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, Murray Paterson Marketing Group, as well as the Toronto Transit Commission and the Yonge North York BIA.
Common Ground Dance Festival 2025
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.
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Dancers: 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.
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 Coordinator:
Keira Forde
Social Media and Digital Content Coordinator:
Shannon Widdis
Technical Director/Lighting Designer:
Gabriel Cropley
Technical/Production Coordinator Intern:
Visaree Bradshaw-Coore
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, Canada Summer Jobs Program, Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, TO Live, and the Willowdale Central Ratepayers Association.