David Clennin is a dance artist based out of Vancouver and Edmonton, Canada.  He graduated from the School for Contemporary Arts with a BFA in Dance at Simon Fraser University in 2015. At SFU he had the pleasure of working with choreographers Rob Kitsos, Kidd Pivot, and Daisy Thompson, among many others.  Since graduating David has performed as an apprentice dancer for the response. and The Tunnel Contemporary Dance Theatre. He also received the training scholarship from EDAM dance in Fall 2016. Dave began his dance training at the age of six doing Ukrainian Dance in Edmonton, AB.  He was a member of Canada’s renowned Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, from 2007-2011 performing in numerous shows, including a 23-show, 14-city tour of China.  Dave also toured to Ukraine, Scotland, U.SA., and many parts of Canada with the Kupalo Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.  Also in Edmonton, he worked with Toy Guns Dance Theatre in 2014, 2015, and 2017, performing in various pieces such as Red Wine, French Toast, and the Best Sex You've Ever Had, and also Fortuitous Endings: What To Do when You Wake Up Drunk In A BBQ Cover In Your Neighbour’s Backyard. This is the 2nd time Dave has collaborated with Marc Arboleda, previously in Deux at T.B.A. in April 2017, and is very excited to continue collaborating with Marc on future projects.

Marc Arboleda's witty new work Variations in g features new music by Matt Horrigan and is danced by powerful performer, David Clennin. Not to be missed!

Marc is a choreographer currently working in Vancouver, BC. He has created four short works. His most recent creation Deux was presented at T.B.A. at the Gold Saucer Studio in early 2017. He has taught dance composition at Sir Charles Tupper Secondary, worked as movement coach for the Douglas College Theatre Program, and is currently Guest Choreographer and Producer for Kababayang Pilipino Cultural Performing Arts Group. He also freelances as a dancer, actor, and director. Selected credits include: Soft Face and Featherless by Elysse Cheadle (Director), Kafka:The Report by Henry Daniel (Dancer/Actor), Pattern of Liquid Stars by Sammy Chien (Dancer/Actor), and Barego by Rob Kitsos (Dancer). He is currently in pre-production for Glass and Obsidian, a music video by Lief Hall (Dancer). He studied Dance and Theatre at the School for Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University. He wishes to thank Desirée for her artistic and professional mentorship.

Matthew Horrigan is a Vancouver-based composer, software developer and interdisciplinary artist from Barrhaven, Nepean, Ottawa, where he started his creative career with some songs devised for a nameless high school grunge band.  His poems have subsequently appeared in a bunch of poetry journals including ditch,, Poetry Quarterly and Infinity’s Kitchen, as well as providing text for his musical compositions, of which 2015’s Kyrie and In the Minimal Senses won prizes at the 2016 SOCAN Foundation Young Composer Awards. Matthew holds a B.Mus in music composition from McGill and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Simon Fraser University, where he has since taught computer music as a sessional instructor.  He regularly does arts organizing work, in 2016 co-founding the ongoing contemporary-classical radio show re:composition on CFRO 100.5FM and the Constrained Creations performance art collecTive (Co.Crea.Tive), and in fall 2017 joining the board of Vancouver Pro Musica.  In winter 2016 he travelled to Huddersfield University to research electroacoustic music, and he currently works on the Musebot musical metacreation project with Arne Eigenfeldt, composing software that composes tunes. As a sound designer and composer for dance and theatre Matthew’s work has appeared in performances throughout the BC lower mainland, most recently in the children’s play The Green Wanderer, directed by Julia Siedlanowska for King Matt Theatre (of which the eponymous Matt is not related).  He also performs as a drummer, originally in the Montreal-based rock group Sister Island and lately as a session musician with Vancouver-based acts Reagan Mutt, Dumbpop and Harley Small.

Sophie Brassard is a Vancouver-based dance artist and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance from Simon Fraser University. During her time at SFU she explored her interest in choreography through the creation of works for several interdisciplinary productions. She also explored her passion for performance through the interpretation of several works by local choreographers such as Rob Kitsos, Judith Garay and Vanessa Goodman. Sophie has also had the privilege of dancing in a reconstruction of Merce Cunningham’s Native Green under the direction of Megan Walker-Straight. In the last year she has performed works for Project CPR, for Dezza Dance and most recently has co-created a work for Vines Art Festival alongside Carly Penner. 

Meet the incredibly talented Jenna Kraychy and come see her new quintet including herself, Sophie Brassard, Carly Davis, Kayla DeVos and Derya Whaley-Kalaora.

Jenna Kraychy began her dance training at age four in Calgary, Canada where she has studied Ballet and various Contemporary dance techniques. Jenna holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University, has completed various RAD Ballet Examinations, and has had a wide variety of performance and training opportunities across North America and Europe. During her time at Simon Fraser University, Jenna had the opportunity to learn and perform repertoire by many esteemed dance artists including Crystal Pite, Yossi Berg and Oded Graf Dance Theatre (Israel), Judith Garay (Dancers Dancing), and Lesley Telford (NDT/Arts Umbrella) among many others. In July 2017, Jenna participated in OpenFLR Summer Dance Intensive (Florence, Italy) where she gained exposure to the European dance community. There, she took part in a creative process with Christopher Evans (Hofesh Shechter Company, Gecko Physical Theatre Company) and workshops from other international artists including: Jenia Kasatkina (Countertechnique), Shumpei Nemoto, Dorotea Saykaly, and Jasmine Ellis. Jenna is currently working with Dezza Dance in Vancouver, Canada under the direction of Desirée Dunbar. She is also working on various choreographic projects premiering in Spring 2018. 

Carly Davis is a contemporary dance artist who grew up training in teh Fraser Valley. Carly studied further with Vancouver based Catalyst Dance Program for three seasons before her drive to pursue further training brought her to study in Israel through Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company's International Dance Journey Program. Carly returned to Vancouver and to Catalyst as a student and choreographer. She has since been an apprentice and company member for Dezza Dance and collaborated with Sophie Brassard to present a piece at Vines Arts Festival. She has spent the past season teaching in the lower mainland and is excited to be part of Jenna Kraychy's latest work.

Kayla De Vos is an emerging dance artist and administrator currently based on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples (Vancouver, B.C.). Beginning her training in the Fraser Valley, Kayla recently graduated from Simon Fraser University's School for the Contemporary Arts, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Distinction). While in the dance program, Kayla had the opportunity to interpret works by Rob Kitsos, Sarah Chase, Peter Bingham, Katie DeVries, and Crystal Pite. She has also participated in workshops with international artists such as German Jauregui and MADBOOTS Dance. In her last year of study, Kayla performed with plastic orchid factory in 2016's Digital Folk, acted as an understudy for Company605 (Inheritor Album), was involved in an intergenerational creation process with Chick Snipper, and apprenticed with Shay Kuebler/Radical System Art (Telemetry). Kayla is also working to expand her knowledge as an administrator and producer; after acting as an associate producer for plastic orchid factory, Kayla recently became the Administrative Assistant for Alvin Tolentino's Co. ERASGA, and sits on the board of the Training Society of Vancouver.

Ready to be inspired by South America dance vibes? Rachel Helten is jumping off a plane to present a new solo work.

Rachel Helten is a Vancouver based dance artist, choreographer, and teacher. In 2016, she completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at Simon Fraser University. She has an affinity for collaborative and interdisciplinary methods. In like manner she has been blessed to be a part of processes from a vast array of artists such as -Desirée Dunbar, Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, Judith Garay, Rob Kitsos, Crystal Pite, The Plastic Orchid Factory, Vanessa Goodman, Emmalena Fredriksson, Gioconda Barbuto, Wen Wei Wang, Sarah Chase, Heather Myers, The East Vancouver Opera, The Lovers Cabaret and Dorothea Saykaly. Among such impactful experiences Rachel gleaned insight from teaching dance at an art therapy centre in Quito, Ecuador. In addition, she trained in Florence, Italy in a process facilitated by emminent dance innovators from around the world. In the past two months she has been granted the gift to explore the energies of South America in Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina. In her last month there she trained and collaborated with artists in Buenos Aires. Rachel created this work responding to these frequencies, landscapes and terrain. While unearthing the stories that live within her she honours the colours of the people and the wisdom of nature that inspire her movement. Rachel would like to express deep gratitude to Dezza Dance for the fortuity to nurture her expression and share these stories. Furthermore, she extends her profound appreciation to her family and friends for their love and support and for all those who have helped shape who she is today.

Dance lovers you're in for a treat as you'll get to see Juan a lot in this show and we think you're going to love it. Juan is super-charged-energetic with a smile that'll melt your heart. Come see his solo and duet work with equally infectious Akeisha De Baat.

Juan Villegas is a Colombian Canadian dance artist, he works in dance, performance art, and video. He works with improvisation and collaboration, exploring themes such as identity, equality and pushing boundaries of physicality. He is also interested in traditional and nontraditional performance spaces. He is drawn to full bodied movement that is fused with emotional connectedness. He believes in performing with the highest level of sensory awareness and uses improvisation as a tool to discovering honest movement states. His background in Latin American dance and culture, films, contemporary music, ceramics, traveling, the state of the world, western science and the Yoga system influence his dance. Juan has a post-baccalaureate diploma in contemporary dance from Simon Fraser University and a degree in industrial design from Emily Carr University. Juan has been dancing professionally since 2012 when he joined Paras Terezakis' company Kinesis Dance Somatheatro in Vancouver. He performed with the company for two seasons before moving to Toronto in September of 2013. In 2016 he toured in Ontario with Chartier Danse and performed in Marie-Josée Chartier's work 'petites danses'. In 2017 he relocated back to BC to continuing his artistic endeavours in Vancouver, a city with a dance thriving scene. Professionally, Juan has also collaborated with Desirée Dunbar (Dezza Dance), Vanessa Goodman (Action at a Distance), D.A Hoskins (The Dietrich Group), Allison Cumings (Sore for Punching You), Darryl Tracy and Jillian Peever. Juan also teaches Yoga and Pilates locally and Yoga teacher trainings abroad.  

Photo: David Cooper

I first met Derya when she was fifteen at Arts Umbrella and had an inkling we would work together more. She's an old soul and full of potential. Her bravery in self-expression will dazzle and inspire. Come see this dramatic duet with The one and only Juan Villegas.

Derya Whaley-Kalaora is an eighteen year old dancer, musician, and climber from Vancouver, British Columbia. She has a solo career in folk music and has released one album and is in the process of making her first music video. She is also the singer in a band which has many local performances coming up. Derya has been dancing since she was two, and movement has always been an integral part of her life. She danced at a community centre for many years before moving to Arts Umbrella when she was ten. She trained at Arts Umbrella in their dance company for seven years as part of their semi professional program. Derya has performed on stage for several dance companies, as well as independently choreographing and performing numerous dances for a youth festival. This is the first dance piece she has choreographed over 4 minutes and was excited to rise to the challenge. Choreographing on a male dancer was another exciting learning curve for her as well. Derya is also well versed in theatre and thus had lots of fun creating this piece around a strong emotional story; this concept drives the choreography. This is Derya's first year apprenticing with Dezza Dance. She also assists in teaching children's dance classes at Trout Lake Community Centre under Dezza Dance, which she enjoys immensely, and hopes to do more of in the future. This is her first year choreographing for and performing in Leg Up! Contemporary Dance Concert and she hopes to continue to partake in more fantastic opportunities like this in the future.

Megan Hunter, Co-Artistic Director of WAREHAUS dance collective, is actively creating works both in collaboration with WAREHAUS and independently. Through WAREHAUS, Megan has been mentored and performed works by Vanessa Goodman and Desiree Dunbar. WAREHAUS has performed original works presented by Dance Allsorts by New Works Dance Management, Small Stage, OURO collective, To.Be.Announced, Sweet Moves, Cascadia Film Festival, and Shadbolt Centre for the Arts (International Dance Day) and Dezza Dance. She had the privilege of training sessionally at the Toronto Dance Theatre and in partnership with Dancemakers, and in scholarships programs with EDAM and Training Society of Vancouver. Megan is the honoured recipient of the Grant Strate Award in Dance in 2014, from Simon Fraser University. She is currently performing and rehearsal directing with Kinesis Dance Somatheatro. She additionally was also the assistant to Paras Terezakis, Artistic Director, through his creation process, titled “In Penumbra”. Megan was invited to New Brunswick in April 2017, to create and perform a new work in collaboration with musicians, Andrew Reed Miller and Emily Kennedy, under mentorship from Lesandra Dodson. WAREHAUS travelled to Toronto in June 2017 to present Warp and Weft, choreography by Vanessa Goodman for New Blue Emerging Festival. Megan’s education in movement continued this year as she travelled internationally to participate in multiple workshops in Italy, France, Sweden, Spain and Vienna. She also presented a new work created in residency in Veretz, France and performance in Festival Dansez Maintenant. 

I'm absolutely thrilled to present the dynamic duo Akeisha De Baat and Megan Hunter, otherwise known as WAREHAUS dance collective. Have you seen their work? You should. Dancing in P.O.S are the talented up-and-comers (and two of my top votes for most likely to succeed) Danielle Sagris & Samantha Priya Wright.

Akeisha de Baat is based in Vancouver, where she works as an independent artist and co-founder/artistic director of WAREHAUS dance collective. WAREHAUS has been a critical feature in Akeisha’s career for creating and performing works around Vancouver, after graduating with her BFA from Simon Fraser University School of Contemporary Arts in 2014. Akeisha has performed on various stages in Vancouver including; New Works: Dance Allsorts, Small Stages, 12 Minutes Max, Cascadia Film Festival, Lovers Cabaret, To. Be. Announced, and New Blue Emerging Festival, in Toronto. She has had the pleasure of interpreting works by; Megan Hunter, Vanessa Goodman, Paras Terezakis, Lovers Cabaret, Dezza Dance, and Joeri Dubbe (NL). In 2017, Akeisha completed a self-directed Cultural-Entrepreneurial residency with Small Stage, which was made possible with the support of the BCAC Early Career Development Grant. In 2015 Akeisha worked as an assistant to Dutch choreographer, Joeri Dubbe, at the Korzo Theatre in partnership with The Netherlands Danse Theatre. Akeisha’s continues to study movement, taking her countries such as, Australia, Germany, Italy, Austria, London and The Netherlands, to gain international experience from an arrangement of dance practitioners and educators. Through her travels, she has grown a passion for Countertechnique®. In 2016, she traveled to Australia for the One Body, One Career intensive to train under the founder Anouk van Dijk, and since then has participated in Countertechnique® workshops in Vancouver, Seattle, and San Francisco, to gain more knowledge and insight in order to better integrate this method into her artistic practice.

Danielli Sagris is an emerging contemporary dance artist currently based in Vancouver, B.C. She started dancing at a young age, training and competing across North America throughout high school. In later years, she was introduced to contemporary dance forms, which led her to Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) School for the Contemporary Arts dance program. Danielle has had the opportunity to participate in workshops with visiting artists such as Abraham in Motion and Ballets Jazz Montréal. She has also had the pleasure of performing work by Vanessa Goodman, Yossi Berg and Oded Graf (Israel), Peter Bingham, Dezza Dance, and Wen Wei Wang, among others. Now going into her fourth year at SFU, Danielle is excited for the journey ahead as she continues to develop her personal artistry.

Samantha Priya Wright is a passionate and driven contemporary dance artist from Vancouver, BC. She is currently studying at Simon Fraser University to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Dance Major. Samantha has had the opportunity to revisit her high school to teach and choreograph for students to perform at the Burnaby Dance Festival. Along with choreographing and performing her own works, she has also had the pleasure to work with local and international choreographers such as Wen Wei Wang, Yossi Berg and Oded Graf, Ziyian Kwan, KT Niehoff, Judith Garay, Desirée Dunbar, and currently through SFU's repertory course, Company 605. Now, close to the end of her final year of university, Samantha is excited for the journey ahead, and is determined that her passion for creativity and movement will help her achieve her artistic goals.