Ferry, NS where they grow grapes and make passable wine.

Michael Caldwell

Michael Caldwell (he/him) is a choreographer, performer, curator, artistic director, producer, and arts advocate, based in Tkaronto, Canada. He has performed/collaborated with over 55 of Canada’s esteemed performance creators/companies, working internationally and performing across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Michael’s performances have earned him two (2) Dora Mavor Moore Awards for outstanding performance in dance.

Garnering critical acclaim, his choreography has been commissioned/presented throughout Canada at major festivals, in traditional venues and in site-responsive and community-engaged contexts. Michael’s most recent choreographic work responds to the ‘site’ in as many ways as can be conceived, and subverts traditional modes of viewing. He recently premiered ‘Two x 30’ – a large-scale performance/sound work as part of ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art, and is currently working on two collaborative multidisciplinary performance projects. Caldwell is a two-time K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation Artist Award finalist.

Currently, Michael serves as Artistic Director at SummerWorks in Tkaronto, and as Associate Curator for Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal, in Nova Scotia. Recently, as Creative Director: Programming at Generator, he led the re-imagination of the overall governance structure of the organization, moving towards a co-leadership framework. Previously, Michael played a pivotal role in the growth and development of Fall for Dance North, serving as Executive Producer for eight years. He has also previously guided projects with CanAsian Dance, Dusk Dances, Older & Reckless, and Kaeja d’Dance’s Porch View Dances. In addition, he acts as a consultant with various arts organizations and as a mentor to many emerging artists/curators in the Tkaronto arts community.

With a bachelor’s degree in film/art history from Syracuse University in upstate New York, and professional dance training at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Michael now serves as President of the Board of Directors at The CanDance Network.

Sheila Duggan

Sheila brings more than 30 years experience in marketing, communications and media relations to her work with FODAR. Sheila has consulted with public and private organizations in both urban and rural settings in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. Concentrating mainly in the culture and performing arts sectors she has worked with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, National Arts Centre, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, SOS Children’s Villages Canada, the Capitol Theatre (Moncton NB),  Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada, Acadia University, DMV Theatre Co-operative, Mocean Dance, Ship’s Company Theatre, and Live Art Dance. Born in Halifax, Sheila traces her family roots back to several small towns and villages in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley and the South Shore.

A.J. Morra

Based in Toronto, A.J. is a graduate of the Technical Theatre Program at “X” University, and has enjoyed an active career as a Technical Director, Production Manager, and Stage Manager for contemporary dance, circus, and theatre. Selected credits include three seasons with Toronto Dance Theatre, and assorted projects with Groundling Theatre Company, Zero Gravity Circus, Dreamwalker Dance Company, Kaeja d’Dance, Soundstreams, and Signal Theatre. 2022 will mark A.J.’s sixth year with the festival.