Livona Ellis was born in Vancouver on the unceded CoastSalish Territories. She completed her training at Arts Umbrella under the direction of Artemis Gordon. In 2010 she received her Dance Diploma and began dancing with Ballet BC. Throughout her time with the company she has been fortunate to perform works by world renowned artists such as Crystal Pite, Sharon Eyal, Medhi Walerski, Johan Inger, William Forsythe, and many others.

Independently she has collaborated with Jennifer McLeish-Lewis for the EDAM Spring Series, Rachel Meyer and Jennifer Mascall for Dancing on the Edge Festival 2019, and Mary-Louise Albert and Peter Bingham for Solo Dances 2020.

Livona has performed in international venues such as Sadler’s Wells, Movimentos Festival Wolfsburg, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Fall for Dance NYC and North, and International Dance Festival Birmingham UK.

She has created works for Dances for a Small Stage, Dance Deck Trois, Public Salon 2019, Contemporary Art Gallery Gala 2018, and Arts Umbrella Season Finale. In 2017 she received the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award for Emerging Artist.

In 2019 Livona staged Medhi Walerski’s “Prelude” on Staatsoper Hannover in Germany. Livona was also a guest artist with Konzert Theater Bern in Switzerland for their 2019/2020 season.

Livona is a full time company member with Ballet BC and is currently on faculty at Arts Umbrella. She completed a residency at Left of Main in January 2021 and will continue her choreographic research towards developing a new work. Livona is also a Programming Advisor for the BC Movement Arts Society and will be performing in the BCMAS dance series this December.