Graphic Designed by Fran Chudnoff.
There are an infinite number of rich choreographic proposals and necessary embodied stories that live and die in the imaginations of dance artists. CanAsian Dance and DanceWorks are collaborating on a new initiative called In Good Time, a program that breathes life into movements, concepts, and themes that were once set aside. Three established/elder artists, selected by CanAsian Dance’s Curatorial Committee, will receive time, space, mutual support, and an artist fee to revisit and experiment with an idea that was previously abandoned but not forgotten. The artists will share their movement discoveries and discuss what was revealed during a low-stakes, informal public event as a part of Unfinish / Unfurl.
This event is a part of Unfinish / Unfurl, DanceWorks’ mini-festival focused on creative practice and choreographic process and is made possible with co-production support from Dancemakers.
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CanAsian Dance centers the Asian Diaspora dance community, which includes artists from across Asia—including South, East, Southeast, West, and Central Asia—as well as the surrounding Pacific Islands. We are committed to supporting critical artistic conversations and the exploratory stages of new work. By fostering relationships and strengthening solidarity, we aim to create more opportunities for creative exchange, knowledge-sharing, representation, and connection within the Asian Diaspora dance community and the broader dance community.
CanAsian Dance strives to create a supportive and inclusive environment that centres, amplifies and celebrates the creativity of Asian diasporic dance artists., facilitating dialogue and cultural exchange, nurturing creativity, diversity and community solidarity.
Our work remains centred on dance, with four pillars of development:
Programming that supports artists, builds community and strengthens ties between different dance forms practiced within Asian diasporic dance communities
Creating programming and presentation contexts that foster criticality and knowledge-sharing, and recenter the dance sector to a more representative one.
Developing reciprocal relationships with organizations (within and outside of Ontario) that share our curiosities and values in amplifying Asian diasporic dance activity
Public programming that focuses on audience and community development to continue developing diverse conversations and familiarization with and appreciation of artists of the Asian diaspora and their work and processes.
Featured Artists
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Deepti Gupta is a dancer/choreographer of the elegant Kathak style of dance. A prolific dance artist, Deepti studied theatre and dance in Canada from an early age and has been a working artist for over 30 years. Deepti is artistic director of Arzoo Dance Theatre, a company creating and promoting traditional and contemporary South Asian dance.
Deepti has over 25 major choreographic works to her credit which range from traditional Kathak and Chhau to contemporary works which explore South Asian dance in a global milieu. Her choreography has received consistent critical acclaim for cutting edge experimentation, high technical achievement and broad audience appeal.
A relentless experimentalist with a variety of theatrical interests she has received the Dora Mavor Moore award for outstanding costume design for the play UMRAO by Rasik Arts. She also received the city of Hamilton Arts Award in 2023. Deepti is currently working on writing a play that combines Kathak, poetry and dialogue.
Photo by Yasmin Asgarali (YNA Photography)
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Susan Lee is a Canadian Asian dance artist, choreographer, and recently retired Assistant Professor in Dance Creation, Performance, and Artistic Directorship at York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design. With a career spanning over three decades, her transdisciplinary practice blends contemporary dance, somatics, and interactive digital media to explore identity, embodiment, and place. Her work is rooted in curiosity, connection, and transformation, fostering creative dialogue through shared discovery and collaborative process. A Dora-nominated performer, she has originated roles in nearly fifty world premieres by acclaimed Canadian choreographers, touring across North America, Europe, and Asia. She has created over twenty-five original choreographic works presented on stage, online, and in site-specific settings. Recent work includes Polarities, a livestreamed performance created with media artist Don Sinclair and the York Dance Ensemble. A dedicated mentor and community builder, she has held leadership roles with Series 8:08, CADA, CanAsian Dance, and serves as a choreographic mentor in Maxine Heppner’s Choreographic Marathon.
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Chantelle Mostacho (she/ her) is a Filipino-Canadian multi-disciplinary dance artist, choreographer, and educator with extensive training in classical and street dance styles, with a strong emphasis on Punking/ Whacking. She holds a BFA in Theatre Performance Dance from TMU and is widely recognized for her powerful artistic voice in both freestyle and choreography. Chantelle’s versatility has led to successful collaborations across theatre, film, and commercial platforms, where she continues to push creative boundaries and tell compelling stories through movement. Her choreography has been featured in showcases including Studio 6, Fever After Dark, and 1234 Dance Arts. Other performance credits include: Warner Music, Johnny Orlando, Bassnectar, Finger Eleven, Cadence Weapon, TIFF, The Bentway, TEDxWomen. Chantelle is also a devoted leader in Toronto’s Wh/aacking community, where she actively nurtures both the culture and the next generation of dancers. Her work centers on creating inclusive, supportive environments that encourage artistic development, confidence, and connection.
Photo by C. Mostacho
Tickets
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This year, DanceWorks is piloting a Pay-What-You-Can ticket pricing model. Please use the below reference points to select a ticket price option that aligns with your circumstance.
SUPPORTER - $24.00 including facility fee, not including order fee - If you have access to a salary, savings, investments, assets, or familial wealth, selecting this rate will help subsidize the attendance of someone for whom cost is a barrier.
REGULAR - $18.00 including facility fee, not including order fee - This rate reflects the regular cost for the event. Please select this rate if you have access to a regular income and are able to meet your basic needs around food, housing, and transportation.
SUBSIDIZED - $12.00 including facility fee, not including order fee - Please select this rate if you are able to meet your basic needs but have gaps in your income and limited access to savings or familial support.
REDUCED - $5.00 including facility fee, not including order fee - Please select this rate if you are able to meet your basic needs but don’t have access to a regular income, savings, or familial support.
ACCESS - $0.00 - The option to access this event at no cost ensures that members of our community for whom price is a barrier to participation are able to join us.
This approach is greatly inspired by the Toronto Dance Community Love-In. Special thanks to Leelee Oluwatoyosi Eko Davis for sharing their knowledge!
If you’re curious to dive deeper into different approaches to dance-making, be sure to check out the other events within our Unfinish / Unfurl programming.
Keep in Mind
This event will be documented with photo and video. By attending this event you consent to your image being taken and potentially being used on DanceWorks’ website and social media.
Access Information
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The Franco Boni Theatre is accessible via a single-user accessibility lift on the main floor:
The lift is key-operated and must be operated by a staff member. Upon arrival, please notify the Box Office or Café/Bar staff for lift assistance. When leaving the venue, the lift includes a blue call button to request staff assistance to go down.
The second floor provides level access into the theatre, with reserved seats on the ground level to accommodate accessibility devices.
An accessible bathroom is located on the second floor.
If you have any Access Needs, please reach out to Cass Cabral Pucci, Festival Coordinator.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Cass Cabral Pucci, Festival Coordinator.
For Box Office & Ticketing Inquiries, please reach out to The Theatre Centre Box Office by email or phone.
