Ojalá
Mainspace Theatre
Genre: Dance
Ojalá…(Hopefully…) explores how bodies connect, stumble upon interpersonal betrayals, and search for healing. Ojalá… dives into the risks taken in connections, with the hope it leads us to what we truly seek within.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Sofía Ontiveros is a dance artist and choreographer based in Tkaronto, Ontario, and México. Sofía is a queer, white, Mexican woman, and carries these parts of her identity through her works by questioning and exploring social constructs and how they play on individual or interpersonal relationships. Sofía is a 2021 graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University’s The Creative School BFA Dance Program. The TMU faculty chose her for the Lipson Family Endowment Award for an Emerging Choreographer. Her most recent works include Universo de textos, pt.1-6, live streamed online through Aluna Theatre’s CAMINOS 2021, Siéntate bien performed live at Underscore Projects through CREATO’s Nature with Nurture 2021 exhibition, and Ojalá… showcased at The Citadel’s Night Shift 2022, co-produced with Fall for Dance North. She is currently reworking and transforming her piece Ojalá…, which will be showcased this year at CAMINOS 2023 by Aluna Theatre, and The Citadel Dance Mix 2023 by The Citadel + Compagnie.
CREDITS
Sofia Ontiveros: Choreography
Jasmine Au: Producer
María Riaño: Collaborator and dancer
Simon Mazziotti: Dancer
Aryana Malekzadeh: Dancer
Danielle Davis: Dancer
Kiah Francis: Dancer
Frédérique Perron: Dancer
Ojala has been supported by The National Ballet of Canada’s Open Space programme and Toronto Metropolitan University
The Anatomy Lesson
(Crave Productions)
Studio Theatre
Genre: Theatre
The Anatomy Lesson is an exploration of our relationships to our physical bodies, and how we live with them when that relationship is compromised.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Thalia Gonzalez Kane is an award-winning, Ecuadorian-Canadian, queer, multidisciplinary artist and theatre scholar. Her work as a performer, playwright, voice-over artist, composer, designer, choreographer, director, and producer has been shared in Canada, Czechia, England, Ireland, Sweden, Scotland, and the USA. In 2023, she completed a six-city international tour of the award-winning and critically acclaimed play At Birth, which she co-wrote, designed, produced and performed in. Thalia is a councilor for ACTRA Toronto and ACTRA National, co-chair of outACTRAto, and the Artistic Director of Crave Productions. @teakane / @craveprod / www.craveartmakeart.com
CREDITS
Thalia Gonzalez Kane: Playwright, Performer, Choreographer, Sound Design
ANIVIA
Mainspace Theatre
Genre: Musical Theatre
Weaving together musical theatre and Vietnamese folk music and folk tales, ANIVIA follows The Wanderer on his quest to recover fragments of a broken mirror and assemble them to see himself whole again. ANIVIA’s excerpt presentation at CAMINOS 2023 Festival portrays The Wanderer’s journey back to his roots, where he meets with two historical figures and receives guidance to move forward.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Tan Vu is a Vietnamese-Canadian artist. A Fulbright fellow, Tan performed in theatre and opera in Vietnam before moving to New York to train, under a scholarship, at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Tan immigrated to Canada in November 2019 and has since worked with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Cahoots Theatre, City Opera Vancouver, Talk Is Free Theatre, Toronto Operetta Theatre, and others. His upcoming projects include the Canadian Opera Company’s FIDELIO, and Tarragon Theatre’s Greenhouse Festival 2024.
Tan is also a creator of new works that weave together musical theatre and Vietnamese folk music and folk tales, and has received grants from Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre’s 2020 Queer Emerging Artist Award, and Toronto Arts Foundation’s 2021 RBC Newcomer Arts Award. He recently performed his original songs rooted in Vietnamese heritage at the 2023 Asian Heritage Month Concert and Education Roundables, as well as Taste of Vietnam 2023 at Nathan Phillips Square.
CREDITS
Canada-based:
Tan Vu: Creator of ANIVIA’s book, lyrics and singing melodies
Alice Ping Yee Ho: Creative arranger for “Song of the Fishermen”, “”Floating Flower, Come Home”, and “Song of Lady Triệu”
Chase Lo: Movement facilitator for creation
Đào Nhật Quang (Andrew): Song development consultant
Vietnam-based:
Vũ Việt Anh: Creative arranger for “Home”
Nguyễn Thị Hồng Hạnh: Vietnamese history and culture consultant
Nguyễn Thị Mai Hiền: Vietnamese folk music expert
Lê Thu Hiền: Vietnamese folk music artist
II – CAMINOS 2023 FESTIVAL PRESENTATION TEAM:
Creative Team:
Nam Pham: Director
Benjamin Page: Music Director
Chase Lo: Choreographer
Nguyễn Thị Hồng Hạnh: Festival Presentation Dramaturg
Production Team:
Tan Vu: Lead Producer
Shane Mai: Associate Producer
Brittany Stewart: Stage Manager
Bella Truong: Apprentice Stage Manager
Tạ Thanh Hoa: Vietnamese costume maker
Cast:
Tan Vu The Wanderer / ANIVIA
Ryota Kaneko Spirit of Emperor Khải Định / ANIMUS
Heeyun Park Spirit of Lady Triệu / ANIMA
Nam Nguyen Fisherman 1 / Pawn Chess Piece
Aidan Reimer Fisherman 2 / Pawn Chess Piece
Alexander Franks Fisherman 3 / King Chess Piece
Yuki Fumoto Ensemble
Mackenzie Langdon Ensemble
Duy Tran Ensemble
Steave A. Sidibe Ensemble
ANIVIA’s team acknowledges the funders and supporters who are vital to ANIVIA’s research, creation, and festival presentation. Without them, this would not be at all possible. ANIVIA’s Public Presentation at CAMINOS 2023 Festival has been supported by The Canada Council for the Arts, The Ontario Arts Council, The Toronto Arts Council, Aluna Theatre, Canadian Stage, and The AFC. ANIVIA’s conceptualization (where it all started) was supported by Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, Cahoots Theatre, MT Space, and Talk Is Free Theatre