Immersion Festival is an eagerly-anticipated celebration of Canadian cultural life for audiences, and a sought-after performance and networking opportunity for renowned and aspiring artists, with 3 distinct stage performances, 12 workshops, a dance education roundtable, and community gatherings. Performances and workshops are open to all.
FESTIVAL PRICING
A $2.31 processing fee is added on to each ticket purchase.
No refunds are available on performance and workshop tickets.
Single Ticket to Any of the Shows: $30
Single Ticket to Any Two Shows: $55
Single Ticket to All Three Shows: $75
Group Rates – 4 or more people:
$25 per person for one show
$22.50 per person for any two shows
$20 per person for all three shows
Workshop Packages:
$25 for one workshop
$45 for two workshops
$60 for three workshops
$75 for four workshops
$90 for five workshops
FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Immersion Festival is generously supported by a venue partnership with Canada’s National Ballet School.
Questions about Immersion Festival or Ticketing?
- 416-203-0666
- info@danceimmersion.ca
The Vanguard Presentation features seven commissioned duets by internationally-renowned Canadian dance artists and musicians!
There are two chances to experience this once-in-a-lifetime gathering of exceptional artists:
Saturday, November 21 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday, November 22 @ 2:00 PM
@ The Betty Oliphant Theatre: 404 Jarvis Street, Toronto
Artist biographies are below the ticket link.
Tap dancer Travis Knights was introduced to the rich oral tradition of Tap by renowned legend, Ethel Bruneau. He went on to spread his love of rhythm internationally, touring with Tap Dogs, Tapestry Dance Company, and the self-produced Tap Love Tour. He received the 2020 Jaqueline Lemieux Prize for his outstanding contribution to Canadian dance. Travis has since toured with the Anandam Dance Theatre collaboration, Ephemeral Artifacts, won a Dora Award for Outstanding Performance in dance Immersion’s Legacy Tap Concert, became a Soulpepper Slaight Family Music Associate, and launched The Mars Project, an evolving full-length production with an international cast. www.travisknights.com
Divine Brown: Born in Toronto to Jamaican parents, Divine Brown is a powerhouse of Canadian R&B and soul. With a five-octave vocal range and a sound that blends classic soul with modern energy, she’s carved out a space that is uniquely hers. From her timeless hit ‘Old Skool Love’ to her Juno-winning album ‘The Love Chronicles’, Divine’s music is rooted in love, memory, and legacy. She’s toured with Canadian icon Bryan Adams, The Backstreet Boys, has collaborated with Kardinal Offishall, and paid tribute to legends like Dennis Brown —all while staying true to the sounds that shaped her. More than a singer, she’s a vocalist, a storyteller and a trailblazer whose voice uplifts, connects, and heals. In the world of theatre, Divine’s hit documentary style concert “Billie, Sarah and Ella: Revolutionary Women in Jazz” was presented at Soulpepper Theatre’s 2023 and 2024 seasons in the historic Distillery District of Toronto.
Choreographer-documentarian and Artistic Director of AKÒ Studio, Rhodnie Désir, has created over thirty productions, including the monumental Symphonie de cœurs with orchestra, the acclaimed BOW’T TRAIL Rétrospek, and her pioneering BOW’T TRAIL journey. These works earned her two Prix de la danse de Montréal (2020): the Prix Envol and the prestigious Grand Prix de la danse, as well as a nomination for dance Immersion’s presentation of BOW’T TRAIL Rétrospek for the Dora Mavor Moore Awards (2025 Outstanding Touring Production). Rhodnie Désir’s documentary and Afro-contemporary choreographic signature is rooted in African and Afro-descendant rhythmic languages, spanning from her homeland (Haiti) to the Caribbean, and across Central and Sub-Saharan Africa. A performer of remarkable power and uncompromising integrity, she is known for her profound human connectivity. Her artistic approach, voice, performances, and civic actions have earned her significant international recognition, leading her to speak at numerous organizations and universities, including UNESCO.
Kayiri, whose full name is Sarah Judith Kayiri Hinse Paré, is a violinist and performer. She trained in the conservatories of Québec as well as at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), specializing in pop jazz performance. Her musical approach stands out through a natural fusion of classical rigor and contemporary influences, shaping a universe that is rich, sensitive, and distinctly current. In performance, Kayiri brings a powerful stage presence marked by intensity, emotion, and a deep connection with the audience. She now divides her time between Canada and the Dominican Republic, collaborating with a range of artists while continuing to refine and expand her artistic signature. KÒSA marks her first collaboration with AKÒ Studio.
Artist statement: A Lady in the House Dance by Nubian Néné
By combining different forms of artistic practice, the choreographic mind has the potential to manifest in expanded and transformative ways. Integrating visual and performative elements presents an opportunity to explore, cultivate, and share layered, encompassing narratives. The work is developed with depth and urgency, engaging with timely societal, political, racial, and identity-based subjects. It is created through an awareness of layers, spatial relationships, patterns, purpose, and functionality, drawing from sensory experiences, spiritual connections, and the ritualistic storytelling traditions of Womxn and Black communities.
Diyanna Monet: Hailing from Washington, DC, Diyanna Monet is a live performance artist weaving the connections between street dance movement, DJing, and exploring the innovative technology of music hardware. From igniting dance floors, in front of and behind the decks, she has proven to energize and captivate the attention of crowds ranging from private events to massive festivals and stages with her nostalgic music curation and dance choreography. Leading with the inspiration of preserving Black culture, social dance, and timeless music, Diyanna brings a layered relationship of sound tapestry that directly connects to her value of sustaining and expanding individuality through freestyle movement and music production. Currently, she is a rotating instructor for the Rooting the Dance series at Dance Place in Washington, DC, and she is a part of the electronic and experimental band Future Drum Circle. Through each of her endeavors, Diyanna is sure to deliver vibrant and memorable moments as a means to solidify herself as a model of excellence, innovation, and unity through music. The ongoing quest is to create experiences grounded in trust: trusting the process of finding personal order within disorder, pushing both mental and physical boundaries, and evolving toward a more elevated sense of self with each iteration.
Of French and Congolese origin, Zab Maboungou is the artistic director of Zab Maboungou/Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata, a contemporary dance company founded in 1987, based in Montreal, Quebec, whose artistic vocation encompasses creation, research, and teaching. LOKETO, her dance technique, has become a model of its kind, and many disciplines are finding a source of inspiration in this particular method including song, music, theatre, and visual arts. Drawing on the rhythmic foundations of African dances and musical forms, this technique makes it possible to identify the pathways of breath and establish how it ensures their transmutation in principles of movement to develop presence in space, flexibility, physical, and rhythmic endurance. “Choreographer and performer, philosopher and writer, Zab Maboungou is an artist whose works of great introspective power and committed body language, strike our spirits: a vibrant sound space and articulated bodies interpenetrating in the sobriety and brilliance of an art of dance of ‘something from nothing at a high level.’” Deborah Meyers, Vancouver
Awards recently received by Zab Maboungou include: Compagne de l’Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec (2019), Dancer or Dance Company of the Year award at the Gala Dynastie, presented by Regroupement Québécois de la Danse (2020), and the Canada Governor General’s Performing Arts Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award (2021).
David Ryshpan is a pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger, and DJ with two decades of experience. He has toured internationally with artists including Vox Sambou, Jorge Ben Jor, and Rômmel, and recorded with award-winning ensembles OktoEcho and Kleztory. Founder of Trio Bruxo and co-creator of Alicuanta, he creates music and sound design for multidisciplinary works, film, dance, and theatre. He studied at McGill and contributes to the jazz and world-music scenes.
Born in Montreal with Haitian roots, Mecdy Jean-Pierre, also known by his artist name Mystic Rootz, is a dancer, choreographer, judge, and educator who has helped shape Montreal’s dance scene since 2005. Recognized by legendary street dance elders worldwide, he carries their legacy forward, having begun his journey in competitive battles before expanding into contemporary dance, sound healing, and sacred geometry. As one of Canada’s foremost representatives in international street dance battles, Mystic Rootz has brought his movement philosophy to global stages. His style fuses high-precision intentionality with reclaimed bodily rhythm, grounded in breath, weight, and alignment, what he calls bodily intelligence. His credits include collaborations with Cirque du Soleil, Blueprint Dance Company, Gadfly, We All Fall Down, Tentacle Tribe, and Nyata Nyata, alongside appearances in dance films Sur le rythme, Step Up All In, and Full Out. A Reiki master and elite dancer, he’s also a visionary mentor who uplifts Montreal’s community through expressive dance workshops and events like Soul Bangin’ and Rythme & Danse. As founder/artistic director of Wee Verse, his interdisciplinary leadership fosters street dance as embodied expression, movement research, and ancestral connection.
Elli Miller-Maboungou is a Montréal-based Congolese-Canadian percussionist, composer, and master of Congolese drums. He grew up immersed in the rhythm and movement of the Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata, learning to drum as a young child in the dance studio before he could even walk. He draws from his Congolese and Jewish American heritage, blending diverse cultural traditions into his musical voice. Elli founded Jazzamboka, an Afro-jazz fusion band that won the Stingray Award for Best Music Composition at the Montréal International Jazz Festival. He performs widely as a percussionist, working with a variety of jazz, world, and experimental artists (including projects featuring Ngoma drums, double bass, and collaborative ensembles). He has been featured in cultural documentaries and performance works, such as the National Film Board project on Zab Maboungou and regional dance/music platforms like La Rotonde and dance Immersion.
Katlyn Addison is a Canadian-born Principal Artist at Ballet West, making history in 2021 as the company’s first Black female Principal. Trained at top institutions, including the National Ballet School of Canada and Houston Ballet, she has performed iconic classical, neoclassical, and contemporary lead roles, including Juliet (Romeo & Juliet), Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. Her international career highlights include guesting with Scottish Ballet, performing at the Kennedy Center’s Reframing the Narrative, and earning the Utah Performing Arts Fellowship.
As an accomplished choreographer, Katlyn has created original works for Ballet West, The National Ballet of Canada, Kansas City Ballet, and Ballet Jörgen. She holds an Advanced 2 Honors Cecchetti diploma and is an ABT-certified teacher and adjunct faculty member. Featured in Pointe Magazine and Dance Magazine, Katlyn advocates for young artists and serves on the Utah Black Artist Collective board.
Tanya Charles, Violinist Www.TanyaCharles.ca: Tanya Charles, based in Toronto, with roots in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Toronto and an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Tanya is the concertmaster of Montreal’s Ensemble Obiora as well as a member of the Odin Quartet. A cross-genre specialist, she can also be found on musical theatre stages with Mirvish Productions (A Beautiful Noise 2026, Disney’s The Lion King 2024-2025), and has been as a member of Toronto’s Viva Mexico Mariachi band since 2012. A dedicated educator, Tanya is on faculty at both the University of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Oscar Peterson Program and is an in-demand competition adjudicator and string clinician across the province.
Vladimir “7Starr” Laurore is a pioneering multidisciplinary artist, dancer, choreographer, emcee, and cultural ambassador born in Montreal, Quebec (of Haitian descent). Renowned as one of Canada’s foremost figures in krump—a powerful, expressive street dance style originating in Los Angeles—he has dedicated nearly two decades to building and democratizing the krump community in Quebec and beyond, while seamlessly blending it with his roots in hip-hop, music, and stage performance. Today, 7Starr is celebrated as a Canadian krump pioneer and ambassador. Since 2005, he has taught, lectured, choreographed, and mentored at over 160 schools, community centers, and events across Canada. He has competed, judged, performed and served as a guest instructor at elite global krump gatherings, including International Illest Battle (Paris), European Buck Session (Germany), The Krumpire (Russia), Buckyard (Czech Republic), Momentum showcase, (Minnesota) Royal Rumble (Switzerland), Dance Immersion (Toronto), Osaka Expo (Japan), His versatility extends to collaborations with major companies like Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, and Moment Factory, along with TV appearances and guest teaching/lecturing roles at institutions such as Concordia University and UQAM. His accolades reflect his impact: the 2017 Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award from the Canada Council for the Arts for outstanding achievement; the 2018 Gloria Mitchell-Aleong Award from Black Theatre Workshop for emerging excellence in performing arts; a 2020 nomination for International Male Krumper of the Year by the FCD Krump Awards; and the Prix coup de Coeur at Gala Dunamis.
David Osei-Afrifa has been playing piano since the age of 4. Since then, he’s been sharpening his craft and focusing on his skills as a career musician as well as his love for the stage. He studied jazz throughout much of his education and has been steadily making a name for himself in the music business. Being well versatile in many styles aside from jazz, including pop, hip hop, R&B, soul, funk to name a few. You can find him performing at many spots in Montreal such as Upstairs Jazz Club & Dièse Onze as well as playing with many solo acts, bands and collectives in the city. He has also played and performed on numerous albums and singles for artists like Justin Saladino, Fredy V & The Foundation, Elage Diouf, Karim Ouellet, Marie-Gold, Mélanie Renaud and Juno nominated singer Dominique Fils-Aimé to name a few. He is currently on tour with Dominique Fils-Aimé across Canada, The United States and Europe.
The National Presentation features six exciting performances by renowned Canadian dance artists and companies from across Canada!
There are two chances to experience this dynamic, diverse performance, featuring West African, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Caribbean Jazz, Waacking/Cameroonian, and Contemporary African dances:
Friday, November 20 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, November 21 @ 2:00 PM
@ The Betty Oliphant Theatre: 404 Jarvis Street, Toronto
Biographies are below the ticket link!
LUA SHAYENNE DANCE COMPANY (LSDC) has been infusing the Canadian contemporary dance scene with the vibrant energy of its African influence in all its rich diversity to the world stage. LSDC blends dance, music, and storytelling rooted in West African culture with contemporary arm forms and social commentary. LSDC produces original dance works, delivers enriching educational programs, as well as YENSA Festival, a biennial festival which highlights Black female dance artists from Canada and internationally.
Led by the vision of Artistic Director, Lua Shayenne, LSDC’s artistic practice is also a spiritual practice in service to the wider community: “The process of creating something new can potentially increase our sense of spiritual connection to one another and transform the hearts of our audiences and participants.
LSDC has presented six full length productions including Water Spirit and FRONTIERS | FRONTIÈRES (Betty Oliphant Theatre – 2024), KIRA, The Path | La Voie (YENSA Festival, MIFO, CC Frontenac, Kingston, ON, Luminato – 2019 & 2022), Djaa, the Drought (Arts in the Parks, Toronto – 2016 & Festival International Danse Encore, Québec – 2013), Hybrid and Woman’s Whisper (CC Frontenac, Kingston, ON – 2016), cos.mo.pol.i.tan, (Harbourfront Centre, Toronto – 2014); Departure 00:00, (Lower Ossington Theatre, Toronto – 2012).
LSDC has also been featured in major venues and festivals such as Fall for Dance North (Bluma Appel – 2025), Kuumba365 (2025), FrancoFest (2024), the 33rd Annual International Conference and Festival of Blacks in Dance (2023), Sharing the Stage (National Ballet of Canada/Harbourfront – 2023), Common Ground Festival (2023), dance: made in canada festival | fait au canada | d:mic (2022), Fall for Dance North (2022), Dusk Dances (various years), Dancing On the Edge Festival (Vancouver), and more.
www.luashayennedancecompany.com
MAFA & MICHAEL
Mafa Makhubalo is a South African-born dance artist, choreographer, movement poet, and Artistic Director based in Toronto. His practice is rooted in South African traditional and folk movement forms, African contemporary dance, and Western-Contemporary practice. He understands dance as “an accumulation of memory and the history of my culture”—an invisible evolution made visible through movement, music, and singing.
https://www.mafadancevillage.ca/artistic-director
Michael Mortley graduated from the university of Trinidad and Tobago in 2015 with a BFA. He graduated from Beijing Dance Academy in 2016 with a master’s Certificate in Chinese Contemporary. Michael has trained in Trinidad and Tobago folk, Ballet, Contemporary, Chinese Contemporary, Modern, Horton, Kathak, Soca/ Calypso Dance and Hip Hop. He has worked with companies and Individuals in Canada like: KasheDance, Ronald Taylor Dance Inc., Fujiwara Dance Invention, Shannon Litzenberger, Mayumi Lashbrook, Bakari I. Lindsay, Sylvie Bouchard, Dusk Dances, Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, Theater Aquarius, Dances at the Bay, Mafa Dance Village, Pulga Dance. As well as other companies in Trinidad and Tobago to name a few. Michael is an educator, movement artist, storyteller, costume designer, choreographer and photographer. Michael is also a photographer and videographer for companies such as: Ronald Taylor Dance Inc., dance Immersion, Bakari I. Lindsay, Pulga Muchochoma.
https://www.instagram.com/mmadjustyourfocus/
LILIONA QUARMYNE (she/her) has an eclectic background that has taken her through many performance styles on four different continents. From Ghana and the Philippines and now based in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), on the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Mi’kmaq people, Liliona is an experienced Artistic Director, curator, dancer, choreographer, actor, singer, and organizer. For the past several years she has concurrently served as the Artistic Director of Kinetic (kineticstudio.ca), and performed and created both as a solo artist and with various companies including the Arrivals Legacy Project, dance Immersion, Kinetic, the International Association of Blacks in Dance, FODAR, Mayworks Kjipuktuk, Prismatic, Festival Antigonish, Zuppa Theatre, Votive Dance, and more. Liliona also has extensive teaching experience and facilitates social justice community programming. The scope of her work is broad, but is particularly focused on the relationship between art and social justice, on the body’s ability to carry ancestral memory, and on the role the performing arts can play in creating change. Liliona loves to work in collaboration and community, and is mom to two wonderful kids.
N.A.P.P.Y. Dance Collective is an emerging all-Black contemporary dance collective that is committed to emboldening the arts and the spaces they inhabit, exposing them as capable environments for nurturing the pursuits of Black creatives. N.A.P.P.Y. is an acronym for Not A Political Playground Y’all. The history of the word “nappy” is tangled in Eurocentric beauty standards that were used to justify painting Black bodies as “lesser than” their white counterparts. The term has historically been used to negatively describe Afro-textured hair as dry, kinky, coarse, and dirty. We plan to confront and reclaim the term to describe that which is unique and beautiful and invite Black creatives to unapologetically embrace their multifaceted selves. Although Black existence is inherently political, we value stylization, individuality and humanity, in hopes of displaying local Black virtuosity, collectivity, and diversity in its many facets and artistic disciplines.
https://www.instagram.com/nappydance/
KasheDance is a Toronto-based Afro-contemporary dance company advancing the artistic and cultural practices of the African and Caribbean Diaspora through creation, research, presentation, education, mentorship, and community engagement. Rooted in Toronto and connected across the United States and Caribbean, KasheDance draws on cultural traditions to create bold, multidisciplinary dance experiences. Through its Creation, Research, and Presentation processes, the company supports emerging and established choreographers and dancers through residencies, artistic labs, mentorship, and performance opportunities.
KasheDance views dance as a powerful connection between people, stories, and communities. Its work centers the Black experience, using the dancing body as a source of knowledge, cultural expression, resistance, and imagination. Through artistic excellence and community care, KasheDance nurtures new voices and builds a lasting cultural legacy. www.kashedance.com
ATHENA LUCIE ASSAMBA is a African futuristic multidisciplinary artist-researcher and choreographer of Cameroonian origin. Her practice is rooted in African ancestral knowledge and heritage, unfolding through dance, music, styling, and writing, in a constant conversation between different mediums. She learns, researches, and practices across different forms of African ancestral, urban, and club dance, including Bikutsi, Ndombolo, and Waacking. She deepens her research through creation, signing the works NKUL NNAM, African Celestial Beings, BOSEMBO, as well as the research project Cabaret Essence.
Her art emerges from the mysticism of the African essence in its many states of existence. She explores movement as a space for transmitting and embodying both inherited and untold knowledge, and imagination as a means of reclaiming an ancestral way of seeing the world. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience, she is also interested in the relationships between movement, therapy, and transformation.
Her research is nourished by training in Canada, Senegal, Cameroon and internationally, including at Nyata Nyata and École des Sables. She is deeply interested in transmission, in Ancestral technologies, philosophies and in ways of gathering as a community to imagine and enact our liberation.
https://www.instagram.com/athen.a777/
ELLI MILLER-MABOUNGOU learned to play the drums before he could walk, growing up within Zab Maboungou / Compagnie de danse Nyata Nyata. He carries forward the company’s living legacy while continuing to refine his style and technique through working with master drummers.
Elli has performed in numerous productions and led percussion workshops for young people across Canada. For several years, he has accompanied African dance classes in Canada and internationally.
He recently founded his own Afro-jazz ensemble, Jazzamboka, while continuing to perform as a regular percussionist with several well-established Montreal-based groups. In 2017, Jazzamboka won the Stingray Music Award for Best Musical Composition at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Elli also contributed to Nomad, an album released in 2021 with pianist Simon Denizart.
The Next Gen Youth Presentation features 10 diverse performances with works by Black-led groups and Black choreographers.
There are two chances to experience this inspiring performance, featuring Caribbean, West African, Hip Hop, Ballet, and other Street Dances:
Saturday, November 14 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday, November 15 @ 2:00 PM
@ The Betty Oliphant Theatre: 404 Jarvis Street, Toronto
Biographies are below the ticket link!
WEST-CAN FOLK PERFORMING COMPANY, founded in 1978 by West Indian immigrants to Canada, quickly established itself as an ambassador of Caribbean culture. Seeking a sense of community in a new homeland, its founders created a space where Caribbean folk traditions could thrive, fostering belonging, cultural pride, and intergenerational connections. Through vibrant dance, rhythmic music, storytelling, and captivating visual arts, West-Can celebrates the rich and diverse heritage of the Caribbean while sharing its cultural legacy with audiences of all backgrounds. A cornerstone of West-Can’s work is the engagement and development of young people. Through its youth members and training programs, the organization provides opportunities for children and youth to learn traditional Caribbean dance, music, folklore, and cultural history from experienced artists and community elders. These young performers not only develop artistic skills, confidence, leadership, and teamwork, but also strengthen their connection to their cultural roots and identity. By nurturing the next generation of cultural ambassadors, West-Can ensures that Caribbean traditions remain vibrant, relevant, and accessible for years to come. From humble beginnings to internationally acclaimed performances in Manhattan, Belgium, and Port-of-Spain, West-Can has remained dedicated to educating, inspiring, entertaining, and building bridges between communities. Today, its youth and adult performers continue to carry forward this mission, sharing the beauty, resilience, and creativity of Caribbean culture with audiences across Canada and around the world.
Website: https://westcanfolk.com/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/westcanfolk
https://www.instagram.com/westcanfolk
DIVERSITY is a non- profit competitive dance team , so named because all team members come from different cultural backgrounds and different genres of dance. We were founded three years ago and have earned honours competing in STOMP urban dance competition and Dance to Your Heart’s Content competition.
Instagram: @diversitydanceteam1
Tiktok : @diversitydanceteam1
CREATIVE CONNEXIONS PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (CCPAC) is a dance studio located in Ajax, Ontario, dedicated to providing high-quality dance education in a supportive, inclusive, and family-oriented environment. Founded in 2018 by dance educator and artistic director Rhea Bowman, the studio offers both recreational and competitive training for dancers of all ages and skill levels. Creative Connexions Performing Arts Centre prides itself on fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where dancers of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and experience levels feel welcomed, valued, and supported. The studio celebrates individuality and encourages students to express themselves authentically through movement, creating a space where different perspectives and cultures are respected and appreciated. https://www.creativeconnexions.ca/
LIL AFRO KREW is a collective of 8 teenage dancers specializing in African dance styles, based at L’Académie de Danse de Montréal. Founded in 2021 by choreographer and artistic director Kelly “Klassy” Arkorful, the group was created with the vision of honoring the cultural roots of African dance while fostering artistic growth, discipline, and excellence. Driven by passion, authenticity, and a strong sense of unity, Lil Afro Krew has built a powerful and recognizable stage presence. The group gained national recognition after receiving the Golden Buzzer on Quel Talent (Quebec) in November 2024 and advancing to the finals of the competition. They have also been featured on En direct de l’univers (2025), performed at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (2023), and participated in numerous professional and community events across Quebec. Through Lil Afro Krew, Kelly’s mission is to promote respect and appreciation for African dance cultures through education, representation, and impactful artistic expression.
Artistic Director Kelly “Klassy” Arkorful’s Instagram: instagram.com/iamklassy
Lil Afro Krew Instagram: instagram.com/lilafrokrew
FAREKA MARTIN: I am inspired to create because as a dancer I express myself best not only by movement, but by being in-front of an audience performing and connecting with them allowing them to feel and see the story through me. My love for performing started as soon as I started dancing on stages in front of big audiences. The feeling of performing onstage conveying a story is what fuels me to continue creating and sharing my work.
Established in 2003, for over 20 years DOAHL Dance Academy is York Region’s premiere urban traditional dance studio featuring a dance curriculum in Hip Hop, African, Latin, Ballet, Tap, Contemporary, Lyrical, Musical Theatre and Acro. Located in Markham, Ontario, Canada, DOAHL Dance Academy has a multicultural faculty that uses their industry experience and training to instruct and inspire.
We strongly believe that dance should be for everyone! Our classes are offered for students aged 3 and up at recreational, part-time competitive, and full-time competitive levels. At DOAHL we carefully review everything from choreography to costumes, to musical selections with a critical eye. We take pride in making choices that build up our students in their skills, self-esteem and spirit. Dance On A Higher Level – come dance with us!
EDIFY offers an exceptional dance program for young dancers 3 years to 16 years. On March 25, 2014 the Elite Dance Initiative for Youth [EDIFY] was born. Under the artistic direction of Stacey-Ann Vassell, EDIFY exists to make excellent dance training led by expert instructors financially accessible within marginalized communities. Our extended goal is to offer audiences nationwide a chance to experience dazzling productions that are youth centered.
JADE’S HIP HOP ACADEMY PERFORMANCE COMPANY is the premier performance division of Jade’s Hip Hop Academy (JHHA), a Black-led dance organization proudly celebrating 20 years of excellence in Hip Hop and Street Dance education, performance, and community engagement. Established in 2009, the JHHA Performance Company was created to provide dedicated dancers with opportunities to develop their artistry, leadership skills, and stage presence while representing their community through dance. Over the years, the company has grown into a diverse collective of talented performers who share a passion for authentic Hip Hop and Street Dance culture and a commitment to artistic excellence. Comprised of dancers from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, the Performance Company reflects the diversity and vibrancy of the communities we serve. Through performance, mentorship, and collaboration, members develop confidence, discipline, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of the cultural foundations that inspire the art forms they practice. Since its inception, the JHHA Performance Company has performed at some of Canada’s most recognized venues and events, bringing energy, creativity, and professionalism to every stage. Company members have appeared at major dance festivals, community celebrations, charity galas, sporting events, cultural showcases, corporate functions, and special events throughout the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Whether performing for intimate community gatherings or large-scale audiences, the company is dedicated to creating meaningful experiences that connect people through movement and storytelling. As ambassadors of Jade’s Hip Hop Academy, company members are encouraged to use dance as a tool for self-expression, leadership, and community building. The organization believes that dance has the power to inspire, unite, and create positive change, particularly for young people seeking spaces where they can be seen, heard, and celebrated.
This year is especially meaningful as Jade’s Hip Hop Academy celebrates its 20th anniversary. For two decades, JHHA has remained committed to providing high-quality Hip Hop and Street Dance education while fostering an inclusive environment where dancers of all ages and backgrounds can thrive. The Performance Company is a reflection of that legacy—showcasing the talent, resilience, and creativity of young artists who continue to shape the future of dance. Through every performance, the JHHA Performance Company strives to honour the roots of Hip Hop culture, uplift diverse voices, and inspire the next generation of dancers, leaders, and changemakers. We are proud to continue sharing our passion with audiences while contributing to the rich cultural landscape of our communities.
https://jadeshiphopacademy.com/
At CANADA’S NATIONAL BALLET SCHOOL (NBS), programming excellence, access and inclusion fuel our belief in sharing the transformative power of dance to change lives for the better. This is what drives our commitment to making dance a part of all Canadians’ lives—from the Olympic-calibre dancer training for a professional ballet career on the world stage to the young child or older adult who may be embracing the joy of dance for the first time.
NGOMA – meaning both drum and dance in Swahili, was formed in 1995 by a group of young performing artists. This group of youth united with the community, to educate, empower and embrace their audiences with the majesty of who they were, who they are, and the limitlessness of who they could become.
This generation of young artist’s remains committed to continue the work of sharing their African ancestry through the musical discipline and skill development of drum and dance with the community.
The ensemble promotes mentorship within the art community by organizing young professional artists to teach and choreograph. This intergenerational interaction builds leadership skills and also provides opportunities for talented individuals to create and host workshops to showcase their own interpretation and style of traditional compositions displaying a blend of the ancient and modern.
Immersion Festival provides learning opportunities for all ages and levels of mover, from youth, to beginner, to professional. The workshops are open to all.
We have instructors from Toronto, Prince Edward Island, and Vancouver teaching us a diverse range of movement cultures.
Workshops are held at The Betty Oliphant Theatre’s Windborne Studio @404 Jarvis Street, Toronto.
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Authentic Jazz Dances with Natasha Powell (Toronto)
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM: South African Gumboot Dance with Mafa Makhubalo (Toronto)
LUNCH BREAK
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Bahamian Caribbean Folk with Reequal Smith (Prince Edward Island)
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM: African Street Dance Fundamentals with Kwasi Obeng-Adjei (Brampton)
6:30 PM – 7:45 PM: Vernacular Jazz with Natasha Powell (Toronto)
8:00 PM – 9:30 PM: Rwandan Traditional & Contemporary Dances with Isaac Gasangwa (Vancouver)
6:30 – 7:45 PM: Bahamian Caribbean Folk with Reequal Smith (Prince Edward Island)
8:00 PM – 9:15 PM: African Street Dance Fundamentals with Kwasi Obeng-Adjei (Brampton)
6:30 PM – 7:45 PM: Vernacular Jazz with Natasha Powell (Toronto)
8:00 PM – 9:30 PM: Rwandan Traditional & Contemporary Dances with Isaac Gasangwa (Vancouver)
6:30 – 7:45 PM: Bahamian Caribbean Folk & Calypso Fusion with Reequal Smith (Prince Edward Island)
8:00 PM – 9:15 PM: African Street Dance Fundamentals with Kwasi Obeng-Adjei (Brampton)
African Street Dance Fundamentals: Kwasi Obeng-Adjei
Kwasi Obeng-Adjei is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist, emerging choreographer and dance educator based in Brampton who has performed in multiple award-winning productions with world-renowned dance and music artists.
Class description: This class focuses on the fundamental movements that form the foundation of core African street dance styles. Blending traditional and street dance forms from Ghana, participants will explore the cultural and rhythmic connections that unite both styles.
Rwandan Traditional & Contemporary Dances: Isaac Gasangwa
Isaac Gasangwa, widely known as Izo Dreamchaser, is a creator, educator, and leading ambassador for African cultures in Vancouver hailing from Rwanda, where he pioneered the country’s first dance festival in 2011 and co-founded its inaugural dance studio at Club Rafiki, aiding post-genocide rebuilding by providing a purposeful outlet for orphans. He relocated to Vancouver in 2014.
Class description: Experience a vibrant fusion of heritage and innovation through Rwandan Traditional and Contemporary Dance. Whether exploring ancestral rhythms or fluid athleticism, this workshop provides a space for creative growth and cultural connection. Designed for all levels, it is a celebration of resilience that honors the past while pushing the boundaries of the future.
Authentic Jazz Dances: Natasha Powell
Natasha Powell has collaborated on and created over 20 dance works for live performance, and in 2016, she founded the award-winning company, Holla Jazz, a home and meeting place for practitioners in jazz and street dance forms to create works in collaboration with designers and musicians.
Class description: Authentic Jazz Dance is a collection of dances created in African-American communities from the late 1800’s through the mid-1900s, set to jazz and swing music. From the Suzy Q, to the Charleston, we will explore what it looks and feels like to dance to jazz music, including the tips and tools that help bring these moves to life.
Bahamian Caribbean Folk: Reequal Smith
Reequal Smith is a Bahamian-born multidisciplinary artist, choreographer, educator, and cultural leader based in Prince Edward Island who founded and directs Oshun Dance Studios, where her practice centres Afro-Caribbean dance, Bahamian Folklore, contemporary dance, storytelling, and community connection.
Class description: Step into the rhythm, culture, and spirit of The Bahamas through this lively Bahamian Folk Dance workshop! Rooted in a rich blend of African movement traditions and European influences, Bahamian folk dance reflects generations of cultural exchange, storytelling, celebration, and community.
South African Gumboot Dance: Mafa Makhubalo
Mafa Makhubalo is a South African-born dance artist, choreographer, movement poet, and Artistic Director based in Toronto. His practice is rooted in South African traditional and folk movement forms, African contemporary dance, and Western-Contemporary practice. He understands dance as “an accumulation of memory and the history of my culture”—an invisible evolution made visible through movement, music, and singing.
Class description: Gumboot Dance was born out of oppression in the gold mines of South Africa. The workers were forbidden to speak and as a result the men created a means of communication. By slapping their gumboots and rattling their ankle chains, the enslaved workers sent messages to each other in the darkness. From the chains of oppression in the dark mines, gumboot dancing has evolved in an amazing dance form celebrating the richness and complexities of South African culture, and the creativity of the human spirit.
This free intergenerational roundtable gathering includes learning, listening, moving, and sharing ideas across generations to provide emerging dancers with practical next steps to enter the professional realm.
This educational roundtable will take place on:
– Arrival, Check-In & Ice-Breaker with Zahra Badua: 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
– Lecture-Demonstration: Youth Body Conditioning with Brittnee Habbib: 6:00 – 6:50 PM
– Buffet Dinner Served
– Panel Discussion: “Transition — Where to Turn?”, moderated by Nicole Inica Hamilton with Hollywood Jade, Fletch, and Rhonda Roberts: 7:15 – 8:30 PM
– Intergenerational Breakout Sessions – Small groups discuss a key question posed by youth dancers and report their ideas to the larger group: 8:30 – 9:00 PM
– Closing Words & Mingling: 9:00 – 9:30 PM
Details on participating facilitators below the ticket link!
BRITTNEE HABBIB is a creative artist, producer, director, storyteller, dancer, and filmmaker. Born and raised in Toronto, Brittnee is a proud Syrian-Jamaican who identifies as a Black woman. In Brittnee’s early life, she was on the Canadian National Gymnastics team. She has travelled to 9 countries including the Commonwealth Games in Australia. The Pan AM Championships in Brazil and the World Championships in Denmark. She was the only Black girl on the team and faced racism and discrimination from an early age.
She knew she couldn’t let the next generation suffer like she did, so she created Girl Power’d; a gymnastics and dance program meant to build the self-esteem and the self-love for young girls who identity as Black. This non-for profit is successfully in its 10th year, and now has a competitive side! Brittnee is one of Canada’s top National gymnastics coaches, she has travelled internationally as a celebrity coach and has done numerous workshops as a coach and as a choreographer. www.girlpowerd.com
In the entertainment industry, Brittnee has been in numerous commercials and in 2 feature films; one that was out on Netflix! Brittnee has had the honour of being an Assistant Director alongside world renowned Director Peter Berg on set for a large series.
Brittnee has been in the dance industry for over 13 years. She has danced with celebrated companies such as Ballet Creole, COBA, The Next Edition and Obeah Oprah which was in the Fall For Dance North Festival.
Over his 20 plus year career, On-Camera Personality HOLLYWOOD JADE with every step, has created a powerful name and image for himself across several creative performance genres: Dance, Acting, Choreography, Movement Coaching, hosting and Creative Direction.
Having confidently shared stage and screen with Nelly Furtado, Rihanna, Kelis, Janelle Monae and Divine Brown. Having held the position of artistic director and choreographer to Canada’s Queen of R&B, Jully Black. Hollywood has parlayed this strong foundation into a career of accomplishments including a star-making ten season run on Canada’s Drag Race as Resident Choreographer and Guest Judge. In 2024, was cast as an actor in the Canadian premier of The Inheritance, the Tony Award winning play about legacy in the 2sLGBTQIA community, with an all-star cast of Canadian Theatre legends.
Hollywood has worked on TV performances, tours, music videos and award shows for some industry’s superstars: Snoop Dogg, Bebe Rexha, Estelle, Meghan Trainor, Keisha Chanté, Ultranate, and Lu Kala.Film Credits include “Queen Tut”, “Save The Last Dance 2”, “Camp Rock 2”,“Make Your Move,” and smash-hit blockbuster, “Hairspray” and “Queen Tut” Hollywood’s first feature film as a choreographer. Shining like the rare star he is, Hollywood continues to be a task maker and game changer multi-media artists. Being the first black and openly queer winner of Traitors Canada season three.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Jade
Millina Aaliyah Fletcher (AKA FLETCH) (any pronouns) is a Tkaronto/Toronto-based dance artist of Barbadian and Franco-Ontarienne mixed heritage. A proud lesbian and self-described extrovert, Fletch is passionate about exploring identity, queerness, and self-expression through movement, choreography, fashion, and art. Their artistic practice is rooted in curiosity, improvisation, collaboration, and a desire to create work that reflects their lived experiences while engaging with broader conversations surrounding race, gender, and identity.
A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Dance program, Fletch trained extensively in various styles. Fletch’s performance and choreographic experiences span stage, film, fashion, durational and interdisciplinary work. Since 2024, Fletch has been working with Toronto Dance Theatre, continuing to develop their practice within Toronto’s contemporary dance community.
As an emerging artist, Fletch is driven by a fervent interest in improvisation, dance on film, music production, teaching, and choreography. They approach movement with openness, audacity, and playfulness, continually seeking new ways to create, connect, and communicate. Through their evolving practice, Fletch hopes to make work that celebrates identity, challenges conventions, and invites audiences into a world of colour, expression, and possibility.
https://www.instagram.com/millinafletcher/
RHONDA ROBERTS is an accomplished performer, instructor and adjudicator of dance who has appeared in productions across North America and Europe. She was awarded a full scholarship and later the triple threat award from the acclaimed Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto. Rhonda has performed in several stage productions. Most notably she was an original Toronto company member of Broadway’s Beauty and the Beast, at the Princess of Whales Theatre. Toured with the U.S. National company of the Tony® Award-winning musical Ragtime, played the role of Shenzi in the Tony Award-winning show Disney’s The Lion King at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre. She was blessed to be in Guys and Dolls and Anything Goes at the prestigious Stratford Festival.
On screen Ms. Roberts has appeared in the #1 Amazon Prime hit, The Boys, Matlock, the Academy Award®-winning film Chicago, the New Line Cinema release Hairspray The Movie, along with a list of other film and recurring TV roles. She has been teaching for more than 35 years and adjudicating for over 20 years. Her résumé includes several years of teaching at University of Toronto, recurring posts at McMaster and York University, George Brown College, Canada’s National Ballet School, Randolph College for the Performing Arts and Steps Performing Arts Centre in Hamilton(jazz director). Her adjudication duties take her across Canada.
She currently has recurring choreography engagements at Etobicoke School of the Arts she is a guest choreographer at Mayfield Secondary school ,Wexford Collegiate and Swansea School of Dance. In 2012, Rhonda opened her own studio called The Art of Balance (TAB). Here she combines the worlds of dance, fitness and other mind–body practices to promote a sense of homeostasis in the body. Her work is now offered virtually and in home appointments. In 2016 Rhonda was named one of CanFitPro’s Top 3 Fitness Professionals.
Ms. Roberts is also a member of the Professional Adjudicators Alliance, was a board member at Healthy Dancer Canada, as well as chairing its BIPOC Advocacy Working Group committee since 2020. The committee proudly created a scholarship program for BIPOC emerging artists. Rhonda is a certified personal trainer. She holds a degree in Sociology from McMaster University and a music theatre diploma from Randolph College for the Performing Arts.
NICOLE INICA HAMILTON is an award-winning choreographer and the Founder/ Artistic Director of Inica Dance Industries. A certified educator and teaching member of Dance Masters of Canada / Dance Masters of America, Hamilton has served as a guest teacher, mentor and speaker at institutes across Canada including; George Brown College, University of Toronto, York University and University of Calgary.
Hamilton is a counselling member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and Vice President of Healthy Dancer Canada. She works actively in the dance health and science sector. Her creations and research have examined and explored diverse realities and experiences of the human condition, healing practices, and care centered ecosystems. Hamilton’s research on injury prevention, holistic teaching practices and impacts of psychological stress has been presented at national and international conventions including; the En Avant-RAD World Convention, the Toronto Dance Teacher Expo, and the Performing Arts Medicine Association. Hamilton is a counsellor at Jörgen Dance.
Hamilton is the host and producer of TUЯИOUT Radio, and reports on the current news affairs of our time with special focus on arts, health, career, and business news at CIUT 89.5 FM. She is the in-suite moderator for the Dora Mavor Moore award-winning dance Immersion, and has operated as a guest correspondent and host on media and discussion platforms across Canada including the Career Buzz Show, Evi-Dance Radio, the AMANI Project, and Fall for Dance North’s Mambo Podcast. Her voice has been featured on national commercials, film, television networks and stages where she has moderated, and facilitated conversations with leaders across the world.
Follow Nicole @nicoleinicahamilton
This free Festival Closing Party will feature great company, great music, a cash bar, and an epic experimental performance by Ebnflōh Dance Company of Montreal!
Space is limited – registration in advance is required.
This closing party will take place following the final Vanguard Presentation on:
More about the closing party performance below the ticket link!
The Ebnflōh Dance Company, founded in 2015 by Alexandra ‘Spicey’ Landé, offers a unique choreographic language and artistic vision. She promotes creative exploration by broadening the field of research for street dance in Canada while remining true and faithful to the base of Hip-Hop’s origins. Her artistic signature, her community involvement, and her contribution to the growth and development of dancers and the discipline itself, make the company an acclaimed actor in the dance milieu in Quebec.
Ebnflōh (pronounced Ebenflo) comes from the English expression “to ebb and flow” denoting action and reaction, rising and falling, the constant and everchanging movement of the tides. As with waves lapping up and receding, the company’s choreographic language is steeped in its fluidity of movement. With meticulous precision and laying bare the multifarious details and nuances found in its choreography since 2008, these densely layered works possess an informed commentary. Spicey’s singularly insightful outlook sharply contrasts with what most of us usually dismiss as being trite, and superficial. With theatre and cinema as influences, among other intersecting disciplines in the arts, music holds a special place for her.
Ebnflōh’s chief goal is to spread its artistic endeavors through the Montreal contemporary dance scene but, also promote street dancers in other Canadian cities, and beyond. Inclusive at the core, it equally values the practices of emerging talent along with those of the culturally diverse. The company hopes to make street dance more accessible, and to generate greater interest from a growing audience. Its diversified public is a testament to the company’s success. Lastly, although street dance is not seriously taught in academia, the transmission of Hip-Hop language to future generations of dancers remains a focal point and a total commitment to the form. Although the proliferation of contemporary street dance companies is a recent phenomenon in Canada, Ebnflōh remains fundamentally committed to creating dynamic, and uncompromised original work.
Mōnad (from the ancient Greek ‘monad’, meaning ‘unit’) refers to the idea of a self-sufficient, unicellular organism containing multiple universes. Major player on Québec’s hip-hop dance scene, Alexandra ‘Spicey’ Landé embodies this Mōnad.
Inspired by this primary matter and energized by her symbiotic relationship with dance and hip-hop culture, Spicey welcomes materials and sounds that form, and deform, adapt, and transform as they interact. How can we approach different incarnations of a single life? Mōnad is a vibrant consideration of the relationships in interrelated universes, questioning the notion of eternity.
Co-produced by Ebnflōh and Danse-Cité
Artistic direction and performance: Alexandra ‘Spicey’ Landé
Questions about Immersion Festival or Ticketing?
Timea Wharton-Suri
Jillian Greyson
Zahra Badua
Emilie Jabouin
Natasha Eck
Sharon DiGenova
Nicole Inica Hamilton
Nikki Chabrol
Production Staff