PROCESS+PRACTICE

DOUBLE BILL

CHOREOGRAPHERS + ARTISTS

VERONICA SIMPSON Veronica Simpson is a multidisciplinary dancer and theatre artist based in NYC/Toronto. Some of her performance credits include projects with Dorrance Dance, Lisa La Touche, New York Theatre Company’s Machinal, the National Arts

VERONICA SIMPSON

Veronica Simpson is a multidisciplinary dancer and theatre artist based in NYC/Toronto. Some of her performance credits include projects with Dorrance Dance, Lisa La Touche, New York Theatre Company’s Machinal, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Rhythm and Sound, (in)sight dance, Dianne Montgomery at Fall For Dance North, Michelle Dorrance at New York City Center, and Danny Nielsen’s 2023 tour of On Foot. In 2021, she attended the School at Jacob’s Pillow as part of the Tap Dance Performance Ensemble studying closely alongside Michelle Dorrance, Derick Grant, and Dormeshia. Veronica continues her freelance and creation work in New York City and frequently returns to Toronto to work alongside prominent tap dancers.

Photo by Sam Gaetz

LAURA DONALDSON Laura Donaldson is a tap dancer, choreographer, and educator from Calgary, AB. Her performance and choreographic work has been featured internationally at major festivals including Fall for Dance North, Fluid Festival, Tap Dance

LAURA DONALDSON

Laura Donaldson is a tap dancer, choreographer, and educator from Calgary, AB. Her performance and choreographic work has been featured internationally at major festivals including Fall for Dance North, Fluid Festival, Tap Dance Days at tanzhaus nrw (Germany), Tap Liège Festival (Belgium), and the Toronto International Tap Dance Festival. A graduate of The School at Jacob’s Pillow, Laura trained under leading artists Michelle Dorrance, Dormeshia, and Derick Grant. Laura has performed in works such as Danny Nielsen’s On Foot and Lisa La Touche’s Fool’s Gold, and toured Quebec as a principal dancer in (in)sight dance’s M/W/D: Sentiment du moi. In 2022, Laura co-founded Boys’ Club Tap Dance Collective, presenting original work across Canada, Europe, and the U.S. Laura holds a Bachelor of Health and Physical Education and she continues to develop her artistic voice through practice, teaching, and performing in Canada and abroad.

Photo by Amy Gardner

ELISE MCGRENERA Elise McGrenera is a tap dancer from Vancouver, BC currently living in Toronto, Ontario. Elise is an alumna of the School at Jacob's Pillow where she was accepted into the 2019 tap dance program and performed in the schools annua

ELISE MCGRENERA

Elise McGrenera is a tap dancer from Vancouver, BC currently living in Toronto, Ontario. Elise is an alumna of the School at Jacob's Pillow where she was accepted into the 2019 tap dance program and performed in the schools annual fundraiser held in the Ted Shawn Theatre. She was a featured dancer in the 2019 Vancouver premier of Danny Nielsen’s On Foot and joined the cast again in 2023 for their BC tour. Elise was featured in both the 2021 and 2022 productions of Jeffrey Dawson and Friends presented by the Vancouver Tap Dance Society. In 2022, Elise co-founded the tap dance collective Boys’ Club which has presented their work across Canada and Europe. Most recently, Elise was selected as an artist researcher for Dancemakers Shoe Dreams project, creating her dream custom tap shoes. Currently, Elise continues to immerse herself in the tap dance and jazz music community in Toronto.

Photo by Melissa Bahrami

ALE NUNEZ Ale Avery Nunez is a Jazz Vocalist, Songwriter, and bandleader based in Toronto, Canada. Rooted in jazz and soul, she brings a musical sophistication to every performance, with a tone that is uniquely her own and a true dedication to h

ALE NUNEZ

Ale Avery Nunez is a Jazz Vocalist, Songwriter, and bandleader based in Toronto, Canada. Rooted in jazz and soul, she brings a musical sophistication to every performance, with a tone that is uniquely her own and a true dedication to her artistry. Her influences range from Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Nat King Cole, and Etta Jones to Aretha Franklin, Norah Jones and Feist. Although a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Music degree at Humber College in Toronto, Ale has gone on to establish herself as an in-demand vocalist and musician, making her mark in music scenes near and far. You can often see her perform at venues such as The Rex, and the Jazz Bistro. She has sung with some of the best musicians of Toronto and New York City including Neil Swainson, Terry Clarke, Adam Arruda, and more. Ale was featured in JazzFM91's 2024 Discover Women in Jazz series, and the 2024 TD Markham Jazz Festival. More recently Ale performed at the Toronto Jazz Festival 2025 and was one of five finalists in the 2025 Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition by The Blues Alley Jazz Society.

Photo by June Cavlan film

ALEXA BELGRAVE Pianist/Music Director/Educator, Alexa Belgrave has been an active member of Toronto’s music community for almost a decade. Upon completing her ARCT and a degree in music from UofT, Alexa has created and collaborated with multipl

ALEXA BELGRAVE

Pianist/Music Director/Educator, Alexa Belgrave has been an active member of Toronto’s music community for almost a decade. Upon completing her ARCT and a degree in music from UofT, Alexa has created and collaborated with multiple projects spanning across diverse genres and mediums. She most recently released her debut album “Let’s Talk” under her personal project, Moodset, in March 2024. As a musical director she has worked with Dance Immersion, Nightwood Theatre, Bad Hats Theatre, Musical StageCo, Sheridan Theatre, Obsidian and more. Recent show credits include ‘Heathers’, ‘After the Rain’, ’I was unbecoming then’ and‘Boy Boy and the magic drum’. As a keyboard pit player, recent credits includes Mirvish’s Lion King and YPT’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Alexa currently teaches at Sheridan College, Randolph College and Mayfield Secondary School of the Arts as well as freelances in various musical roles.

Photo by Wade Muir

KIERA BREAUGH Kiera Breaugh is a dancer/choreographer whose style lives at the intersection of contemporary and hip hop. She has a BA in Dance from LMU in Los Angeles. While in LA, Kiera was a member of LA dance companies: the Young Lions, Immab

KIERA BREAUGH

Kiera Breaugh is a dancer/choreographer whose style lives at the intersection of contemporary and hip hop. She has a BA in Dance from LMU in Los Angeles. While in LA, Kiera was a member of LA dance companies: the Young Lions, Immabeast, Immabreathe and MashUp Contemporary Dance Company. She has performed in Dance Matters, A Woman's Work, the Toronto Fringe Festival, the Orlando Fringe Festival, the Vancouver Fringe Festival and Dusk Dances, Hamilton. Kiera has choreographed for PRESENCE, a site specific series commissioned by Peggy Baker Dance Productions: ProArteDanza in their Choreolab and an original piece during the half-time of a Raptors Game. She has worked with and danced for artists including Ian Eastwood, Brian Friedman, Janelle Ginestra, Kylie Thompson, Mary Ann Chavez and Monika Felice Smith. Her work often explores themes such as racial identity, female upward mobility, and other ideas that aim to empower the unheard.

Photo by ALKAN EMIN

CLAIRE WHITAKER Claire Whitaker (she/her) is a freelance contemporary dance artist based in Toronto, Ontario. A graduate from Dance Arts Institute (formerly The School of Toronto Dance Theatre), she has performed her own solo work as well as wor

CLAIRE WHITAKER

Claire Whitaker (she/her) is a freelance contemporary dance artist based in Toronto, Ontario. A graduate from Dance Arts Institute (formerly The School of Toronto Dance Theatre), she has performed her own solo work as well as works by Peggy Baker, Christopher House, Colleen Snell, Kylie Thompson, Kiera Breaugh, Motus O Dance Theatre, wind in the leaves collective and Compagnie de la Citadel. Claire’s practice is shaped by Modern/Western contemporary dance as well as Yin Yue’s FOCO technique and Anouk Van Dijk’s Countertechnique practice, alongside the teachings of the Alexander Technique. She is honoured to be performing alongside the passionate artists in this Process and Practice Cohort! Catch Claire’s next performance this December in Sex Dalmatian’s Hot Holiday Spectacular, produced by Citadel + Compagnie in association with Rock Bottom Movement.

Photo by Kendra Epik

KIAH FRANCIS Kiah Francis (they/them) is a queer mixed-race performer and teacher, born and raised in Tkaronto (Treaty 13). After graduating from the Dance Arts Institute in 2020, they have worked on festivals such as Porch View Dances, Common G

KIAH FRANCIS

Kiah Francis (they/them) is a queer mixed-race performer and teacher, born and raised in Tkaronto (Treaty 13). After graduating from the Dance Arts Institute in 2020, they have worked on festivals such as Porch View Dances, Common Ground Dance Festival, and SummerWorks. They have performed in Sofia Ontiveros’ Ojalá… and Kéïta Fournier-Pelletier’s Pillar of You as part of the Citadel’s Dance Mix. Kiah has also performed live and on-screen for artists including Dragonette, Tedy, Puma June, Charlie Houston, Chippy Nonstop, and Gay Jesus (Heath V. Salazar). Last year, they performed and collaborated on Visionary, a short film directed by Shailyn Ma-Fanfair and featured in the CONTACT Photography Festival. Currently, Kiah is training at McGeachie Actor’s Practice and pursuing a career in film and television, both on-camera and behind the scenes.

Photo by Andrew Johnson