Things in the past...
Artistic Director of Sore for Punching You
– Allison Cummings
Allison Cummings is a performer/choreographer/director, that operates under the umbrella name 'Sore for Punching You'. She is based in Toronto, Canada. She has worked as either an actor or dancer for many local indies and companies including, D.A. Hoskins, Michael Trent, DNA Theatre, Kate Alton and Bill James among others.
Her choreography has been shown at many venues and festivals including The Theatre Centre (2002 residency program and independently), Hysteria, Edgy Women in Montreal, and Toronto Dance Theatre’s ‘Four at the Winch', among others. She has produced her own multi-disciplinary shows, 'Quiver' 2002 and ‘Clutch’ in 2006. She was the 2000 recipient of The Toronto Emerging Artist Award in Dance and shortlisted for the K.M. Hunter Award in 2006 and 2008. Her first film installation, a collaboration with BlueMouth Inc's Stephen O'Connell was co-produced by The Moving Pictures Festival and Trinity Square Video in November 2005.
Landmark projects include directing The Goblin Market at Equity Showcase Theatre, choreographing a piece for Okotobrigya Dance of Ghana, West Africa which was presented by the Canadian High Commission as part of Le Semaine de la Francophonie in Accra, Ghana, March 2008, 'You Are Invited' a performance Installation at the Gladstone Hotel. She took part in the final Goat Island Summer School hosted by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in July 2008.
After three years in creation, Allison presented her full length solo work 'Devouring Lions' at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, November 2009.
As a 2010 recipient of the Chalmers Professional Development Grant, she utilized the award to study intimately with renowned Theatre Director Eda Holmes, Associate Director of the Shaw Festival 2010 and 2011.
Allison has twice participated as an Artist in Residence program at Compeung Village in Northern Thailand, March 2010 and has just returned from a second invited residency followed by a one month group exhibition curated from past residents. Exhibition was titled 'Compeung Revisited' and was on exhibit at the Chiang Mai Arts and Culture Centre, Three Kings Monument throughout December 2011.
In 2011, she completed a commissioned performance piece for beloved local dance icon Pia Bouman, participated as the first Artist in Residence at the June Callwoods Centre for Women and Families, organized the the War and Peace Marathon, a cover to cover non-stop public reading of Leo Tolstoys epic novel War and Peace over 57 hours in downtown Toronto, presented her endurance piece 'Burden' in Toronto, and was a key collaborator in the hybrid work 'Combat' as part of SummerWorks Festival, 2011.
Upcoming in 2012, Allison will be performing 'Burden' at the M:ST Festival in Calgary in the fall before heading the prestigious Djerassi Artist in Residence Program, in Northern California, October/November 2012.
Stay tuned for 'Final Savage Land' at Oz Studios in January 2013, currently in creation.