1) How do I copyright my choreography? "Fixation": what does that mean? 

In order to copyright your work, it must be "fixated". With choreography, an easy way to do this is by videotaping (dance notation is another way). 

The best way to protect and copyright your work is to register it with the Canadian government through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (cost is $50). However, the inexpensive "layperson's copyright" is by mailing yourself a video of your original choreography (do not open the envelope when you get it!). This way, the envelope has been time stamped by Canada Post.

2) If working for a dance company as a choreographer, who owns the copyright?

Always know your employment status (self-employed or employee) and always clarify who owns the choreographic copyright in your working contract. Practice in Ontario is that choreographers own the copyright so that they make take the work with them. However, a dance company could own the copyright if the choreographer is an employee (think Artistic Director). However, all this depends on what is stipulated in your working contract.

See more about Author vs. Owner, Royalties, Using Music, Photography of your work and more in Section 11 of CADA-ON's Professional Standards for Dance. 

Thanks to our own, Alicia Grant, CADA-ON Members can now enjoy $12 classes to Downward Dog Yoga, 735 Queen Street West in Toronto.

With our Training Subsidy Program covering 60%, that means classes are $4.80. 

#amazing 

SYNERGY SPORTS MEDICINE

235 Wallace Ave, Toronto - located in West End Toronto

Synergy Sports Medicine is pleased to announce a partnership with CADA-ON. CADA-ON members will receive a partner's rate with a RMT's David Lamy and Lesley Greco for 60 minute appointments.

Proof of membership required. Call 416 703 3525 or visit www.synergysportsmedicine.com for more info.

DAVID LAMY, Registered Massage Therapist  

For the past 15 years David has worked with many performers and dancers from different companies, schools, studios, and productions. He's treated many dancers helping them to reduce injuries during long rehearsal periods and also maintain them throughout the runs of various shows. Contemporary, Classical Ballet, and Hip Hop are some of the most frequent styles he has worked with. Hips, low backs, shoulders and hamstrings are some of his most successful areas to work with. 

LESLEY GRECO, Registered Massage Therapist, CST

Since 1999 Lesley has been a member of Toronto's vibrant dance community as a practitioner of movement improvisation, contact improvisation, Flamenco and Contemporary dance in addition vocal study and improvisation. Lesley has been a body worker for 18+ years and her curiosity about facilitating freedom in the body has most recently led her to the study of Osteopathy.

Lesley is thrilled to partner with Synergy and CADA to help make bodywork services more accessible to professional dancers. She will also be offering weekly osteopathic practice sessions to CADA members. Stay tuned for details. 

Check out our Professional Discounts page for more CADA-ON discounts and deals. 

Next Saturday, October 25th at 11:30am is CADA-ON's Annual General Meeting. If you're a CADA-ON member (and even if you're not), you're invited. 

Come hang out, meet some new people and hear about the exciting things CADA-ON has planned for 2014-2015! 

Afterwards, Andrea Roberts will be presenting a workshop entitled, "Skills, Bills, and Changing Hats - the Secret Business Life of the Independent Dancer". Here's your chance to learn from an accomplished artist in the industry... rumour is, she may even be baking cookies to share! 

Schedule: 11:30-12:30- AGM, 12:30 to 1:30, Workshop. 

Location: 476 Parliament Street, 2nd Floor. 

Check out the Facebook Event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/566130056820742/

Spread the Word! 

The CADA-ON Team is excited to announce the launch of our three-year strategic plan, prepared by CADA-ON Executive Committee members Michael Caldwell and Brodie Stevenson, and in consultation with Andrea Roberts and Jennifer Dallas. This document outlines our plan for growth between 2014-2017. Read the document here!

Additionally, CADA-ON is launching a report from our recent round of community consultations, Outreach to independent dance artists practicing in African-based and urban dance forms. With the support of an Ontario Arts Council Arts Service Project grant, CADA-ON in partnership with COBA and Gadfly, carried out a series of community consultations in the African Diaspora and Urban Dance communities, with a desire to understand how we can best serve the diverse field of dance in Ontario. Read this document here. 

Raise your voice in the dance community and help us improve our local dance landscape. 2013-14 was a great year for CADA-ON:

• New visual identity and website 
  
• Training Subsidy Program increased cap to $325 
  
• Community Consultation with Urban and African-based dancers: the results will be posted online soon, that will help inform changes to the Professional Standards for Dance. 
  
• For the first time in HISTORY, we finished the 2013-2014 year with 220 members! 
  
• We're now on Twitter! Follow us for the latest news. 
  

Check the Membership Benefits & Categories for 2014-2015. Any more questions, check out our FAQ section, or email membership@cada-on.ca. 

To renew your membership: log in with your email and password (top right corner of this webpage). There will be a small pop-up in the bottom right corner of the screen with a link that says "Membership Renewal Overdue". Click on it, and it will take you to your member profile. Click "renew until June 1st, 2015".    

For the first time in history, CADA-ON has reached 200 members! Watch how dancers are benefitting from a CADA-ON membership and check out our Membership Categories and Benefits. Sign up for the 2014-2015 year on June 1st.