TDT’s Listening Party
Saturday September 11, 2021 | 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Let’s get this season started with TDT’s Listening Party! Celebrating Toronto’s love of vinyl records and dance, eight personalities from Toronto’s arts community have been asked to bring a vinyl record to the event and share a memory as to why the album is important to them. A dance artist will accompany each selection with a spontaneous performance as the record plays.
Bring your own picnic blanket or pillow and enjoy some great tunes while experiencing in-the-moment performances from a diverse range of dance perspectives including contemporary, street dance and cultural-based forms.
Performers include Susannah Haight, Cotee Harper, Rosemary James, Lukas Malkowski, Chantelle Mostacho, Miss Coco Murray, Harikishan S. Nair, and Marcus “Ademi” PJ. They will be improvising to songs selected by cultural instigators Valerie Calam, Anna Gallagher-Ross, Jamie Kidd, Geneviève Gigi Marentette, tUkU Matthews, Laura Nanni, Sage Paul, and Timea Wharton-Suri. Learn about the participants here.
This event is possible through Toronto Arts Foundation’s city-wide Arts in the Park initiative, presented in partnership with the City of Toronto and Park People.
Event Location & Accessibility
TDT’s Listening Party will be located in Riverdale Park East, accessed by a paved pathway into the park off Broadview Avenue, across from Langley Avenue. From that entrance, it is approximately a two minute walk to where the event will be located. There will be a small curb to get onto the grass where the audience will be seated. Street parking is available on Broadview Avenue as well as the residential streets nearby. If driving, please factor in time to find a parking spot.
ASL and Deaf Interpretation will be provided for this event. If this service will be beneficial for you at the event, please email info@tdt.org and we can ensure you have optimal viewing of the Deaf Interpreter.
If certain accommodation is required, please email info@tdt.org and a staff member will be happy to assist.
FEATURED PERFORMERS
SUSANNAH HAIGHT
Susannah Haight is a multidisciplinary artist based out of Montréal & Toronto. Upon graduating from École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2017, she has had the pleasure to work as a freelance dancer with Compagnie Marie Chouinard, Martin Messier’s Innervision and Andrea Peña’s Projet Fly. Currently, Susannah is working on developing her skills not only as a performer, but as a choreographic director and filmmaker. Recently, she assisted Choreographer Brittney Canda on the short dance films, The O’Pears -“Lady Winter” and Sheenah Ko – “Wrap me Up”. “Wrap me Up” was awarded a Vimeo Staff Pick, a 2021 Juno nomination and won the 2020 UKMVA for “Best Choreography”. Susannah is currently working on a BFA in Film Production.
COTEE HARPER
Evolving Collaborative Artist For over 20 Years Traditional First Nations To Classical Ballet And Contemporary Dance. As an urban indigenous artist that was born in Toronto Ontario, I look to find ways to incorporate who I am as a dancer but also as an indigenous dance artist. I’ve had great opportunities to collaborate with musicians painters festivals and schools. I love to express stories through dance from all backgrounds with hopes of making a audience feel as they are a part of that story with me.
PHOTO BY DAVID LEYES
ROSEMARY JAMES
Rosemary James (She/Her) assumed the role of Rehearsal Director in 1992 after a successful career performing with Toronto Dance Theatre. Among many responsibilities, she is instrumental in remounting and staging the work of Christopher House, former Artistic Director, on the Company and The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. James is the Training and Performing Associate at the School.
She has taught modern dance courses at York University and choreographed extensively for community-based arts education programs. She was the movement teacher and choreographer for the musicals Spoke, This City of Angels, and Swimming for Shore, and the Choreography Consultant for the award-winning synchronized skating team Gold Ice. In 2019, James was the rehearsal director and collaborator for Black Ballerina, a Dora-nominated solo created by Syreeta Hector.
In addition to being a sought-after teacher, James holds a Bachelor and Master of Arts in dance from York University.
LUKAS MALKOWSKI
Lukas Malkowski is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adult), Dance Artist, and Aquarius based in Berlin. He started dancing at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts and graduated from Ryerson University. Inspired by social dialogue and physics embodiment, Lukas has choreographed for techno musicians Luke Slater and LBT. Recently, he completed his solo installation: Momentum Contingency, and short film: takeoff, a collaboration with Jubal Battisti & Blunt Chunks.
PHOTO BY BRI MAPSON
CHANTELLE MOSTACHO
Chantelle Mostacho is a Toronto-based artist, choreographer and educator with a versatile background. She graduated from Ryerson University’s BFA Performance Dance program, where she trained in ballet, modern, jazz, partnering, and improvisation. Following this, Chantelle immersed herself into the culture of street dance, where she found her love for waacking/ punking. Select performance credits include Bassnectar, Cadence Weapon, TIFF Boombox, TEDxWomen, MICHI NY, Moments Of Movement, Toronto Fringe, and UNITY Charity.
PHOTO BY SEAN HARRISON
MISS COCO MURRAY
Collette “Coco” Murray is a dance educator and cultural arts programmer. Her performance background ranged in Caribbean Folk, traditional West African and other diasporic dance styles. Her artistry includes performance, teaching, arts education, mentorship, research, and writing. This award- winning artist is recognized as one of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women honouree in 2020 and the 2019 recipient of the Toronto Arts Foundation’s Community Arts Award. Murray pursues a PhD in Dance Studies at York University. Along with Miss Coco Murray, her mobile, dance education business, Murray also is the Artistic Director of Coco Collective offering culturally-responsive projects connecting participants to African and Caribbean arts.
PHOTO BY ALVIN COLLANTES
Harikishan S. Nair
Hari (he/him) is a dancer, choreographer, and pedagogue and rehearsal director. He is a passionate and critical advocate for equity within the dance sector for practitioners of South Asian dance and a community leader in articulating issues how these performance aesthetics interface with established institutions of dominant dance presenting/curation in Canada. Born and raised in Kerala (India) he has been dancing since age 5 and is fluently trained in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi. He tours new choreographic works and conducts teaching workshops and master classes extensively across North America. He has gone on to collaborate, perform, and present his work at numerous dance festivals in India, UK, Canada, and the USA. He is active in the community as a dance artist, teacher, choreographer, collaborator, and the Artistic Director of Regatta Kala Kendra.
PHOTO BY KADEEM ELLIS PHOTOGRAPHY
MARCUS “ADEMI” PJ
Marcus “Ademi” Paris-Johnson is a man with many passions in life, but one has helped create a special purpose within himself, that passion would be dance. Dance has been involved in his life as a tool for expression. Growing up he began to involve himself in multiple dance communities such as Hip Hop and Dancehall, but during his teenage years he discovered Krump. In the 14 years of learning, participating in, and spreading the movement of Krump in the City of Toronto, it has helped him grow into the best version of himself as an artist, and community leader.
Song Selectors
Photo by Maizy Shepherd
Valerie Calam
Valerie Calam is a Toronto-based dance artist interested in finding pathways to refresh and support herself. She works with fabric, patterns, sound, numbers, the nervous system, the body, and likes to edit/adapt/repurpose things. Most of all, Val enjoys working alongside dancers and artists. She umbrellas much of her work under the name Company Vice Versa (www.companyviceversa.com) and works frequently with Fantastical Realms. She’s the Dance Ontario Regional Representative for her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie and recently became Membership Coordinator for CADA/East. She completed a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Choreography in 2014.
Photo by Sarah Annie Navarrete
Anna Gallagher-Ross
Anna Gallagher-Ross (she/her) is a curator working across performance, dance, and visual arts. She is currently Senior Manager of Programming at The Bentway, a civic space in downtown Toronto that commissions and presents year-round performances, public art projects, and community events. Prior to The Bentway, Anna was Co-Artistic Director & Curator of Fusebox Festival (Austin, TX), the acclaimed international performance festival, in addition to holding curatorial and administrative positions at The Fisher Center for Performing Arts, The Walker Art Center, Sister Writes, among others.
Photo by Darnell Reddick
Jamie Kidd (from TUSH)
Having only released a handful of EPs, and more recently, their debut album Fantast, Toronto duo TUSH (Kamilah Apong, Jamie Kidd) has gained attention around the world. With nods and collaborations from electronic dance music mavens Jazzanova, Matthew Herbert, and Osunlade, TUSH are building a name due to their authentic approach to dance music. More grit than glam, their sound embodies the rawness, vulnerability, and intimacy of the dancefloor.
Photo by Chris Frampton
Geneviève Gigi Marentette
Singing professionally under her mother’s wing since the age of 5, Genevieve (she/her) is a very well educated musician. Her vocals are raw and soulful, stemming from the influences of her unique hippy parentage and formative teenage exposure to the beloved Detroit music scene. Gigi, as her peeps call her, most enjoys live improvised song interpretation. Her recordings and collaborations are many and diverse from jazz to techno.
Photo by Bea Labikova
tUkU Matthews
tUkU is a singer, vocal arranger, songwriter, composer, producer, and budding film composer. her specialized music practices include haiku songs and text melodicization. she is a numerologist, a tarot reader and a wordwitch coming from a 10-year classics study background. tUkU is a deep listener and a wild moon child committed to exploring the meaning of practice and living in kindness.
Photo by Anoosha Kargarfard
Laura Nanni
Laura Nanni (she/her) is a curator, producer, and interdisciplinary artist. She has been the Artistic and Managing Director of SummerWorks since 2016. Past roles include: Programming Supervisor for Nuit Blanche Toronto; Rhubarb Festival Director for Buddies in Bad Times and Curator for HATCH at Harbourfront Centre. Her artistic projects and collaborations have been presented across North America, Europe, and the UK. Recurring in her creative research is the process of walking, aspects of mapping, and intersection (between public/private, virtual/real, scripted/accidental). More info at laurananni.com.
Photo by John Ball
Sage Paul
Sage Paul is an urbanDenesuliné tskwe based in Toronto and a member of English River First Nation. Sage is an award-winning artist & designer and a recognized leader of Indigenous fashion, craft and textiles. Her work centres family, sovereignty and resistance for balance. Sage is also founding collective member and Artistic Director of Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto.
Her art and design practice is conceptual, creating narrative-driven garments, crafts and costumes for artistic presentation, fashion, film, TV and theatre. Sage Paul is a sought after and artistically diverse designer; She is creatively curious and informed, with excellent and resourceful craftsmanship. Sage has a strong, broad understanding for how she and her audiences interact with and feel fashion.
More info at sagepaul.com
Photo by Crated Dozen Photography
Timea Wharton-Suri
Timea Wharton-Suri is a curator, arts executive, and producer of dance events, now serving as dance Immersion’s Curator & Program Director. She previously performed with some of Toronto’s African Diasporic dance companies for many years and will be dipping her toe back into performing in 2022. Fun fact: Timea was Toronto Dance Theatre’s Interim Managing Director during the Artistic Director transition and onset of the COVID-19 pandemic!