The Chrystal Dance Prize is named for Dr. Betty “Chrystal” Kleiman whose bequest to the Victoria Foundation in 2009 created the prize that Dance Victoria awards on an annual basis. A committee of dance professionals is assembled each year to select the recipients.
It was Chrystal’s desire that dance artists from western Canada have the opportunity to learn from and work with the best professionals in the world and that they bring these influences and new works back to Canada. A much-loved pediatrician in Victoria known for her extraordinary work with troubled youth, Kleiman was fiercely individual. She loved the arts and pursued interests in poetry, pottery, painting and dance. She was also an avid kayaker and environmentalist. One of her proudest achievements was getting arrested when she protested against the logging of Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island in 1993. The Chrystal Dance Prize is awarded to artists who share Chrystal’s generosity and passion for self-expression.
2023/24 Winners
- Justine A. Chambers (Vancouver) and Laurie Young (Berlin); Alexis Fletcher & Sylvain Senez of Belle Spirale Dance Projects (Vancouver) and Fernando Hernando Magadan (Spain/Holland); Caroline MacCaull & Sammy Chien of Chimerik 似不像 (Vancouver) and Horse Dance Theater 驫舞劇場 with Wu-Kang Chen 陳武康 (Taiwan) and Wen Huang 黃雯 (Taiwan).
- Avari Dodd (Vancouver Island) (CDP – Training winner) to train at Montclair State University (New Jersey); Natalie Martin (Gibsons, B.C.) (Arabella and Robert Award for Dance) to train at Miami City School of Ballet (MCSB); Anna Wang-Albini (Vancouver) (CDP – Training winner) to train at Nuova Officina della Danza (NOD) in Italy.
Read media releases for 2023/24 CDP – Projects here and CDP – Training here.
2022/23 Winners
- Julia Taffe of Aeriosa Dance Society (Vancouver) and choreographer Marija Scekic of Histeria Nova Artistic Organization (Croatia); Shion Skye Carter (Vancouver) and choreographer/performer Mayumi Lashbrook, and co-choreographer/dramaturg Ayumi Hamada (Japan); Amber Downie-Back (Victoria) with sound designer Angus Gaffney and contemporary dancer/choreographer Emilie van der Waals (Netherlands-based, from Sint Maarten)
- Margarette Bernal (Richmond) and Bryn Bridgen (Vancouver) (CDP – Training winners) Margarette Bernal (winner of Arabella and Robert Award for Dance).
Read media releases for 2022/23 CDP – Projects here and CDP – Training here.
2021/22 Winners
- Kevin Fraser (Vancouver) with his dance collective, Immigrant Lessons, will collaborate with dance artists/producers Margarida Macieira and Nicolas Ventura (Portugal) and other international dance associates at Meeting Point: Portugal; Kayla Henry (Victoria) with her company Noble Riot Dance Theatre will collaborate with Christina Medina (Austria)
- Kiana Bell (Vancouver), Isabel Tornqvist (Calgary), Robin Butterfield (Victoria) (CDP – Training winners) Kiana Bell (winner of inaugural Arabella and Robert Award for Dance).
Read media releases for 2021/22 CDP – Projects here and CDP – Training here.
2020/21 Winners
- Ralph Escamillan (Vancouver) with Raul “Buboy” Raquitico (Philipines); OURO Collective with RubberLegz (Germany/USA)
- Mikaela Kos, Maya Milic, and Ashvini Sundaram (Vancouver)(CDP – Training winners)
Read media releases for 2020/21 CDP – Projects here and CDP – Training here.
2019/20 Winners
- David Ferguson (Victoria) with Hoyeon Kim (South Korea); Julianne Chapple with Sahar Damoni (Palestine)
2018/19 Winners
- Vanessa Goodman (Vancouver) with Belinda McGuire (USA); Kidd Pivot (co-production support for its new production, Revisor, to be presented in Victoria, February 2020); Out Innerspace Dance Theatre (for the further development of its next full-length work Bygones, presented in Dance Victoria’s 2022/23 season); Dancers of Damelahamid for the continued development of its new full-length work titled Minowin
- Mikaela Kos, Briana Del Mundo (CDP – Training winners)
2017/18 Winners
- Stacey Horton (Victoria) with Gabi Beier (Germany) and to co-commission of Ballet BC’s Romeo + Juliet (by France’s Medhi Walerski)
- Holden Cole, Adrian de Leeuw (CDP – Training winners)
2016/17 Winners
- Arash Khakpour (Vancouver) with Emmalena Fredriksson (Sweden); Meredith Kalaman (Vancouver) with Gabi Beier (Germany)
- Adrian de Leeuw, Matilda Çobanli (CDP – Training winners)
2015/16 Winners
- Justine A. Chambers (Vancouver) with Laurie Young (Germany); David Ferguson with Hyoseung Ye & Jung ah Chung (South Korea)
- Matilda Çobanli (CDP – Training winners)
2014/15 Winners
- Meredith Kalaman (Vancouver) with Gabi Beier (Germany); Josh Martin & Lisa Martin Gelley (Vancouver) with German Juaregi (Spain)
- Sasha Beardmore, Candace Gordon (CDP – Training winners)
2013/14 Winners
- Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg (Vancouver) with Silvia Gribaldi (Italy); Kimberley Cooper (Calgary) with Valeria Pinheiro (Brazil)
- Alexander Andison (CDP – Training winner)
2012/13 Winners
- Wen Wei Wang (Vancouver) with Gao Yan Jinzi (China)
- Kara Chan (CDP – Training winner)
2011/12 Winner
- Daelik with Fabrice Ramalingom (France)
2010/11 Winner
- Jung-Ah Chung with Kyeung-Eun Lee (South Korea)