Defining movement in new ways

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This article was published 05/10/2022 (1168 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dammecia Hall, founder of Define Movement, is passionate about dance, leadership development and mentoring small businesses.

She is a graduate of the senior professional program of the School of Contemporary Dancers in affiliation with the University of Winnipeg’s bachelor of arts (honours) in dance degree program.

“It is one of a kind program. I was fortunate to have Rachel Browne (the late founder of Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers) as my mentor throughout my formative career. I honour her and miss her deeply; however, I can feel that she is guiding me from a new and different place now.”

In 2004, while still in her 20s, Dammecia started and developed a successful dance company called Define Movement. Today her company has evolved in scope to address current social and economic issues.

Dammecia has expanded her vision to include mentorship and leadership development geared to artists and small businesses, including individual mentorship.

As a professional contemporary dancer, dance workshop facilitator, and an alumna of the Nafro Dance company, Dammecia has also made her name in Toronto, participating in many projects by the likes of the Nu Dance Performance Institute, the Toronto District School Board and Our Streetsville Square project. Fluent in hip hop and African movement as well as ballet, modern and contemporary styles, she has choreographed for many Toronto dance companies but chose to return to Winnipeg due to family ties .

Dammecia’s artistic lineage runs deep in the Winnipeg community especially the Caribbean scene, where her father, Jamaican-born reggae singer and musician Dammie Hall, was well known within the music community.

Like her father, Dammecia describes herself as a trailblazer.

“I walked the walk, overcame many obstacles and am at a place where I can share my experience in a meaningful and optimistic way with others,” she said. “You can say I’ve learned the secret of working smarter and achieving success without working harder. I know I cannot be passive about it; I enjoy sharing what I know.”

Presently, Dammecia has received seed funding from the Canada Council for the Arts for a project she is working on for next summer.

In 2023, watch out for the launch of Dammecia’s outdoor event, which will bring together a cross section of artists, small businesspeople, government, and big business to help showcase Manitoba artists and to learn about land development and Indigenous ways of preserving land and water to benefit all.