Philip is a second year student of contemporary dance at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre but he has been dancing since he was born! He started recreational tap classes at age 5 but was continually creating his own dances at home. When he was 12 he won a dance scholarship from The School of Dance (St. John’s NL) for his choreography and was accepted into the school’s Fast Track Program. This program included weekly classes in tap, ballet, modern, hip-hop, social, latin and jazz. After experiencing the intensity and discipline of this course, Philip was determined to become a professional dancer. The following year Philip started training in the school’s pre- professional program and continued this training with MAX Arts Athletics Wellness (St. John’s NL) when The School of Dance closed in 2010. In 2011, Philip completed a week long workshop with Christopher House who introduced Philip to the world of contemporary dance and Toronto Dance Theatre. Consequently, Philip attended The School of Toronto Dance Theatre summer intensive program for the following two summers and was accepted to start the full time professional training program there in September 2014.
Philip has participated in many professional and charitable productions. He has not only performed on stage as a dancer but also as an actor, singer and assistant choreographer. He has also worked backstage and as front of house manager. Credits include: Evita (Assistant Choreographer & Principal Dancer), Chicago (Dancer/Singer), Alice (Dancer/Actor) TADA!Events (St. John’s NL); Music in Motion: Eveil (Guest Dancer) Newfoundland Youth Symphony Orchestra (St. John’s NL); Bolt Out Of The Blue (Dancer) Wonderbolt Circus (St. John’s NL); The Twilight Zone:“The Trade-Ins” (Young John) School Zone Productions (St. John’s NL); Disney in Concert: A Tale as Old as Time (Principal Dancer) Our Divas (St. John’s NL); Are You Watching Me Now? (John Davis) Clar Doyle with The Eating Disorder Foundation NL (St. John’s NL); White Christmas 1 &2 (Performer) TADA!Events & Our Divas (St. John’s NL); Footloose (Ren McCormick) QVRRDF&ACC (St. John’s NL); Grease (Dancer/Singer), West Side Story (Baby John) Theatre St. John’s (St. John’s NL); I’m 14 and I Hate the World (The Bully) Kenneth J Harvey Short Film (St. John’s NL); FAME (Jack Zakowsky) Youth Theatre St. John’s (St. John’s NL); RIDERS (Gorge Boleyn) Creator Dance Theatre and More Love Media (St. John’s NL). The School of Toronto Dance Theatre repertory performances include: IMPULSE: Entre Parenthesis; Darryl Tracy (Toronto ON), ACCELERATION: in.decision; Shakeil Rollock, Falling In; Meritt Uribe, Bound; Brittany Barraclough (Toronto ON), MOMENTUM: Common Burn; Julia Sasso, Iterations of Twilight; Sharon B. Moore (Toronto ON).
Philip considers himself extremely fortunate and privileged to have met so many wonderful people through his passion for dance and performance. He is grateful for the inspiration and encouragement from his very first dance, theatre and music teachers to the national and international choreographers, masterclass teachers and performers he has worked and trained with: They have all been an inspiration. Philip thanks them, his friends and his family for encouraging him and helping him to live his dream.
