Featuring Katie Adams-Gossage, Priyanka Tope, Jossua Satinée and Stacey Désilier
Program 1: Braids & Heritage
Oct 21 @ 6:00PM, 8:00PM* Oct 22 @ 6:00PM
*Includes post-show Artist Talk from 8:45-9:15PM
Program 2: guttedandPendulum
Oct 22 @ 8:00PM* Oct 23 @ 6:00PM, 8:00PM
*Includes post-show Artist Talk from 8:45-9:15PM
Running Time: 45 minutes
Generously supported by Susanne Boyce and Brendan Mullen
Co-presented with
Program 1:
Jossua Satinée and Stacey Désilier
Braids & Heritage
One part performance, one part participatory line dance, this work by Montreal’s Jossua Satinée and Stacey Désilier is, in their words, a translation of the “complexities and expressions [of their multi-ethnic background] through popular dances and movements created by black folks. From braids to cake walk, moonwalk, twerk, twist and square set, [it is] a showcase in celebration of our ancestors.”
Concept, Choreography, Performance, Set and Costume Design: Jossua Satinée & Stacey Désilier Sound Design: Steven Doman Lighting Design: Paul Chambers Lighting and Stage Design Assistance: Jordana Natale Production: Jossua Satinée & Stacey Désilier Delegated Production: Parbleux Co-production: Festival TransAmériques - FTA (Montréal, Canada)
Running Time: 45 minutes
Creative residencies: Centre de Création O’Vertigo - CCOV (Montréal, Canada), L’Annexe-A (Rouyn-Noranda, Canada), Théâtre Hector Charland (L’Assomption, Canada)
Work in progress presentations: Open studio Parbleux #6 2024 and #7 2025 (Montréal, Canada), Summerworks Festival 2025 (Toronto, Canada), Fall for Dance North Festival 2025 (Toronto, Canada)
Creation support: Parbleux (Montréal, Canada)
The creation of this work is made possible thanks to the financial support of Conseil des arts de Montréal
Graduating from the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2014, Stacey Désilier is a performer with remarkable intensity. Her artistic curiosity leads her to explore a wide range of disciplines, including contemporary dance, urban dance, and circus arts. Among her collaborations are works with Mélanie Demers/Mayday, Compagnie Catherine Gaudet, Dana Gingras/Animals of Distinction, Helen Simard, George Stamos, Le Carré Des Lombes/Danièle Desnoyers, Collectif9, Tentacle Tribe, Benoît Landry/Nord nord est, Dave St-Pierre, Cirque Éloize and the Opera Starmania. She believes in the fusion of cultures through dance and is driven by a desire to continue sharing artistic experiences.
Jossua Satinée first developed in Hip Hop dance alongside the group Rockwell Family. In 2014, Satinée graduated from the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (EDCM). They have danced for Destins Croisés and collaborated with choreographers such as Nico Archambault, Andrew Skeels, Sébastien Provencher, Wynn Holmes and Anne Plamondon, Dana Gingras, Jacques Poulin-Denis, Lauri-ann Lauzon, Andrea Peña, and Parts n Labour. From 2019 to 2024, they were a member of Compagnie Marie Chouinard. Navigating between the contemporary stage and the commercial industry, Satinée seeks plurality and diversity in their artistic practice.
Hailed as “Contemporary dance meets performance art … Absolutely stunning!” at Toronto Fringe 2024 (Jillian Robinson, Toronto Fringe Review Roundup), gutted focuses on a woman in constant revolution and evokes profound historical, philosophical, visual, and feminist symbolism.
Choreography: Katie Adams-Gossage Performance: Frédérique Perron Lighting Design: Theo Belc
Music: “Whale’s Song” by Hania Rani and “In That Aleppo Twice” by Gregg Kowalsky
Katie Adams-Gossage is an independent dance artist based in Toronto. Her choreography prioritises physical and emotional intelligence by asking performers to act spontaneously and sensorially, probing the interstitial and sensitive nature of the felt sense. Her qualitative, detail-oriented approach has garnered her a close-knit circle of artfully alert collaborators without whom there would be no work. She welcomes them not simply as vessels for her voice, but artists in their own right. As her longest-standing creative partner, layers upon layers of Katie’s choreographic research find their home in Frédérique Perron. The two have been intertwined personally and professionally for four years, intent on a committed, long-term artistic trust based on shared personal, political, and physical values.
Pendulum is a work that challenges viewers to confront their own responses to crises, and considers cultivating empathy as a force for positive change in the world.
Choreographer & Dancer: Priyanka Topé Music Composer & Cellist: Saskia Rao-de Haas Tabla & Pakhwaj: Tejas Topé Choreographic Mentorship: Parul Shah
Priyanka is an emerging Kathak artist, choreographer, vocalist, and dance educator based in Hamilton, Canada. She began studying Kathak at a young age under Pandita Guru Archana Joglekar and continued her training for over a decade with her teacher and mentor Parul Shah. Priyanka has also trained in Bharatanatyam under Smt. Guru Satya Pradeep.
As a choreographer, Priyanka aims to create a deeper connection through themes and movement that resonate with a contemporary and diverse audience. She experiments with traditional formats, storytelling, and movement as part of her creative process. This exploration has led her to mentorships with award-winning artists including Denise Fujiwara (Canada) and Kristina and Sadé Alleyne (UK). Priyanka continues to expand her traditional Kathak training with Vaishali Sangati (India).
Director of Design: Simon Rossiter Director of Production: Barney Bayliss Production Manager: Brianne Gwartz Associate Lighting Designer: Noah Feaver Stage Manager: Kathy Le Assistant Stage Manager: Liliane Stilwell* Assistant Lighting Designers: Sruthi Suresan, Mathilda Kane
Bluma Appel Theatre: Senior Producer: Ariana Shaw Production Manager: Chris Carlton Head Electrician: Giulia D’Amanzo Head Carpenter: Jay Blencowe Head of Audio: Keijo Makela Head of Props: Wes Allen Head of Wardrobe: Susan Batchelor
*The participation of these Artists is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance Opera Theatre Policy (DOT).
Fall for Dance North Team
Leadership
Robert Binet - Artistic Director & Co-CEO
Lily Sutherland - Festival Director & Co-CEO
Aviva Fleising - General Manager
Melissa Forstner - Director of Advancement and Communications
Milana Glumicic - Director of Marketing
Melina Osorio - Finance Officer
Simon Rossiter - Director of Design
Barney Bayliss - Director of Production
Felicia Myronyk - Manager of Advancement
Markéta Tokova - Senior Producer
Julia Mak - Festival and Volunteer Coordinator
Seasonal Staff
Zita Nyarady - Company Manager
Angela Xu - Company Manager
Charlotte Cain - Content Creator
Lucy Rupert - Education and Engagement Coordinator
Cass Cabral Pucci - Community Arts Coordinator
Noah Feaver - Associate Lighting Designer
Jon Reid - Marketing Coordinator
Maria Al Sa'di - Patrons Services and Administrative Coordinator
Year-Round Collaborators
Web Development & Graphic Design Team -Mouth Media
Publicity & Communications -Murray Patterson Marketing Group
Financial Services -Robert Gore and Associates
To read more about our team and their bios, please visit theOur Team page on the FFDN website.
Celebrate our 11th festival with us at Up Next, our closing festival program, Oct 25-26 at OCAD U!
FFDN is Toronto’s premier professional international dance festival that exists to break boundaries and remove barriers.
With pluralism and affordability at its core, FFDN celebrates, nurtures and amplifies established and emerging Canadian dance artists, creates global connections, and inspires future audiences to sustain the artform.
