Darha’s passion for creative expression led her to dance at an early age and she has been developing her craft for over 25 years as a dancer, dance instructor and choreographer. Raised in Yellowknife, Darha began her training at the Tate Dance Studio in the 1980’s. She was awarded a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Simon Fraser University’s School for Contemporary Arts (1996) and has continued her training in Vancouver, Edmonton and Victoria.

In 2004 Darha Phillpot and Karen Wasicuna founded Crazy Legs Contemporary Dance, Yellowknife’s first modern dance company. They received NWT Arts Council funding for their first show at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre in May 2005. Since that time, Darha has successfully produced, choreographed, taught, and collaborated in over 20 shows.

Darha’s choreography has appeared at the Abbotsford Festival of Dance (1995), 12 Minutes Max (Vancouver, 1996), Treeline to Tundra Environmental Arts Festival (Yellowknife, 1997), Folk on the Rocks (Yellowknife, 1997), YWCA’s Landscape to Dreamscape (Yellowknife, 1997) NWT Aurora Awards Gala (Yellowknife, 1997), Caribou Capers (Yellowknife, 1997), Carousel (Yellowknife, 1997), First Living Colors (Yellowknife, 1999), Ingilraat Pitquhivut Tammanagit (Kugluktuk, 2000), and Upstairs Dances (Victoria, 2002), 24 hour Creation Project (Yellowknife, NT). Last summer she had the pleasure and privilege to collaborate on a multi-disciplinary performance at Folk on the Rocks with Vancouver musician Veda Hille, Yellowknife musicians Pat Braden and Leela Gilday, and visual artists Terry Pamplin and Diane Boudreau.

Darha teaches modern dance, classical ballet, choreography, dance improvisation and creative movement to all ages and abilities. Her technique is draws on formal dance training, theatre, community engagement techniques, and Yoga. She strives to offer a class that is physically challenging, creatively stimulating and a safe environment for children and adults alike to explore the excitement of physical expression.