ANNE LAWTON
Director/Choreographer
Westcoast Contortion was founded by Anne Lawton in 1981. It started as a training ground for young students interested in learning the fine art of contortion. Over the years Anne was able to share her own professional performance experience with her students and help them transition into the professional world themselves. Westcoast is now a full-time performing group as well as a training facility for up & coming acrobats
Anne has been in the Acrobatic and Dance field for over 30 yrs. Her early childhood training started in the disciplines of Ballet and Acrobatics. Then Jazz, Tap, and Modern were added. Anne moved from her native Vancouver Island town of "Parksville, B.C." to Vancouver at the age of fourteen to pursue her dream of dancing professionally. She began training in the art of Contortion in her late teens, with Cheu Pow Chan (Chinese contortionist.) She also opened her 1st dance studio "Anne Scott Dance Studio." She performed professionally throughout North America, Las Vegas, North Carolina, Florida, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver to name a few.
Anne has 25 yrs. of teaching experience. She holds memberships with many renowned Organizations; Canadian Dance Teachers Association, International Contortion Foundation (I.C.F), American Acrobatic Association (Florida) and Pacific Contortion and Acrobatic Alliance (Pacific Northwest).
After performing professionally and running her dance studio, Anne took on a new venture, Choreographing Shows and working with elite Companies; Disney (1994, 1996), Warner brothers (1998), and Cirque de Soleil (1989, 1990, 1992).
Westcoast Contortion was formed in 1981 under the direction of Anne Lawton. She created this company to give her dedicated students the opportunity to train exclusively in the art of Contortion and Acrobatics. It is through her love of this beautiful art that now drives Anne to helping her Contortionists reach their dreams.
Awards & Accomplishments:
Rita O'Shanessy Award (1973) Nanaimo Dance Festival Award (1974) Bronze, Silver, Gold & Gold-star (Acro) C.D.T.A Exams (Honors) Bronze, Silver, Gold & Gold-star (Tap) C.D.T.A. Exams (Honors) Gr. 1 through Elementary (Cecchetti Ballet Exams) Vancouver Variety Award (1981) Teacher Training Summer Course-National Ballet School (1982) The Grey Cup, half-time show (1983) Rick Hanson "Man in Motion" (1983) Variety Club Telethon (1982,83,84) Performed for Pope John Paul (Papal Visit) (1984) Performed in Las Vegas, show "Timeless" (1988) Disney Studios (stage shows) "Peter Pan" & "Jungle Book" Warner Brothers (stage show) "Looney Tunes - Back in a Moment" Cirque du Soleil (Training prep) Choreographer (Event) "Spirit Alive Show" - B.C. Place(1989) "Women of Excellence" - Nomination - (2004)
2005 to current day- Anne has brought forth many Movie, Print Ads, Corporate, Industrial, Private & Special Event Productions…as well as many Charitable Events;
To Name a few;
2005
-Scary Movie 4 (2005)
-Aids Walk Launch Party @ Sugar & Sugar (2005)
-Breakfast TV @ the Rocky Mountaineer Station (2005)
-Fashion Rocks@ the Center for Performing Arts (2005)
-Elastic Path Software Print Ad (2005)
2006
-MAC Cosmetics (2006)
-Elastic Path Software Convention, Chicago (2006)
-Cirque du Soleil Cast & VIP Party (2006)
-Body Works @ Science World (2006)
-“Super Natural” Season 2, Episode 2 “Everyone Loves a Clown” (2006)
- Microsoft “X Box” @ the Vancouver Aquarium (2006)
-Las Vegas –Contortion International (2006)
-Thomas Lynch Events, Calgary AB @ Opus Lounge (2006)
-Movie “Case 39” (2006)
-.”G2E” in Las Vegas w/Champagne Showgirls (2006)
2007
-Destineak Show @ Ginger 62 - Leukemia and Lymphoma Fundraiser (2007)
-Camrose Casino Opening in Camrose, Alberta (2007)
-Hitachi Event @ the Chateau Whistler (2007)
-BMW Opening in Richmond (2007)
-B.C.Fashion Week Gala Party @ Gor-go-mish Nightclub (2007)
-The Vancouver Club Gala “Aqua” (2007)
LINDSAY KATHLEEN WILSON
C.D.T.A
DANCE EXPERIENCE
-
22 years dance training ( Ballet, Tap, Jazz,
Lyrical,
Modern
Stage/Singing and Hip Hop)
Peggy
Peat School of Dance
-
2 years with The Vancouver Grizzlies Extreme Dance
Team
-
Dance Instructor and Choreographer
Peggy
Peat School of Dance
-
Dance Instructor and Choreographer
Stage
1 for the Performing Arts
-
Dance Choreographer for
Westcoast
Contortion & Acrobatics
-
Danced Professionally with Fusion Dance
Company
-
Princess Cruises - Dancer and Cruise Staff for 2 full
contracts
DANCE
JOBS
-
Fusion Dance Company - performance Nov
1997
-
Vancouver Grizzlies ( N.B.A. ) for 3 years
97/98/99
-
Opening of Planet Hollywood in Vancouver,
B.C.
-
Apec Conference 97/98, Vancouver, B.C.
-
National Basketball Association Draft,
98/99
-
Dragon Boat Festival, 98, Vancouver,
B.C.
-
Skills Canada 98, Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver,
B.C
and
Toronto Canada
-
Breast Cancer Benefit at the Vogue Theatre, Vancouver,
B.C.
-
Volkwagen Golf Gala in Japan, July 98
-
Polaris Water Celebration Parade (PNE)
98
-
Mobile Funk Dance Team, Playland, Vancouver,
B.C.
-
Fusion Dance Company - performance Nov.
98
-
Dancer for Colin James and Michael Buble
-
Cirque Pop and Fire in the Night -
Dancer
-
Princess Cruise Lines ( Royal Princess) Dancer/ Cruise
Staff
-
Princess Cruises ( Sea Princess) Dancer
only
-
Dance Instructor/Choreographer
"Peggy
Peat School of Dance" 10 years
-
Dance Instructor/Choreographer
"Stage
1 for the Performing Arts" 2 years
T.V.
AND ACTING
-
Reel Kids Talent Agency
-
New Image Modelling Agency
-
John Casablanca's Modelling Agency
-
T.V. - The Roundhouse
-
T.V. - The Sentinel
WORK
AT PRESENT
-
Dance Instructor/Choreographer at Peggy Peat School of
Dance
-
Dance instructor/Choreographer at
Stage
1 for the Performing Arts
-
Dance Choreographer with
Westcoast
Contortion & Acrobatics
Caara
Cridland
Contortionist/Acrobat/
Dancer/Aerial
Flyer
Starting at a young age Caara took dance in every
discipline. As the years went on her love for being upside
down focused her efforts and time to learning the art of
contortion and the amazing aerial
acrobatics.
At the age of 20, Caara has been performing professionally
for 4 years now with Westcoast Contortion and
Acrobatics. Over the years they have done many
events, from film to industrials, corporate & private
events. Just a few from her long line of credits
include, Principles in Motion - Instructional Animators DVD
(Producer Martin L'heureux, Director John Lambert), Telus
Winter Classic-Whistler, International Wine Festival -
"Californian Vino a GO GO”, Canadian Special Entertainment
Events Award @ VCEC, Elastic Path Software Convention -
Chicago, Cirque du Soleil - Cast & VIP Party as well as
many charity events such as the AIDS Walk for life @ sugar
and sugar. She has also most recently performed in Las
Vegas with Champagne showgirls, and then on her second trip
down trained w/Otgo Waller, former Cirque du Soleil
contortionist of the Vegas Show “O”. Caara’s main Aerial
Silk training came from none other than; instructor Kristi
Toguchi out of Las Vegas.
As well as being a professional contortionist and aerial
silk flyer, Caara teaches the art of acrobatics. Caara
holds her A.F.S.A teaching certificate and teaches young
beginners from an early age of 5 up to the senior division.
Caara teaches at the following studios: Westcoast
Contortion and Acrobatics in Langley B.C.,
Peggy Peat School of Dance
in Maple
Ridge and Pro Arte in North Vancouver.