Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sam Grist is a Toronto-based contemporary dancer, performer, teacher, and fitness instructor. She has been a dancer and collaborator with Rock Bottom Movement since 2012, winning multiple Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble and Outstanding Production for the company's works, hollow mountain (2020) and Sex Dalmatian (2023). In addition to her work with Rock Bottom, Sam has collaborated and performed with choreographers including Hanna Kiel, David Earle, Susie Burpee, Shannon Litzenberger, Julia Aplin, Jennifer Nichols, Anisa Tejpar, and Clare Preuss. 

Natasha Poon Woo is a freelance dancer, rehearsal director, and dance teacher. She began training and performing at Claude Watson School for the Arts and with Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre in her hometown of Toronto, Ontario. She is a summa cum laude graduate of SUNY Purchase’s Conservatory of Dance, where she performed works by Pam Tanowitz, Twyla Tharp, Doug Varone and Kevin Wynn. Natasha has performed with Côté Danse, Compagnie de la Citadelle, Roderick George, The Dietrich Group, The Platform, and Conny Janssen Danst, among others, in addition to being a proud Rock Bottom Movement artist since 2015. Natasha is also an experienced rehearsal director and sought-after dance educator specializing in Limón-based modern and contemporary technique.

Drew Berry is a Toronto-based performer and teacher. Her mediums include dance, theatre, photography, videography, and classical piano. In 2016, Drew joined Rock Bottom Movement and since has performed in seven full-length works with the company. Other collaborators include Brodie Stevenson, Jaberi Dance Theatre, Portal Dance, Emma Kerson, Nico Contreras, Irma Villafuerte, and Alias Dance Project. Drew is the resident photographer/videographer with Kaeja d'Dance and has done freelance photo/video work with many independent artists and organizations in the community. Drew was an artist in residence at Guelph Dance where she created a short film Portraiture, which premiered at the Guelph Dance Festival and was later shown at Hillside Homeside and dance: made in canada earning the Moving Pictures Award. Drew is on faculty at Centennial College. A graduate from Quinte Ballet School of Canada’s post-graduate program, Drew holds her BFA (Honours) from the Performance Dance program at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Brayden Jamil Cairns (he/they) is a Toronto-based artist. He left rural Ontario in 2015 to train at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Performance. Since his training, Brayden has worked with the likes of Rodney Diverlus, Anne Plamondon and many of his peers in collaborative processes. Brayden is interested in movement that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life. He binds dance and lived experience to create challenging works of art, utilizing different media such as writing and film. Many of these ideas come from a powerful need to uplift the queer and BIPOC communities. Brayden will often be found researching what it is to feel pleasure and what can come from self-exploration.

Pony Nicole Herauf is a queer creator and performer originally from Calgary, Alberta. She graduated from the Toronto Metropolitan University: School of Performance Acting program in 2018. Pony works as a writer, director, actor, and dramaturge. Her filmic work has been programmed and awarded at festivals such as the Vancouver International, Whistler, TIFF, TIFF Next Wave, Chattanooga, Forest City, Myrtle Beach, the Los Angeles Independent Short Awards, and now streams on CBC Gem.

Steph Harkness (they/them) is a performer, teacher, and choreographer originally from Mississauga, ON. In 2017/2018 Steph joined the company at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (CCDT) and graduated from Etobicoke School of the Arts' dance program. During their time at CCDT Steph had the opportunity to perform works by Carol Anderson, Deborah Lundmark, Kevin Wynn, Roderick George, and Santee Smith.

Steph continued their education and dance training at Purchase College, SUNY where they performed works by Jose Limón and Norbert De La Cruz III with the Purchase Dance Company. In the spring of 2022 Steph graduated with distinction, receiving a BFA in Dance and a BA in Anthropology.

Since then, Steph has frequently performed with Rock Bottom Movement, in addition to performing works by Colleen Snell, Eilish Shin-Culhane, and Rakeem Hardy.

Using their interest in anthropology, Steph is interested in exploring the potential of dance as a means for cathartic experience, cultivating community, and healing.

Sierra Kellman began her dance journey at a local studio in Markham, ON, and developed her skills with the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre in Toronto. A graduate of the Performance Dance program at Toronto Metropolitan University, she has performed in Toronto, Montreal, and internationally.

Sierra has collaborated with choreographers like Angela Blumberg, Alyssa Martin, Natasha Powell, Bobbi Jene Smith, and Or Schraiber. She danced with Rubberband in Montreal for the 2022/2023 season and has been a member of the Swedish company Norrdans since August 2023. Additionally, she has worked with artists including Janine During, Kristin Ryg Helgebostad, James Bachelor, and Janina Rajakangas.

Sierra's festival appearances include The National Ballet of Canada's Sharing the Stage with Rock Bottom Movement (2022) and Fall for Dance North with HOLLA JAZZ (2021). 

Morgyn Aronyk-Schell (She/They) is a contemporary dance artist and an arts educator for youth and seniors. They are one of the co-creators behind ‘blank space’, a series of movement-focused, multidisciplinary community workshops. Originally from Edmonton AB, she moved to Toronto to study at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, graduating in 2019. Since then she has worked with Toronto-based dance companies Frog in Hand, Human Body Expression, Kaeja d’Dance, Peggy Baker Dance Projects, OVERSIZE.LOAD, Citadel + Compagnie, Wind in the Leaves Collective, Tiger Princess Dance Projects, and Rock Bottom Movement. Morgyn is also an amateur guitarist, singer and drummer in her band Bow Wow Kiss Kiss. 

David Bernstein is a Canadian writer, director, dramaturg and teacher. His work has been presented at Teater Momentum in Odense, Denmark; the Soho Theatre in London, UK; Ars Nova, the New Ohio Theater, The Public Theater, Judson Church and Dixon Place in New York, USA; and the Theatre Centre and Citadel Theatre in Toronto, Canada. Most recently, his work for radio has been commissioned by Museet for Samtidskunst in Roskilde, Denmark and published in the Ny nordisk radiodramatik 2019/2020 anthology by Akt1 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He has collaborated with Toronto-based dance company Rock Bottom Movement on multiple works since 2016, and taught his original performance method internationally. 

Noah Feaver is a Dora Award nominated lighting designer. He works frequently in Dance and Opera and has designed for companies such as: The National Ballet of Canada, Edmonton Opera, Toronto Dance Theatre, Tapestry Opera, SOulpepper Theatre Company, Holla Jazz, Citadel + Compagnie, The Royal Conservatory of Music, Against the Grain Theatre, and Rock Bottom Movement. He has worked as the Lighting Director for Ballet BC, and as the Associate Lighting Director/Programmer for Fall for Dance North. Noah holds a BFA from Toronto Metropolitan University’s Performance Production program and spent two summers as a lighting design practicum at The Banff Centre. He works as a Lighting Design Coach at The National Theatre School of Canada. Noah is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada.

Jacob Vanderham (he/they) is a producer, songwriter and performance artist based in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal. He creates music for film/theatre/dance and his alternative solo pop project, Telehorn. A frequent collaborator of Dora award-winning choreographer Alyssa Martin, founder of Rock Bottom Movement, he has composed the scores for acclaimed works such as DINO and Kid Sister presented in the National Ballet’s 2022 and 2023 Sharing the Stage concert series; STARSEED with the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre and Lettuce Head, a movement concert for all ages developed with the support of the Bulmash-Siegel Award at Tarragon Theatre. Telehorn’s debut full-length record, The Gravity Of See You Later, mixed by Juno winner Austin Tufts of Braids dropped in spring 2024 and is available for streaming now.

@teleh0rn

www.telehornmusic.com

Morgan-Paige (she/they) is a Tkarón:to (Toronto)-based interdisciplinary artist. Her many works include award-winning short film collaborations Bin Chicken with Toronto Dance Theatre, The Magic Wallet, Mission Sankofa, and “Where Do I Go?” with Tapestry Opera. Some of her commissioned work has been shared at Suoni Per Il Popolo, sound art installation “My Ancestor Summons Me” at MOCA Toronto, Debaser Pique, the 21C Music Festival with the world premiere of her improvisational work “A Time to Exist” in Koerner Hall, a Wavelength Summer Thing opening for headliner horrorcore rapper Backxwash and featured on most recent album “His Happiness Shall Come First Even Though We Are Suffering”, co-composer with Benjamin Shapiro for Dora Award-winning Sex Dalmatian with Rock Bottom Movement, and prototype premiere of “Resurrectio: Act I” an immersive animated and mixed media musical experience with re:Naissance Opera. Morgan-Paige’s upcoming work includes a commissioned work reimagining Bach’s Passion for Sapphonix Collective titled “Sapphic Passion” alongside 5 other composers (to premiere in Spring 2025).

Benjamin Shapiro is a musician, composer, producer, and multi-disciplinary artist based in Toronto. He has produced music and soundscapes for film, dance, theatre, and commercial records, as well as experimental generative and reactive works in collaboration with scientists and technologists. Benjamin’s sound-based interest and output spans a wide range of genres and moods, and he is fascinated by boundary-crossing and juxtaposition. He plays in the art-rock band Glutenhead, as well as genre experiments Don Blitzer and All That Is Criminal. Benjamin has a background in neuroscience and psychotherapy, and regularly sees clients as a psychotherapist. He published a book of poetry in 2019 and is currently working on his first novel.

Originally from Surrey, BC, Kathy Le is a movement collaborator in Tkaronto, Ontario. Kathy received her dance training at George Brown College where she went on to receive mentorship from Hanna Kiel upon graduating. Kathy’s choreographic works often emerge from a spontaneous creative process, to produce fresh and dynamic movement. Additionally, her performance skills extend beyond the body to assist her as a stage manager for movement-based shows. She takes pride in all aspects of production and enjoys bridging the gap between the creative and technical sides of a show. Between her work on and off stage, you may have seen Kathy credited with Human Body Expression, Rock Bottom Movement, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, Fall for Dance North, the Garage TO and more. Kathy's proudest accomplishment includes her first self-produced dance film, Strange Embrace, where she took on multiple roles as both choreographer and director, utilizing her knowledge in both performance and production.