The Artists
Saint John, NB
Claire Ahern is a dance performer, instructor, and choreographer based in Saint John, New Brunswick. Shortly after arriving in Saint John in 2019, Claire paired her passion for swing dancing with love for her new city by founding a project designed to create community and spread joy: Saint John Swing Dance. Since its inception, SJSD has gained momentum fashioning partnerships with the Imperial Theatre, Spotlight Saint John, Uptown Sparkles, and CultureFest. Ms. Ahern is also head dance instructor for the Bathurst Boogie Swing Dance Festival, a partner with Bathurst Band Fest.
Photo Credit: Laura Dincorn
Moncton, NB
Chantal Baudouin has danced for Toronto Dance Theater, ProjectLIMB (New York), PPS Danse (Montreal), Vazari Arts (Toronto) and DansEncorps (Moncton). She has toured internationally and participated to the Hong Kong Arts Festival, 2018. Chantal is a teacher, choreographer, rehearsal director, movement advisor for theatre and guest artist in schools/preschools. Chantal won the Prix Éloize: Artist of the Year in Dance 2018. Chantal’s first creation-production, Les Nœuds de Gustav, premiered to a sold-out crowd at the Aberdeen Cultural Center in October 2022. Chantal was chosen to represent Canada-NB at the Jeux de la Francophonie in Kinshasa, Republic of Congo, 2023.
Photo Credit: Annie France Noël
Joanna Bryson
Saint John, NB
Joanna Bryson is a dance artist, educator and arts administrator from Saint John, NB. She is a co-founder and the Executive Director of Connection Dance Works. Joanna is proud of the work Connection Dance Works has produced and created since its inception in 2010.
Photo Credit: Matt Carter
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Susanne Chui
Halifax, NS
Susanne Chui is a mother of two, an award-winning dance artist and Co-Artistic Director of Mocean Dance. As a performer for 22 years, Susanne has worked with over 25 choreographers from across the country, and her dancing in Mocean’s 'Canvas 5 x 5', choreographed by Tedd Robinson, earned her the 2016 Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia’s Masterworks Award. A passionate improvisor, Susanne collaborates across disciplines and is a faculty member of the Creative Music Workshop. Her choreographic work has been presented by Kinetic Studio, the TD Halifax Jazz Festival, Connection Dance Works, and Mocean Dance and her most recent project is 'Becoming Old Growth', a collective with Erin Donovan and Basma Kavanagh.
Photo Credit: James MacLean
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Halifax, NS
Erin Donovan is a versatile multi-instrumentalist, composer and creator of interdisciplinary work as the Artistic Director of Hear Here Productions. Passionate about site-specific and interdisciplinary performance Erin has produced shows all over Canada on glacier lakes, in parks, libraries, night clubs, and in theatres. As a percussionist and a pianist she has performed in orchestras and chamber groups across Canada.
Photo Credit: Courtney Mac Photography
Marcia Dysart
Saint John, NB
Marcia Dysart is a dancer, choreographer, collaborator and educator based in Saint John, New Brunswick. She shares her passion for creation working collaboratively alongside musicians, visual artists, filmmakers and dancers.
Notable collaborative works include: Under Sail, Spill Herself Away, Who is Jane, Two Breaths that Didn't Match and dance film, We Walk Invisible.
Photo Credit: Michael Mohan
Saint John, NB
Anna Dysart is an aspiring dancer who currently dances with First City School of Dance young company. They have training in ballet, contemporary, jazz and Horton technique. They have attended summer sessions at the Conservatory in Halifax, Dance Summer Dance at Ross Creek, NS and most recently at SABO in Toronto. Anna’s choreography has been presented at breath dance, youth dance fest east, perspective and the Halifax dance young company show.
Photo Credit: Movita Beaucoup Dance Photography
Ian Gibson
Rothesay, NB
Based in Rothesay, New Brunswick, Ian performs regularly with Symphony New Brunswick and various other ensembles throughout the Greater Saint John Area. When not on stage, he is kept busy as a Percussion Teaching Artist for Sistema New Brunswick.
Prior to moving to New Brunswick in 2017, Ian was the Head of Percussion Studies at Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario, for twelve years. He was also the Classical Percussion Instructor at Laurentian University and the Principal Percussionist of the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra.
Ian obtained both his Bachelor and Master of Music Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Toronto, where he studied with the world renowned percussion ensemble NEXUS. He is currently endorsed by Innovative Percussion, Pearl Drums & Adams Percussion.
Sydney Hallett
Fredericton, NB
Sydney Hallett (She/Her) is a dancer/actor/choreographer based in Fredericton, NB. She has a BA in Fine Arts (Performance) and English (Drama) from St. Thomas University and has been training and performing with Solo Chicken Productions since 2017. She specializes in musical theatre jazz and contemporary dance styles. Beyond dancing, she has appeared as an actor with various local companies including Bard in the Barracks, NotaBle Acts, Hyperloop Theatre, and Theatre St. Thomas. Recent choreography credits: Rose (TNB Theatre School), Seussical the Musical (St. Thomas University), Cabaret (St. Thomas University). Her dance film ‘River Dreams’ appeared in the SJCDF in 2022!
Rothesay, NB
Kristina Lemieux is a contemporary dancer and accomplished arts manager with more than 20 years of professional experience across Canada. In all that she does, Kristina works to support independent artists across performing disciplines in finding ways to make art outside of the currently prescribed modes.
Raised in Treaty 6 territory (rural Alberta), Kristina graduated from the University of Alberta and has lived, worked, and played across Canada from Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, and most recently, Saint John. Her passion for the arts has driven collaboration, creation, and innovation in the national arts scene for over a decade. In 2016, Kristina made a move to Toronto to take on the role of Lead Producer of Generator. In her five years in this leadership role, Kristina coached over 100 artist-producers to strengthen their producing and financial acumen.
Fátima López
Saint John, NB
Originally hailing from Mexico, I began my dance journey at the age of 11, primarily focusing on ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance. I competed in various events for several years including the regional and national "UPA" competition in Mexico in 2016 and 2017. In 2020, I relocated to Canada and subsequently joined the First City School of Dance Young Company in 2022. This opportunity has allowed me to continue honing my skills in the dance styles I had already trained in while also exploring new styles such as hip hop and the Horton Technique. I have actively engaged in workshops conducted by diverse Canadian artists and have contributed to dance projects as an emerging artist.
Photo Credit: Michael Mohan
Halifax, NS
Mocean Dance was founded in K'jipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2001 by Carolle Crooks Fernando, Sarah Rozee, Sara Harrigan, Alicia Orr MacDonald, and Lisa Phinney Langley.
Led by Co-Artistic Directors Susanne Chui and Sara Coffin, Mocean is recognized nationally as a leading contemporary dance company from the Atlantic region. Working with both locally and nationally renowned choreographers, Mocean brings together talented artists to create exciting new work that is rooted in collaborative process, stretches physical and emotional boundaries and finds authenticity.
Mocean was honoured with The Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Art Award in 2016 for Canvas 5 x 5, which was the first time this esteemed award has been given to a Nova Scotia dance work.
A Company-in-Residence at Halifax Dance since 2002, Mocean is committed to being based in Nova Scotia and contributing to the province's local dance and arts community by providing opportunities for creation, performance, collaboration, development and education.
Sarah Power
Saint John, NB
Originally from Saint John, Sarah has been working as a professional independent dance artist and teacher since graduating from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2001. She is a founding member and current Artistic Director of Connection Dance Works.
Her career has included collaborations with musicians, dancers, filmmakers and visual artists. She has received grants for Professional Development, Residencies and Creation projects through the Canada Council for the Arts and artsnb.
Sarah continues to learn and develop work through her practice of Authentic Movement, a way of discovering movement inherent in the body instead of inventing it.
Photo Credit: Lorne Power
Sarah Prosper
Halifax, NS
Wisunn na Sarah Prosper (she/they/nekmow), Mikmaw/L’nu e’pite’s of the We’kwistoqnik (Eskasoni) First Nation, tu’s, nuji’j, kwe’jij, nsim, sukwis, aq nitaptut. "Amalkewinu", began dancing at young age, now a Therapeutic Recreation specialist and MA Leisure student, artistic director of Samqwan and facilitator/curator of workshop "Moving in Mi'kma'ki". Sarah collaborates, creates, and moves with ms+t no'kmaq, all her relations, in a fluid identity uplifting pursuit, as an Indigenous movement artist. A necessary decolonized approach, in research and in life, Sarah is learning and sharing the sacred knowledge of Indigenous/Mi'kmaq peoples in respect and reciprocity to dance, movement, social sciences & mental health in Mi’kma’ki.
Photo Credit: Sherri Poirier Photography
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Kelli Wray
Saint John, NB
Interpretive dancer and choreographer Kelli Wray shares the art of storytelling through movement. She was the facilitator of Meditation In MOVEment for over 10yrs inviting other women to enjoy the freedom of barefoot dancing and discover empowerment through dance. Kelli has collaborated with talented musicians, dancing bodies, gifted poets and photographers. She enjoys sharing the stage in theatrical roles and finds inspiration in nature and simplicity, melodic sounds and natural rhythms. She continues to explore the creative process of layering movements with motion, evolving the artistry of storytelling through dance. Kelli is grateful for opportunities to share her craft with others.