Rae Bowhay

Originally from Alberta, Rae Bowhay moved to Los Angeles in 1991 to study with Charles Edmondson (Horton-Lewitsky technique). There she worked for the Christensen Dance Company (an offshoot of industrial dance) and Collage Dance Theatre (site-specific dance). In 1995, she moved to New York to discover the Graham and Limon schools. She moved to Montreal in 1996, where she worked with several independent choreographers, including Benjamin Hatcher, Fabienne Pelissier, Brett Plager and Julie Slater. At the same time, she began her own choreographic research, and the desire to create and perform with live musicians led her to flamenco. With the idea of transforming this relationship between music and dance into something more personal and independent of tradition, she embarked on a long journey to discover and experience the tradition.

Her journey has translated into a career as a flamenco artist and artistic director of over 15 iconoclastic and contemporary creations. Her works and collaborations have been presented in Montreal (Tangente/Studio 303/TOHU), throughout Quebec (Festival Classique des Hautes-Laurentides/Camp Musical du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean/XIIe Sommet de la Francophonie), across Canada (Toronto International Dance Festival/ various folk festivals) and internationally (Edinburgh Fringe Festival/ Interface contemporary arts festival in India/ intercultural exchange in China). In 2017, she collaborated with Pol Pelletier, a duo based on the literary genius of France Théoret. This unforgettable and inspiring piece, entitled L'art poétique, was presented at the BAnQ Auditorium in Old Montreal. 

Since 2019, she has been focusing her time and attention both on her flamenco school and on music composition and choreography with her band Ground Level (alternative/rock/pop style).