Collaborators
Artistic Associate & Collaborator
Adèle Ross
About Adèle
Adèle is a Montreal-native artist who started in capoeira before focusing on dance. Through Hip-Hop, she developed a passion that led her to chose the professional path. She then furthered her training at Ballet Divertimento before attending The School of Toronto Dance Theatre (now Dance Arts Institute) where she graduated from in 2021.
Following her graduation, Adèle had the opportunity to work with many choreographers such as Victor Quijada (Rubberband Dance Group), Jessica Joy Muszynski, Pulga Muchochoma, Naomi Gwynn and Yvonne Ng which led her to perform on stages accross Canada, the United-States and Germany. As a choreographer, Adèle has presented work for POP Montréal and the Festival de Danse Contemporaine de Sherbrooke (FDCS).
Furthermore, as a member of the collective
Horizons, she has been able to showcase work at the FDCS and Festival Quartiers Danses. Adèle sees movement as a way of connecting yourself to your instincts and sensations of expression and pleasure. It is a precious ingredient in the recipe of community.
Artistic Mentor
Pulga Muchochoma
About Pulga
Pulga Muchochoma was born in Quelimane, Mozambique. His dance career and training began in Quelimane with Montes Namuli Dance Company. In August of 2006, he came to Toronto with the company for the International AIDS Conference. With Montes Namuli/Shakespeare Link Canada, he performed in several shows in venues in Toronto and Mozambique. When Montes Namuli returned to Mozambique, Muchochoma stayed in Toronto to study at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, where he had the chance to work with many choreographers like Coralee McLaren, D.A. Hoskins, Danny Grossman, Darryl Tracy, James Kudelka, Massimo Agostinelli, Peggy Baker, Peter Chin, Sasha Ivanochko, Sharon Moore and William Yong. He has worked with Toronto Dance Theatre under Artistic Director Christopher House since 2009.
During his time with TDT he has had the pleasure of working and collaborating with local and international choreographers such as Christopher House, Ame Anderson, Veronica Tennant, Susie Burpee, Peter Chin, Tawiah Ben McCart, Patricia Beaty, Thomas Hauert, Heidi Strauss, Estelle Clareton, Deborah Dunn, Deborah Hay, Simone Orlando, Josh Beamish, Alban Richard, Jean-Paul Kelly, Alicia Grant, Jeanine Durning and more. Also with TDT, Muchochoma participated in the 2015 Opening ceremony of the Toronto Pan Am Games with Cirque du Soleil and NBS. He is also the creator and founder of African Dance and Fitness with Pulga since 2015.
Collaborator
Jianna Neufeld
About Jianna
Jianna Neufeld (she/her) is a queer, Tkaronto-based, dance and theatre artist, who was born and raised at Mile Zero of the Alaska Highway. She is a graduate of the Victoria Academy of Ballet (2017), and The School of Toronto Dance Theatre (2020), where she was honoured co-valedictorian and the two-time recipient of the Walker Wood Bursary. She also holds a BFA Hons. in Choreography/Performance from York University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2023.
Neufeld is currently working as an independent artist across Turtle Island, having performed for Frog in Hand, Adrian de Leeuw, Caroline Bentley, Dave Wilson, Newton Moraes, The Bentway Conservancy, Tara Butler, and Maria Isabel Salgado, among others, as well as in festivals such as Fall for Dance North and SummerWorks. Alongside performing, she is passionate about sharing dance for the wellness of both the person and the community. She enjoys teaching with Dancing With Parkinsons, as well as co-facilitating mixed-art workshops for youth and elderly with tiger princess dance projects.
Collaborator
Nidhi Baadkar
About Nidhi
Born in India and raised in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Nidhi Baadkar (she/they) started her training at the age of ten in the Indian classical technique of Bharatanatyam. Because of her interest in contemporary art, Nidhi completed her Diploma in Movement Art and Mixed Media at Attakkalari Centre, Bangalore, India where she studied Indian martial arts including Kalaripayattu and Chhau, contemporary dance and physical theatre. She has worked and performed in Bahrain, Canada and India and is a certified facilitator in Therapeutic Dance in Education.
Currently residing in Toronto, Nidhi is an alumni of the Dance Arts Institute and Company Dancer at Nova Dance. Interested in diversifying her production and arts management skills, she recently started her role as the Company Manager at The National Ballet of Canada. As an aspiring movement artist, Nidhi hopes to develop a vocabulary of her own which is deeply rooted within Indian aesthetics.
Collaborator
Maggie Armstrong
About Maggie
Maggie Armstrong is a freelance contemporary dance artist based in Toronto. Raised in Owen Sound, ON, Maggie’s training began in ballet, contemporary, highland dance, modern and jazz. She is a proud graduate of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre (2020), as well as completed studies with the Martha Graham Summer School (2018), and the Kenny Pearl Emerging Artists Intensive (2019). Maggie successfully completed her advanced diploma in Massage Therapy from Georgian College (2022), and currently practices as a Registered Massage Therapist working with a variety of movers.
As a contemporary dance artist, Maggie has worked with Unwrap Theatre, Caroline’s Creative Initiatives, Newton Moraes Dance Theatre, and most recently with Litt Dance Collective in the National Ballet Open Space Residency. Maggie’s latest interest lies in exploring the world of Ballroom dance.