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Heidi Duckler Dance transforms spaces through the power of contemporary movement. We perform site-specific dance pieces domestically and worldwide, motivated by the belief that dance can change our view of the world – and ourselves.

Join us as we perform anywhere but the stage.

Heidi Duckler Dance emphasizes freedom in all its forms: the freedom to create, the freedom to take up space, and the freedom to dance at any age or in any place.

At Heidi Duckler Dance, community manifests in a variety of ways. From collaborating with local artists to interacting with important locations, we strive to create art that incorporates our community.

Inclusivity means that dance is for everybody – people from every culture, background, age, and more. Heidi Duckler’s artistic and educational initiatives make inclusivity the utmost priority, ensuring all can enjoy our programming.

What We Do

Heidi Duckler Dance creates site-specific performances that transform spaces. By migrating off the stage and into surrounding environments, Heidi Duckler Dance invites audiences to see their communities in a new light.

Heidi Duckler Dance was founded in 1985 on the belief that the arts can change our vision of the world – and of ourselves. The company’s contemporary dance approach values freedom, community, and inclusivity. Through performances, Heidi Duckler Dance reveals avenues in which Los Angeles can become a more inclusive and equitable city.

To date, Heidi Duckler Dance has produced over 500 original site-specific works. Performance locations have included the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles City Hall, and the historic Bendix Building to name a few of many. These performances have spanned genres and themes, ranging from outdoor art festivals to riveting shows at healthcare facilities.

In addition to its performances, Heidi Duckler Dance spearheads a variety of contemporary dance education initiatives. Heidi Duckler Dance’s education programs have reached a diverse set of individuals each year. Its youth arts education programs have served over 10,000 youth and families, surrounding over 25 schools and community centers in Los Angeles.

As the company continues to grow, Heidi Duckler Dance is excited to bring you along with it.

Land Acknowledgement with Background- Bright

Racial Equity Statement

At Heidi Duckler Dance, we remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing racial equity, a cornerstone guiding our programs and community engagement for over 35 years. Our dedication to this principle is embedded in our core beliefs, endorsed by our Board, shaping the trajectory of our work and interactions.

 

Read the full statement here

2024

Heidi Duckler Dance

Official Selection – Direct Monthly Online Film Festival (February 2024)
Winner – Best Female Filmmaker’s Film | Direct Monthly Online Film Festival
Official Selection – Short to the Point Film Festival (February 2024)

2023

Heidi Duckler Dance

Official Selection – Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival
Official Selection – Aphelion Film Festival
Official Selection – TheIndieFEst Film Awards
Official Selection – Short Stop International Film Festival

Heidi Duckler

Guest Professor – University of Southern California
Professor of Screen Dance – University of California Santa Barbara
Speaker – American Institute of Architects LA Creatives in Conversation Conference
Panelist – The Political Mandate of the Arts series from the Wende Museum

Commissions

The Ebell of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
LAWaterkeeper, Los Angeles, CA

2022

Heidi Duckler Dance

Official Selection – The IndieFEST Film Awards

Heidi Duckler Dance/Northwest

Official Selection – Manifest (The Auro Apear Dance-Film Festival)
Official Selection – The Outlet Dance Project
Official Selection – Film Fest by Rogue Dancer

Heidi Duckler

Panelist – Los Angeles County Arts & Health Week Summit
Professor of Screen Dance – University of California Santa Barbara
Guest Artist – American College Dance Association Northwest Conference

Commissions

Theory, New York City, NY

2021

Heidi Duckler Dance

Official Selection – Dance Camera West
Official Selection – ScreenDance Miami Festival
Official Selection – Winner Best Dance/Musical – SHORT to the Point Festival
Official Selection – First Prize Winner – Cinedanza Festival Italy
Official Selection – Best Experimental Short – Bitesize Film Festival
Official Selection – Audience Choice Award – Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema
Official Selection – ARCHIBA Film Festival

Heidi Duckler Dance/Northwest

Official Selection – Demetera International Film Festival

2020

Heidi Duckler Dance

Honorable Mention – Mexico City International Videodance Festival
Best Cinematography – Portland Dance Film Fest
Official Selection – Bucharest International Dance Film Festival
Official Selection – CAPITOL Dance & Cinema Festival
Official Selection – Cascadia Dance & Cinema Festival
Official Selection – Fintdaz International Festival – Chile
Official Selection – Kinetoscope: International Screendance Film Festival
Official Selection – Los Angeles Dance Shorts Film Festival – Virtual
Official Selection – InShadow – Lisbon Screendance Festival

Heidi Duckler Dance/Northwest

Official Selection – Trans(m)it Lost Dances
Official Selection – Tiny Dance Film Festival
Official Selection – Spring Grove International Film Festival
Official Selection – Opine Dance Film Festival
Official Selection – Moving Images Videodance Festival
Official Selection – Klamath Independent Film Festival
Official Selection – Flatlands Dance Film Festival
Official Selection – Exchange Choreography Festival Online
Official Selection – [C]Screen DanceFilm Spring Festival
Official Selection – Bogota Music Video Festival

Heidi Duckler

Panelist – Department of Cultural Affairs, Public Art, Los Angeles,
Panelist – National Arts and Disability Center
Panelist – New Music/USA

Commissions

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Los Angeles, CA
LA Opera, Los Angeles, CA

2019

Heidi Duckler Dance/Northwest

Best Choreography for the Lens – Verve Dance Film Festival
2nd Place Winner – Verve Dance Film Festival
Audience Award – Portland Dance Film Festival
Official Selection – Canby Film Festival
Official Selection – IMARP – Mostra Internacional de Dança – Imagens em Movimento – Video Dança

Heidi Duckler

Panelist – LACMA, New Engagement with Historic Places
Choreographer and Director – Oregon Dance Film Commission

Commissions

NoMad Hotel & Please Do Not Enter, Los Angeles, CA
MATT Construction, Los Angeles, CA

2018

Heidi Duckler Dance

Certificate of Congressional Recognition – Judy Chu, PhD, Member of Congress, 27th District
Certificate of Congressional Recognition – Ted W. Lieu, Member of Congress, 33rd District
State of California Senate Certificate of Recognition – Senator Holly J. Mitchell

Commissions

Palos Verdes Art Center & Amadi Carpets, Los Angeles, CA

2017

Heidi Duckler Dance

LA Department of Cultural Affairs, Prequalified List of Festival Producers/Programmers

Commissions

Culver City Centennial & City of Culver City, Culver City, CA

2016

Heidi Duckler Dance/Northwest

Oregon Art in Public Places Roster

Heidi Duckler

Winner – Lester Horton Award, Artist Appreciation
Panelist – Santa Monica Artists Fellowship

Commissions

Autry Museum of the American West & Trust for Historic Preservation, Los Angeles, CA

2015

Heidi Duckler

TedxUCLA speaker
Panelist, Santa Monica Artists Fellowships for 2016

Commissions

Canal Convergence, Scottsdale, AZ

2014

Heidi Duckler Dance

Los Angeles County Art Commission Civic Artists Prequalified List

Commissions

Brisbane Festival, Brisbane, Australia
ODC Walking Distances Dance Festival, San Francisco, CA

2013

Heidi Duckler Dance

Dance/USA and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s Engaging Dance Audiences

Heidi Duckler

Winner – Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival Emerald 20th Anniversary Maverick Award

Commissions

Reed College Center for the Performing Arts, Portland, OR
Flux Projects, Atlanta, GA

2012

Heidi Duckler

Distinguished Alumnus – University of Oregon School of Music & Dance

Commissions

Barlow Respiratory Hospital, Los Angeles, CA
Van Nuys FlyAway Terminal, Van Nuys, CA

2011

Heidi Duckler Dance

Certificate of Commendation – Awarded by Councilwoman Jan Perry on behalf of the City of Los Angeles State of California

Heidi Duckler

Panelist – Director’s Lab West and the Theatre Communications Group

2010

Heidi Duckler Dance

National Endowment for the Arts – American Masterpiece for “Laundromatinee”

Commissions

Long Beach Arts Council, Long Beach, CA
9th International Festival on the Volga, Yaroslavl, Russia
“Meet Me at the Metro” Watts Village Theatre Company, Los Angeles, CA

2009

Heidi Duckler Dance

National Endowment for the Arts – Artistic Excellence for “A Guide to an Exhibitionist”

Heidi Duckler

Featured in the anthology, “Choreographers and the Lure of Alternative Spaces”

Commissions

Brookfield Properties, Los Angeles, CA

2008

Heidi Duckler Dance

Los Angeles County Arts Commission Arts Leadership Initiative

Heidi Duckler

Finalist – Sherwood Award, Center Theatre Group
Panelist – Pasadena Arts & Culture Commission
Member – Mayor’s Cultural Master Plan Advisory Committee for the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

Commissions

Saint Joseph Ballet, Santa Ana, CA
Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA

2007

Heidi Duckler Dance

Invitee – Showcase for Performance West, Western Arts Alliance Conference
Nominee – Leslie Horton Dance Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design, Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design, Outstanding Achievement in Music, and Outstanding Achievement in Choreography Long Form for C’Opera

Heidi Duckler

Panelist – L.A. County Arts Commission
Yaddo Residency

Commissions

Hong Kong Urban Dance Festival

2006

Heidi Duckler

Panelist – Site-Specific Symposium, Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, NYC

Commissions

City of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV

2005

Heidi Duckler Dance

Recipient – California DanceMaker Grant (James Irvine Foundation)
National College Choreography Initiative

Heidi Duckler

Panelist – Durfee ARC Awards

Commissions

Yiddishkayt Festival, Los Angeles, CA

2003

Heidi Duckler Dance

Recipient – California DanceMaker Grant (James Irvine Foundation)

Heidi Duckler

Winner – Landmark Award, Backstage West
Winner – Southern California Development Forum Award

2002

Heidi Duckler Dance

Winner – Lester Horton Award for Outstanding Company Performance
Nominee – Lester Horton Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music for Dance, Set Design, and Performance – Small Ensemble for Cover Story

Heidi Duckler

City of Los Angeles Individual Artist’s Fellowship (C.O.L.A.)
Winner – Back Stage West Landmark Award

2001

Heidi Duckler Dance

Winner – Lester Horton Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography, Performance, Music, and Lighting Design for After Eden

Heidi Duckler

Director – Dance in the Workplace, film commissioned by Grand Performances and Arts Partners
Nominee – Lester Horton Award for Sustained Achievement

Commissions

On Site Network (Dancing in the Streets in partnership with Miami Light)

2000

Heidi Duckler

Winner – Lester Horton Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography, Performance, Music, and Lighting Design
California Choreography Fellowship from the California Arts Council

1999

Heidi Duckler

Peer Panelist – Cultural Affairs Department, City of Los Angeles
Member – Cultural Planning/Arts for L.A.
Member – Dance/USA

1998

Heidi Duckler Dance

Winner – Lester Horton Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography, Outstanding Achievement in Performance, Outstanding Achievement in Production, Outstanding Achievement in Music for the production of Most Wanted
Nominee – Lester Horton Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Set Design, Lighting Design, and Sustained Achievement for the production of Most Wanted

Heidi Duckler

Peer Panelist – Los Angeles County Music and Performing Arts Commission
Selected participant – On Site Performance Network, Dancing in the Streets
Editor – Dance Zine
Vice President – Board of Directors of the Dance Resource Center of Los Angeles, CA

1997

Heidi Duckler

Member – California Plaza Task Force, Los Angeles, CA
Speaker – Interdisciplinary Performance at California Institute of the Arts