Thai Dance Troupe of Ottawa

Thai Dance Troupe of Ottawa was founded in 1987, rapidly becoming Canada's leading Thai performing arts organization.

The Troupe is committed to the creation, development and promotion of Thai classical and folk drama, music, song and dance. The Troupe has performed at numerous events in Ontario and Quebec since 1987. This has involved assistance to and cooperation with the city of Ottawa, the National Capital Commission, the Chinese Community Association of Ottawa, the Royal Thai Embassy, the Greta Leeming Dance School, the Gwen Cadman Step dancing School, CSM Production, Genuine Pictures, and the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac.

The Troupe offers traditional and classical Thai music and dance programs to members of the Thai Association of Ottawa and to the public. The Centre is currently expanding its programs to include an Introduction to Thai Cuisine, Cooking Thai in Foreign Countries, the Art of Fruit and Vegetable Carving, Customized Dressmaking, Cross-Cultural Orientation for Newcomers, and the Philosophy of Buddhism.

Kai Whitcomb , the founder and director of the Thai Cultural Center and the Thai Dance Troupe of Ottawa, graduated from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. She studied ballet, modern dance, Thai, Burmese, Indonesian and Indian classical dance. She performed, taught and choreographed Thai Dance in many countries including Laos, Myanmar, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Korea, Italy and Canada.

Kai 's passion is first music and dance, then culture. Her original culture is Thai and her new one, Canadian. While living in Asia, studying its many customs, she founded dance companies in Jakarta and Deli, bringing together a successful mixture of Thai's from around the world. On moving to Ottawa, Kai established the Thai Association of Ottawa Dance Company, which she directs and which has performed at numerous events since 1987.

Kai has studied dance and music since her youth, and has learned to play a long list of instruments. She has performed and taught Scottish Dancing and is an accomplished performer of Bharat Natyam, a classical dance of South India. She volunteers her considerable skills and broad knowledge to her Thai Association and was founding vice-president for its cultural programmes. Kai has demonstrated how an immigrant can absorb Canadian culture and bring cultural enrichment to Canadians at the same time.

Kai Whitcomb, Director

2130 Dutton Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1J 6K4
Tel: (613) 740-0895 Fax: (613) 740-0934
http://www.thaidancetroupeofottawa.com/

Email : contact@thaidancetroupeofottawa.com