Our Team

Andrew Tay was born in Windsor, Ontario where he attended the Walkerville Centre for the Creative Arts. Since finishing his B.F.A in contemporary dance at Concordia University, Andrew has presented his work at venues and festivals throughout Canada, New York and Europe. His work has appeared in films, installations and multimedia projects for companies such as Moment Factory, Bravo! and Gentilhomme. He has worked with well-known choreographer Doris Ulhich (Vienna) in the creation of More than Naked, which toured extensively throughout Europe.

In 2005 Andrew co-founded (with collaborator Sasha Kleinplatz) the company Wants&Needs Danse.  Since then the company has produced the wildly popular dance events Piss in the Pool, Short&Sweet and Involved in Montreal. In June 2012, the duo choreographed the Cirque du Soleil show Les Frontieres de Pixels and were nominated for a Quebec Notables award in the Arts&Culture category.

Residencies have included the Foundation Jean-Pierre Perrault, the summer artist in residency program at studio 303, Usine C (Montreal), Montreal Danse Choreographic Atelier, The Harbourfront Centre (Toronto), the K3 centre for choreographic research (Hamburg), sign 6 (Brussels) and Skånes Konstförening (Malmo, Sweden).

Andrew was awarded the Dance WEB scholarship in May 2012 (Vienna, Impulstanz festival). In 2013 he was chosen to participate in the Rencontres internationales de jeunes créateurs (Montreal, Festival TransAmériques 2013) and 8 Days, an annual intergenerational meeting of dance artists from across Canada organized by the company Public Recordings. He has also participated in The Copycat Academy (as part of the Luminato Festival, Toronto) curated by Hannah Hurtzig (Berlin) for two editions, and created work with dancers at Toronto Dance Theatre through the company’s inaugural Emerging Voices Project in 2015. He has served as a board member of ELAN (the English Language Artists Network in Quebec) and the RQD – le Regroupement québécois de la danse.

In 2016, his work Fame Prayer / EATING was awarded the Vanguard Award for Risk and Innovation from the Summerworks Performance Festival Toronto. Fame Prayer was subsequently presented at Fierce UK (Birmingham) 2017 Theatre La Chapelle (Montreal) 2018 and Diver Festival (Tel Aviv) 2019. Make Banana Cry (co-authored with Stephen Thompson) premiered at the M.A.I in 2017, and was later presented La Galerie de l’UQAM in the context of the exhibit Refus Contraire 2018 as well as the Nottdance Festival and Fierce UK in 2019. The work will continue to tour internationally for 2020.

Before relocating to Toronto in August 2020 to begin his leadership at TDT, Andrew was the Artistic Curator of the O Vertigo Centre for Creation in Montreal since January 2017, reimagining the company’s activities in its new mandate as a choreographic centre and artist incubator. He actively thinks about community, irreverence and resistance in both his performance and curatorial practices.

Jessica Whitford joined TDT as Managing Director in 2018 after a decade of working as a producer for contemporary dance and live performance in Toronto and London, UK. She realizes TDT’s artistic vision through sound financial management, effective organizational planning and collaborative partnerships. Since joining the company, Jessica has created a supportive work environment for staff and volunteers in which to grow and learn, expanded the administrative team and committed to competitive wages across the company. She has strengthened marketing and development strategies for stronger audience and donor engagement and works closely with the organizations at Winchester Street Theatre to ensure the space supports the greater arts community and to implement a long-term strategy. She was part of the artistic leadership search committee and is excited to work with Andrew to develop significant artistic opportunities and increase TDT’s visibility regionally and internationally. Jessica holds an MBA in Non-Profit Management & Leadership from the Schulich School of Business at York University and a B.A. in Dance from the University of Calgary.

A non-profit management professional with 15 years experience in the arts, Diana Weir has a successful track record in building strong organizations, supporting great art, and promoting access and inclusion values through programming, policy, and organizational practice. As a seasoned performing arts executive with experience in the opera, theatre, and orchestral worlds, she has served as Executive Director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and worked for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as Vice-President, Strategic Partnerships.

Diana studied piano in her undergraduate education and has a Master’s degree in Communications Management. In 2020, she was the recipient of the YWCA Hamilton Women of Distinction award for her contribution to the arts and culture sector, and was honoured with the Canada Council for the Arts’ John Hobday award in 2019. Her professional commitment to supporting the advancement of vibrant, artistically relevant, and financially healthy arts institutions is evidenced both in her work life and volunteerism. She is a volunteer mentor for the Business/Arts artsVest program and an adjudicator for the Loran Scholars Foundation.

Rosemary James assumed the role of Rehearsal Director in 1992 after a successful career performing with Toronto Dance Theatre. Among many responsibilities, she was pivotal in remounting the choreography of Christopher House, former Artistic Director of TDT (1994-2020). Since 1987, James has taught in the Professional Training Program at The School of TDT and was the Training and Performing Associate from 2009-2021, under the expert leadership of Patricia Fraser (1993-2021). She has taught modern dance courses at York University and is currently a contract lecturer at Toronto Metropolitan University. James is passionate about sharing the Martha Graham Technique to future generations of dancers. She is also teaching this valuable and foundational movement vocabulary at Performing Dance Arts. In 2021, she initiated and interviewed former TDT colleagues for an audio series entitled, Reconnecting with Black Dancers from the 80’s and Early 90’s. As well in 2021, James collaborated with Mary Jane Warner to produce the film tribute, Celebrating Patricia Beatty: Artist, Choreographer, Teacher. In 2022, she was the rehearsal director for Christopher House’s solo evening work entitled New Tricks, and the rehearsal director/dramaturge for 100 Years of Cinematic Solitude in 300 Moving Pieces for the Immer Collective. James holds a Bachelor and Master of Arts in dance from York University.

Jocelyne ‘Jaws’ Cardenas is a queer latinx artist based in Toronto who shares their unique skills and expertise as a professional dancer, teacher and ballroom performer. Jaws explores the definition of gender and accessibility to the arts, while striving to promote inclusiveness and diversity. They have performed in multiple works for local choreographers in live shows. festivals, competitions and creative concepts such as Fall For Dance North, PUMA, Footnotes, Eye Candy, and more.

Jaws continues to further their craft by discovering new ways to merge their foundation in street dance with ballroom technique. They are highly dedicated to working alongside queer artists, curating new explorative work in their artistries, and connecting with community.

Instagram: @purrrrrrrr_____

2022/23 Season: Convergent Divergency

Matthew ‘Snoopy’ Cuff is a multidisciplinary artist from Toronto with the drive to build bridges, break molds while spreading the reach of Ballroom culture in Canada and abroad. Matthew is a graduated of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. Once a part of Canada’s first official Ballroom house (House of Monroe), Matthew is a trailblazer to the extensive Vogue scene in Canada today. Through mentoring, teaching, and competing in Canada’s Ballroom Scene, Matthew has inspired his community setting a standard with his expertise and dedication. As The resident choreographer for Dance Weekend 2020, Matthew combined his love for Vogue, theatre, and Contemporary dance to create a piece never seen before in conventional spaces. Matthew brought forth Vogue internationally by being featured on “So You Think You Can Dance Canada” while assisting choreographer Sean Cheeseman, reaching even higher heights as the featured Voguer on “CBC Arts: The Move”. Honing his skills in New York City, Matthew learned from and battled some of the greatest Voguers.  Impacted by the performance driven dance style, Matthew has also shared and taught his love for Vogue overseas in Moscow & Paris. With numerous accolades, Matthew continues to create and perform in Toronto’s thriving Ballroom Scene. Through the art of movement, Matthew ‘Snoopy’ Cuff hopes to inspire creativity while sharing their passion for dance.

Instagram: @itz_snoopy

2022/23 Season: Convergent Divergency

Originally from Japan, Yuichiro Inoue first gained recognition as one of the country’s top Kung-Fu kids. His ballet training soon followed and by the age of 15 he moved to Germany to train on scholarship at the John Cranko Ballet School in Stuttgart. He went on to perform as a member of Staatstheater Braunschweig, the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe and the Saarlaendisches Statts Theatre in Saarbruecken before moving to Toronto to complete the Teacher Training Program at Canada’s National Ballet School (RAD status). Upon graduation he was hired at TDT and is thrilled to be in his 16th season with the company. Yuichiro has taught at TDT, The School of TDT, Canada’s National Ballet School, Dance Teq, the Quinte Ballet School, and the Pia Bouman School of Dance, The Canadian School of Ballet and for schools and companies throughout Japan, including Kobe University. His choreography has been commissioned for film, festivals and international competitions.

2022/23 Season: The Magic of Assembly, Convergent Divergency, Ease + Agita (soft place to land), and Pilot Episodes

“What colour will you not dye your hair? “is a common question that the young artiste often gets asked. Unapologetically black, gifted and multifaceted, she is the walking definition of living life like there is no box.

At a tender age in her native land sweet Jam Dung (Jamaica) was where her talents were first discovered. She was born with art in her blood. Constantly being around cousins, other family and friends who danced, sang, acted, modelled, played instruments and painted are roots that she will never forget as they have been apart of shaping the young artistic woman she is today. She has entered competitions in musical genres of Soca, Contemporary, Dancehall, Kumina, other African Folk-dance forms.

She furthered her training of being a versatile dancer after moving to Canada in 2011.

Kelly-Ann manages to do all her artistic training while being inspired by three peculiar women who boldly stood on their beliefs and shaped the world, which further pushed Kelly-Ann to give birth to two multifaceted platforms ERN (Esther. Ruth. Naomi) In Motion and Dance With ERN. Her first platform showcases numerous self directed and collaborative modelling/artistic and lifestyle projects with artists from across the globe. Her second platform, Dance With ERN displays how she breaths and holds the heart of rhythm through workshops, performances, collaborations and dance pieces. She has received performance opportunities with artistes, Active member of the TKBA (Toronto kiki ballroom alliance) within the Supreme Kiki House of Christian Siriano, choreographed for artistes such as Baby Cham, directed dance projects, appeared in music videos, worked in productions behind the scenes and on stage with Urbani Toronto as well as model in fashion shows.

She is an eccentric trailblazer who plans to make positive impact and leave her mark on the world while pursuing and achieving through faith her dream career of artistic direction. This is Kelly-Ann Johnson.

Instagram: @erninmotion

2022/23 Season: Convergent Divergency

Rachana Joshi is an emerging dance artist based in the GTA. After fourteen years of training, she completed her Bharatanatyam arangetram under the tutelage of Lata Pada in 2017. In 2019, she graduated from York University’s B.F.A program in Dance with honors. Rachana is currently a company dancer and teacher with Sampradaya Dance Creations and Academy, works as a company dancer with Nova Dance and has joined the Citadel + Compagnie team in 2021 and currently acts as the Box Office and Outreach Coordinator for the company.

Instagram: @rxchjoshi

2022/23 Season: Convergent Divergency

Peter Kelly is a queer Toronto based dancer, performance maker, artistic director, teacher, producer, and personal trainer. Peter trained in fitness through the International Sports Science Association (ISSA), is a graduate of the Dance Performance Studies program at George Brown College, and is currently in his eighth season as a company dancer with Toronto Dance Theatre (TDT). Beyond TDT, Peter has worked with SummerWorks Performance Festival as the Patron Services Coordinator, with The Toronto Dance Community Love-In as a Space Host, with Dance Ontario as the Provincial Networks Coordinator, and is currently the Artistic Director of New Blue Emerging Dance. As a performance maker, Peter strives to construct performance works that tackle taboos, barriers, and stigmas associated with nudity, BDSM, sexual identity, and kink. Peter has had the opportunity to present work at Guelph Dance Festival, London Dance Festival, Queer Cab (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre), and Impact Festival, among others.

2022/23 Season: The Magic of Assembly, Convergent Divergency, Ease + Agita (soft place to land), and Pilot Episodes

Megumi Kokuba was born on the southernmost island of Japan, Okinawa. She studied ballet with joy from the age of two. After graduating from College in Okinawa, Megumi came across contemporary dance and was smitten. She moved to Toronto to train in dance and is a proud graduate of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. Megumi joined the company as a TD Dance Intern in 2012/2013, and she has had many inspiring creation and performance opportunities in Toronto ever since.

As a dance artist, her main focus is to help maintain a supportive work environment. Actions like listening, holding space and prioritizing active communication are at the forefront of her personal practice.

2022/23 Season: The Magic of Assembly, Convergent Divergency, Ease + Agita (soft place to land), and Pilot Episodes

Ryan Kostyniuk is a queer artist born and raised in Sylvan Lake, Alberta and is currently based in Tkaronto/Toronto. They are a graduate from The School of Toronto Dance Theatre (2019) and have been a guest artist with Toronto Dance Theatre since the 2019/2020 season. They have performed works by many acclaimed choreographers across Canada as well as international choreographers Emese Nagy (MA•ZE) and Shannon Gillen (VimVigor). Ryan has choreographed solo/duet works which have been performed in Toronto, and toured internationally. They currently find inspiration from the queer nightlife and rave scene, and continue to explore themes in their work based around sexuality, and gender expression.

2022/23 Season: The Magic of Assembly

Erin Poole (she/her) is a dance artist in Tkaronto. She has been a member of the ensemble with Toronto Dance Theatre for the past six seasons and has contributed to and performed in many works and processes. At TDT and as an independent artist, Erin has had the opportunity to work with Christopher House, Jeanine Durning, Ame Henderson, Alyssa Martin, Laurence Lemieux, José Navas/Compagnie Flak (Montréal), among others.

A conversational piece of Erin’s, i think i am able to listen and tend to her body, was published in the Capilano Review’s Winter 2021 issue. She also choreographed and performed in the short music film All Our Departed/El Malei Rachamim (Alphabet of Wrongdoing/Daniela Gesundheit, LA).

2022/23 Season: The Magic of Assembly, Convergent Divergency, Ease + Agita (soft place to land), and Pilot Episodes

Devon Snell is from London, Ontario. He graduated from the School of Toronto Dance Theatre while working with Toronto Dance Theatre as an 2017-2018 dancer intern. While training at the school he had many opportunities to work with talented and acclaimed Canadian choreographers and teachers. Just recently he attended b12 Dance Workshop Festival in Berlin, Germany; there he had the privilege to research with international choreographers and teachers and perform a new creation by Shannon Gillen. Devon is happy to be dancing in his sixth season with Toronto Dance Theatre.

2022/23 Season: The Magic of Assembly and Convergent Divergency

Roberto is the new era no longer restricted by time she walks the earth with patience noticing how all is changing he doesn’t interfere she listens he watches ready for nothing yet it all shows it’s true colours the sun and the moon have her life and it’s the random that keeps him alive.

I am Roberto Soria, and as a seeker of pleasure it only makes sense that movement has been a part of my life for so many years.

I am:
a raver
a dj/creator of noise
a lover
a skater
a photographer/filmmaker
a sagittarius
a company dancer for toronto dance theatre
and friendly so if you see me in the street come say hi!

2022/23 Season: The Magic of Assembly, Convergent Divergency, Ease + Agita (soft place to land), and Pilot Episodes

Siwar Soria (they/he) is a Tkarón:to/Toronto based dance artist, who is finally learning how to skateboard. They have Andinx and Irish/Slovakian settler roots. He is learning to speak Quechua Chanka, South Bolivian Quechua, as well as the Norte Potosí variety, which his family speaks. Their work is questioning western frameworks of the gender binary, by prioritizing indigenous perspectives on recovering sexual and gender diversities to make room for their own “deviances”. As a dancer, multi-disciplinary artist, and troublemaker, he tends to use impulse and distortion to build a playground where ancestral memory and desire can meet. They have completed residencies in Whitehorse, YT (the Heart of Riverdale) and in Oaxaca, Mexico (Pocoapoco). They have presented work in CAMINOS 2021 produced by Aluna Theatre.

2022/23 Season: The Magic of Assembly

Purawai Vyas is an emerging dance artist with over 15 years of training in Bharatanatyam. She has also trained in Ballet, modern/contemporary dance and Kalarippayattu during her undergraduate career and holds a BFA in Dance along with a BSc in Biomedical Sciences from York University. Purawai has had the opportunity to dance in the works of highly acclaimed choreographers, including Lata Pada, Atri Nundy, Suma Nair, Parshwanath Upadhye and Nova Bhattacharya. In 2021, Purawai created and presented works in various festivals in the Greater Toronto Area, including CanAsian Dance’s Grit Short Dances Festival, TD Mosaics Festival, and dance: made in canada’s inTO focus. She is passionate about teaching and sharing the art form of Bharatanatyam as a dance teacher at Sampradaya Dance Academy. Currently, she works with Sampradaya Dance Creations and Nova Dance as a company dancer. Purawai is also the co-founder of Kala collective, a dance collective of six south Asian dance artists with a shared training in Bharatanatyam. As an independent artist, Purawai is interested in interdisciplinary rhythmic exchange and is exploring her foundational practice as a means to create contemporary works.

Instagram: @purawaiv

2022/23 Season: Convergent Divergency

Tanya Bregstein has joined TDT this season after fifteen years of working as a Production Manager, Technical Director, Stage Manager and lighting designer in contemporary dance, theatre, concerts, events and film. Prior to joining the TDT team, Tanya held the role of Production Manager as Dancemakers Centre for Creation since 2014 where she has the opportunity to work and collaborate with artists such as Dana Michel, Andrea Spaziani, Antony Hamilton, Aisha Sasha John, Lara Kramer, Lee Su-Feh, Francesca Chudnoff, Sofi Gudinõ and Amelia Ehrhardt. Tanya is excited to have the opportunity to continue to support the dance community in her Role as Production Manager at Toronto Dance Theatre.

Tanya found her passion for live production in high school at Wexford Colligate school for the performing arts. She continued her studies at Sheridan College in the Theatre Arts Technical Production Program. After graduating from Sheridan, Tanya worked abroad with Carnival Cruise lines as the lighting and pyrotechnician before returning to Toronto to continue her work in live performance production with companies such as Second City, Diesel Playhouse, Stage West, Drayton Entertainment, Tapestry Opera, The Cadence School of Dance, Inamorata Dance, Westbury National

Bryan is a multifaceted theatre aficionado who has been working as an Actor, Singer, Dancer, Producer, and Production Manager for the better part of the last decade. They graduated from the Randolph College for the Performing Arts in 2014 and have since had the immense privilege of working on many amazing productions throughout North America. Most recently Bryan could be seen singing and dancing as the classic character ‘Shaggy Rogers’ in the North American tour of ‘Scooby-doo and the Lost City of Gold’.

As a Production Manager, Bryan has been involved in the management and curation of many projects throughout Ontario and Quebec. Some notable mentions include: Mixed Company (Kliffer Entertainment), Tales of a Cocktail (Breakaway Entertainment), All Shall Be Well (Repercussion Theatre). In 2019, He and his company, Sapling, produced their debut show ‘Something for the Buoys: A musical comedy parody’ which went on to receive rave reviews and immense laughter!

Bryan is beyond thrilled and excited to be joining TDT’s stellar team of artists and creators for the remainder of their 2022/23 season.

With a background in dance, music, and theatre, Emma Joy is an arts manager and Certified Human Resources Professional who is passionate about community engagement and supporting the creation of new work. She holds an Honours Bachelor Degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources Management from Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as a Post-Graduate Diploma in Arts Management from Western University.

From working within small administrative teams, Emma has gained a breadth of hands-on experience in marketing, box office management, public relations, event and programming management, and fundraising campaigns. Her involvement in organizing events and productions led her to work at TAP Centre for Creativity (previously named The ARTS Project) for two years in London, Ontario. While involved in the planning of and communications for TAP’s programming and campaigns, Emma also coordinated the launch of the organization’s re-brand in collaboration with Arcane Digital. She then joined the Toronto Dance Theatre team in 2019 and has since provided a wide range of communications support for both programmatic and institutional projects. In addition to her role at TDT, Emma earned her CHRP designation in February 2022.

Jasmine Au is a Toronto-based movement artist and emerging arts manager. She is a recent 2021 graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Performance Dance program where she graduated with an Honours BFA and a minor in marketing. Jasmine’s current training as a dancer, performer, and mover is heavily invested in contemporary dance. Her prime ambition as an artist is to present dynamic contemporary movement and embrace her role as a storyteller and messenger.

Additionally, Jasmine is passionate in her pursuit of arts administration and contributing to the dance form from a managerial standpoint. After finishing her studies, Jasmine gained arts management experience with prominent organizations such as adelheid dance projects, Fall for Dance North, Sara Porter Productions, Orillia Centre for Arts + Culture, The AMY Project, and The National Arts Centre. She also currently sits on the Board of Directors at Peggy Baker Dance Projects. Jasmine is excited to be unifying her academic and administrative background with her dance training, and is looking forward to joining TDT as associate producer.

Vickie Fagan is an award-winning filmmaker and writer. She launched Fagan Media Group in 2010. Vickie’s media background includes over fifteen years with Chum Television, where she worked as a producer of arts documentaries, short films, and series television.

Fagan acted as creator, producer, and co-writer on the holiday film” The Curse of Clara, A Holiday Tale,” based on a short story written by Fagan. A co-production with Smiley Guy Studios and Veronica Tennant Productions, the animated film premiered on CBC Television in December 2015 and continues to air annually. The Curse of Clara won the 2017 Canadian Screen Award for Best Animated Series or Program.

Her extensive communications background encompasses work as an interviewer, writer, and producer. Her writing has been featured in the Globe and Mail, TVO digital, Descant Literary Journal, Dance Collection Danse Magazine, and Zoomer online.

Fagan is the Director of Development for Dance Collection Dance and Producer of the annual DCD Hall of Fame event.