Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae

Choreographer, Costume Designer, Poet

Suzanne was born in Montreal, Quebeq Canada. She is of Scotch/Irish and French Canadian descent. She has spent most of her life as a dancer, performer and costume designer. She is a long time activist against war and air pollution. She is certified in Swedish Massage.

    Early Formal Education
  • Edward VII Public School
  • Herbert Symonds High School
  • Westwood High School
  • Alma College Private School for Girls, ST Thomas Ontario
    Dance Training
  • Began dance training at age four. Tap, Ballet and acrobatics at YMCA Montreal
  • Mary Martan at Rialto Halls, Ballet, Montreal
  • Mary Beetles School of Dance, Ballet, Montreal
  • Harleigh and Cynthia Petersen, Jazz Tap, Montreal
  • Mme Chiriaeff Les Grands Ballets, Ballet, Montreal
  • John Stanzel Tap, Jazz, Montreal
  • Luigi, Jazz, New York
  • Suzanne Rivest Expression Corporelle, Interpretive Dance, Montreal
  • Elizabeth Lease, Ballet, Montreal. Note: Juliette Fischer from The National Ballet of Canada was guest teacher at Miss Leese’s and recommended I study with Martha Graham.
  • Martha Graham, Modern Dance, New York
  • Teodoro Morca, Flamenco, Montreal
    Performances/Choreography
  • First professional gig at eighteen at the Gatineau Golf and Country Club
  • Choreographed first Modern Dance at La Butte à Mathieu – Val David, Quebec
  • Performed and lived with dancers & musicians in various towns in France
  • Performed in Ukranian Tales at Children’s Theatre, Minneapolis Minnesota
  • Danced in several Renaissance Festivals in Minnesota. Costume Award in 1980
  • After studying with Martha Graham, began choreographing Modern Dance for self and a small company of dancers at Le Centre d’Essai, L’Ecole des Beaux Arts, Montreal
  • Several Dance/Mime Children’s Shows for Radio Canada, Montreal
  • Jazz/Ballet Dancer for Michel Conte, Radio Canada Music Hall
  • Appeared as a Mime in Paul Buissoneau’s Le Manteau Galilee, Place des Arts, Montreal
  • Mixed Media Happenings with diverse artists for television and Les Trente A at l’Association Espanole, Montreal
  • Opened Place Bonaventure with the Blues Brothers, Tiny Tim and other Montreal artists
  • Expo ’67 ~ Performance of a dance/mime for children, commissioned by Jacques Kasma
  • Expo ’67 ~ Modern Dance choreography for self and seven dancers, filmed by helicopter atop Air Canada Building
  • Vive Les Girls! – Las Vegas Revue. Dancer for Ronnie Lewis, Choreographer, Frederick Apcar ~ Producer