CHORÉGRAPHES

INNOVATION 26-27

Kaia Portner - "Katabasis"

Antoine Turmine & Jonathan Rousseau - "The Galaxy is at peace..."

Emine Adilak - "Gut rot"
Tao Leduc - "Skyking Skyking"
Catherine Wilson - "Et si le Canal s'entrelace?"
Béatrice Larrivée - "Les témoins insaisissables"

Johanna Simon - "Minuit Portant"

Jean-François Gilède - "Rouge à l'âme"

Sylvia Berman - "Mauvaise Muse"

Kaia Portner

Kaia Portner is a Montreal-based dancer, choreographer, and artistic director. She holds a BFA in Contemporary Dance and Choreography from Concordia University, and her practice brings together contemporary dance, burlesque, and nightlife performance. Her choreographic work explores the figure of the showgirl as a cultural lens, questioning how bodies are viewed, celebrated, and politicized. Her solo Capital Erotica, presented by Tangente Danse as part of Danses Buissonnières in 2024, will be revived during their fall 2026 season. Under the persona Nomi Nova, she also develops a performance practice rooted in Montreal’s nightlife scene. She also teaches sensual movement and high heels.

Antoine Turmine

An artist interested in the workings of time, Antoine Turmine has spent the past decade working as a performer, performer-creator, improviser, and creator. His choreographic practice offers poetic experiences in which sound and the moving body influence one another to create shifting spaces that blur our perception of time and reality. Situated between the conceptual and the sensory, his creations explore notions of traces, memory, and forgetting, while fostering encounters and dialogue. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Contemporary Dance from UQAM (2014) and a Master’s degree in Dance (2020), and develops a laboratory-based practice grounded in experimentation, collaboration, and improvisation.

Jonathan Rousseau

Jonathan C. Rousseau is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and artistic designer specializing in traditional Quebec dance and step dancing. His practice explores the expressive potential of step dancing through improvisational techniques in which rhythm and movement become drivers of creation. A co-founder of La R’voyure in 2011, he serves as its artistic director and contributes to its flagship event, Les manteaux su’ l’lit pis les bottes dans l’bain. He also collaborates with several choreographers and companies, including Zeugma, Sandy Silva, and Bigico. His creations include Chorus (2019) and 5 Facts That Nobody Told You About Gigue (2023), co-created with Antoine Turmine.

Emine Adilak

Emine Adilak, iel/they/she, is a dance artist from Tkaronto/Toronto, based in Tiohtià/Montréal and deeply connected to their Turkish roots. They made their professional debut as a performer at the 2024 Festival TransAmériques in Multitud by Tamara Cubas. Through various professional workshops and a personal practice, they seek to develop an empowered movement presence, using movement as a means of expression and connection. Supported by Circuit-Est’s Bancs d’essai residency, they presented their first solo work, Gut rot, in 2025, including at the b12 festival in Berlin. In 2026, they continue their artistic development in Istanbul and will present the solo at the Izmir Fringe Festival.

Tao Leduc

Tao Stone Leduc is a Montreal-based dancer, choreographer, and musician/composer. Coming from a family of artists, he began dancing at the age of seven and trained for twelve years at the École supérieure de ballet du Québec. There, he performed works including Colossus by Stephanie Lake, Boléro X by Shahar Binyamini with Ballet BC, and The Nutcracker by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, while collaborating with Jera Wolfe, Shawn Hounsel, and Adrian W.S. Batt. After graduating in 2025, he joined RUBBERBAND Dance as an apprentice for the 2025–2026 season and has presented his own creations at several festivals. A musician since 2021, he composes for dance and is also developing his indie rock project. His work seeks to blur the boundaries between form and expression.

Catherine Wilson

Catherine Wilson is a Montreal-based dance artist, a graduate of Ballet Divertimento, with a self-taught background that continues to evolve. For the past five years, she has collaborated with Nicolas Zemmour (ZemmourBallet), as well as Catherine Pelletier-Voyer, Andrea Peña, and Daina Ashbee, in addition to various Quebec-based collectives. She also appears in The Butterfly, a dance film broadcast on Nowness Asia. As a performer and creator, Catherine initiates, produces, and directs multidisciplinary projects presented on stage and on screen, while developing her choreographic practice. Her work is deeply physical and also extends to teaching HIIT and floorwork, fueling an ongoing exploration of the body’s limits.

Béatrice Larrivée

Béatrice Larrivée is a Canadian contemporary dance artist, performer, and creator. A graduate of the École supérieure de ballet du Québec, she continued her training at Arts Umbrella in Vancouver before joining RUBBERBAND in Montréal. She subsequently collaborated with Compagnie Marie Chouinard and joined Batsheva Ensemble in Israel in 2018.
Now an independent artist, she works with choreographers around the world and teaches Gaga. She has created six original works and participated in numerous theatrical and choreographic projects. Her solo Brièvement earned her first prize in choreography and second prize in performance at the International Dance Solo Festival in Stuttgart. More recently, she has received commissions to create new works in Rome and Edmonton.

Johanna Simon

At the intersection of intuition and research, Johanna Simon approaches movement as a space where the body becomes matter, language, and a territory for transformation. Based in Tio’tia (Montreal), she is a choreographer, dancer-performer, and teacher. Trained in education and motor sciences (STAPS, France) and later in artistic practices at UQAM, she develops an approach centered on gestures and their meanings. Coming from an athletic background, she explores contemporary dance and physical theatre, where physicality, humour, and the absurd meet. In 2023, she founded the collective APARTÉ & Co, with which she develops projects including La Ménagerie and Minuit Portant, presented at the Ottawa and Montreal Fringe Festivals.

Jean-Francois Gilède

Originally from Toulouse, Jean-François Gilède is a multidisciplinary artist working across contemporary dance, theatre, and clowning. He began performing at a young age with Figaro and Co, where he danced, sang, and acted, before pursuing studies in communications, performing arts, dance, and circus at Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès. His exploration of movement led him to UQAM, followed by Atlantique Ballet Contemporain and the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal. Interested in biomechanics and well-being, he also trained in yoga and somatic practices. Upon returning to Europe, he joined La Fabrique de la Danse’s Choreographers’ Incubator and founded the company Bringard.

Sylvia Berman

Sylvia Berman is a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher based in Montreal. She began her training at the Quinte Ballet School of Canada before earning a BFA in Dance, summa cum laude, from the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase. There, she deepened her practice in ballet, contemporary and modern dance, improvisation, and choreographic composition, performing works by George Balanchine, Bettijane Sills, Norbert de la Cruz III, and Hélène Blackburn. She has participated in several international programs, including Springboard Danse and Arts Umbrella. An artistic collaborator with PLAYDATE dance and a soloist with Ballet Ouest de Montréal, Sylvia’s practice is driven by an interest in storytelling and human relationships.

INNOVATION 24-25

Cai Glover - "d/Deaf r/Republic"

Nicholas Bellefleur - "Coworker"

Emma-Lynn & Jovick - "Silent Conversations"
Jake Poloz - "You or Someone Like You"
Kyana Lyne - "Untitled"
Pénélope Gromko - "Dévorée"
Inès Chiha - "Trouvez (la femme)"

Jossua Satinée - "Strasse"

Cai Glover

Depuis l’âge de 10 ans, Cai Glover est passionné par la danse, qu’il explore à travers sa compagnie, A Fichu Turning. Il cherche à exprimer la poésie par le mouvement, dépassant le sens littéral des mots. Artiste malentendant, sa perception unique du son alimente son art, enrichissant son approche en tant que meneur, interprète et chorégraphe. Il vise à transmettre des émotions profondes au public, ancrées dans les expériences humaines variées.

Emma-Lynn MacKay-Ronacher

Emma-Lynn MacKay-Ronacher, originaire de Kemptville, Ontario, a étudié à L’École supérieure de ballet du Québec. Elle a collaboré avec Les Grands Ballets Canadiens et participé à de nombreux festivals. Elle a également travaillé avec de nombreux chorégraphes, enrichissant son parcours artistique. Membre de RUBBERBAND Dance Company depuis 2021, elle explore sa voie chorégraphique, créant des œuvres comme What She Saw et Silent Conversations.

Pénélope Gromko

Diplômée en danse contemporaine en 2018, Pénélope Gromko s’est distinguée avec son solo Mes désirs sont désordres et a collaboré avec divers chorégraphes et artistes. En 2020, elle a appris la soudure artistique, créant une collection de vêtements-accessoires présentée au Festival Mode et Design de Montréal. Elle travaille actuellement sur une nouvelle création solo intégrant ses sculptures métalliques.

Jake Poloz

Jake Poloz, danseur et chorégraphe originaire du nord de l’Alberta et basé à Montréal, a travaillé avec des chorégraphes renommés et dansé pour ProArteDanza (2018-2022) et Ballet Kelowna (2022-2024). Il a chorégraphié The Royal We pour Ballet Kelowna en 2023 et présenté sa première œuvre de longue durée i’ve seen you naked. Sélectionné pour divers festivals, dont Quartiers Danse à Montréal, il a reçu le Prix Coup de Cœur Artiste Émergent. Son travail est reconnu pour son humour et son originalité.

Inès Chiha

Inès Chiha est une performeuse multidisciplinaire autodidacte franco-tunisienne. Elle a complété sa formation en danse au programme Big Bang (2024) à Tiohtià:ke Montréal. Son art explore l’identité, la foi et le langage. Elle débute le break après une collaboration avec Lazylegz et l’école Les Muses pour promouvoir l’inclusivité sur scène. Dans la foulée elle fonde avec Bashir Al Mahayni aka Beasho le collectif Molokhia Squad. Leur première pièce Collapse est présentée fin 2024 à Ecotone, Studio 303 et diffusée fin novembre en version intégrale par eXplo Lab au Patro Villeray. Défendant l’action collective pour le changement social, elle intervient, en parallèle de sa pratique artistique, auprès de communautés marginalisées.

Nicholas Bellefleur

Nicholas Bellefleur explore la performance comme pratique de libération, reliant l’inconscient collectif à l’expérience humaine. Son travail, influencé par sa perspective queer et neurodivergente, multiplie les possibilités chorégraphiques et propose des alternatives sensibles. Avec des artistes queer montréalais, iel présente RAVERIE à FIERTÉ MTL en 2024 et participe à divers projets chorégraphiques, tout en collaborant avec des artistes renommés pour élargir sa pratique.

INNOVATION 25-26

Kluane Peabody - "CAROUSEL"

Anna Sanchez & Miguel Medina - "Corps polyrythmiques"

Lamont - "OF SAP"
Molokhia Squad (Bashir Al Mahayni & Inès Chiha) - "Collapse"
Kunal Ranchod - "Between Light and Leaving"
Justin De Luna - "My legs are a bridge - SWEAT JUICE"

Meggie Cloutier-Hamel - "Projet Pilote"

Oly Dion - "Roots"

Zachary Bastille - "Honey Never Spoils"

Kluane Peabody

Kluane Peabody (born in 1999) is a dancer and creator based between Vancouver and Montreal. Her interdisciplinary work brings together dance, film, music, and fashion, exploring vulnerability, transformation, and the subversion of reality. A graduate of Modus Operandi, she has toured internationally with Story, Story, Die by Alan Lucien Øyen.

Kunal Ranchod

Kunal Ranchod, based in Montreal and Toronto, is a choreographer, dancer, and artistic director. Trained in classical and contemporary dance, he creates work for the stage, film, and site-specific environments, blending classical technique with cultural narratives.

Committed to equity, he collaborates with other artists, mentors emerging talent, and contributes to film and commercial projects.

Meggie Cloutier-Hamel

Meggie Cloutier-Hamel trained at the École supérieure de ballet du Québec and the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal. She works as a performer and emerging choreographer. Her solo works Entre mes yeux et ma tête and Projet Pilote have been presented at several festivals.

Her artistic practice aims to build bridges between artistic disciplines and make dance more accessible to a broader audience.

Zachary Bastille

Zachary Bastille is a dance artist from Gatineau, trained at Toronto Metropolitan University, who has established himself across Montreal’s contemporary and commercial dance scenes. As a performer and choreographer, he explores interpersonal and spatial relationships, creating movement that is sensitive, impulsive, and deeply human. He has participated in numerous dance workshops and festivals, both on stage and on screen.

INNOVATION 23-24

Jessica Muszynski & Paco Ziel - "Portals"

Voodoo House - "You think like a square"

Robert Cookson & Daniel Stefek - "Non-sens"
Amara Barner - "Mongrel"
Tentacle Tribe - "Dirt"
Wyeth Walker - "Love shack lullaby"
Catch Step - "Catch Step (HYA REMIX)"

Jessica Muszynski

Jessica Joy Muszynski is a Canadian dancer and choreographer of Filipino and Polish heritage. She began her training in Richmond, British Columbia, and earned her BFA in Dance from the University of Southern California in 2019.

After dancing with Aszure Barton & Artists, she joined the Montreal-based company RUBBERBAND. Jessica has presented her work at dance festivals and received the Prix Découverte for her piece fam ly.

Her artistic mission is to create movement that fosters inclusion and joy while encouraging audiences to explore their inner worlds.

Paco Ziel

Paco Ziel is a Mexican artist whose practice spans contemporary dance, filmmaking, photography, and electronic music composition. His work explores the body, movement, and nature.

As co-director of Vías alongside Diana León, he co-created Origen, an internationally recognized practice that stimulates sensory perception while exploring complex movement, subjective time, and the interconnectedness of life.

Paco dances with RUBBERBAND and has collaborated with artists throughout Montreal while teaching at renowned dance schools, playing an important role in advancing and promoting the art of dance.

Amara Barner

Amara Barner is an American multidisciplinary artist based in Montreal. She began her career as an assistant to renowned choreographers and quickly made her mark in the dance world, working with artists such as Emma Porter and Sia.

At 18, Barner became the youngest dancer ever hired by Montreal-based company RUBBERBAND. She danced with the company from 2016 to 2021, touring internationally.

Since then, Amara has performed works by artists including Anne Plamondon, Dana Gingras/Animals of Distinction, and Elon Höglund/Tentacle Tribe. She has also appeared in several music videos, served as a dance competition judge, and was recognized by Dance Magazine in 2020 as an “On the Rise” artist.

Daniel Stefek

Daniel Stefek developed an early interest in martial arts, particularly capoeira. Over time, this curiosity evolved into a broader passion, leading him to explore various disciplines, from martial arts and dance to acrobatics and theatre. Capoeira provided him with a strong foundation for further developing his acrobatic practice.

In 2020, he graduated from the National Circus School, specializing in partner acrobatic dance. Since graduating, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with various institutions and perform at events such as Fall for Dance North and Montréal Complètement Cirque.

His current work is deeply rooted in an exploration of the cyclical nature of life, drawing from his acrobatic journey to explore themes such as repetition, inexplicable moments, and nostalgia.

Robert Cookson

Bobby Cookson is driven by a passion for creation and experimentation. He grew up in a traditional environment shaped by school, sports, and music. Despite earning a degree in mechanical engineering, his interest in the arts led him to theatre and international music tours.

These experiences shaped his artistic practice, combining the physicality of movement with music and ultimately leading him toward circus. After graduating from the National Circus School, he worked with prestigious companies and co-founded artistic collectives that integrate music, acrobatic movement, and visual art.

Today, Bobby Cookson is a multidisciplinary artist exploring new interactions between objects and people, creating innovative experiences for both performers and audiences.

Wyeth Walker

Wyeth Walker, a dancer and choreographer from Virginia Beach, grew up under the mentorship of Denise Wall. A graduate of USC’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, he developed his choreographic voice with a particular interest in site-specific dance and installation work. During his studies, he collaborated with renowned artists including Barak Marshall, Jermaine Spivey, Bret Easterling, and William Forsythe.

In 2022, following his graduation, Walker joined RUBBERBAND, a company led by Victor Quijada, establishing Montreal as his home base.

Voodoo House

An independent entity whose primary purpose is to embody a vision and an artistic signature that places the art of dance before the artist, and characters before the dancer. Our goal is to be recognized for our complete artistic expression rather than known for the individuals behind it. This is why we maintain the choreographer’s anonymity from the public.

Voodoo House is a vast imaginary world in which every artistic medium is invited to collaborate with dance as its cornerstone. The larger the house, the stronger its foundations.

Blending dreamlike and mythological worlds, our inspirations come primarily from music, but also from philosophy and spirituality. We aspire to develop a choreographic style that is surreal and metaphorical.

Tentacle Tribe - Elon Höglund

Elon is an artist from Stockholm who comes from a family of artists. He grew up with a passion for hip-hop music and developed his love for dance by exploring various styles, including kung fu, capoeira, and popping. He quickly drew inspiration from street dance, theatre, and contemporary dance, developing his own philosophy of movement.

Since 2001, Elon has choreographed and performed in contemporary fusion dance productions. In 2005, he joined Cirque du Soleil for the creation of The Beatles LOVE in Las Vegas, where he choreographed his own solo. He has worked with various dance companies across North America, Europe, and Asia, collaborating with renowned choreographers.

In 2012, Elon co-founded Tentacle Tribe with Canadian choreographer Emmanuelle Lê Phan, creating several works that have been presented in cities around the world. Beyond dance, Elon is a multidisciplinary artist involved in music composition, painting, and filmmaking. He currently works as an independent choreographer and is developing his project Dirt.

Catch Step

Victoria Mackenzie

Victoria Mackenzie, also known as VicVersa, is an independent dance artist based in Montreal, specializing in performance, choreography, teaching, and event coordination. With a diverse dance background, she combines classical training, b-girl foundations, and club styles. Active on both local and international stages, her work emphasizes musicality, self-expression, and catharsis.

Anaïs Chloé Gilles

Anaïs Chloé Gilles is a multidisciplinary artist within Montreal’s street dance community. She explores hip-hop, house, and ballroom cultures as a way of reconnecting with her roots. She is involved in community-based projects, including Ballroom For Community, and is committed to honoring Afro-descendant cultures while discovering herself through dance.

Delande “Djungle” Dorsaint

Montreal-based artist Delande “Djungle” Dorsaint is a professional dancer affiliated with Or Pur and Ebnfloh. Specializing in house and hip-hop, he has participated in renowned events and worked with established choreographers. He views dance as a way of life that continually enriches him, and his passion for dance remains unwavering.

INNOVATION 22-23

Jessica Muszynski - "Tête-à-Tête"

Stéphanie Fromentin - "Descendant"

Sara & Lila-Mae - "AUTOTOMIE"
Kunal Ranchod - "An Ode to Kiran and Pradeep"
Bulbe Collective - "Entr t'Enir"
Naomi Gwynn - "SEVEN"
Valérie "Taminator"Chartier - "Thin"

Jessica Muszynski

Jessica Muszynski est une chorégraphe et danseuse philippino-polono-canadienne née à Burnaby, en Colombie-Britannique, où elle a commencé sa formation en ballet à Richmond Academy of Dance avant de déménager à Calgary, AB en 2012. En mai 2019, elle est diplômée de l’Université de Californie du Sud, où elle a interprété des extraits d’œuvres de William Forsythe, Crystal Pite et Victor Quijada. Elle a obtenu un BFA en danse. Après l’obtention du diplôme, Jessica a joué dans un clip du groupe Half•alive, a dansé avec Aszure Barton & Artists lors de la première mondiale de Where There’s Form. Actuellement, Jessica est membre de la compagnie de danse montréalaise RUBBERBAND, et est également cofondatrice du Bulbe Collective, une collectif chorégraphique entièrement féminin créé en octobre 2020. Parallèlement à sa collaboration avec RUBBERBAND et Bulbe, Jessica a présenté des œuvres dans le 18, 19e & 20e éditions du Festival Quartiers Danses où elle a reçu le Prix Découverte pour sa pièce Fam ly.

Valérie "Taminator" Chartier

Valérie Chartier cumule une large expérience en danse depuis 39 ans allant du ballet, jazz, contemporain, hip hop, house, waacking et Krump. Valérie alias Taminator alias Lady Maddripp, est une pionnière du Krump au Canada et une leader influente et reconnue mondialement dans ce mouvement. Elle a voyagé à travers le monde pour participer à des compétitions, enseigner et juger des événements. Taminator est également vice-présidente de l’organisme à but non-lucratif Montreal Krump Alliance.
Également directrice du programme éducatif et artistique LeadHers, ce dernier vise le développement du plein potentiel physique et mental des femmes à travers l’apprentissage des fondations et essence du Krump. Elle est également interprète et chorégraphe. Elle a dernièrement été candidate à la saison 3 de l’émission Révolution, chorégraphe et interprète du duo Krump Dualis, qui a été présenté en avril 2022 à Maison de la Culture Mercier.

Kunal Ranchod

Kunal Ranchod est chorégraphe et diplômé de l’Université métropolitaine de Toronto et L’École supérieure de ballet du Québec. Ses œuvres ont vu les goûts des scènes internationales dont: Canada, États-Unis, Inde et Japon. Il a chorégraphié diverses œuvres pour Le Ballet national du Canada, le Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Radio Canada, le Office national du film du Canada, The Luminato Festival, Ballet Kelowna, Ballet Ouest de Montréal et plus récemment l’Université métropolitaine de Toronto. En 2017, Ranchod a lancé sa propre compagnie, Compagnie Kunal Ranchod. Sa compagnie a eu la chance de recevoir des résidences et des bourses par l’intermédiaire des Grands Ballets Canadiens, Danse à la Carte, L’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec et Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.

Naomi Gwynn

Naomi Gwynn est une artiste de danse située entre Montréal, Québec et New York. Naomi a participé à de nombreux performances et présenté des œuvres chorégraphiques à Ottawa, Montréal, Israël, l’Europe et les États-Unis. En 2019, elle a terminé le programme International Dance Journey de la Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company dans le nord d’Israël. En 2019-2020, elle a été membre de la Junior Company de Cobos Mika à Palamos, en Espagne, et en 2022, elle a été membre de la première cohorte de pilotes PRO de Gibney Company. Sa formation formelle en danse comprend un travail avec Rubberband Dance Group, Margie Gillis, Batsheva Dance Company, Trip the Light Fantastic, Julia Adam Dance et Sidra Bell Dance New York.

Sara Harton

Sara est diplômée de l’École Supérieure de Ballet Contemporain. De 2006 à 2009, elle joint BJM Danse où elle se produit notamment dans des pièces d’Azure Barton, Rodrigo Pederneiras, Crystal Pite et Mauro Bigonzetti. Depuis 2009, Sara s’est entre autre joint à ezdanza, Danse K par K, P.P.S. Danse, Les 7 doigts de la main (Triptyque), Trip the Light Fantastic, Umanoove/Didy Veldman et Cirque Éloize. Elle collabore aussi avec différentes écoles comme enseignante, assistante-chorégraphe et chorégraphe.

Lila-Mae Talbot

Suite une formation classique à l’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec, Lila-Mae se joint aux
Grands Ballets Canadiens et danse un répertoire classique et contemporain telles que des pièces de Ohad
Naharin, Jean-Christophe Maillot et Balanchine. Elle devient ensuite membre de Rubberbandance Group,
compagnie dans laquelle elle s’investie durant plusieurs années. Danseuse indépendante depuis 2012, on a
pu la voir dans le travail de Crystal Pite (Opéra « The Tempest ») Andrew Skeels, Karine Ledoyen,
Harold Rhéaume, PPS Danse, Illusion Théatre de Marionnette et Sylvain Émard.

Stéphanie Fromentin

Stéphanie Fromentin est une chorégraphe, répétitrice, interprète et enseignante française-américaine établie à Montréal. Elle est diplômée avec distinction d’un BFA en danse contemporaine à l’Université Concordia (2004) et d’une maîtrise en danse à l’UQÀM (2014). Sa recherche-création porte sur la perception et la sensation du temps présent vécu par l’interprète en dansant, où elle fut honorée comme récipiendaire de la bourse Pierre Lapointe pour excellence académique (2011). Stéphanie a présenté ses propres créations à MTL, TO, NYC, Paris et Grenoble et a été interprète pour Daina Ashbee, Martin Messier, Helen Simard, WAFD Créations Interdisciplinaires, Mathieu Leroux, Wants&Needs Dance, Parts+Labour_Danse, Anne-Flore de Rochambeau, parmi d'autres.