Common Ground Dance Festival 2025, powered by Empress Orthodontics

5th anniversary FESTIVAL LAUNCH

Program NOTES

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  • THE AWAKENING

    Choreographer/Dancer: Beany John

    THE AWAKENING is an ode to Hoop Dancers and the healing awakened across Turtle Island. Each movement, step, and spin carries stories and lessons passed down through generations. Dancing for the seven generations before and after is both responsibility and honour, a way to connect with roots, heal, and keep traditions alive. Hoop dancing transcends language, engaging hearts and souls, ensuring Indigenous culture thrives and inspires for years to come.

  • Dancers/Choreographers: Zuri Skeete, Rumi Jeraj, Aisha Nicholson, Minuet Charron, Disha Panchal

    Music: DJ Rikigai

    A retrospective celebration, the evening will feature a short solo piece from an artist to represent each year of the festival’s five years. The evening will conclude with a collaborative choreographic offering that weaves together memories of past festival moments, and responses to the festival’s outdoor setting at Lee Lifeson Art Park and its sculptural installations. Featured artists include Zuri Skeete (CGDF 2021), Rumi Jeraj (CGDF 2022/23), Aisha Nicholson (CGDF 2023), Minuet Charron (CGDF 2024), and Disha Panchal (CGDF 2025), as well as DJ Rikigai.

  • Sync&Flow is a Toronto-based dance company rooted in performance that unites precision with soulful storytelling. Expanding from KINAJ.co, the company explores natural, intuitive movement and ensemble synergy to create works that connect dancers with each other and their environment. With a focus on innovation, collaboration, and well-being, Sync&Flow nurtures artistry that is both technically refined and emotionally resonant. Guided by the motto “Syncing in spirit, flowing as one,” we craft performances that transcend competition, leaving audiences with lasting experiences of connection and expression.

    Title: Friday’s High

    Choreographer: Carmen Lee

    Dancers: Angela Sun, Carmen Lee, Duy Vo, Ishika Tulwar, Kathy Vuu

    Music: Friday’s High - Penthouse

  • Title: Three + MeMeMeMeMe

    Choreographer: Minuet Charron

    Dancers: Jenny Aplin, Osvaldo Barreda Buschmann (Ova), Rayna Bilous, Roman Puccia

    Music: Earth People - Dance (Club Mix), Klsr - Connections, BlackPink - JUMP

    Acknowledgements: Summerworks Festival - especially Michael Caldwell, Dance Arts Institute and staff Heidi Strauss, Sam Grist, Keita Fournier-Pelletier. Special thanks to the support of Rachel Levin, Raidon Kane, and Joel Lawrence.

    This work evolved from a thought about the power of three in relation to oneself. Me, myself and I. The mind, body, and spirit. This then transformed into a piece about You! You are invited to a party between space and time, let’s see who You meet there…

 
 
 

CGDF 2025 is made possible with funding from the City of Toronto, Toronto Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and the Government of Canada. We gratefully acknowledge additional support from Arts in the Parks/Toronto Arts Foundation, Willowdale Central Ratepayers Association/Willowdale Arts Collective, TO Live, North York Arts, Murray Paterson Marketing Group, as well as the Toronto Transit Commission, Yonge North York BIA, and our title sponsor Empress Orthodontics.

 
 

CGDF/TFD Staff team

Festival Director, Co-Host:

David Norsworthy

Festival Producer, Co-Host:

Tanveer Alam

Festival Coordinator, Co-Host:

Chantelle Good

Festival Coordinator:

Bri Clarke

Outreach and Volunteer Coordinators:

Keira Marie Forde, Anisha Manyal, Shivani Joshi

Social Media and Digital Content Coordinator:

Shannon Widdis

Translation, Outreach, and Co-Hosting Support:

Judy Luo, Raha, Zeena Asnaghi

Technical Director/Lighting Designer:

Gabriel Cropley

Technical/Production Coordinator Intern:

Visaree Bradshaw-Coore

Audio Technician:

Adam Achacon

TFD Board of DIRECTORS

Cory Boyd, Susan Colbert Wright, Miquelon Rodriguez, Ellis Martin-Wylie, Blessyl Buan, Carmelina Martin, Dianne Oliveira, Sindhu Nair, Anne Fullerton

Special Thanks

Toronto Arts Foundation / Arts In The Parks, Toronto Arts Council, City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Employment and Social Development Canada, Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, TO Live, Willowdale Central Ratepayers Association, North York Arts, Murray Paterson Marketing Group, Toronto Transit Commission, Yonge North York BIA, and our title sponsor Empress Orthodontics.