HAVE A CUP OF JOE WITH JOE – HNM Dance Company Celebrates 30 Years Of Artistic Contemporary Dance
In 1983, 11-year-old Anh Nguyen with his mother Theresa, were part of the brave and courageous “Vietnamese Boat People” who made a harrowing escape from communist Vietnam on small and crowded boats and eventually arrived safely in their new home in Windsor, Ontario. Nguyen attended St. Alphonsus Elementary School and graduated from Assumption High School. He went on to study music composition at the University of Windsor, while at the same time studying dance at Wayne State University with a scholarship he received.
In 1995, six people from Windsor, sharing an interest in dance, joined Nguyen in starting HNM Dance Company, featuring contemporary dance, which Nguyen describes as “an artistic art form that keeps
changing like a chameleon to adapt to contemporary societal trends. In our training our technique is ballet, modern and contemporary, but our performances are contemporary dance.”
Compared to traditional dance forms, contemporary dance is an adaptable, expressive, and improvisational dance form borrowing and blending techniques from various styles, such as ballet, ballroom dancing, modern, jazz, hip-hop, etc. to create a personal and emotional movement. It emphasizes individual expression, the exploration of the mind-body connection, and freedom from the strict rules of traditional dance. Contemporary dance uses the entire body in the space, making it a unique and fluid performance art.
With his formal education in music and dance, Nguyen became the new group’s director in the church hall at Holy Name of Mary Church in Windsor (hence HNM) with instructional dance classes open to the
public, along with developing a “performance” dance company. Over the years HNM moved to the former Downtown Centre for Seniors and then to the University of Windsor’s Jackman Dramatic Art Centre. For the past10 years, the Windsor Jewish Federation & Community Centre has been their home, providing a welcoming dance space.
When they are not in “rehearse mode” as the performance company, they meet regularly for Technique Class: Warm Up, Strengthening and Stretching. Currently, HNM has 18 dancers.
Nguyen has been an Instructor at St. Clair College for the past three years, teaching “Modern Dance Technique’” to students, some of whom joined HNM after graduation.
Throughout the years he has assisted local theatre groups in the region with dance routines and techniques.
Approximately 25% of the music of HNM’s choreographed dances are Nguyen’s original compositions, either performed by him, other musicians, or on music tracks he has recorded. The rest of the contemporary dance choreography is from music from other modern and traditional composers.
With a background in ballet, Diana Fleming has been with HNM for 25 years and reflects: “When I heard of Anh teaching, but heard they perform, I didn’t want to do that. Once I saw a performance, that
changed my mind. It’s difficult for an older person to find a group that’s not just all kids, and this company has a great cross section of ages and an amazing Artistic Director in Anh.”
Sean Brewer joined HNM four years ago and has been performing for two years with no prior dance experience. He has a martial arts, boxing, gymnastics, and yoga background, and admits: “Dance was initially outside of my comfort zone, but it has become a huge part of my life. (It involves) artistic art-like movements of my past disciplines with a big commitment to regular practice of technique, strength, and flexibility, and learning the choreography.”
Kathleen Hart studied Modern Dance at Concordia University and is one of the founding members of HNM 30 years ago. After a brief hiatus, she returned and has been active for the past few years.
A dance educator in the Windsor Essex region, Hart comments: “HNM balances out our arts community so well. The city has a symphony, an art gallery, community theatre groups, and a top contemporary dance company.”
In its 30-year existence, HNM has performed contemporary dance at dozens of significant events in Windsor and beyond — such as the 2013 Tall Ships Festival at the waterfront; the 2001 opening of the Windsor Essex Art Gallery on Riverside Drive; the 2013 International Children’s Games at the University of Windsor and Dancing With The Easter Seals Stars (Windsor Essex) in 2023/24 — just to name a few.
During the tenures of Artistic Directors Susan Haig (1991-2000), John Morris Russell (2001-2012), and the late Robert Franz (2013-2025), the Windsor Symphony Orchestra and HNM collaborated on several
orchestral and dance concerts.
Nguyen recalls one in particular, the March 2016 show (see accompanying photo) featuring 20th century Czech modern classical music composer, Bohuslav Jan Martinů with Maestro Franz conducting: “The fusion of the music with contemporary dance was both challenging and exhilarating with the frequent changes in meter, tempo and syncopation of his musical scores.”
Following the passing of Franz on September 2, 2025 at age 57, Nguyen reflects: “Robert was a delightfully creative, adventuresome, and collaborative music director, and we worked together really well. His warmth, energy, wit, and innovative genius will be missed greatly by our community.”
To celebrate its 30-year anniversary, HNM is presenting Old Gems reimagined on November 7, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre.
The show, hosted by Windsor’s Poet Laureate Peter Hrastovec, will revisit and update many of their most successful dance pieces from the past. During the evening there will also be a silent auction of original
artwork contributed by Windsor area artists.
You can purchase tickets in person at the Capitol Theatre Box Office, or online.
Biz X magazine congratulates HNM Dance Company on 30 years of dancing to the rhythm of success! We hope their journey continues to be a beautiful performance.
