Download on the MOVE 2012: Presenter biographies

on the MOVE 2012: Presenter biographies
Keynote Address—Moving Parts: Working together to make dancing life better.
Eroca Nichols: After earning her Honors BFA in Film/Video/Performance and Sculpture from California
College of the Arts (San Francisco and Oakland, CA), Eroca Nicols’ artistic practice shifted to dance and
movement. She studied in the professional programs at both Ballet Creole and The School of Toronto
Dance Theatre before pursuing further training in release-based and improvisational dance forms. She is
currently a Toronto-based dance artist and educator. Her choreographic work through her company, Lady
Janitor, has appeared at: Nuit Blanche, Toronto, The Cube (Bristol, UK), Dance in My Backyard, Toronto's
International Dance Day, Dance Matters Performance Series, Fresh Blood, Guelph Contemporary Dance
Festival, Fringe Toronto and The Young Centre for the Performing Arts. In addition to her own work, Eroca
also performs in the work of others among these artists are Pam Johnson, Les Imprudanses, Kaeja d'Dance
and Dreamwalker dance projects. Eroca is Co-Founder of the Toronto Dance Community Love-In, with
fellow dancer Amanda Acorn. She teaches contact and contemporary dance as well as Ashtanga Vinyasa
yoga. Eroca’s teaching and training are deeply influenced in her continued study of the Axis Syllabus.
Panel—Year One: What’s Your Action Plan?
Sarah Matton attended Ryerson University’s theatre dance program where she achieved her BFA. She is
also a qualified Tap and Jazz teacher (A.D.A.P.T.) and a qualified acro teacher (P.A.E.C.). She is also an
associate of the Royal Academy of Dance. Sarah has performed in Canadian Opera Company’s Nixon in
China and Aida. Theatrical credits include: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Stage West
Calgary), Peter Pan, Dance Legends (Drayton), Legends (The Grand), and Cats (Stirling Theatre Festival).
Film and TV credits include Silent Hill II (Alliance Atlantis), Lady Gaga (MMVAs 2011), and Being Erica
(CBC). Sarah has worked for Royal Caribbean cruise lines, and toured Bermuda, New England and the
Eastern Caribbean. In the past she has also performed at fFIDA. Sarah has won various awards for her
choreography and continues to teach at several studios in and out of the Toronto area. Sarah is also the
co-founder of Canada’s first agency for Dance teachers, Quick Ball Change
Lee “Lethal” Pham wears many hats: B-boy, artistic director, entrepreneur and now actor. Known in the
breaking industry as Lethal, he is a fifth generation member of world renowned crew The Supernaturalz.
While proudly representing Canada and his crew across the many world stages, he also passionately
teaches breaking here at home and internationally. Founder and co-artistic director of the not-for-profit
organization Break It Down; he has spearheaded successful partnerships with Toronto District School
Board, Harbourfront Centre and York University. He is also the co-owner and manager of international
marketing organization Back to the Underground, with notable clients such as Red Bull, Cadbury Adams,
Molson and R-16. His newest endeavour, acting as Eddie from the cast of the Millions will prove to be one
of his finest hats yet.
Pamela Rasbach is a Toronto-born choreographer and the Artistic Director of Typecast Dance Company.
A graduate of Canada’s National Ballet School and Ryerson University’s Theatre Performance Dance
program, she is currently a Masters of Choreography student at York University. Her career in
on the MOVE 2012: Presenter biographies
choreography includes three full length works for Typecast including; Laser Blade, Synthetica, Missed
Connections and her upcoming project Tomato Soup. She has also choreographed pieces for
DanceOntario’s Dance Weekend, Nuit Blanche, Fresh Blood, Ballet Jörgen, Cawthra Park, Claude Watson,
and the Ontario School of Ballet. Pamela was a participating artist at TAKT Kunstprojektraum in Berlin,
and has had dance films featured at a Berlin gallery, Kulturamt FK.
Cara Spooner has presented performance-based work at Toronto's Nuit Blanche, XPACE Cultural Centre,
The Harbourfront Centre's HATCH Emerging Performance Project, Pleasure Dome, The Art Gallery of
Mississauga, The Festival of New Dance in St. John's Newfoundland and Stromereien 11 in Zürich
Switzerland. She has worked with Diane Borsato, Jess Dobkin, Daniel Cockburn, Robin Lasser/Adrienne
Pao, Sky Fairchild-Waller and Alicia Grant. www.cargocollective.com/caraspooner
Matt Sweet has developed his skills as an administrator through pursuing a variety of administrative roles
across multiple sectors. He started his career working in the film industry, and has since worked in both
the academic administrative sector as well as the dance industry. As an Arts Manager his greatest assets
are his comprehensive knowledge of production planning and execution, his extensive contacts in the
technician marketplace, and his ability to run planning sessions with large groups. Currently Matt is also
pursuing a second degree in Psychology.
Bageshree Vaze is a unique and multi-talented Indo-Canadian artist. As a dancer, choreographer and
musician, her live performances embody the richness of India’s intricate culture with a modern sensibility.
Raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Bageshree initially trained in Bharatha Natyam, and studied vocal
music with her father. She later trained in Kathak dance with Jai Kishan Maharaj in New Delhi, and studied
vocal music with the renowned Veena Sahasrabuddhe in India. Bageshree has three CDs to her credit,
including Tarana, a breakthrough album of music for Indian dance (released in India by Times Music as
'Khanak'). In 2010, she performed as a solo artist in Pt. Birju Maharaj's 'Vasantotsav' Kathak festival in New
Delhi, and was awarded the K.M Hunter Award in Dance. In 2011, Bageshree premiered in Toronto a solo
contemporary Kathak choreography entitled ‘Avatar (9)’, and she is currently working on a new
production 'Damaru/Mudra' which will premiere in May 2012 at the Harbourfront Centre.
www.bagashree.com
Workshop—Leaping into the Unknown
Amanda Hancox is a graduate of the Arts Educational School in England. Over her 30 year performance
career she worked extensively across Canada as a dancer and an actress in theatre, film, and television.
Amanda has been Executive Director of the Dancer Transition Resource Centre since 2006.Throughout her
tenure at the DTRC, Amanda has contributed her expertise to a number of major international and
national conferences. Additionally she acts as a consultant and presents workshops on career transition
within and outside the arts community. She is an Executive member of International Organization for the
Transition of Professional Dancers (IOTPD), and a Board member of the Dance Media Group, and member
of the International Network for Cultural Diversity.
on the MOVE 2012: Presenter biographies
Panel—Presenting Yourself Professionally
Tanya Crowder: “A marvelous dancer with wonderful control” (Globe and Mail), Tanya Crowder, a
professional dance artist for 16 years, was a company member of Newton Moraes Dance Theatre and
Kaeja d’Dance. During her career she also danced for several independent choreographers including Julia
Sasso, Claudia Moore, Kate Alton, Eryn Dace Trudell, Lin Snelling, Darcey Callison, Pam Johnson, and
Allison Cummings. Tanya joined Sinha Danse (Montreal) in 2010 for the creation and performance of the
full-length and excerpted versions of 'A Matter of Life and Breath' for shows in Montreal, Vancouver and
Guelph. She is rejoining the company for a new project to be presented at 5ieme Salle in Montreal in
2013. Tanya has taught at 509 Dance Collective, GMD, and Turning Pointe Dance Academy. She is
Production Manager for Series 8:08’s Choreographic Performance Workshop, and founder and Artistic
Director of Dance Matters Dance Productions and her artistic umbrella HOWDARESHE Productions.
Danny Davalos: A performer since the age of seven, Davalos is trained in jazz, folklore, contemporary
and hip hop dance. In 2002, Davalos joined Do Dat Entertainment and since then has performed with a
long list of top musicians and entertainers—from Rihanna to Keisha Chante to The Boomtang Boys and
more. His range of skills has earned Davalos choreography and performance work with Latin American
artists such as Ricky Martin, Shakira, and Thalia. Davalos is a veteran of national and international stages,
performing on tour with the likes of Shawn Desman (2010-11 & 2005/06) and Danny Fernandes (2009), as
well as at the Much Music Video Awards (2011, 2005). He has brought his unique choreography to TV, as
on Popstars “The One” (2003) and So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Currently the owner of O.I.P.
Dance Centre – home of Do Dat Entertainment – Davalos teaches hip hop classes and workshops
throughout North America. He is also the artistic director and producer of O.I.P. Dance Company.
Christopher House was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Artistic Director since 1994, he has
contributed over sixty works to the company’s repertoire. He has also created choreographies for Lisbon’s
Ballet Gulbenkian, the National Ballet of Canada and Les grands Ballets Canadiens, among others; made
several short videos, and directed two collaborations with The Hidden Cameras. His work has been
presented across Canada and in such cities as New York, Mexico City, London, Berlin, Tokyo, Beijing and
Mumbai. He has received many honours including three Dora Mavor Moore Awards, the Muriel Sherrin
Award for International Achievement in Dance in 2009 and an honorary doctorate from Memorial
University of Newfoundland. As Artistic Director of TDT, he has been responsible for a broad range of
education and outreach initiatives and several international collaborations including Up Until Now (2009)
by post-modern icon Deborah Hay, the Berlin/Toronto Project (2009) and the Paris/Toronto Project
(2011).
Networking Lunch
Megan Andrews is a dance artist, teacher and freelance writer/editor originally from Vancouver. In 1998,
she initiated the Canadian dance magazine, The Dance Current, was Publisher and Founding Editor
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through June 2011 and continues as Interim Publisher. Megan has taught and guest lectured in studio
and seminar courses at York University’s dance department and other institutions, and her writing has
appeared in many publications. She was a board member of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists (1999–
2002) and was instrumental in the publication of the first edition of the Basic Dance Agreement. She was
also on the founding board of the Canadian Dance Assembly and on the founding steering committee for
On the Move. Megan is a Certified Laban Movement Analyst and a PhD candidate (ABD) in
Communication and Culture at York University. Her dissertation examines and theorizes the embodied
somato-sensory experience through her practice and performance of Deborah Hay’s dance solo At Once.
Jennifer Bennett began her career in Arts Management in 2007 at the Dance Umbrella of Ontario where
she had the privilege of working with companies such as Claudia Moore’s MOonhORsE dance theatre,
Break it Down Dance Initiatives and Gadfly; and independent artists Holly Small, Sashar Zarif, Darcey
Callison and Robert Glumbek. In 2011 Jennifer founded Motive Management Inc., a boutique arts
administration company where she is honoured to be working with Roberto Campanella’s ProArteDanza
and Yvonne Ng’s princess productions (tiger princess dance projects & dance: made in canada / fait au
canada.
Amy Bowring is the Director of Research at the archives/publisher Dance Collection Danse. She also copy
edits The Dance Current, and teaches Canadian dance history at Ryerson University. She has published in
journals, books, encyclopedias and conference proceedings and, in 2000, founded the Society for
Canadian Dance Studies. Amy recently curated the exhibition Dancing Through Time: Toronto’s Dance
History 1900-1980 at Toronto’s Market Gallery, and has curated virtual exhibitions on Toronto dance
pioneers Alison Sutcliffe and Nancy Lima Dent. She is an outspoken advocate of dance preservation in
Canada and was the Literary Manager for Peggy Baker’s The Choreographer’s Trust. Amy sits on the
Advocacy Committee for the Canadian Dance Assembly and has served on boards as well as the Disipline
Advisory Committee for dance at the Canada Council for the Arts. She was a co-recipient of the 2002
Toronto Emerging Dance Artist Award for her work as a dance writer.
Roberto Campanella: Born and raised in Rome, Roberto Campanella trained at the Scuola Italiana di
Danza Contemporanea. In 1985, Roberto joined the Compagnia Italiana di Danza Contemporanea and
later joined the prestigious Aterballetto. In 1993 he joined The National Ballet of Canada where he was
soon promoted to Soloist and was cast in many classical and contemporary roles. Roberto made his
choreographic debut at The National Ballet of Canada’s 1995 Choreographic Workshop and, upon retiring
from the National Ballet in 1996, Roberto trained from the National Ballet School's Teacher Training
Program from which he graduated with distinction. He is now a sought-after guest teacher for companies
such as The National Ballet of Canada and Stuttgart Ballet as well as companies in Italy, Korea and Japan.
Although Roberto choreographs predominantly for ProArteDanza, he also choreographs a wide variety of
commissioned works for companies at home and abroad. In 2001, Roberto was nominated for the Bonnie
Bird Choreography Award in London. In 2007, he received the Fellowship Initiative Award from the New
York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of the New York City Ballet, and in 2008, he was awarded a
Chalmers Professional Development Grant. Campanella’s first full-length work Alice in Wonderland
on the MOVE 2012: Presenter biographies
premiered at Ballet Augsburg in Germany in October 2008. Roberto was awarded the Dora Mavor Moore
Award for Outstanding Choreography with co-choreographer Robert Glumbek for … in between…, which
premiered at ProArteDanza’s Season 2010.
Jennifer Dallas (See biography below, under Dance International).
Kate Franklin: An independent dance artist based in Toronto for over a decade, Kate has worked with
choreographers Kate Alton and Matjash Mrozewski and companies ProArte Danza, Kaeja d'Dance and
Zata Omm Dance Projects, among others. With Kate Holden, Kate is the co-artistic director of
firstthingsfirst productions. The company’s successful inaugural production, Namesake had a sold-out run
at the Winchester Street Theatre in 2007. Most recently the company opened the DanceWorks 2009/10
season with Namesake: three, a mixed program of world premieres by Kate Alton, Marc Boivin (Montreal),
and Emily Molnar (Vancouver). With Tina Fushell, Kate is the co-founder of Ambitious Enterprises, a
collective committed to producing and promoting the work of choreographers working with other
disciplines. Her own choreography has been commissioned by JD Dance, the Quinte Ballet School of
Canada, the AE-produced At the Wrecking Ball Series, YMI Dancing and Dusk Dances among others.
Natasha Frid believes in making a place for yourself in dance. Three months after graduating from the
Conservatoire de Paris in dance notation, she got her first gig with Peggy Baker - it’s a good story - and
has gone on to record pieces for Marie Chouinard, Paul-André Fortier and Danny Grossman. Frid’s
expertise in choreographic vocabulary has been sought out by Sasha Ivanochko, Nova Bhattacharya and
Allen Kaeja to collaborate in their work. Frid is equally at home in ballet, hosting a new series of pre-show
talks for Patron-level donors for The National Ballet of Canada. She tutors for the Royal Academy of
Dance’s Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies. Frid is the Outreach Coordinator for Dance Collection
Danse, disseminating Canadian dance history as it is made. She is Board Chair for The Dance Current
magazine, and runs her own piano studio in Toronto. More information:
http://thechoreographerstrust.wordpress.com/
Eddie Kastrau, a dancer with the Danny Grossman Dance Company since 1986, has been a muse for
many of Grossman’s original roles. As well as dancing in over 40 of Grossman's works, he has performed
other modern masterworks, including Paul Taylor’s Aureole, The Beloved by Lester Horton, Anna
Sokolow’s Rooms, Charles Weidman’s Lynchtown, and Canadian classics by David Earle, Patricia Beatty,
Peter Randazzo, Robert Derosiers, Paula Ross and others. Mr. Kastrau has danced independently in
Canada and abroad with David Earle, Patricia Beatty, Nenagh Leigh, Menaka Thakkar, Rina Singha, Bill
James, Michelle Silagy, Terrill Maguire, Randy Glynn, Andrea Nann, Claudia Moore, Joan Phillips, D. A.
Hoskins, Newton Morales and Lawrence Gradus. Currently Mr. Kastrau plays a very active role, teaching
the Grossman repertoire in Canada and the US. When not dancing and teaching, Eddie is the IT Manager
for many Toronto arts organizations including: Toronto Dance Theatre, the School of Toronto Dance
Theatre, Dancemakers, CCDT, Theatre Direct, Randolph Academy for the Arts, Menaka Thakkar Dance
Company, Toronto Summer Music Festival and many others. Mr. Kastrau created computer software to
store the rich heritage of dance companies. His Performance History Database is used by numerous dance
companies throughout North America.
on the MOVE 2012: Presenter biographies
Meaghan O’Shea: “whacky, whimsical, and wonderful“—Toronto Star. Meagan O'Shea is artistic director
of Stand Up Dance. Combining dance, storytelling, clown with and through improvisation, Meagan creates
and performs intimate house concerts, dance-theatre solo shows and large scale ensemble work with her
company and local and community dancers. Recent work includes two time Dora nominated The Atomic
Weight of Happiness; based on actual unrelated events, named “Based Dance Piece” of 2010, Ottawa
XPress; upcoming: Learning to make fire, a duet for Linnea Swan and Brendan Wyatt; The Love Project and
the continually evolving dance like no one is watching. Stand Up Dance is company in residence at the
Living Arts Centre and O’Shea is Associate Artist at Theatre Direct Canada. Meagan will be creating a Flash
Mob for International Dance Day in April. Please e-mail [email protected] if you would like to
participate. She is also founding co-director of hub14.org
Workshop—Dance International
Jennifer Dallas is a Toronto based dancer, choreographer, teacher and costume designer. She is a
graduate of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre (STDT). In 2005 Dallas received a DanceWEB
scholarship for study at ImPuls Tanz in Vienna Austria. In 2010 Dallas was the Metcalf intern at 10 Gates
Dancing (under the direction of Tedd Robinson) and a K.M Hunter award nominee. She is currently a
CADA-Ontario Board Director. Since 2005, Dallas’ choreographic work has been presented by Nigerian
festivals Truefesta and Dance meets Danse. In Toronto, her work has been co-presented twice by
DanceWorks and commissioned by diverse groups such as the Crazyfish Collective, STDT and the Scream
Literary Festival. Dallas has performed in original works by Tedd Robinson, Marc Boivin, Susie Burpee and
Adedayo Liadi. She has also performed on tours with Juno-nominated afrobeat band Mr. Something
Something and has presented movement workshops coast to coast. In 2008 Dallas founded Kẹmi
Contemporary Dance Projects (Kẹmi). In 2009, Dallas embarked on her third and most comprehensive
tour of West Africa where she performed, taught and created in Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso and Ghana
over 2 months.
Joanna Ivey graduated from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Professional Division in 1986 and danced with
Basel Ballet in Switzerland and ATER Balletto in Italy before joining The National Ballet of Canada in 1992.
With The National Ballet of Canada, Ms. Ivey performed featured roles in classical and contemporary
repertoire such as Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis in Giselle; the Stepmother in Cinderella; Lady Capulet in
Romeo and Juliet; Glen Tetley’s Oracle and The Rite of Spring; Arabian Coffee, Spanish Princess and Tall
Swan in James Kudelka’s The Nutcracker and Swan Lake respectively; William Forsythe’s Herman
Schmerman and the second detail and George Balanchine’s Serenade and Jewels. Since retiring from
dance in 2000, Ms. Ivey has worked with The National Ballet of Canada in both the Development
Department (as Special Events Co-ordinator and Development Officer, Annual Individual Giving) and, the
Artistic Department, (as Administrative Manager and Assistant to the Artistic Director/Project Manager).
Ms. Ivey continues to appear on stage as a Guest Artist in dramatic roles such as the Stepmother in James
Kudelka’s Cinderella and Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet. She is also Co-Founder and Board Member to
a successful Toronto contemporary dance company, ProArteDanza.
on the MOVE 2012: Presenter biographies
And a representative from Immigration Canada, more information forthcoming.
Workshop—The Business of Dance
Chrystine Chambers, a Toronto based arts administrator, has been working in the contemporary dance
industry for the past four years. Working with independent artists as the Administrative Director of CADAON and specialized dance presenters as the Program Manager at The CanDance Network, gives Chrystine
a well-rounded perspective of Canada's contemporary dance milieu. After completing an Honours B.A. in
Drama at the University of Toronto, Chrystine went on to complete a post-graduate diploma in Arts
Administration and Cultural Management at Humber College. Previous work engagements include Live
Art Dance (Halifax), Strategic Arts Management (Halifax), The Second City Toronto, The St. Lawrence
Centre for the Arts and Soulpepper Theatre Company. Chrystine spent two terms as Board Directors for
the Bad Dog Theatre. She is currently the Chair of the Freelancers and Consultants Standing Council on
the Canadian Dance Assembly's (CDA) National Council and member of their Advocacy Committee.
Dwayne Stevenson: A Business Representative with the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (Equity)
since 2009, Dwayne facilitates performance engagements for Actors, Dancers, Directors, and Stage
Managers under Equity’s various policies and agreements, but focuses primarily on Dance. His
background includes work as a professional fire fighter, corporate communicator, and professional actor.
He has an Honours B.A. in Political Science and Mass Communications, as well as Diplomas in
Theatre/Acting, and Corporate Communications.
Workshop—Money Matters
Rob Corbett is an award winning screenwriter, produced playwright and a freelance director. He also
currently teaches acting at Sheridan and Seneca Colleges and Music Theory and Production at the Dance
Department of George Brown College. During a hiatus from the Theatre, he worked for over ten years in
investments and financial management at TD Bank and Transamerica Life Canada.