MOD Contemporary Dance Movement, led by president Mana Sakaguchi
Founded in 2010, MOD Contemporary Dance Club grew from a simple need on the University of Alberta campus: a place where advanced dancers could keep training, creating, and performing while building a community of their own. MOD started small, often rehearsing in borrowed halls and squash courts, but its purpose was clear from day one. It became a space run by dancers, for dancers, built on collaboration, leadership, and the shared belief that dance should stay alive in students’ lives.
Today, MOD is an audition-based collective of up to 35 dancers who arrive with strong foundations in contemporary, jazz, modern, tap, ballet, and other styles. The club runs from September to April with weekly Sunday rehearsals that include technique class, original choreography, and full-company work. Every season leads to a full-length showcase produced entirely by the dancers, from choreography and staging to lighting concepts and media. That student-driven structure has been part of MOD’s identity since its first year and continues to define the club’s creative voice.
MOD has also built a set of traditions that mark each season: an annual photoshoot, a company videoshoot, a year-opening solo “show and share,” and weekly combo classes that let dancers explore new styles and perspectives with one another. These shared experiences keep the club connected across academic programs, schedules, and graduating classes.
The club is equally committed to community. MOD has performed at senior homes, taken part in the University of Alberta’s Relay for Life, and led donation drives supporting local organizations and shelters. Alumni teach open classes, give feedback to our choreographers, and are anonymously involved as a selection committee for the annual MOD Scholarship, keeping ties strong long after graduation.
Above all, MOD aims to be a steady home for dancers balancing full academic lives with the need to move, create, and connect. For many members, MOD marks the bridge between studio training and adulthood, offering a space where dance can continue to matter, friendships can deepen, and creativity can stay part of daily life on campus.
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