KOBÈNA AQUAA-HARRISON

Kobèna Aquaa-Harrison is an adventurous and eclectic Ghanaian/ Bermudian performer, composer and multi-instrumentalist. His awards span music, film, television, media, dance, theatre and opera, including several Dora Mavor Moore, Chalmers Foundation, TAMA awards and JUNO contributions with diverse artists: spoken word, children’s and world music. Kobè’s trademark, “Afrosonic jollof” is “the sound of jazz, rock, R&B and dance music coming face to face with its roots.” delivered with engaging humour. His all-star, Djungle Bouti Orchestra: Kwanza Msingwana, Kofi Ackah, Marito Marques, Andrew Craig, Alex St. Kitts, Nimon Musiq, Austin Gembora, Fethi Nadjem, Andrew Stewart, Dick Fairthorne ii and other formidable talents. They perform for Presidents, Prime Ministers and preschoolers, at festivals, theatres and special events. Kobe builds his instruments: electric guitars, marimba and the 17th century Akan “seperewa”. He is in-demand as a soloist and accompanist, having done work for FIFA, Nissan, Soulpepper, Shaw & Stratford Festivals, CBC, Kellogg’s, CanStage, DanceImmersion etc. A former AfroFest President/ Artistic Director, The founder of Michèzo! festival and CKLN radio host, Kobe is currently Cultural Development Director at Abandze Embassy – the multimedia creative oasis at the heart of Vogue mag’s 2nd coolest neighbourhood in the world, W Queen W, Toronto Follow @paapakobe. https://www.bandmix.ca/aquaa/

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‘FUNMI ADEWOLE ELLIOTT

‘Funmi Adewole Elliott is a performer, dramaturge, and researcher. She holds an MA in Postcolonial Studies, a Professional Certificate in Education, and a PhD in Dance Studies. Beginning her career as a media practitioner in Nigeria, she transitioned into performance after relocating to Britain in 1994. Over the next decade, she toured with African Dance Theatre companies and physical theatre companies, including Ritual Arts, Banner Theatre, Horse and Bamboo (mask and puppetry), and the Adzido Pan-African Dance Ensemble.

In 2022, she established FAE Studies as a platform for her work in arts consultancy, dramaturgy, and performance. That same year, she premiered her solo piece The Blindside at the YENSA Festival in Toronto, Canada. Between 2023 and 2024, she performed in Athens and London with the Zoi Dimitriou contemporary dance company.

Until recently, she was a faculty member at De Montfort University, England, serving for eight years. She is currently developing a one-woman performance and is devising dance theatre pedagogy known as the Yi Le method.

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RAOUL WILKE

Raoul Wilke, a multifaceted 2x Dora Award winning artist, is the co-founder of The Moon Runners dance crew and dance faculty at Toronto Metropolitan University. As a black emerging artist, he’s accolades extend within different communities, opening doors for new collaborations. He was a model for Seika Boye’s “This Living Dancer” in collaboration with the Art Gallery of Ontario and battled for Team Canada in China for an event called KOD. Over the summer of 2023 he got to produce his own production commissioned by dance immersion, which recently received 2 Dora’s, one being for best music composition and another for best production. He also received a Johanna under the mentorship of Natasha Powell.

As a leader of street dance community within Canada, he has mentored various companies and dance schools over the years, on the importance of the historical context, within these vernacular street forms and the value of themselves. He has learnt under the mentorship of Moncell Durden, Chester Whitmore, Travis Knight, Lisa Latouche, and many more inspiring artists, who define themselves as educators, as well have doctorates in this work. As a student of dance, he continues to live by the quote, “See the music, Hear the Dance” by Balanchine.

This year he can be seen, teaching both locally and internationally under the same people that had once mentored him. Bridging the generational gap and adding the nuance, that a youthful approach brings to deeply rooted work.

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AÏCHATOU ERNA LABARANG

Aïchatou Erna Labarang, also known as iNTUÏTïV, is a movement practitioner of Cameroonian descent. Since 2011, she has cultivated an intuitive practice rooted in Hip Hop cultures, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and traditional Afro-descendant dances—where research, body memory, and transmission are central. Deeply inspired by Hip Hop and her cultural heritage, and guided by pioneers of Montreal’s dance scene, her artistic path continues to evolve through a growing connection with traditional forms and their echoes in today’s urban expressions. She has performed with international artists and at major Montreal events such as Festival Nuit d’Afrique, Francofolies, and the Festival Mode & Design. Her current focus lies in multidisciplinary research, driven by a desire to question, embody, and give form to emerging perspectives. Nourished by the fusion of movement cultures and resonant rhythms, she chooses to dance, teach, and share—and above all, to remain centered in a timeless, intuitive direction. To be. To dance. iNTUÏT.ïV.

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BÉNÉDICTE NKANYI NDELA

Bénédicte Nkanyi Ndela is a multidisciplinary artist who merges dance and theatre to question the world around her and convey knowledge rooted in both tradition and contemporary realities. Her work explores the connections between dance and mental health, highlighting the therapeutic virtues of movement. She draws inspiration from Congolese traditional practices and rituals to develop an approach to the body as a vessel for well-being, memory, and inner transformation. Her artistic language is enriched by Congolese traditional dances, as well as urban styles such as Ndombolo, Afro House, and Coupé-Décalé. She is currently deepening her research in afro-contemporary dance, particularly through the PEFAPDA program of the Nyata Nyata company. Her artistic approach aims to reconnect individuals with their bodies, their histories, and their inner strength.

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LISA LA TOUCHE

As a proud Canadian and New Yorker, Lisa’s credits are world renowned. She was an original cast member in Broadway’s Shuffle Along, choreographed by Savion Glover and Directed by George C. Wolfe, where she received both the Fred Astaire Award and the Actor’s Equity Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. She is also currently a multiple Dora Award nominee for her performance, choreography and co-direction (alongside Travis Knights) of the Tap Dance Legacy Concert with dance Immersion and Canadian Stage. She is the founder of production company Tap Phonics, and currently an artist in residence at the Louis Armstrong House as well as with the Apollo Education program in Harlem.  She teaches at PACE University and Marymount Manhattan College and curates her own programing as well as travels internationally teaching those who want to learn the fundamentals of Tap Dance in connection to Cultural History. Lisa recently premiered her film TRAX encompassing important American and Canadian Black history through Tap Dance. Her proudest achievement is being a mom.

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RHINO

Rhino, a charismatic and influential street style dancer, hails from the vibrant city of Toronto. Born with an innate passion for krumping, he has carved a unique niche for himself in the dance community. Rhino’s journey into the world of krump began at a young age, when he was captivated by the raw energy and expressive movements of this dance style from the movie RIZE. Over the years, Rhino honed his krumping skills to become a force in the Toronto dance scene. His style is a mesmerizing blend of power, precision, and emotion, which has earned him respect and admiration from fellow dancers and enthusiasts alike. But Rhino’s impact goes beyond his incredible dance talent. He’s also a dedicated teacher and advocate for krump culture. Recognizing the power of this art form to uplift and inspire. Sharing his knowledge and passion for krumping to a new generation of dancers, fostering their creativity and self-expression. Rhino’s commitment to spreading awareness of krump culture extends beyond the studio. He frequently organizes public performances and workshops, reaching out to communities and schools, helping people understand the roots, history, and significance of krump in the world of dance. Through his dancing and teaching, Rhino has become a beloved figure in Toronto’s dance community, leaving an indelible mark and ensuring that krump culture thrives in the city for years to come.

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NATASHA POWELL

Natasha Powell is a Toronto native who has been working in the dance industry for 20 years. Her soulful approach to movement that transcends genre can be seen and felt in her dancing, choreography, and teachings. Natasha has collaborated and created over 20 dance works for live performance. In 2016 she founded the award-winning company, Holla Jazz, a home and a meeting place for practitioners in jazz and street dance forms to create works in collaboration with designers and musicians. Her choreographic language has lead her to collaborate on theatre projects including Canadian Stage productions of Choir Boy (2022), and Fall on Your Knees (2023). Natasha is a 2023 recipient of the Johanna Metcalf Prize in the Performing Arts, presented by the Metcalf Foundation.

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MARCUS “O.G./LIL RUDE/ADEYEMI” PARIS-JOHNSON

Marcus “O.G.” Paris-Johnson (He/Him) is a Toronto-based Black artist, Krump dancer, and recently graduated Child and Youth Counsellor. Rooted in street dance forms including Hip Hop, Freestyle, and Dancehall, Marcus discovered Krump over a decade ago and has since dedicated himself to mastering and sharing its expressive power. As a performer and educator, he has brought Krump to stages, short films, and classrooms, utilizing movement as both an art form and a tool for youth empowerment. He has trained under internationally recognized Krump pioneers such as Tight Eyez, Big Mijo, and 7Starr, and performed in works with Toronto Dance Theatre, Diana Ross Dream, and dance Immersion’s Legacy Series. Through workshops and community programs, Marcus continues to build inclusive spaces that honour Krump’s roots while exploring its potential as a therapeutic and creative outlet. He is passionate about integrating the arts into his youth outreach practice and redefining movement as a form of self-care and personal growth.

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ATHENA LUCIE ASSAMBA

Athena Lucie Assamba is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary artist and emerging choreographer. Her practice is rooted in traditional and contemporary African dances, as well as street dance. Of Cameroonian origin, she began her initiation into traditional dance in her homeland. In 2019, she discovered the street dance community, allowing her to explore styles like Waacking, Dancehall, and African urban dances such as Ndombolo, Mbolé, and Afro House. In 2020, she joined Afrodomtl, a professional dance group supporting dancers in the practice of African and Afro-descendant dances, while promoting diversity in the Montreal and Canadian dance scenes. Athena is also an emerging choreographer and artistic director. In 2023, she created BOSEMBO and NkulNnam, pieces exploring vulnerability, spiritual freedom, and the journey from village to club to moon. These works were presented at Open Body, Festival Phénoména, Ausgang Plaza, and Tangente Danse. In 2024, she premiered African Celestial Beings, a duo honoring the spirituality of African masks, especially among the Bamiléké people, at Tangente Danse. She is currently training with Zab Maboungou at Nyata Nyata and studied at École des Sables in 2024. With a bachelor in neuroscience, she investigates healing through art and movement. Her work also includes fashion design, music, singing, and writing—drawing from the mysticism of African essence.

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VLADIMIR “7STARR” LAURORE

Vladimir “7Starr” Laurore is a Canadian krump ambassador and multidisciplinary artist. In 2006, he co-founded Canada’s first krump group, Bzerk Squad. 7Starr works to promote and spread krump culture at home in Quebec, and founded the Montreal Krump Alliance (MKA) and also created of the country’s largest krump festival, Gutta Zone Fest. He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Victor Martyn Lynch Staunton from the Canada Council for the Arts, Gloria Mitchell-Aleong with the Black Theatre Workshop, Prix coup de coeur at the Dunamis Gala and the Prix découverte, conferred by the Prix de la danse de Montréal, for his considerable work on this large-scale project. 7Starr is releasing his first solo music album, entitled Diff Diff, in 2020.  7Starr continues his involvement in various areas of the krump community worldwide.

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BRINAE ALI

Alexandria “Brinae Ali” Bradley was born and raised in Flint, Michigan and is an interdisciplinary artist who believes in using the power of the arts to transform the human spirit.

Among Brinae’s many roles, she is currently a lecturer at Johns Hopkins Peabody Conservatory, a member of the Baltimore Jazz Collective, the inaugural Performing Artist in Residence at Baltimore’s Creative Alliance, and cultural ambassador and artist in residence with Next Level-USA and the U.S. Department of State Education and Cultural Affairs. Ali is also a National Dance Project Grant, Chamber Music America New Jazz Works, and Ruby Artist recipient and Art for Social Change Fellow through Johns Hopkins University’s Inheritance Baltimore/Billie Holiday Center for Liberation Arts for a work in progress archival performative process called the “Baby Laurence Legacy Project.”

Brinae has served as the artistic director of Tapology, Inc., Fourth Wall Arts Salon, and Sound and Movement, LLC. She is the recipient of the Best Short Play Award at the Downtown Urban Theater Festival and the Vox Populi Independence Music Award. Her Broadway and Off-Broadway experiences include Shuffle Along and STOMP. She was also a feature dancer in  the TV/Film drama miniseries Lady In The Lake.

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TYEDRIC HILL

Tyedric Hill is a traveling artist deeply rooted in Black cultural and social dance traditions. He explores their evolution and interconnections.

Inspired by his ancestors, who found solace in rhythm and movement, Tyedric carries their legacy through dance, honoring the cornerstones of Black art: personal authenticity, community, hope, and dignity. Having trained under Sugar Sullivan, Ryan Francois, Chester Whitmore, and Latasha Barnes, he consistently draws back to authentic jazz as the foundation of modern Black social dance. He is proficient in various styles, from authentic jazz and Lindy Hop to hip-hop and house, with a focus on preserving cultural lineage and personal style.

Tyedric’s dedication to embodying the soulfulness of Black history is evident in his commitment to passing on the legacy of his mentors and ancestors to future generations. He is a powerful voice in the world, using his platform to honor the past while shaping the future of the global community. 

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MARK “BRUI5ER” SHEATS

Mark “Brui5er” Sheats is a movement artist, educator, and mentor originally from Atlanta, Georgia. He began dancing at the age of nine and discovered Krump at fifteen after watching the documentary RIZE. With nearly two decades in the Krump movement, Brui5er is now recognized as one of its leading figures and cultural mentors. He has taught, judged, and performed internationally, competing in over 25 countries and winning titles at top Krump and open-style events.

Currently based in Europe, Brui5er has worked in multiple theatre productions with Theater Rotterdam and Tanzkomplizen (Berlin). He also teaches at institutions such as ICK Amsterdam, Codarts, and AHK (Academy of Theatre and Dance). His company, Bruised and Brave, bridges movement, mental health, and performance research. Through this platform, he develops programs that connect street dance with theatre, mental cognition, and collective empowerment. Brui5er continues to shape the future of Krump through innovative teaching and artistic collaboration.

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NUBIAN NÉNÉ

Nubian Néné is a Montreal native and New York-based dancer and choreographer known for weaving street and club dance styles into a uniquely captivating aesthetic. Rooted in her Haitian heritage, her resilience and dedication have propelled her beyond performance into roles as a producer, creative director, curator, visual artist, and teacher. A dependable force in innovative, multidisciplinary projects, Nubian Néné is driven by a deep commitment to cultural awareness and community engagement. Guided and inspired by ambassadors of street and club dance cultures, her mentors continue to support her journey as she helps carry the legacy forward—through performance, pedagogy, and purposeful event production.

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TRAVIS KNIGHTS

Travis Knights is a Tap Dancer. Born in Montreal, Canada, Travis was introduced to the rich oral tradition of Tap by his teacher Ethel Bruneau at age 10. He went on to travel the world spreading his love of rhythm across 4 continents, touring with Tap Dogs, Tapestry Dance Company, Anandam Dance Theatre and the self-produced Tap Love Tour.  He was the 2020 recipient of the Jaqueline Lemieux Prize for outstanding contribution to dance in Canada.   In December 2021, in partnership with Dance Immersion, Travis, along with renowned Tap Dancer Lisa LaTouche, created and directed Legacy Series: Tap Dance Symposium which aimed to re-introduce Tap Dance to the local Black community in Toronto.  In 2022, Travis won a Dora Award for Outstanding Performance in Dance Immersion’s Tap Legacy Concert, and became a Slaight Family Music Associate at Soulpepper.  In 2024, Travis’ Tap Love Tour production company released two major works, a feature length documentary called Restorative Culture: Johnathan Morin, and a full-length original dance work called The Mars Project that premiered at Fall For Dance North.  He currently lives in Brampton, Ontario and hosts The Tap Love Tour Podcast, available on spotify, soundcloud and apple podcasts, (make sure to subscribe) featuring interviews of a myriad of inspiring tap dance artists. 

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MISS PRISSY – THE QUEEN OF KRUMP

Discovered in greater Los Angeles, Marquisa “Miss Prissy” Gardner is one of the most well-rounded entertainers the south side of Hollywood has ever seen. She is trained in all areas of dance, from ballet to hip-hop, and has vocal abilities that have been compared to the likes of Brandy, Keyshia Cole, Mariah Carey, and eight-time Grammy winner Lauryn Hill. Not only does she have the chops to kick through pop and hip-hop’s doors, she also has the edgy twist that is sure to get any music head out of their seat. Though tours with Snoop Dogg, the Game, and Madonna didn’t come until after her appearance in the 2005 film Rize, which chronicles the lives and competitions of some of South Central Los Angeles’s top originating krump dancers, Miss Prissy (called “the Queen of Krump” in the film) was already a well-respected dancer and teacher in her own neighborhood before Rize was ever shown. Classically trained, Miss Prissy started lessons at the age of four, learning everything from ballet to jazz to tap. She discovered hip-hop dancing at 13 and enjoyed its expressiveness, but didn’t really begin to take her art seriously until after high school, when she began teaching it to kids. It was at one of these lessons that a student introduced her to krump, the new form of dance in the late ’90s that was becoming popular in L.A., and brought her to a session. Miss Prissy was struck by its wild energy, and soon joined in on the performances and competitions herself, her natural talent and creativity making her one of its stars. In 2006, wanting to focus on her own musical career, Miss Prissy declined Madonna’s offer to continue dancing in her tour and began pursuing music. She is currently running her own production company and released her second mixtape entitled The Diamond in the Ruff in December 2012. In 2012, Miss Prissy also started a street dance company called The Underground, featuring Lil “C”, another star of Rize and founder of krump, and a guest judge on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance.