Festival Of Dance Annapolis Royal

03/27/2026

It’s World Theatre Day and we’d like to give a shoutout to King’s Theatre in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, where we have presented FODAR since our Inaugural Season in 2014. We are so fortunate to have this performing arts centre in our town.

Marked annually on March 27 since 1962 by UNESCO’s International Theatre Institute, World Theatre Day honours and celebrates the power of theatre to serve as a bridge-builder for mutual international understanding and peace as well as promoting and protecting cultural diversity and identity in communities throughout the world. Photo: Rock Bottom Movement. Premiere: “Kid Sister”. July 2023, Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal

03/25/2026

Be there if you can. Friday, March 27 at noon.

03/21/2026

We are thrilled to be presenting this amazing production at FODAR this season!

A bold contemporary dance imagining worlds where colonialism never happened and envisioning Indigenous futures grounded in strength and celebration.

03/06/2026

DEFEND THE ARTS! DO NOT DEFUND THEM!
More than 300 people attended the All-Styles Street Dance Battle in Annapolis Royal last summer as a part of FODAR. The event attracted people of all ages. This was an amazing turnout and represented close to 60% of the local population. This was Arts NS funding in action.

“ Let’s be clear, the proposed cuts to Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage probably means that this sort of event may NEVER happen again.” — FODAR Artistic Director Randy Glynn

03/02/2026

Sending out our congratulations to FODAR Market Dances Technical Director MacKenzie Cornfield on her Robert Merritt Award nomination for Outstanding Projection Design — “ The Wizard of Oz” (Neptune Theatre). We look forward to welcoming her back to FODAR this summer. We couldn’t do Market Dances without her!

02/26/2026

We are thrilled to announce that Simik Komaksiutsiksak has been named a 2026 Youth Inuit Indspire Laureate. The Indspire Awards recognize Indigenous professionals and youth who demonstrate outstanding achievement and serve as invaluable role models for First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth. Each year, recipients are selected by a national jury of past laureates.

The Indspire Awards represent the highest honour the Indigenous Community bestows on its own achievers. Simik has been recognized for his vision in enriching Indigenous education through his dedication to inspiring young people to use the arts to enrich their lives. Simik creates and teaches movement as medicine through performance, mentorship and Northern outreach.

Simik performed at FODAR 2023 and we are very happy that he will be returning to the festival this year. Congratulations Simik! Photo by Alex Coté.

02/09/2026

Sending a shout-out to as they head out tomorrow for their very first European performances as part of . They will be dancing “Big Time Miss” which we were proud to present at FODAR 2024. Company Artistic Director and Choreographer - Alyssa Martin. Photo by Kendra Epik.

01/31/2026

Be part of the 2027 Jeux de la Francophonie in Yerevan, Armenia!Canadian Francophone and Francophile artists, ages 18 to 35, submit your applications by March 31, 2026.
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12/02/2025

The holidays are always a time when most of us think about giving. Today is Giving Tuesday, a yearly event that is marked around the world. We hope that today you will consider supporting the arts and the joy they bring to all of us throughout the year. If your choice is FODAR, you can donate through Canada Helps at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/society-of-the-company-of-angels-dance-projects/

11/05/2025

We are so happy to announce that Calla Lachance will be taking on the role of Associate Artistic Director with Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal. FODAR Artistic Director Randy Glynn made the announcement on Tuesday, November 4th emphasizing that Calla’s dedication to advancing the presentation of dance in Atlantic Canada, along with her prominent role in the national presenter network, made her an ideal choice for the new position. He cited her strong commitment to expanding creative exchanges and performance opportunities for dancers, as well as her dynamic record in building community engagement, growing audiences and enhancing their connection to dance.

“We are deeply excited and honoured to welcome Calla to the FODAR team for 2026. She brings to the table a beautiful blend of professional experience and national recognition coupled with a generous, buoyant warmth of personality.”

About Calla
After 16 years as Artistic Director of Neighbourhood Dance Works in St. John’s NL — where she led the acclaimed Festival of New Dance through a period of robust artistic growth — Calla has returned to her home province of Nova Scotia to continue her work within the dance presentation milieu. Her career as a dance artist was shaped by her studies at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre and York University, as well as by her involvement in improvisation communities in Montreal, Toronto, Plainfield (Massachusetts), Eugene (Oregon), and Burlington (Vermont). She earned her master’s degree in dance from York University and holds certification from George Brown College as an Intervenor for Deaf-Blind persons. Her work at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind led her to pursue extensive training in Contact Improvisation with mixed-ability populations.

In addition to her work at Neighbourhood Dance Works, Calla was the first Executive Director of Kittiwake Dance Theatre (St. John’s) where she supported the company through an intense period of artistic and organizational development. She is also a founding member of Dance.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal as Associate Artistic Director. This flourishing festival embodies everything I love about presenting dance in Atlantic Canada — impactful performances, community animation, and a spirit of creative curiosity that thrives in a vibrant rural setting. I can’t wait to contribute to FODAR’s 2026 season and support its continued growth, working alongside Randy Glynn, the dedicated festival team, and the incredible artists and audiences who make it so special.”
📸 Ritche Perez

08/26/2025

It was just a little over a month ago that we brought season 11 of FODAR to a close, grateful once again for the amazing community of which we are so proud to be a part. Now that community is threatened by the devastation brought by a huge wildfire that is out of control. Families forced to leave their homes, not knowing what they will return to. Volunteer firefighters and their support networks facing unbelievable challenges and danger as they battle this terrifying inferno that grows daily. And once again this amazing community steps up as hundreds of people are doing whatever they can to support the evacuated families and the firefighters from our province and those who have come from across the country and beyond to help in this fight. All of you are in our thoughts as we wait and hope for an end to this catastrophe.

📸 Photo shared from The Valley Eye Photography who have been posting their incredible coverage of this devastating event.

07/20/2025

Well, that's a wrap on FODAR 2025. We can't say enough about the wonderful artists who made this season such a memorable one. Superb just doesn’t seem to cover it.

We want to give a huge thank you to the people who worked behind the scenes to bring FODAR to the stage — inside and out. Special mention goes to King's Theatre, for helping to make the Mainstage and Market Square shows possible. Our deep appreciation also goes to our Public and Community Partners, our corporate sponsors, our donors and patrons and the many local businesses who support us. Thanks as well to the dedicated FODAR staff, volunteers and Board of Directors who were always there when we needed them. A huge thank you as well goes to the many hundreds of people who came out to our events.

Finally, we want to express our gratitude to the people of Annapolis Royal and the surrounding area for their sustained encouragement, loyalty and support over these many years. We are proud to be a part of this very special place we call home.
Photo: The amazing performers of 10 Gates Dancing