|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ann Mortifee was born in Zululand, South Africa. She spent her first years on a sugar farm there and came to Canada as a young child. As a teenager in Vancouver, she began singing with the legendary Josh White after her first public appearance which was at a local coffeehouse. That first performance was precipitated by a dare put to her by some of her classmates at school. Shortly thereafter, Ann was invited to an audition to be a singer for the first run of the George Ryga play,The Ecstasy of Rita Joe. It was here that she recognized the power of the arts to influence social awareness.
Ann's work with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet on the ballet version of The Ecstasy of Rita Joe deepened her commitment to the arts and helped greatly to establish her career.
Ann is now known as one of Canada's most unique and outstanding performing artists. Known throughout the world for her passionate and honest performances, Ann has released ten CDs, written three musicals, and several ballet and film scores. She has worked as a keynote speaker for conferences on such concerns as the use of creativity in healing, sexual abuse, death and dying, environmental and womens issues. She received the Order of Canada and the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award in 1992 for her outstanding contribution to the healing and performing arts in Canada.
The whole body of Ann's work deals with the mystery, difficulty and extraordinary opportunity of what it means to be a human being. Ann has facilitated workshops throughout Canada, Europe and the United States. They are a healing journey that awakens deep creativity, passion and aliveness. Her work with the voice is known for its unique, innovative and transformative qualities. Using her understanding of the energetic body, or chakra system, and its relationship to the physical body, she assists people in feeling, perhaps for the first time, the power and clarity available when one is energetically aligned within the body. Through breath-work,movement exercises, visualization and song, Ann supports individuals and groups, to experience and celebrate, their capacity to live and love, more passionately.
Several Ballet Scores including
"Ecstasy of Rita Joe",performed by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet at the opening of the National Arts Center in Ottawa.
"A Yesterday's Day" composed for Les Grandes Ballet Canadiens
"The Grey Goose of Silence" composed for the North Carolina Dance Theatre
"Klee Wyck, A Ballet for Emily" based on the life and work of Canadian artist, Emily Carr
Four "One Woman Shows" including the international award winning, "Journey To Kairos" (The television special based on this show received The Grand Award in Television at the International Film Festival of the Americas, in 1980.)
A children's opera: "A Rose is A Rose" commissioned by the Canadian Opera Company.
PERFORMER
Played the lead in many musicals, including,
- "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris," in NY and elsewhere;
- "I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road," a Cleveland Playhouse production of "The Arabian Knight," based on her music and poetry;
- “Jacque and Madly” another Cleveland production which she wrote and performed with David Frazier and Madly Bamy (the partner of Jacque Brel during his last years in the South Pacific);
- "Reflections on Crooked Walking" her own much loved family musical which met with tremendous success with young and old alike.
In concert and on tour with her own One Woman Shows and in concert with such artists as Hagoode Hardy, Harry Belafonte, Ramsey Lewis Michele LeGrand, Bobby McFerrin and John Denver.
In concert: an evening of her own music performed with all the major Symphony Orchestras across Canada.
PBS Television Special received national syndication on Public Television.
Feature performing artist at Closing Ceremonies of Commonwealth Games Victoria 1994- Audience: half billion.
George Vanier Award as one of the "Five Oustanding Young Canadians".
"Best Female Vocalist" award at the Tribute to the West Coast Music Awards.
1992 - Ann was awarded the "Order of Canada" for her outstanding contribution to the performing and healing arts.
YWCA Woman of Distinction Award - 1992
Read More
WORKSHOPS / KEYNOTE ADDRESSES
In addition to being an outstanding performing artist, Ann is also known as one of Canada's most dynamic and creative keynote speakers, addressing such concerns as the use of creativity in healing, sexual abuse, death and dying, environmental and women's issues. She has led workshops and spoken as a keynote speaker in Canada , the United States and Europe. She has worked with Tanis Helliwell, Bernie Seigel , Elizabeth Kubler-Ross , Marion Woodman, John Robbins , Jean Houston, and David Feinstein, among others. Ann has given an annual summer workshop at Hollyhock for more than a decade.
Ann co-founded The Somerset Foundation, with her brother, Dr. Peter Mortifee. It is devoted to exploring ways of creating a more loving and healthy world through supporting social change by the use of strategic philanthropy.
She co-founded The Trust for Sustainable Forestry, which advocates sustainable ecoforestry as a means of conserving forest habitat, reinvigorating local economies, creating Eco-Villages for affordable land ownership, among many other benefits in our continued search to define new ways of living harmoniously with the land.
Ann has supported the work of Palliative Care and Hospice over many years. She became a Patron of Vancouver's Lion's Gate Hospital Hospice in 1991. Her CD, " Serenade at the Doorway, " created in collaboration with psychologist David Feinstein (author of Rituals for Living and Dying), has been used as a "tool" for Palliative Care situations, as well as by many undergoing major life transitions. The CD is being used, by therapists, nurses, doctors, psychologists, social workers and hospice volunteers. Many Hospice Societies have been selling "Serenade at The Doorway" as part of a fund-raising strategy.
In 1989 Ann became a director of Earthsave, a non-profit environmental organization in the USA dedicated to the sharing of information about how our food choices impact the environmental state of the planet.
Over the years, Ann has supported such groups as Amnesty International, Foster Parent's Plan, UNICEF, CARE, Greenpeace, Variety Club Telethon, Telemiracle, Children's Hospital, International Peace Day, and many, many others. She has given countless benefit performances in support of their efforts.
In May of 1998, Ann was appointed by Culture Minister lan Waddell as chairperson of the 15-member BC Arts Council, a position she held for two years.
