based in Tkarón:to (Toronto) + Kjipuktuk (Halifax) | laurenrunions@gmail.com
upcoming →
2024 Untitled - Clock Piece. (dancer) Susannah Haight, Nuit Blanche, Factory Theatre, Toronto, ON
2024 Dim Sum without Distance. (dancer/choreographer) Hung Keung, Nuit Blanche, Love Park, Toronto, ON
2024 Reperformance of Kinergy. (dancer) Sally Morgan’s Diane Moore archival project, Halifax, NS
education
2023 Masters of Fine Arts at NSCAD University, Kjipuktuk, NS
Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo/Oslo National Academy of the Arts, Oslo, Norway
2021 Community Power Mapping by Darian Razdar + Unit 2 Celestial Seeds (online)
2019 Art in Public Space at FAI-AR, International MOOC
2012 Performance Dance Studies at George Brown College, Toronto, ON
solo shows
2023 life scores. Anna Leonowens Gallery, Kjipuktuk, NS
This two week thesis exhibition asks what conditions can develop kinaesthetic sensitivity, how bodiment practices can become accessible for a public or an audience through opening the practice of sight-reading, and what modes of score-writing can archive these processes. life scores featured live performances by Julie Robert, Jacinte Armstrong, Sangeeta Raju, along with the artist, and live scoring by Alek Green, Colleen MacIsaac, Craig Leonard, Daniel Edmonds, and Maud Lili Dobbell. The exhibition closed with a sharing by Halifax Dance’s Young Company (YOCO) featuring four scores developed from their social choreography lab research series.
2021 Strategies for Wayfinding. Gallery 1265, Scarborough, ON (online)
Strategies for Wayfinding is a study of day-to-day navigational tools. It names landmarks, sensorial signs and patterns, storytelling and choreographed place-routines as information to better understand the artist’s role, and responsibility, in shared-space. Strategies of Wayfinding features work by Lauren Runions with Maryanne Casasanta, Heddy Graterol, Mélika Hashemi, Alie Lavoie, and Mary Patsiatzis in partnership with Small's Creek Ravine, Bloordale Beach/Brockton Learning Centre, and Trinity Bellwoods Park.
2019 PLACE(MEANT). Public exhibit in private house in collaboration with Space Animator, Toronto, ON
During 24 hour artist residency –Dawn-to-Dawn– the artist explores “placement” inside the house, while director of Space Animator Gelareh Saadatpajouh wanders the surrounding streets. They establish a form of connection -a silent language- between inside and outside through a series of photo and video documentation, live streaming, text, drawings, tastes, sound recordings and olfactory discoveries.
residency
2024 Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts, Mnisiing (Toronto Islands), ON
2023 Macros Series. presented by Eastern Front Theatre, Dartmouth, NS
2020 New Dance, New Music. presented by Connection Dance Works and Resonance New Music (online)
2020 Peggy Baker Space Grant. Canada's National Ballet School and The Choreographer's Network, Toronto, ON
2019 Open Space. The National Ballet of Canada’s Walter Carsen Centre, Toronto, ON
2019 Artist in Residence at City Dance Corps, Toronto, ON
2018 Collective Practice Project. With marikiscrycrycry, TO Love-In and Dancemakers, Toronto, ON
2018 Dawn to Dawn. In collaboration with ====DeRAIL and Space Animators, Toronto, ON
2018 The Creative Gesture: Collective Composition Lab. Banff Centre, Banff, AB
2018 Anda Residency. Transitional Forest Hill home, Toronto, ON
2018 Dancemakers: Plug & Play. Dancemakers, Toronto, ON
2017 The Roundtable Residency. Dragon Academy, Toronto, ON
2017 Connection Dance Works: PERSPECTIVE. Theatre New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB
2016 The Living Room Series. Valence Movement/Jamee Valin, Toronto, ON
research projects
2022 (dancer) Play. Mocean Dance + Jacinte Armstrong with local community, Kjipuktuk, NS
2022 (dancer) Melanie Kloetzel (kloetzel&co.) + Brandy Leary (Anandam Dancetheatre), Toronto, ON
2017 (dancer) McMaster Parkinson’s Dance Video Game Project, McMaster University Hamilton, ON
gallery and installation
2024 MEANDER. (artist) this town is small’s Radiant Rural Halls, Georgetown Playhouse, PE
2023 stosss. (artist) Special Characters group show Horses Running Through the Field, Hermes Gallery, Kjipuktuk, NS
2023 MEANDER/DRIFT. (artist) textile installation with Marite Kuus and sound by Lou Campbell Nocturne, Kjipuktuk, NS
2023 MEANDER. (artist) textile installation creation with Marite Kuus, Eastern Front Theatre, Dartmouth, NS
2022 Stories. (choreographer) Nuit Blanche, Toronto, ON
2022 Found in Translation. (dancer) Jacinte Armstrong, Nocturne, Kjipuktuk, NS
2021 A Growing Wave Breaks in the Shore of Time (Tomorrow I was a Plant). (dancer) Elena Boja at Matadero Madrid, ES
2021 Artists at Work. (artist) Summer Works, Toronto, ON (Online)
2020 Scores for Social Distancing. (dancer) Jacinte Armstrong, virtual/Kjipuktuk, NS
2020 Quartet with ‘Net Interface’ and ‘Mimic, Lake Ontario’. (dancer) the body as a fever dream, XPACE, Toronto, ON
2020 Intervening “A Sudden Beginning” by Carlos Bunga. (dancer and choreographer) Opening Performance, MOCA, Toronto, ON
2020 Rite of Passage. (choreographer and dancer) Closing performance “Procession” by Carlos Bunga, MOCA, Toronto, ON
2020 A FLOOR, A FLORA. (choreographer, dancer) Artscape with West Queen West BIA, Lisgar Park, Toronto, ON
2019 Last Song. (musician) with Allie Higgins and Daniel Pencer, PS: we are all here, Geary Lane, Toronto, ON
2019 Pillars Piece. (choreographer)The Pillars Picnic by Daniel Rotsztain at York and Queen's Quay, Toronto, ON
2019 Installation Performance at Purple Nights. (choreographer and dancer) Banded Purple, 500 Keele, Toronto, ON
2019 Please Hold. (director) I Blink my Eyes to Keep the Time by The Sixhundred at Beaver Hall Gallery, Toronto, ON
2018 Wild Inside. (dancer) Maryanne Casasanta, Clint Roenisch Gallery, Toronto, ON
2018 Talk. (dancer) Maryanne Casasanta, Likely General, Toronto, ON
2018 Party Wire. (choreographer) Site responsive installation Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, ON
2018 Please Hold. (artist) TV Video Installation at 611 Castle Field at Anda Residency, Toronto, ON
2018 MALLEABILITY. (dancer) Amanda Macchia, Gallery Petite, New York, NY
2017 For the Purpose of Grounding. (choreographic director) The Roundtable Residency at Dragon Academy, Toronto, ON
2017 How To Find Your Ideal Heal. (choreographer) Long Winter at The Gladstone Hotel, Toronto, ON
2016 Nitty Gritty. (choreographer) Surface Art Party and Fair at Artscape Sandbox, Toronto, ON
2016 Jazz Baby. (choreographer) New Blue Festival of Emerging Dance at Dutch Dreams, Toronto, ON
2015 Universal Ennui. (choreographer) White Wall Studios. Montreal, QB + The Black Cat Art Space, Toronto, ON
2015 Gibbous Sequence. (choreographer) Exaltation and The Fall at OCAD U Student Gallery. Toronto, ON
2015 Don't Listen To Your Mother. (choreographer and dancer) Surface Art Fair and Party at 99 Sudbury. Toronto, ON
2014 The Architecture of Us [You + Me]. (choreographer) Lab Cab Festival in Gallery 1313, Toronto, ON
stage performance dance
2024 Retro/Future. Phin Performing Arts/Lisa Phinney Langley, Kinetic’s Open Studio Series, Danspace, Kjipuktuk, NS
2023 Play. Mocean Dance and Jacinte Armstrong, All Nations Church, Kjipuktuk, NS
2019 Last Song. Toronto Community Dance Love-In's PS: we are all here, Geary Lane, Toronto, ON
2019 Instinct A, or Play. Cassandra Bowerman, Dusk Dances Hamilton, Bayfront Park, Hamilton, ON
2019 Solo Z. Solo performance with Choreography by Dave Wilson/Parahumans, Pia Bouman, Toronto, ON
2019 Griko. Solo performance in collaboration with Isabel String Quartet, Isabel Bader Centre, Kingston, ON
2018-20 Company Dancer with Polynomials Body Theatre, Karissa Fyrrar
2018 What Exists Here. Valence Movement/Jamee Valin, The Collective Space, Toronto. ON
2018 21 Chopin Nocturnes. The Parahumans/Dave Wilson, Trinity St. Paul's Church, Toronto, ON
2018 Please Hold. 611 Castle Field at Anda Residency, Toronto, ON
2018 Death Cafe. Polynomials Dance/Karissa Fyrarr, Dance Matters at Scotia Bank Studio Theatre, Toronto, ON
2016 Little Fires. Polynomials Dance, Toronto Fringe Festival at Factory Theatre Mainspace, Toronto, ON
2016 Bonne Nuit. Lydia Zimmer, Live Art Dance Series at Sir James Dunn Theatre, Kjipuktuk, NS
2016 missXrepresentation. Alysa Pires Dance Projects, with/out at The Citadel, Toronto, ON
2016 Off The Wall. Frog in Hand/Colleen Snell + artists, Canada Day at the Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, ON
2012-16 Company Dancer with Cadence Progressive Contemporary Ballet, Courtnae Bowman
2011 The Wild in Us. REAson d-etre/Kathleen Rea, Winchester Street Theatre, Toronto, ON
stage choreography
2023 Of Wood and Ash. collaboration with Halifax Dance’s and First City’s Young Companies, Dunn Theatre, Kjipuktuk, NS
2019 Shell Power. Split Bill with Jamee Valin + Warehaus Collective, Pia Bouman, Toronto, ON
2017 The Hierarchy of Lastingness. Open Space Theatre, Fredricton, NB and BMO Studio Theatre, Saint John, NB
2016 Bipedal. Kalos Collectives at Citadel Theatre, Toronto, ON
2016 Grief Point. Kate Houston at Dance Teacher's Expo, Toronto, ON
2015 The Question Method. Cadence Progressive Contemporary Ballet at Dancemakers, Toronto, ON
2015 Finish Your Collapse. Cadence Youth Ballet, Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, Guelph, ON
2014 Jamais Vu. Cadence Youth Ballet in Summer's End at Dancemakers, Toronto, ON
2014 The Art of Wanderlust. Cadence Youth Ballet in Summer's End at Dancemakers, Toronto, ON
2014 Jamais Vu. George Brown Dance Ensemble in Syndicate at Dancemakers, Toronto, ON
2014 Jamais Vu. George Brown Dance at the Betty Oliphant Theatre, Toronto, ON
2014 Finish Your Collapse. Cadence Youth Ballet at Fleck Dance Theatre. Toronto ON
2014 Hi, my name is. Carousel Dance Company, Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, Guelph, ON
2013 Manic Slang. Cadence Ballet in Year End and Inside Job at the Al Green Theatre, Toronto, ON
2013 Manic Slang. Cadence Ballet in the SummerWorks Opening Party at the Great Hall, Toronto, ON
2013 Small Memory. Kingston School of Dance Youth Company at The Grand Theatre, Kingston, ON
2013 Humanhood. The Parahumans at Winchester St. Theatre, Toronto, ON
2013 Fantastically Rocky. George Brown Dance at the Betty Oliphant Theatre, Toronto, ON
2012 Quiet Punctuation. York University's YA! Contemporary Dance at Betty’s, Toronto, ON
2012 Finish Your Collapse. Cadence Youth Ballet at Dancemakers, Toronto, ON
2012 Lucid. George Brown Dance presents Unleashed at the Betty Oliphant Theatre, Toronto ON
music video
2022 One Day by Fucked Up (movement director and casting) direction by Colin Medley
2022 When You Love Someone by Alessia De Gasperis (movement director) direction by Julia Hendrickson
2021 Only Pieces of the Truth by Jordan Hart (choreographer) direction by Julia Hendrickson
2018 Secret Republic by Ian Daniel Kehoe (choreographer) direction by Colin Medley
2018 Impossible by The Weather Station (dancer and choreographer) direction by Colin Medley
2017 Bring the Pressure Washer by New Fries (dancer and choreographer) direction by Maryanne Casasanta
2017 Century by Feist (dancer and stand-in) direction by Scott Cudmore, choreography by Noemie LaFrance
film + video
2021 What's Safe. (dancer) collaboration with Mélika Hashemi, Maryanne Casasanta and Heddy Graterol, New Sociology: Journal of Critical Praxis (online)
2021 A Landmark!. (director and dancer) Saint John Contemporary Dance Festival, Saint John, NB
2020 READY-TO-ASSEMBLE. (co-director and performer) direction D Solleza and Justin Wotherspoon, Screen:Moves, F-O-R-M, Queer North Film Festival
2019 Pleasure Prospects. (dancer) New Mineral Collective (NO), Toronto Art Biennial, Toronto, ON
2019 If you see something, say something. (dancer) Jane Gotch, Charlotte Street Foundation, Kansas City, MO
2019 Nesia. (dancer) direction by Mikel Guillen, choreography by Dave Wilson
2018 ALL THINGS GROW. (dancer) direction by Francesca Chudnoff
2018 Baseline. (direction) with Keaton TF Evans, screenings at The Black Cat Artspace, Toronto, ON and IDF Film Festival, Berlin, DE
community events
2021 Mapping Inside/Outside with Gallery 1265, Scarborough, ON (online)
This movement-based workshop plays with ideas of mapping inside/outside; the workshop includes a warm-up series, internal (cognitive) mapping & tracking outdoor experience(s) through dancing and drawing. This is an open workshop for anyone looking to move and consider their own relationality to site.
2019 Field Guide for Performance in Public Space workshop with Maximum City Summer Camp, Toronto, ON
Summer camp attendees participate in a sensory walk connecting body with the area of the camp. They follow a field guide to explore site through their unique kinaesthetic, tactile, olfactory, visual, and audio capacities. The session asks how can our own embodied awareness relate to places where culture and nature meet?
2019 Dancing + Drawing, Bickford Park, Toronto, ON
This three part series offers to the public guided improvisation classes incorporating dancing and drawing techniques. Each session is supported by live DJ or curated playlists by artists in an outdoor environment.
2018 Movement at the Mall, Yorkdale Mall, Toronto, ON
Fostered by Daniel Rotsztain, Urban Geographer and artist in residence with Art Starts at Yorkdale Mall, the workshop offered an interactive pop-up movement exercises for all to join. This workshop considered our senses, proximity, “mall etiquette” and questioned how people choreographically use the shopping centre.
2018 Dancing + Drawing, Bickford Park, Toronto, ON
This three part series offers to the public guided improvisation classes incorporating dancing and drawing techniques. Each session is supported by live DJ or curated playlists by artists in an outdoor environment.
teaching experience
2006-present Contemporary, ballet, contemporary ballet styles with beginners to professionals, ages 3 to adult
Mocean Dance, Halifax Dance, City Dance Corps, The Underground Dance Centre, The School of Cadence Ballet, Millennium (Toronto), Sandra Amodeo Dance Studio, DanceLifeX, Maximum City, The Railpath Arts Centre, Kingston School of Dance
residency facilitation
2018 This is Our Place: The Bentway, Toronto, ON
In partnership with The Bentway’s Community Incubation Program, five dance artists participate in a public space performance residency under the theme City Play. Over a week these dance artists craft site-responsive works. The week culminates with a free, participatory showing throughout The Bentway’s Strachan Gate.
2017 This is Our Place: Old Weston, Toronto, ON
Looking at themes of domestic space, six dance artists create/work/be in an empty house while in transition between homeowners. The artists are invited to spend as much time in the house. The residency culminates with an intimate gathering open to the public.
curation
2019 Our Streetcar // In(transit)ion. Artwork Advisory Panel Member, CityFund Foundation, Toronto, ON
2018 This is Our Place: The Bentway. I/O Movement, The Bentway, Toronto, ON
2017 This is Our Place: Old Weston. I/O Movement, Old Weston Road, Toronto, ON
project management + administration
2024 Festival Coordinator, Ground UP Festival, Kingston, ON
2024 Board Member (treasurer), Ground UP Festival, Kingston, ON
2020- Co-Artistic Director/Lover for Toronto Community Love-In Summer Love-In, Toronto, ON
2019 Project Coordinator for Eulogy by Lake Effect Projects, Nuit Blanche, Toronto, ON
2019 Registration and Box Office Manager for Toronto Community Love-In Summer Love-In series, Toronto, ON
2019 Front of House Manager for Andrea Nann of Dream Walker Dance, Toronto, ON
2018 Project Coordinator for Wards by Andrew Finley Stewart, Nuit Blanche, Civic Centre, Scarborough, ON
2018 Administrator for Toronto Community Love-In Summer Love-In series, Toronto, ON
publication
2023 life scores, Special Characters
2022 ants labyrinth, Dance Current (july edition)
2018 L8NDSCAPES Online Artzine (INTERIOR edition)
2017 This is Our Place, Dance Current (online gallery)
grants and awards
2023 Master’s Scotia Scholars Award, ResearchNS
2021 Dance Project Grant, Toronto Arts Council