Dedra McDermott

Dedra McDermott is a new-generation Black artist-researcher, emerging curator and movement dramaturg. She holds a BFA in Choreography and Performance (York University) and an MA in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies (University of Toronto). Her artistic research explores identity, memory, and grief—utilizing autoethnographic methodology to weave movement and literary choreographies to create live, filmed, and installation works. McDermott is currently an MFA candidate in Criticism and Curatorial Practice at OCAD University (Supervised by Dr. Andrea Fatona).

Alireza Keymanesh

Alireza Keymanesh is a choreographer, filmmaker, actor, writer, and teacher. In 2009, he graduated from Tehran University of Arts’ acting program, before undertaking one year of practical dance-theatre research as a guest at ArtEZ University of Arts in the Netherlands in 2013. Currently he is studying his MFA in Film at York University in Toronto. He has won several awards at various film festivals around the world both as a filmmaker and actor. Additionally, he has been introducing and developing the Ideokinesis method in Iran, by offering workshops, lectures, and translating André Bernard’s Ideokinesis book into the Persian language.

Rumi Jeraj

Rumi Jeraj is an Ismailli Muslim hailing from Sherwood Park Alberta (the world’s largest hamlet). A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University, Rumi has worked for dance artists including Darryl Tracy, Heidi Strauss, Hanna Kiel and Eilish Shin-Culhane. He was a selected choreographer for the inaugural DaCo, where he created a first draft of his work The Line, which will be presented as a full-length work at the 2023 Hamilton Fringe Festival. Outside of contemporary dance, Rumi has trained in tap dance with Travis Knights and Dianne Montgomery. He aspires to create and be a part of work which mixes forms in order to better tell stories. He believes there is a perfect balance between words, music, and movement which can communicate intellectually, emotionally and viscerally all at once. He aspires to find this state on stage.

Baffour Kwasi Obeng-Adjei

Baffour Kwasi Obeng-Adjei is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist, emerging choreographer and dance educator based in Brampton, Ontario. His training consists of many Traditional West African Dances, Afro Contemporary, and Afro Fusion. He has worked for the likes of Esie Mensah, and Lua Shayenne to name a few, which led to opportunities that include Pan-American Games, Kira, The Path | La Voie, The Raptors half-time show, Zayo and more.