OUR VISION
To defy expectations of what a person with a disability or health condition can achieve with their body through expansion of accessibility to inclusive dance and fitness education in Manitoba
ABOUT US
"Defying Expectations"
D.I.F.I.E (Dance Innovation Fitness Innovation Education) Inc.
We provide three trademarked in-person programs F.O.P (Fitness Opportunities for all People), D.O.P (Dance Opportunities for all People), and L.W.L (Levels Without Limits) to children, youth, and adults living in Manitoba. We also provide three e-certification programs D.E (Defying Educators), D.V (Defying Venues), and D.P (Defying Performers).
D.I.F.I.E (Dance Innovation Fitness Innovation Education) Inc.
We provide three trademarked in-person programs F.O.P (Fitness Opportunities for all People), D.O.P (Dance Opportunities for all People), and L.W.L (Levels Without Limits) to children, youth, and adults living in Manitoba. We also provide three e-certification programs D.E (Defying Educators), D.V (Defying Venues), and D.P (Defying Performers).
MISSION STATEMENT
D.I.F.I.E Inc. is dedicated to providing inclusive dance, fitness, and health education services to Manitoban Families. We provide cross cultural, inter-generational education to Manitoban's of all ages through classes, workshops, programs, and online education to our members and partners.
OBJECTIVES
- Provide Caregiver & Me sensory- inclusive dance and fitness education for infants and children with intellectual and/ or learning disabilities
- Provide Caregiver & Me physically- inclusive dance & fitness education for infants and children with physical disabilities and/ or health conditions
- Provide sensory-inclusive dance & fitness education for teens and adults who have intellectual and/ or learning disabilities
- Provide physically-inclusive dance & fitness education for teens and adults who have intellectual and/ or learning disabilities
- Provide inclusive cultural dance and fitness education opportunities to individuals and families
OUR VALUES
We are committed to providing a safe and respectful workplace for our staff, volunteers, students, partners, sponsors and clients when operating our in-person and online services. As such, we have signed the Canadian Performing Arts Code of Conduct, and have developed a comprehensive Code of Conduct Manual to ensure are ethics are professional and empathetic to the many communities we serve.
To learn more please view/ download documents below for more information.
To learn more please view/ download documents below for more information.
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OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Stephanie Strugar - Artistic Director
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She is the Owner of Difinity Dance Studio and Productions a commercial performance arts education company founded in 2008 as an independent artist collective for indie artists. Stephanie has toured across Manitoba as a professional family and corporate entertainer as a clown, mascot, celebrity impersonator, body artist, karaoke host, and Emcee. As a recognized RAW.org artist she has mentored emerging performance artists through her dance crews classes and showcases.
Through her dance and fitness company, Difinity Dance she provides performance arts educator mentor ship through in-house training of her trademarked program curriculum's. She has facilitated performance arts camps, workshops, and classes through-out Manitoba for over 10 years. She is most known for her ground breaking visual and performance arts education to vulnerable groups including at-risk youth, seniors, children and adults with disabilities, and newcomers. Her most recent project "Def.Up", Manitoba's 1st all deaf dancers dance crew made national news. Her unique experience as a performer and visual artist with a disability has motivated her to improve accessibility of performance arts education to emerging artists. Stephanie's post secondary education includes management, human resources, business administration, early childhood education and disability studies. She is currently the Manitoba Trainer for CHRC (Cultural Human Resources Council)'s Maintaining Respectful Workplaces Workshop that is available to arts and cultural organisations across Canada. |
As a person with a physical and learning disability, who was raised by a single mother, and was a youth in care who had experienced PTSD, depression from childhood trauma, she understands the complex challenges individuals and families face in accessibility to quality dance, fitness and health education opportunities. Her passion for starting DIFIE Inc. came from a deep desire to give more back to her community.
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Deborah Clark - Executive Director
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Deborah Clark has worked in the Not for Profit sector since she returned from teaching EAL in Europe in 2006. Working in the Inner City and North End, she has come to better understand the ramifications of people living in complex issue situations. This has strengthened her resolve to continue to advocate, empower and support individuals, families, communities and organizations to strive to be the best they can become. Deborah has managed and operated licensed daycares, before and after school childcare programs for children and youth with disabilities, and managed dance crews.
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Mark Morris- Chair
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Mark Morris has worked extensively in small business and corporate franchise management for over 15 years. He has a passion for sponsoring local sports initiatives and has had a successful career in football and softball for over 20 years. His commitment to DIFIE Inc. stems from his early years where he had limited access to sports opportunities despite his talent and his desire to improve accessibility to inclusive fitness education to low-income families.
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GOVERNANCE
DIFIE Inc. is committed to being a transparent, reliable, and responsible organisation to our Members, Sponsors, and Partners. Download our brochure to learn more about how we operate.
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CURRENT OPENINGS
We are currently seeking to expand our Governing Board of Directors, and have four positions to fill. We are also looking for several new committee members. To learn more please click on our volunteering page.
