Karla Etienne

Karla Etienne is the Executive Director of the Canadian Dance Assembly and guest curator at Mandoline Hybride, a dance organization based in Gaspésie. She is a dance artist who has worked with Zab Maboungou/Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata for more than 20 years. The first graduate of the organization's Programme de formation et d'entraînement artistique et professionnel en danse (PEFAPDA) and an accomplished dancer, Karla has been a part of Zab Maboungou's major works, including the emblematic Mozongi, winner of the Grand Prix du Conseil des arts de Montréal in dance, particularly for "the amazing performance of its performers" in 2015. She has collaborated as a dancer in projects by George Stamos, Kimberley de Jong, Katya Montaignac, Sophie Corriveau and Priscilla Guy.

Karla Etienne has a degree in environment and cultural management and continues to contribute as a performer, mentor, advisor and new philanthropist to artists and arts organizations. Interested in community philanthropy, she is co-founder and co-chair of Philanthropic Conversations in Culture.

Her commitment is recognized today, notably for the renewal of cultural policies concerning equity in the field of art, on all levels of practice, management and dissemination with the institutions and organizations that are responsible, including the Conseil des arts de Montréal. In 2021, she received the Nyata Nyata Stellar Award for service to the greater dance community.