Our History
tiger princess dance projects (tpdp) operates under princess productions, an artist-led umbrella organization that supports both contemporary dance creation and presentation, including the biennial dance: made in canada / fait au canada Festival. This integrated structure reflects a long-standing commitment to sustaining artists through creation, education, and public engagement.
Founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Yvonne Ng |黄碧琬, B.F.A., M.A., the company began as a sole proprietorship in 1996, was incorporated in 1999, and became a registered charity in 2000. From its earliest days, tpdp has been dedicated to commissioning, producing, and presenting contemporary dance that is both artistically rigorous and deeply resonant.
Over the past three decades, tpdp has created and toured more than thirty works and dance films, reaching audiences across Canada, Australia, and Singapore. Through its commissioning practice, the company has supported the development of diverse choreographic voices, contributing meaningfully to Canada’s contemporary dance ecology.
Notable commissioned works include Language (choreography by Peter Chin), Treehouse (by Kim Frank), My Past Follows Like Dragon’s Tail (by Maxine Heppner), Stone Velvet (by Tedd Robinson), Fading Shadows / Returning Echoes (by Dominique Dumais), and STICKS (by Tedd Robinson). These works collectively earned fifteen Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations for performance, choreography, and design between 1998 and 2017.
Alongside this commissioned repertoire, Yvonne Ng’s own choreographic works — including Weave… part one, Blue Jade, Wéi | 成为, In Search of the Holy Chop Suey and All that is between — have further shaped tpdp’s artistic identity.
These works have collectively received twelve Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations, including four nominations for Yvonne Ng’s choreographic work and eight nominations recognizing commissioned works and artistic collaborators.
Today, tpdp continues to evolve while remaining grounded in its founding values: supporting artists over time, fostering intergenerational exchange through education and community-engaged practice, and creating pathways for knowledge transfer across generations. Through creation, touring, education, and presentation, the company remains committed to sustaining meaningful artistic relationships and reflecting the complexity of contemporary experience within Canada and beyond.
We are committed to accurate artist attribution. Credits reflect available archival records, and we welcome corrections or additions.
Mission
The mission of tiger princess dance projects is to create, commission, and share contemporary dance as an ongoing practice — one shaped by lived experience, cultural inheritance, and attentive presence. Rooted in the Artistic Director’s asian heritage and artistic values, the company supports work that understands movement not as fixed form, but as a process of becoming: shaped through time, encounter, and relation.
Through creation, touring, and exchange, tiger princess dance projects shares dance with audiences in Canada and abroad, while remaining grounded in the act of making itself — returning again and again to listening, observation, and embodied inquiry.
Mandate
tiger princess dance projects cultivates understanding and appreciation of dance by inviting people into embodied ways of knowing — as witnesses, participants, learners, and collaborators. The company presents work in theatres and public spaces, and engages communities through education, workshops, and intergenerational programming in schools, libraries, seniors’ residences, and community settings.
At the heart of its mandate is a commitment to artistic rigor, sustained practice, and performance as a site of relationship — where making, showing, and witnessing are deeply connected; where artists are supported across generations; where knowledge is shared through lived experience; and where accessible spaces are created for movement to become a common language connecting body, memory, and community.
Timeline
2025
- Ongoing development of Owl Gazes Backwards (working title), deepening its philosophical and formal inquiry, with a residency from Kinetic, Halifax, in Fall 2025.
- Advanced the choreographic work Wéi | 成为, including the development of a 4-day repertory workshop model focused on Open Source Forms, observance, responsiveness, and knowledge transfer.
- Expanded Moving Stories, including delivery in Mandarin and Cantonese-language contexts, responding directly to community needs among older adults.
2024
- Wéi 成为 premiers at Dancing on the Edge Festival in June, Vancouver
- All that is between premiers at Aki Studio Theatre, Native Earth Performing Arts in September
- Yvonne presents a workshop at daCi 2024 in July, Slovenia
2023
- In Search of the Holy Chop Suey and weave…part one tours to IMPACTFest, Moncton, NB
- This Tree Listens – produced and conceived by Hear Here Productions in Waterloo, and choreographed by Yvonne Ng – premiers at the Open Ear Festival in June
- Co-produced and co-presented Together We Rise Arts Festival with Nagata Shachu Japanese Taiko and Music Group, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, Japan Foundation Toronto, Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts & Culture, Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA), and Empowered Phụ Nữ. tiger princess dance projects presented our Moving Stories and Swallowing Clouds Programming.
- Sleeping, Tucked in the Lonely Purple premiers at the Toronto Film Festival
2022
- Canada Council for the Arts Walter Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts is Presented to Yvonne
- Wéi 成为 premieres in July at Aki Studio Theatre, Native Earth Performing Arts
- In Search of the Holy Chop Suey and weave…part one tours to Vancouver International Dance Festival, Va and Festival New Dance, St. John’s
2021
- Nominee for the 2021 Eldred Family Award.
- Adapting our Festival to an outdoor festival and inauguration of our podcast series, The ‘D’ Word.
- Developed training arts education programme (Swallowing Clouds and Moving Stories) for emerging artists.
- Premiere of Miniature Solos and Music (in response to another postponement of Wéi).
- Part of the winning bid for a ten-to-twenty-year subsidized lease (studio) at the Kent Street School.
2020
- Premiere of Time Travel while Standing Still (duet) in Toronto, dance film, THAT MOMENT WHEN in the spring, continued Intergenerational work at several sites in Toronto.
- Redeveloped our free in-person arts education programmes: Swallowing Clouds for youth and Moving Stories, our Intergenerational arts programme (senior citizens and youth) to online live programmes, creation of video content and printed activities (for distribution).
- Redeveloping curriculum of our youth programme, Swallowing Clouds to include families and for outdoor settings.
- Premiere of Wéi – In Connection 心连心,a community dance project for professional artists. A transformed version of the original Wéi
2019
- THAT MOMENT WHEN created by Yvonne Ng, for Dance Ontario Weekend, Fleck Theatre.
2018
- In Search of the Holy Chop Suey created and performed by Yvonne Ng at Kitchener’s The Registry Theatre.
- Zhōng Xīn by Yvonne Ng, in collaboration with performers Mairéad Filgate, Luke Garwood, Irvin Chow, and composer Nick Storring, and set designer Joe Pagnan. Performed at Kitchener’s The Registry Theatre..
- Ontario Tour with 3, 2, 1 DANCE – Performed Stone Velvet by Tedd Robinson, and performed by Yvonne Ng and Robert Glumbek.
- Won the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) Innovated Exemplary Practice Award for Moving Stories at St. Jude Elementary School.
2017
- moment created and performed by Yvonne Ng at CanAsian Dance Festival KickStart.
- Yvonne and collaborating artists Mairéad Filgate, Kaitlin Standeven, Johanna Bergfelt, Luke Garwood, and Irvin Chow, and composer Nick Storring were at the Banff Centre for a creative residency. The residency was for research and development for Wéi.
- In Search of the Holy Chop Suey received four Dora Mavor Moore Award Nominations: Outstanding Production Nomination, Outstanding Original Choreography Nomination for Yvonne Ng, Outstanding Performance – Female Nomination for Yvonne Ng, and Outstanding Lighting Design Nomination for Arun Srinivasan.
2016
- In Search of the Holy Chop Suey created and performed by Yvonne Ng at Harbourfront Centre Theatre
- Zhōng Xīn by Yvonne Ng, performed by Mairéad Filgate, Luke Garwood and Irvin Chow at Harbourfront Centre Theatre
- Yvonne receives the Jacqueline Lemieux Prize
2015
- Weave…part one created and performed by Yvonne Ng at World Dance Alliance with da:ns Festival in Singapore.
- Mixed Repertoire performed at the O’Brien Arts Centre in Happy Valley Goose Bay.
- Magnetic Fields by Yvonne Ng, performed at Innis Town Hall in recognition of Asian Heritage Month.
2014
- A Tale Begun performed by Yvonne Ng and Robert Glumbek at the 11th Guangdong Dance Festival.
- New work With their Shadows Long premiered at The Third Space: Contemporary Asian Explorations in Dance at the da:ns Festival.
- Yvonne was guest artist-in-residence at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA).
- Premiere of Metamorphosis of a Solitary female Phoenix & Magnetic Fields by Yvonne Ng – May (Toronto).
- Performances and Teaching at Beijing Dance Festival – May (Beijing, China).
2013
- Onward Ho, my love on tour with Dusk Dances – July (Vancouver, Haliburton, Peterborough & Ottawa).
- Premiere of Bare-Knuckled Round by Susie Burpee, commissioned by Dusk Dances for Robert Glumbek and Yvonne Ng – August (Toronto).
2012
- Premiere of “Onward Ho, my love” by Julia Aplin, commissioned by Dusk Dances for Robert Glumbek and Yvonne Ng – August (Toronto).
- Performances in Guelph, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, Singapore, Beijing & Guangzhou.
- Premiere of Frequency & Weave…part one in Toronto and remount of Cypress (male cast). Yvonne completes teacher certification in C-I Training.
2011
- Creation of Frequency and Weave… part one.
- STICKS received two Dora Mova Moore Award Nominations: Outstanding Choreography Nomination for Tedd Robinson, and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition Nomination for Charles Quevillon
2010
- Performances in Toronto, Boston, Guangzhou (China), Singapore & Brescia (Italy).
- Inauguration of our interdisciplinary arts education program, Swallowing Clouds™, in partnership with the Toronto Public Libraries across GTA.
- Yvonne completes teacher certification in Open Source Forms. STICKS, nominated for two Dora Mavor Moore awards.
2009
- Performances in Toronto, Oakville, Waterloo, Vancouver, Victoria, Ireland (Dublin, Tralee & Thurles), Italy, Germany & Singapore.
2008
- Performances in Peterborough, North Bay, Sudbury, Toronto and Huntingdon, USA
2007
- Performances in Guelph, North Bay, Sudbury, Toronto, Goosebay, NL and Dublin Ireland.
- Yvonne awarded the Ontario Premier’s Emerging Artist Award; Yvonne invites over 30 artists to take over Cecil Community center and performs 3 cycles of all 6 of the Collection solos as part of Nuit Blanche
2006
- Performances in Toronto, Halifax, Singapore and Huntington, USA.
- Premier of Signs: Paper Women & Emerald Lies, choreography by Yvonne Ng, Co-presentation with DanceWorks, Harbourfront Centre Theatre, Toronto, February. Presentation and premiere of Scarlet’s Room – co-production with The Arts Fission Company at Winchester Street Theatre, Toronto.
2005
- Performances in Kitchener, Toronto, New York, Singapore.
- Residency at The Theatre Centre, Toronto. Commission from York University.
Co-production with The Arts Fission Company at The Esplanade Theatres on the Bay (Singapore) - Fading Shadows/Returning Echoes received two Dora Mova Moore Award Nominations: Outstanding Performance Nomination for Yvonne Ng, and Outstanding New Choreography Nomination for Dominique Duma.
2004
- Performances in Toronto.
- Commission by Toronto Dance Theatre, Four at the Winch. Company produces and presents Fading Shadows/Returning Echoes – an evening of duets for Yvonne Ng & Robert Glumbek.
2003
- Performance in Guelph and Toronto.
- Commission from The CanAsian Dance Festival and from Dusk Dances.
Filming of Peter Chin’s Streetcar. - Yvonne receives Chalmers Fellowship Arts Award and New Pioneers Arts Award.
2002
- Performance in Toronto.
- Company moves into Dovehouse Dance at 805 Dovercourt.
- Yvonne receives K.M. Hunter Award and Chalmers Arts Training Award enabling her to study Skinner Releasing in Seattle, Washington and Deep Listening with Pauline Oliveros in Big Indian, New York.
- Co-produces/presents with Juliet Palmer Cypress, Flotsam & Jetsam, Artword Theatre, Toronto.
2001
- Performances in Toronto and Singapore.
- Premiere of garam shift, choreography by Yvonne Ng, DanceWorks Mainstage Series.
- Commissions duets each from Tedd Robinson and Kathleen Rea. Produces and presents Stone Velvet – an evening of duets and solos and tours the show to Singapore.
- Stone Velvet received two Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations: Outstanding Performance Nomination for Yvonne Ng & Robert Glumbek, and Outstanding New Choreography Nomination for Tedd Robinson
2000
- Performances in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver.
1999
- Performances in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Singapore and Sydney, Australia.
- Studies at the Beijing Dance Academy & University of National Minorities, Beijing, China for 6 months.
- Dancefilm, Into a Dinosaur, choreographed and directed by Yvonne, is presented at Moving Pictures Festival.