Maxine Heppner’s formative early training was in Montreal, Canada with Elsie Salomons who was highly influenced by Mary Wigman and Kurt Joos.
Pre-professional studies included Modern dance improvisation, Russian classical ballet, ballets jazz and intensive studies of Graham, Cunningham and Limon techniques. She holds an Honours BA’77 in dance composition and dance therapy from York University, Toronto, Canada.
The German expressionist influences beginning in Montreal with Elsie Salomons, continued at York University with Julianna Lau’s use of Laban analyses as the foundation for dance therapy methodologies; and then in New York studying with Alwin Nikolai and his associates.
Through her teaching at The Koffler Centre School of Dance (1977-91: modern & creative dance programs), heading the dance department at the Claude Watson High School for the Arts (1984-87), and lecturing at the theatre and dance departments of York University (1986-90), and Concordia University (1993-2000) Maxine integrated her varied schoolings and began to develop the flexibility of vision that is recognized in her present work.
That, coupled with ongoing explorations in interdisciplinary performance (most notably as co-director of Phyzikal Theatre; within her own company; with voice master David Smukler and his interpretation of Linklater vocal techniques; with improvisor Ruth Zaporah’s Action Theatre and with contemporary artists in Southeast Asia over 25 years) makes her unique in her field.