Participants

Kofi Anthonio holds PhD and MFA degrees from University of Ghana with specializations in dance studies with growing repertoire of original creative and innovative choreographic creations. Currently, lectures at the University of Ghana, Legon. Anthonio is a practitioner with over two decades of international experience and high artistic acclaim to his roles as an artist-scholar born and raised in Ghana, West Africa. He is a choreographer, educator, administrator, curator and performer. He is a recipient of Andrew Mellon Foundation Research Grant and his artistic practices are deeply rooted in contemporary, popular and traditional African dance forms. He attended and performed at DanceAfrica 2023 Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in 2011, USA with a scholarship from the United States Embassy (Accra) to study their programme structure and workshops to help strengthen the dance curriculum in the Department of Dance Studies, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana.

My name is Prosper Atsu Ablordey has been a drummer from the age of 3 years. Currently am a full time Drummer and Music Instructor with the Department of Dance Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. My majored role in Ghana includes teaching and providing music accompaniment for all dance classes at the University of Ghana. Last year I performed at DanceAfrica 2023 Brooklyn Academy of Music in the United State.

A life-long student of the ancestral legacies of dances from Ghana. I have been teaching and dancing since 2008. Moving to Edmonton in the winter of 2020, I have since taught West African dance workshops independently and through Mile Zero Dance and Orchesis Dance society. I am still evolving.

Jean-Marc Bétrix is a Swiss violinist born in 1986 in Lomé.

At six, he joined the Conservatoire de Musique de Neuchâtel and studied violin under Yves Girardin and Anne Bauer. He then sought the advice of violinist Philippe Borer. He participated in many of the Victor Pikayzen masterclasses at the Tibor Varga Academy in Sion and played chamber music under the supervision of Mihaela Martin, Gyula Stuller, and Robert Bardston. 

A versatile musician, Jean-Marc Bétrix was involved with the development of numerous jazz projects at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne, notably the Jazz group CAULIFLOWER (nominated for both Swiss Live Talent 2014)

In 2017, he relocated to London as a talent recruitment agent for Deja-New Records LTD and collaborated with artists such as ELEVNS, Mullally, Carrie Baxter, and Syon. He also worked for the label Black Diamonds – an imprint of Atlantic Records (Warner) – and for Tileyard Music Education. Back in Switzerland, he managed the release of jazz group KUMA’s debut album. 

In 2023, he toured with the artist Gramm (Mais oui! project) in large venues in France as the opening act to bands Deluxe and ALLTTA.

Raneece Buddan is a Jamaican interdisciplinary visual artist who resides in Treaty 6 territory, Amiswaciwâskahikan (Edmonton). She immigrated to Canada in 2015 and completed her BFA in Art and Design with Distinction at the University of Alberta in 2020. 

Raneece’s artwork has been exhibited throughout Alberta at the Art Gallery of Alberta, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Art Gallery@501, Scott Gallery, Stride Gallery, Latitude 53, FAB Gallery, SNAP Gallery, and the Stollery Gallery. She has been shown internationally in New York and Vermont as well as on Artsy. She has completed Artist Residencies in Edmonton, Alberta, Salem, New York and most recently in Mandelieu-La-Napoule, France. Raneece is a member of community organizations like Making Space and Ribbon Rouge Artist Collective. 

Independent and passionate describe Yue Deng whose career as a concert violinist began when she was awarded First Prize in the National Violin Competition in China at the age of eight.

She studied at Oberlin Conservatory and Julliard. She has been a participant at the Music Academy of the West and the Henry Mancini Institute. As a recording artist, Yue has recorded with Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow, Diana Krall, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, among others. Yue has performed in the Carnegie, Avery Fisher, Alice Tully, and Disney Concert Halls, and at Birdland. She has mentored individual students at many prestigious institutions and coached underprivileged young violinists in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. From 2013-2019 she served as a Strings Instructor and Artist in Residence at University of Alberta while continuing to perform and record. Jazz great Roger Kellaway arranged and wrote an album for her titled Both Sides Now. He comments: “Her musicianship is superb. Because of Yue’s talent, I fell in love with the violin.” Yue Deng joined the ESO in November 2019.

Christopher Elson is a University of King's College Carnegie Professor of French, Canadian Studies and European Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Dalhousie University. 

His work focuses on contemporary literature, modern poetics, literary theory, and particularly the poetry-philosophy relation. 

His 2017 book with Garry Sherbert (Brill/Rodopi) : In the Name of Friendship: Deguy, Derrida and Salut is representative of most of these interests.

He has had the good fortune to make the teaching of French cinema, often in the context of classes on culture et civilisation, a central part of his pedagogy for twenty years. 

He is also a literary translator, his most recent work (with former student, Isabel Cout) is two volumes by Frédérika Amalia Finkelstein. Forgetting (2023) and Survive (2024) are published with Deep Vellum Press (Dallas, Texas).

He hesitates to mention it, but he is a Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes académiques. He does not practice fencing and his musical interests lie mainly in the area of jazz. 

Ethan Filner is a Violist with a rich and varied background. In 2019, he joined the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra as the Assistant Principal Viola.

Vittorio Frigerio is Emeritus Professor of French at Dalhousie University (Halifax, N.S.). He has published extensively on 19th century novelists (first and foremost Alexandre Dumas) and on anarchist literature. In 2001, he has created the multilingual journal Belphégor, dedicated to popular literature and media culture (https://journals.openedition.org/belphegor/), and has been Editor of Dalhousie French Studies starting in 2003 and up until 2021.

Cherelle George, a dynamic and passionate dancer with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry, is a true creative force of nature. As a first generation Canadian of Trinidad and Tobago descent, she has cultivated a strong connection to her roots, particularly in Caribbean Dance styles such as Folklore dance and Soca Dance. Cherelle's journey includes extensive training with various knowledge keepers within these styles, making her a dedicated cultural ambassador with a profound commitment to authenticity in music and movement.Her energetic and empowering approach shines a spotlight on the transformative power of embracing our cultural heritage. Cherelle George continues to inspire and uplift others, leaving an indelible mark on the dance community while reminding everyone of the importance of staying true to their roots.

Born to Caribbean parents from Trinidad and Tobago, Danielle M. George's upbringing in Edmonton was steeped in the vibrant Caribbean community. Her father, Cecil T. George, a driving force behind the Cariwest Festival and Trincan Steel Orchestra in Edmonton, ignited her passion for the steel pan from the tender age of 7, teaching her the intricate art. Now, nearly three decades later, she leads Trincan Steel Orchestra as its president and hosts her own lively Instagram Live Podcast, "All Things Pan." Danielle's devotion to preserving Caribbean culture echoes through her steel pan performances across Alberta, gracing occasions ranging from dignitary events to weddings. Her mission remains unwavering: to share the boundless joy and spirit of Caribbean culture within the Edmonton community and to instill this love in her two beloved sons. Connect with her on Instagram: @danielleplayspan and @allthingspan_.

Native of St. John's, Newfoundland, Danielle Greene is a current member of the violin section in the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. She holds an Artist Diploma in Violin Performance from The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory where she studied with Barry Shiffman and Erika Raum, as well as a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the University ofToronto, where she studied under the tutelage of Jonathan Crow.

Praised by the Toronto Star for his “spirited and fiery performances,” Rafael Hoekman’s varied career as a soloist, teacher, chamber musician, and orchestral cellist has taken him on a journey across Canada. He became the Principal Cello of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in 2015.

Keston Gray is the Owner/Operator of REGMOFIT, specializing in fitness sessions that uniquely integrate Caribbean cultural dance moves. With a wealth of expertise garnered over 8 years of professional dance experience, Keston has made a significant impact in various 5-star resorts across Jamaica. His versatile skill set extends beyond performing, as he has excelled in roles as a dancer, entrepreneur, MC, photographer/videographer and choreographer.

Keston's passion for Caribbean cultural dance is deeply rooted, and his journey includes training at the prestigious Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). This esteemed institution has played a pivotal role in shaping Keston's artistic expression and understanding of the rich cultural heritage he incorporates into his teachings here in Edmonton, Alberta.

Kaleb Koslowski is a doctoral student in musicology at the University of Alberta. His dissertation project (supported by a fellowship from the Social Sciences and Research Council of Canada) on opera productions at the city of Hamburg’s 'Oper am Gänsemarkt' during the 1720s and ‘30s aims to rethink the historiography of early modern opera in terms of its everyday utility and connections across traditional national and regional categories. His research interests include global music history, cultural mobility, historical listening and early modern music theory among others. Kaleb holds a bachelor of music in music history and historical keyboard performance from Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, ON) and a master’s in musicology from the University of Toronto.

Bio

Dr. Donia Mounsef is Professor of drama and performance studies at the University of Alberta. A performance theorist, playwright, and dramaturge, she is the author of Chair et révolte dans le théâtre de Bernard-Marie Koltès (l'Harmattan, 2005) and the co-editor of Toxic Media Ecologies: Critical Responses to the Cultural Politics of Planetary Crises (under review), and the co-editor of “The Transparency of the Text” (Yale French Studies, 2007). She publishes widely on intermediality, visual culture, the violence spectacle, water and performance, gender, protest, and postcolonial performance, etc. Her work appeared in Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, Global Performance Studies, Contours Journal, Yale French Studies, Esprit Créateur, Yale Journal of Criticism, Women and Performance Journal, Féminismos, Journal of Global Studies and Contemporary Art, etc. 

Noreta Lewis-Prince was born in Jamaica where she taught youths music, drama, dance,  poetry. She won the JCDC Gospel Festival Competition in 2000 with the song "I'll Make it Through the Valley ". She now resides in Alberta, Canada. She works with Engagement Lab-Theatre of Alberta,  Third Space Playback Theatre Company, Inspiration Drama Company and Ribbon Rouge Foundation Artspace Theatre Team. She also teaches Music Therapy and is the founder of a Youth Dance Group Chi-Fire Dancers (named after her nephew, Chiyano;  who was murdered in Jamaica)

Noreta is a singer and a music teacher by profession and taught in the public school in Jamaica for 8 years before migrating to Canada. Noreta continues to sing, and she teaches music online.

Haitian-born spoken word artist and advocate, Medgine is a person for whom the love of language and the alchemy of words is second nature. Her multi-lingual upbringing (french, creole, english) not only prompted her to begin experimenting with the potential and magic of language, but naturally compelled her into a deep love of poetry. Her work has been featured in CBC, Global TV, Skirtsafire Festival and the Edmonton Poetry Festival. She is the author of Waiting in the Land of the Living / Attendre dans le monde des vivants, a multilingual poetry collection, that touches on navigating chronic illness, inter-generational healing, and the wrestle of waiting for answered prayers.

Jazz pianist Mboya Nicholson has performed in Guadeloupe; played  for a Consul General of the Netherlands in Toronto; performed a 4 month residency in Japan; and frequently plays the Edmonton Jazz Festival. Born and raised in Edmonton, Mboya’s interest in jazz began as a small child. After high school, he attended Grant MacEwan Community College (presently MacEwan University) from 1992-‘94, studying with well respected local jazz scene pianists, Charlie Austin and Bill Richards. In 1999 he moved to New Orleans and  attended the University of New Orleans (UNO). During that time he studied with jazz legends, including pianist Ellis Marsalis, and  Harold Battiste; as well as renowned greats, Peter Martin and Victor Atkins. 

In 2005, Mboya moved to Toronto, teaching piano and writing string quartet arrangements for projects by conductor Colin Mendez Morris, music director of ArsMusica. Mboya Presently resides in Edmonton, working as a sessional instructor at MacEwan University, where he teaches jazz piano, ear training and a course he created, Jazz History with Cultural Context. He has recently released an album of original compositions called "Melodic Faces."

My name is Judah Robinson the oldest of three children in my family. Born in Jamaica but raised in Edmonton,Alberta. I have a local rapper for the last twenty years doing over one hundred shows in that time. I have also toured nationally and I am currently revamping my entire catalog to make it readily available as we speak. My inspiration came from the artists that make up the super group known as the Wu-tang clan. However my biggest influences would have to be Nob Marley and Tupac Shakur. As an artist I'm constantly experimenting and reinventing my myself with new writing styles and production. This keeps my audience intrigued as well as myself, it is art form to me above all else so that is what I try to bring to the table every time. From an early age English was identified a very strong subject and I really enjoyed writing. This has translated into a hobby that I intend to make a full time career in the near future. 

Taneya Rogers is a Trinidadian born storyteller, who immigrated to Canada by way of the United States. Joining a small publishing team as an Editor 4 years ago, she focused on using the platform to narrate the nuances of the Black experience in Alberta. This work, however, has opened opportunities for her to explore storytelling as an oratory art form, and to specifically share aspects of her Caribbean/Trinidadian history and heritage. 

Speaking at social justice rallies, Black History Month festivals, and collaborating on cultural projects like Cariwest has allowed her to experiment with various styles of writing and deliveries. Incorporating drumming or music into her storytelling enhances the experience for her audiences. 

Rogers hopes that her work connects people and experiences across the diaspora. She also hopes that with every story, her listeners either learn something new or find common ground that is worth honouring and celebrating.

From Trinidad migrated to Canada. I started playing drums at an early age. In 1968 I got a special award  for playing drums from Dr. Eric Williams who was then our Prime Minister  in the  1968 Secondary School Drama Festival. I am one of the founders of Wajjo Drummers, which was formed in 1990. 

Violinist Guillaume Tardif (DMA Eastman) is Associate Professor and String Area Coordinator at the Department of Music, University of Alberta. His research explores various aspects of the history and 

practice of the violin, and often features new or neglected works – such as Gallois-Montbrun’s accompanied version of Paganini’s 24 Caprices, which he presented with pianist Roger Admiral at Carnegie-Weill Hall. Guillaume Tardif has appeared widely as a violin soloist and guest professor, 

 collaborating with ensembles and distinguished artists in Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, South  America, and Australasia. He premiered many works, authored scholarly articles, produced CD recordings, arrangements, and cadenzas, and led projects such as the SSHRC-sponsored Genius of the Violin video-documentary and the Dare to Discover Series with the Enterprise Quartet. Upcoming performances in 2024 include Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in London, UK, and new arrangements with the Bridge-Wolak duet in central Europe. (www.guillaume.tardif.com)

Position: Professor and Canada Research Chair Tier 1 in Feminism and Intersectionality in the Sociology Department, University of Alberta, Canada.  

Contact details: 

Email: shirleya@ualberta.ca

Office: Sociology Department, HM Tory Building Room 422, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H4,  Canada

Brief bio:

Her area of research is Black diaspora studies broadly and her research interests are institutional racism, the body, affect, beauty, hybridity, 'race' performativity  and Caribbean decolonial studies while paying attention to the intersections of 'race' and gender. Her current research project is on antiracism and decolonization in universities. She is Honorary Professor, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa, and affiliated to CriSHET, and Visiting Professor in  CRED, Leeds Beckett University, UK.

Jesse Thomas received an MFA in Painting from Washington University in Saint Louis in 2003 and a BFA in Painting and Drawing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1993.

Current projects include a collaboration with Moment Research in Edmonton exploring painting, sound, and interactive projections. Recent projects include Entourer, an immersive multimedia artwork installed at the New Orleans Jazz Museum in honor of the tricentennial anniversary of that city’s founding. His 2016 solo exhibition at the Zhengzhou University of Light Industry in China consisted of fifty works representing the past five years of his studio production. Previous solo exhibitions of his work have been held in Edmonton, St Louis, Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Berlin. He is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Design at the University of Alberta.