About Us
Kadima Dance Company, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is dedicated to celebrating and performing traditional and contemporary Israeli dance. Founded in December 2019 by artistic director Hadera Kliman, it aims to connect the Jewish and broader Winnipeg communities through Middle Eastern music, Jewish culture, and dance.
"Kadima" means "forward" in Hebrew.
קדימה
The company fosters a highly creative and collaborative environment where dancers are encouraged to select their own music, choreograph routines, and express themselves creatively. The dancers in Kadima are active participants in both local and national cultural events. In Winnipeg, they frequently perform at community centers (such as the Rady JCC and the Simkin Centre) and cultural gatherings like the Israel Pavilion during Folklorama. They also travel to perform at major Canadian festivals, such as Festival Hatzafon in Edmonton and Festival Harikud in Vancouver.
Kadima Dance Company features around twenty adult dancers with a passion and love for Israeli dance.
"I love Winnipeg and our tight-knit Jewish community. I feel so lucky to be able to represent Israel through Israeli music and dance from here in the diaspora. I hope people feel that connection and passion when they see us perform."
Meet Our Founder,
Hadera Kliman
Hadera fell in love with dance the moment she stepped into her first ballet class at just two years old. She grew up training at studios across the city, but one style captured her heart more than any other — Israeli Dance.
In 2009, she joined the Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble, performing in Mexico, Israel, and throughout Canada. Her passion led her to the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance in 2014, where she studied contemporary, ballet, and GAGA dance techniques.
Hadera became Chai’s dance director in 2016, and after eight years with the ensemble, she moved to Vancouver. Ultimately, her deep commitment to strengthening Israeli dance and the Jewish community in Winnipeg brought her back home.
In December 2019, she held the very first Kadima Dance Company rehearsal at Kazka Dance Collective — the beginning of a new chapter she continues to shape with heart and purpose.