Performance Research Project (PRP) is a creative residency for early to mid-career dance professionals led by Lesley Telford. PRP offers a small cohort daily training and research processes with personalized mentorship attuned to the goals and perspectives of each individual. The focus is on creative personal growth, networking, career development, and building new collaborative relationships with local choreographers. PRP provides a space for dance artists to connect, learn, question, experiment, collaborate, perform, and grow with the goal of developing a sustainable artistic career.
The Fall Session 2026 includes:
• 10 weeks, 4.5 hours/day
• Personalized mentorship throughout, including 2 private mentorship meetings
• Choreographic research with Vanessa Goodman, Josh Martin & Lesley Telford
• Professional photo shoot and video recordings
SCHEDULE
September 21st-November 27th, 2026
Monday-Friday
10am-3pm
COST
$3500 +GST
*inclusive of classes
Please contact [email protected] if cost is a barrier. Limited partial scholarships are available.
CLASS 10-11:30 am daily
*M/W/F in partnership with TSV
T/Th led by Lesley Telford/ Inverso Productions
CREATION 12-3 pm daily
PAST SEASONS PRP
The Fall Session 2026 includes:
• 10 weeks, 4.5 hours/day
• Personalized mentorship throughout, including 2 private mentorship meetings
• Choreographic research with Vanessa Goodman, Josh Martin & Lesley Telford
• Professional photo shoot and video recordings
SCHEDULE
September 21st-November 27th, 2026
Monday-Friday
10am-3pm
COST
$3500 +GST
*inclusive of classes
Please contact [email protected] if cost is a barrier. Limited partial scholarships are available.
CLASS 10-11:30 am daily
*M/W/F in partnership with TSV
T/Th led by Lesley Telford/ Inverso Productions
CREATION 12-3 pm daily
PAST SEASONS PRP
- Collaborations with Ballet BC, Chor Leoni , Bard on the Beach, Pi Theatre, Inverso Productions, Mascall Dance, Vancouver Film School
- Creation processes with Josh Martin, Shion Skye Carter, Anya Saugstad, Arash Khakpour, Serge Bennathan, Noam Gagnon, Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, Idan Cohen, Heather Myers, Vanessa Goodman, David Raymond, Livona Ellis, Brandon Alley, Rachel Prince and Lesley Telford
- Workshops and classes led by Crystal Pite, Renee Segouin and Eric Beauchesne / Kidd Pivot, Yvan Dubrueil / Nederlands Dans Theater, Clyde Archer/LEV Sharon Eyal, Khoudia Toure, Christophe Dozzi (NL), Yannick Bouquin (France), Sarah Reynolds (NL), Ayman Harper/ Forsythe repertoire, Marla Waal/ ELDOA, , Béatrice Larrivée/Gaga
- Improvisation events and improvisation research
- Choreographic workshops with participating dancers
- Repertoire by Crystal Pite, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, Medhi Walerski, Sharon Eyal, Lesley Telford
- Dancers have worked with actors, writers, musicians, opera singers and movement sensor technology
Testimonials
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The Performance Research Project was a place to investigate my practice alongside a creative group of colleagues with consistent, enriching mentorship and training that was an invaluable resource to support me in the challenges of being a young dancer. The opportunity to research in the focused environment that Lesley fosters has given me skills that I
know will serve me for years to come.
know will serve me for years to come.
Maya Tenzer
PRP 2016-17 / Mainfranken Theater Würzburg
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Performance Research Project was an important year for me, a stepping stone in my development as an independent artist. I think it's really important to be defined as artists as who we are and how we want to move in the world, and its helpful to have time to figure that out in a space that let's us. PRP is basically a program that roots for you.
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I have worked with Lesley during my time as a student at Arts Umbrella, and to be honest she is the type of artist that is constantly challenging and keeping the dancers on their toes, but she has also this caring, kindhearted energy that is very touching. The opportunity to participate in the Performance Research Project has not only brought back the excitement of being able to dance and to share the space with others, but also having some guidance in dance that is much needed at this time in my journey. I was able to watch other beautiful dancers, to express my feelings through movement and have a voice in the room. As a BIPOC artist it is extremely important to feel included because once we start to prioritize empathy and become more aware of injustice, we can start to build a healthy dance environment that represents and celebrates all dancers regardless of the colour of their skin.
Juan Duarte
PRP 2020 / Dancer with Ballet Vancouver, Dance//Novella
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Performance Research Project … provided daily classes, valuable connections with artists in the community, performance opportunities, meaningful in depth choreographic processes, and a schedule that allowed me to be a part of other dance projects on the side. The chance to work with an array of choreographers, and to be in the studio every day with a group of committed dancers, was very valuable. Lesley Telford not only offered connections and classes, but also helped us with the skills of becoming a freelance artist, including help with resume building, emails, video auditions, and choreographing our own work. Being a part of Performance Research Project was an exceptional opportunity and an important step in my career as a dancer and choreographer.”
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Navigating oneself at the beginning of a career in performance can be daunting. During what could have been an otherwise destabilizing, transitional period, I had purpose and a safe space to explore my curiosity when participating in Performance Research Project. Lesley offers not only wisdom, care, and mentorship, but also a flexible program which nurtures the development and individual path of each artist. Because of Performance Research Project, I was able to step into my career with more courage and support.
Ria Girard
PRP 2017-18 / Dancer Ballet Augsburg, Germany
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Performance Research Project is filling a gap within the dance world. It offers time and space for young professionals between contracts and dancers transitioning out of training institutions to create and research, by providing a sense of continuity with daily training and rehearsal. 
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PRP provided me with a professional, intimate and experimental setting to dance during a transitional period and has been monumental for my growth as an artist. Under Lesley's mentorship I feel I’ve become a more open-minded, versatile and confident dancer and as a result I have become more hireable in the current dance world. I will carry the skills I have acquired during this time into the subsequent phases of my career.
Kenzie Brousson
PRP 2018-19 / Dancer with Schleswig-Holsteinisches Landestheater in Germany and with Theater Basel in Switzerland
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Building a network is an invaluable skill as a freelance artist and through the program I have forged relationships with emerging and established artists in the Vancouver dance community and internationally, laying the groundwork for future collaborations. The personal mentorship and guidance has proved invaluable in helping me navigate a pivotal moment in my career and has fuelled momentum for me to continue down this new path as an independent artist.
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Alumni
Alumni have gone on to work with local and international companies and have created their own choreographic projects with careers as independent artists.
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In Canada
Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal Ballet Edmonton 605 Collective Inverso Productions/ Lesley Telford Action at a Distance/ Vanessa Goodman Belle Spirale Dance//Novella Josh Beamish/ MOVE The company Vision Impure/ Noam Gagnon Les Productions Figlio/ Serge Bennathan Wen Wei Dance TWObigsteps collective Falling Company Rachel Meyers Mascall Dance/ Jennifer Mascall The Darlings CAMP Project20 / Donald Sales The Response/ Amber Funk Barton |
Internationally
Luzerne Tanz Theater, Switzerland Mainfranken Theatre, Germany Theatre Pforzheim, Germany Theatre Augsburg, Germany Theater Nordhausen, Germany Staattheater Flensburg, Germany Staattheater Hannover, Germany Compañia Contemporanea de San Martin, Argentina La Horde, France Theatre Basel, Switzerland |
Abby Hunter, Kevin Li, Kaitlin Cheung, Denae Harpham, Grace Frazer-Sneddon, Punit Sin, Emma Galvin, Jullianna Oke, and Yuha Tomita. Photos by David Cooper
Alumni
2025 Cohort: Kaitlin Cheung, Grace Frazer-Sneddon, Emma Galvin, Denae Harpham, Abby Hunter, Kevin Li, Jullianna Oke, Punit Sin, Yuha Tomita
2024 Cohort: Ysadora Dias, Sophie Dow, Bęc Gombar, Samantha Krystal, Maia Morrison, Quinn Muylaert, Polina Olshevska, Ellie Pentin, Hana Rutka, Grace Willock
2020-2021 COHORT: Ellie Bishop, Nathan Coburn, Juan Duarte, Anja Fanslau,Zoe Hawkins, Kiera Hill, Xin Hui Ong, Emily Klukas, Alexandra Kolarcik, Bailey Madill, Sully Malaeb Proulx, Natassja Marc, Noah McKimm, Eva Solnick, Marie Taylor, Felicia Wu, Kaitlin Zarin
Alumni 2016-2020:
Ariana Barr, Emma Berrow, Kenzie Brousson, Justin Calvadores, Hannah-Jane Clutchey, Emma Cohen, Steph Cyr, Caitlynn Danchuk, Adrian Deleeuw, Katrin Denson, Chelsea DesLauriers, Katie DeVries, Beth Durnie, Ashley Eleby, Eowynn Enquist, Karin Ezaki, Maddy Gilbert, Ria Girard, Otylia Gony, Jonas Grassi, Brynne Harper, Sakura Inoue, Terra Kell, Matisse Maitland, Adrian Maxwell Campagna, Brenna Metzmeier, Katarina Nesic, Lauren O'Kell, Desi Rekrut, Gabrielle Ritchie, Anya Saugstad, Erica Schwartz, Eden Solomon, Samantha Sutherland, Maya Tenzer, Heather Thomson, Ain Tominaga, Noémie Valois, Lucas Wilson-Bilbro
Ariana Barr, Emma Berrow, Kenzie Brousson, Justin Calvadores, Hannah-Jane Clutchey, Emma Cohen, Steph Cyr, Caitlynn Danchuk, Adrian Deleeuw, Katrin Denson, Chelsea DesLauriers, Katie DeVries, Beth Durnie, Ashley Eleby, Eowynn Enquist, Karin Ezaki, Maddy Gilbert, Ria Girard, Otylia Gony, Jonas Grassi, Brynne Harper, Sakura Inoue, Terra Kell, Matisse Maitland, Adrian Maxwell Campagna, Brenna Metzmeier, Katarina Nesic, Lauren O'Kell, Desi Rekrut, Gabrielle Ritchie, Anya Saugstad, Erica Schwartz, Eden Solomon, Samantha Sutherland, Maya Tenzer, Heather Thomson, Ain Tominaga, Noémie Valois, Lucas Wilson-Bilbro
Inverso Productions Society is a registered charity 708998893RR0001.
Inverso Productions gratefully acknowledges that the land on which we work and create is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are committed to ongoing learning to be informed allies of Indigineous people.
Inverso Productions gratefully acknowledges that the land on which we work and create is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are committed to ongoing learning to be informed allies of Indigineous people.
Copyright © 2026
Inverso Productions Society
1190 Kilmer Rd, North Vancouver, BC, V7K 1R1
Inverso Productions Society
1190 Kilmer Rd, North Vancouver, BC, V7K 1R1