Profile

Gearshifting Performance Works is a not for profit Arts Organization dedicated to the advancement of the art form of modern dance.  Committed to promoting modern dance, raising public awareness of the form and enriching the community, the Company has three main activities; these include the advancement of education, creation and presentation of modern dance.

Gearshifting Performance Works endeavors to create accessible and artistically daring works.  The body of work encompasses a broad range of new creation and respected traditional works.  The subject matter often stems from psychological reactions to environment and reflections upon trends in Canadian lifestyle. The presentations strive to be rewarding to both the audience and the creators as well as suitable for a broad range of audiences and performance venues.

Enriching the Community

Through new creation, commissions, re-constructions, performances, teaching, studio showings, talkback sessions and hosting guest artists, the Company makes art available to the public in various settings, both traditional and non-traditional, connecting with a broad and diverse audience of all ages and all walks of life.

Brief History

Gearshifting Performance Works is a Winnipeg-based dance Company created in response to Jolene Bailie’s success as a solo performer.  Artistic Director, Jolene Bailie, began presenting solo work in the year 2000 and since then has performed well over 250 full length solo shows, six cross Canada tours, ten international engagements, several smaller tours, two projects of historical significance in New York City, re-mounted fourteen solo works by established choreographers, commissioned eight new solo works by senoir guest choreographers, as well as developed and presented new creations by Artistic Director Jolene Bailie, including created two full-length shows, three solo works as well as works for bridging and pre-professional dancers.

The Company was incorporated September 27, 2005.

Board of Directors

Gearshifting Performance Works is governed by a Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors:

Jamie Jurczak

Geoffrey Devenney

Linda Drosdowech

Hugh Conacher

Jolene Bailie

Jolene Bailie

Jolene Bailie is the Artistic Director of Gearshifting Performance Works.  Self-motivated and committed to modern dance, she has cultivated her own unique and innovative career, earning a reputation for presenting work that resonates in the human experience.

Since graduating from The School of Contemporary Dancers in 2000, she has self-presented and produced over 250 solo shows, six cross Canada tours, numerous smaller tours, including performances in New York City in 2005, 2006 and 2008. She has produced and performed fourteen re-mounted works by senior choreographers, commissioned eight new works, collaborated on several dance-based video projects, created one evening length solo work, one evening length ensemble work, eight works for pre-professional students, over 125 dances for schools, as well as created and toured her own solo work to numerous festivals. While deeply rooted and dedicated to Winnipeg, Jolene also strives to ensure that her perspective on dance is not limited to her immediate geography. As a solo artist, she has worked with many wonderful choreographers and directors including Stephanie Ballard (Winnipeg), Marc Boivin (Montreal), Rachel Browne (Winnipeg), Marie-Josée Chartier (Toronto), Denise Clarke (Calgary), Deborah Dunn (Montreal), Bill Evans (New York), Don Halquist (New York), Allen Kaeja (Toronto), Joe Laughlin (Vancouver), Brent Lott (Winnipeg), Jim May (New York), Gaile Petursson-Hiley (Winnipeg), Julia Sasso (Toronto) and Nina Watt (New York).  She has been presented at Simon Fraser University, the Inbound Festival in New York City, The State University of New York at Brockport, Studio 303 in Montreal (2003, 2004, 2006, with her 2006 performance earning her a “best of dance: 2006 year in review” top three listing in the Montreal Mirror Magazine), New Dance Alliance’s 20th Anniversary Performance Mix Festival at the Joyce SoHo (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 9th International Solo Dance-Theatre Festival in Stuttgart, Germany (2005) , The Stream of Dance Festival in Regina (2002), Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers (2006) The Her-icane Festival of Women’s Art in Saskatoon (2004) and numerous fringe festivals.

Committed to education, Jolene has been a key faculty member of The School of Contemporary Dancers since 1997 and works as a Mentor for Arts and Cultural Industries in Manitoba, a Guest Teacher at The Chai Folk Ensemble and takes on project-based independent coaching and teaching. Jolene holds a B.A. Honors Degree and the Gold Medal Award for Academic Excellence from The University of Winnipeg (2000), a Teaching Certificate with Distinction from The Royal Academy of Dance (2001) and is currently furthering her education in the Low-Track Residency Program, working towards her  M.F.A. in Dance (2011), at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia/The America Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina.

She seems to erase away irrelevance and is one of the few dancer/choreographers I’ve seen recently who presents an integrated, completed image of music, costume, lighting, and movement. I want to keep seeing Bailie’s work. She’s a great ambassador, for the north of the border contingent. 
- Marilyn Russo, Attitude, The Dancer’s Magazine