TEAM BIOGRAPHIES
Bennett Richardson is an emerging Canadian-American choreographer and dance artist currently based in Toronto, Ontario. Bennett finds value in exploring reflective concepts through his choreography, which has included recently choreographing for DaCo at the Canadian Opera Company’s Free Concert Series produced by Angela Blumberg, and Fever After Dark Toronto. He holds a BFA in Dance from Toronto Metropolitan University. Bennett has a practice for performance in addition to his choreographic endeavours. He strives to find challenge and precision in the work that he performs, constantly looking for new ventures to broaden his understanding of dance. He has performed works by Sekou McMiller, slowdanger, Susie Burpee, Pulga Muchochoma, Louis Laberge-Cote, Raoul Pillay, and excerpts by Sharon Eyal.While Bennett is committed to forever remaining a student, he has found a love for teaching and strives to inspire young artists to push artistic boundaries, taking him across Ontario to share what he has to offer the dance community.
Alexis Goossens is a Canadian artist with a practice rooted in collaboration and self-discovery. She aims to push the boundaries between the physical body and mind while traversing between studio, stage, forest and everyday spaces with curiosity. Alexis seeks to fully embody each choreographic world, adapting and offering herself as a vessel for the choreographer’s vision. She has trained at Arts Umbrella, Proarte Danza and Ballets Jazz Montréal intensives. Alexis holds a BFA in Performance Dance from Toronto Metropolitan University as of spring 2026. Outside of dance, Alexis finds inspiration through the simple acts of walking, reading, writing and spending time with loved ones.
Denise Igama is a Filipino-Canadian movement artist and interpreter based in Toronto. Her practice is introspective and rooted in improvisation and collaboration. She works in relation to her peers in studio settings, using experimentation and creative dialogue to expand her choreographic voice. Denise has worked under the guidance of Pulga Muchochoma, Raoul Pillay, and Sekou McMiller in partnership with Fall For Dance North, and additionally trained with Decidedly Jazz Dance Works, ProArte Danza, and Adelhied’s TuneIn Intensive. In 2025, she worked at the Mississauga-based Art Shelter with Frog in Hand, furthering her creative development as an interpreter. Denise is a 2026 BFA graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University's Performance Dance Program. Outside of her practice, Denise finds joy in being with loved ones and reading to expand her artistic expression
Aerin Cho is a Korean-Canadian movement artist and interpreter based in Toronto. She has collaborated with companies including ProArteDanza and Adelheid, as well as performed in the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair and Fall For Dance North. Deeply committed to creative research, process, and sharing, Aerin has participated in the Conteur Summer Intensive, The Ballet Lab, The Fifth Summer Dance Intensive, Adelheid’s TuneIn, ProArteDanza’s SIP, and Arts Umbrella’s ISDI. Aerin holds a BFA from Toronto Metropolitan University. She is a recipient of the Orly Watkin Dance Award and was nominated for a Hnatyshyn Developing Artist Grant. Aerin roots her practice in physical expression, cultural identity, and vulnerability.
Sage Bernstein-Cord is an emerging dance artist, choreographer, and teacher. She values the catharsis of physical movement, a soulful connection to music, and the sense of community fostered through social dance. Sage’s practice spans multiple forms, including jazz, contemporary, street styles, west african, ballet, and modern. She has performed in contemporary works by Susie Burpee, Pulga Muchochoma, and Kevin O’Day, and in Toronto-based pieces by Kylie Thompson, Jac Valiquette, Kennedy Elder, and Christopher Knowles. Sage holds a BFA from the Performance Dance program at Toronto Metropolitan University, where her exploration of devised creation expanded her understanding of art as both process and offering. Rooted in a profound connection to nature and a love of outdoor exploration, Sage continues to shape movement that reflects vitality, curiosity, and the living rhythm of the world around her.
Liyah Simbulan is a Toronto based dance artist, choreographer and dance educator. Liyah’s work through dance and choreography aims to engage with social issues of the past and present, specifically racial and feminist movements. She continues to collaborate with black North American creatives, being a featured soloist in recent works by Raoul Pillay, Kahvontay Slaughter, Clarence Ford, Pulga Muchochoma and Sekou McMiller. She is also a dancer with Lua Shayenne Dance Company and performed choreography by internationally renowned choreographer Justin Peck. Liyah is a dance educator at Canadian Dance Academy and Leslieville School of Dance and Music, engaging with and inspiring young dancers. She holds a BFA for Performance Dance from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) as of spring 2026. Liyah pushes social boundaries by upholding the power of her art form, proudly representing her Jamaican and Filipino heritage.
Severyn Dahlke is a passionate and multifaceted artist in dance and acting, bringing depth and intention to every performance. Specializing in a broad range of dance languages, she combines creativity, discipline, and a wide-ranging skillset in each project. Thriving in live performance, Severyn is currently a member of the Raptors 905 dance team, performing at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre. She performed at FFDN in Sekou McMiller’s piece Si Benou! (2025) and has collaborated on interdisciplinary performances with Arts Orillia’s Theatre & Cross Creativity program (2023–2024). Her professional experience extends to film and television, including performing in the nationally broadcast Project Ontario (2025) commercial and Alicia K. Harris’s short film On a Sunday at Eleven (2023), which was featured at TIFF. Currently pursuing a BFA in Dance at Toronto Metropolitan University, Severyn integrates her training into performances.She balances artistry, discipline, and emotional resonance, leaving a lasting impression on audience
Micheline Desaulniers is an emerging artist based in Toronto hailing from the Maritime city of Fredericton. She is a dance artist and maker who works at the intersection of voice and movement. Her involvement in the performing arts continues to broaden her knowledge of the dramaturgical world that she traverses. She has worked with dance artists such as Louis Laberge-Cote, Pulga Muchochoma, Susie Burpee, Vania Dodoo-Beals, and Carleen Zouboules. Mich is a 2026 graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Performance Dance program, training in music, composition, acting, film, and other creative practices. Micheline believes in creating emotional art that values wit and animated styles onstage.
Sarah Dewdney is an emerging dance artist, performer, and choreographer, based in Toronto,Ontario. Through a highly impressionistic approach, her practice as an artist aims to reflect the human experience, and embody vulnerability. Sarah has danced for choreographers such as; Raoul Pillay, Pulga Muchochoma, and most recently, Kevin O’Day. She has trained in a wide array of styles, and graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Performance Dance. Sarah has a passion for teaching, and prioritizes dance history education alongside artistic development for her students.
Katelyn Elia is a passionate dancer, teacher, and choreographer whose work is grounded in technical precision and emotional depth. Her movement practice explores the inner complexity of her lived experiences, using dance as a powerful form of expression and storytelling. Katelyn is a Performance: Dance student with extensive training across a wide range of genres, including Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Modern, Street Styles, and Afro-Cuban dance. She actively performs, choreographs, and collaborates with Toronto-based dancers in both studio and performance settings, and is deeply committed to teaching and mentoring young artists. She holds an Advanced 2 Standing in Cecchetti Ballet and will receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance: Dance from Toronto Metropolitan University in Spring 2026.
Isabella Gerosa is a Toronto-based artist, working professionally as a dancer, choreographer, and educator. She believes movement is a powerful form of expression, one that should be experienced physically, spiritually, and musically. Isabella has choreographed for the Young Creators Challenge (2019), Fever After Dark (2025), the Starry Night Arts Festival through Arts Orillia (2025), and the International Women’s Conference Gala in Toronto (2024). Her performance experience includes DaCo Show at the Four Seasons Centre (2025), live works by choreographers Pulga Muchochoma, Roberto Campanella, Kevin O’Day, and appearances on stages across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Her foundational training at Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance played a significant role in shaping her approach to movement and artistry. She is currently pursuing a BFA in Performance Dance at Toronto Metropolitan University. Guided by a deep curiosity and a passion for both sharing and learning, Isabella brings vibrancy and sensitivity to every creative endeavor.
Estella Haensel is a Canadian dance artist approaching performance as both discovery and offering. Her practice pushes movement boundaries to reveal emotional underpinnings. Within the intense physicality of dance, Estella works with vulnerability and curiosity. She has trained with the Limon Dance Company, Arts Umbrella, MoveNYC, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, and Proarte Danza. Estella has acted as a vessel in works by Kevin O’Day, Jera Wolfe, Robert Glumbek, Roberto Campanella, Pulga Muchochoma, Jennifer Archibald, and Alyssa Martin. She holds a BFA in Performance Dance from Toronto Metropolitan University. Estella thrives in collaborative environments and is eager to share stories that resonate with communities beyond the stage.
Ainsley Inkpen is a Toronto-based artist, performer, choreographer, and educator. She views dance as a vessel for expression, discovery, and connection, where profound insights into the human experience can emerge. She has performed works by Sekou McMiller, Pulga Muchochoma, Louis Laberge-Cote, and Raoul Pillay. On the stages of Fall for Dance North, Fever Afterdark, Toronto Fringe Next Stage Theatre Festival, DaCo, and additionally trained with Ballet Jazz Montréal as well as Decidedly Jazz Dance Works. Her choreography fosters creativity and introspection and has been featured in the Choreographic Works Student Showcase 2025 and the Women's Conference Gala 2024. She is currently pursuing a BFA in Performance Dance at Toronto Metropolitan University. Ainsley is deeply committed to inspiring excellence, safety, and creativity in every dancer she teaches, driven by a powerful passion for education and impact.
Emily Kho is a multifaceted dance artist based in Toronto, blending a variety of dance techniques and embodied practices through storytelling. Inspired by the intersection of dance and acting, Emily creates performances that transform private feelings into shared, visceral experiences for the audience. She has trained in modern, ballet, pointe, contemporary, West African, vernacular jazz, street styles, and tap. Some of her performance highlights include touring with Jörgen Dance’s The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition, TMU’s RISE Fall Dances,and SPRINGWORKS. Her technical foundation is grounded in RAD and ISTD pedagogies,having completed numerous examinations in ballet, tap, and modern, highlighted by her achievement of Advanced Ⅱ Ballet. Emily is a 2026 graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University, earning a BFA in Performance Dance. This artist channels unspoken and motion –she is constantly investigating the intersection of movement and raw feeling to create something unforgettable.
Thandi Noelle is a rising talent in the Toronto dance community, blending her rich musical background with her passion for movement to create compelling and charismatic performances. As a young dance artist, she emphasizes the importance of musicality, encouraging dancers to connect deeply with the music to inform their movements. Her work and her studies prioritize feeling and emotional expression from this information, fostering an environment where dancers can develop the skill of listening first and responding next. Through her teaching and choreographic process, Thandi aims to instill in her students the ability to feel first and perform second, striving to cultivate a new generation of dancers who move with intention, tenacity, and versatility. Her extensive training and lifelong commitment to learning drives her creative practice with strength.
Skye Celia Lee Anderson is an outgoing fourth year student in the Performance: Production program. She has had the privilege of working with artists across Dance, Drama and Beyond including Dancetheatre David Earle, stitched! Live Journalism and Dr. Kris Alexander. When she's not in the theatre, Skye avidly watches the TTC vehicles that pass her by, hoping to someday add each and every cardboard model to her collection. You can see more of Skye's work at www.skyeanderson.ca
Isaac Maker is a costume designer, landscaper, and Drag Queen from Peterborough, Ontario, currently in their 4th year of study in the Performance Production program at TMU. Over their course of study at TMU they have worked as a costume designer for Stories Through Jazz: A Tribute to Norma Miller (2024), Seven Farces (2025), and as co-designer with Charlie Nootebos for Below the Fray (2025). They have also worked as an alterationist for the Dungeons and Dragons Immersive Experience (2025), and as the wardrobe assistant and Drag consultant for Beyonsea and The Mothers (2025) at Green Light Arts. Isaac was featured on Crave’s Drag Brunch Saved My Life (2025) as Betty Baker (their drag persona) and has performed all across Southern Ontario for the past 7 years. They are incredibly excited to be once again working with the graduating class of dancers on Primordia!
Max Malfara (he/him) is a Toronto-based technician, designer, and theatrical artist committed to collaborative, creative work rooted in kindness, professionalism, and curiosity. He studies Performance Production & Design at Toronto Metropolitan University, pursuing a minor in law, and made his Creative School debut with Primordia. Max specializes in both design and production management, with experience as a stagehand, lighting and sound designer, head of department, and stage manager across Toronto’s entertainment scene. He has trained with the National Theatre School of Canada and worked with leading theatre professionals nationwide. Select credits include Antigonick, New Words Festival, and Revolt, She Said, Revolt Again. Outside of work, he enjoys baking, reading, concerts, and hockey. Max aspires to design for major, large-scale touring artists or Broadway productions.
Bernalli Rosales is in her third year of the BFA program at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Performance: Design and Production program. They are a multidisciplinary artist and musician who currently specializes in Sound Design in university productions like The Alchemist (dir. Severn Thompson, 2026), Frankenstein Exhibit (2026), and MacBitches (dir. Abigail Whitney, 2025). They also did Assistant Set Decor and Properties Design for indie film productions around Toronto.
Georgia Smith is a performance technician, artist, and theatre lover based in Toronto. She just completed her last year of Performance Production at TMU, where she focused on production management and technical direction. She has also spent the past year working as Toronto Metropolitan Theatre Company's Director of Operations, overseeing its 2026 production of Titanic: The Musical. When she's not working or at show call, you can find her crocheting and watching Youtube video essays.