Dunning, Janis Back to top
C.B.A. / Co-Founder Ms. Dunning is a veteran of a professional performing career in Canada, the United States and London, England. For 18 years she created, directed and starred in national television series Let's Go and The Rockets for the CTV network. She has created cultural and multi-cultural works seen nationally and internationally. She has been the director and creator of highly successful performing arts training programs in Canada and has received awards and acclaim for the musicals she has written with Canadian composers. Her students have garnered major roles on stage and screen in Canada, London, New York, L.A. and Asia. Ms. Dunning was recognized as a 2004 Community Arts Leader of the Year in Victoria.
Lemay, Jacques Back to top
Co-Founder Mr. Lemay has been described as one of Canada’s most talented and versatile Producer/ Director/ Choreographers. His creative works span the full gamut of theatrical and television productions including operas, ballets, symphony concerts, musicals, multi-cultural productions, royal galas, variety shows and special events. Mr. Lemay has directed and choreographed musicals in major theatres across Canada and is former Artistic Director of the Charlottetown Festival. He was founding director of the Jazz Dance department for the professional and general schools for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet for thirteen years. He also gained renown as a choreographer for the R.W.B. and other companies. Mr. Lemay was Artistic Director of the Opening Ceremonies for the 1988 Calgary Olympics; producer/director of the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games; producer/director of the 1997 Special Olympics World Winter Games and producer/artistic director for the opening ceremonies of Confederation Bridge; Artistic Director of six Royal Visits. With his solid reputation artistically and fiscally, Mr. Lemay brings an outstanding reputation and high calibre of skills to the Canadian College of Performing Arts. He is a recipient of the Queen's Jubilee medal and was recognized as a 2004 Community Arts Leader of the Year. Mr. Lemay has served as a consultant to the Auditor General of Canada, the Capital Commission in Ottawa, the Canada Council for the Arts and several provincial and territorial arts councils as well as the 2010 Olympics Organizing Committee. He is a Director of the Celebrate Canada Committee for B.C., a program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Spirit of a Nation 
Spirit of a Nation has been a program of The Canadian Heritage Arts Society.
For a complete look at the history of the Spirit of a Nation program follow click on the following.
 Overview
The Canadian Heritage Arts Society proudly presented Spirit of a Nation, a uniquely exhilarating representation of Canada. Through 45 minutes of all new original Canadian music, song and dance Spirit of a Nation inspired audiences to celebrate our land, our cultures, our history and our future! Spirit of a Nation makes Canadians proud of their vibrant, promising nation, while offering non-Canadians an occasion for celebration, intrigue and entertainment. Tourists have flocked to see Spirit of a Nation again and again.
Spirit of a Nation invited young and old to celebrate Canada!
The young Canadians who attended this program are the Spirit of our Nation! Proudly they share the pathos of the Canadian Story. Diligently they trained in an intensive program which prepares them for professional careers.
Spirit of a Nation is a show plus an outstanding youth ambassador and job training program which offered
spirit card
• JOBS for university-aged Canadians
• TRAINING to launch young Canadians into professional careers
• PRIDE of nationhood to share with young and old
Spirit of a Nation is a program delivered with
PRIDE, POWER & PASSION
leading young Canadians to Success!
The Program
For eleven weeks 30 young Canadians from all regions of Canada learned together, worked together and sang the praises of Canada, the best nation in the world to live in! They were the Spirit of a Nation Company. Through their performances and discussions, thousands of visitors from across the country and around the world shared insights into Canada's diverse regions, languages and cultures.
Audition Process
Archival Information: The Show
The Spirit of a Nation show captivates and excites audiences all summer long in the Victoria region of British Columbia. Young participants in this program gather from every province and territory in the country, to one of the most popular and beautiful entry ports to our great nation.
Performance
The participants perform the highly successful production of Spirit of a Nation daily. The opening performance is on July 1st, Canada Day. The intent is to make the show as accessible as possible, complementing other sites and events in Victoria and Sidney, and contributing to the vibrancy and appeal of Vancouver Island. It is most beneficial that a show whose message promotes unity and appreciation of the diversity of Canada be presented in the capital region of British Columbia, where thousands of visitors delight in the local attractions but find themselves unable to see all of Canada in one visit. Spirit of a Nation is unique, inspiring, wholly Canadian and instills the viewer with a renewed confidence in the strength of our nation and the promise of our youth.
The Spirit of a Nation Production
• Shows our Canadian multicultural population working cohesively side by toward a positive and progressive future for Canada.
• Shows empathy and offers an opportunity for understanding the plights and perils of so many who have forfeited everything and risked their lives in their endeavor to reach our shores and become Canadians.
• Shows the pride and joy we derive from preserving and expressing our heritage cultures through traditional song, dance, music and costume.
• Exalts both our diversity and our unity.
• Shows that our citizens from every origin can have equal opportunity in Canada and must also share equal responsibility for preserving our land and culture for the benefit of future generations.
• Shows the worth of working together to preserve the efforts of our forefathers because in Canada we enjoy the greatest quality of life in the world.
• Shows the strength of our people when we work together toward common goals which build this great nation.
The Management
The programme is managed by The Canadian Heritage Arts Society and is housed at The Canadian College of Performing Arts.
Spirit of a Nation Photo Album
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