James Proud­foot

Originally from Edinburgh, Scotland, James Proudfoot is a renowned lighting designer based in Vancouver, Canada. For over 25 years, he has been a pivotal figure in the dance community, known for his ability to transform the stage through atmospheric and evocative light. Proudfoot spent many years working with Ballet BC, where he collaborated closely with Artistic Director Emily Molnar and served as the company’s long-time lighting director. During his time with the company, he designed lighting for works by Emily Molnar, Medhi Walerski, Ethan Colangelo, Nicolo Fonte, Wen Wei Wang, Lesley Telford, among others. In recent years, his primary collaborations have been with David Raymond and Tiffany Tregarthen of Out Innerspace Dance. Together, they have created works for Ballet BC, Nederlands Dans Theater 2 (NDT 2), Gibney Dance (New York), Gothenburg Opera Dance Company, and Hessisches Staatsballett. He is the principal of Sweetness & Light, where he continues to explore the expressive potential of light in relation to movement, space, and performance.