This workshop is an introduction to one of today’s most well-known ballroom categories, performance, the dance form also known as Vogue. Vogue is a stylized freestyle dance born from the New York underground ballroom scene, a by-for community founded by Black and Latinx LGBTQI+ people. It is a camp style of dance that presents gender as a performance where dancers embody the spirit of extravagance in a way that is purposefully exaggerated and artificial. From applying makeup/"beating the face", to styling hair, donning extravagant clothing, and throwing shade through physical movement, not only does Vogue transform into a physical and emotional way to express stories and fantasies but it becomes a tool in learning to embody ones best self. During our workshop, we will be discussing the history, playing with poses, and the elements of Vogue.

Danah Rosales , known as Maldita Siriano 007 (she/her/siya) is a Tkaronto based queer millennial; 2nd-gen Canadian-Filipinx; a daughta; a cister; a solo mama of two little humans; legendary women’s performance motha of the kiki house of siriano; and a dora nominated artist in which her work encompasses dancing, teaching, producing, collaborative and interdisciplinary choreography and performance. As an active community leader, Maldita Siriano 007 contributes to the Canadian scene as a performer, emerging choreographer and teacher in pursuit of increasing the awareness of the ballroom scene, its history, relevance and presence within today's time. She continues to develop herself as a ballroom performer for the mainstream scene, training, working with and supporting her Kiki house in her leadership role as Legendary Overall House Mother and active community member within the Toronto Kiki Ballroom Alliance as the co-chair of the TKBA Council. Maldita continues to nurture and support building the kiki scenes in Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton including the House’s chapters. Danah aspires to bring more ballroom arts to different stages with ballroom specific works, “The Grand March of the House of Siriano” that was commissioned by Fall for Dance North in Fall 2021 and “GIVE ME ONE” commissioned by Toronto Dance Theatre in Spring 2023, where the cast was nominated for the ‘Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble’ Dora Award.

Photo by Joshua Rille @jjjjjjjoshua

*This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Assembly Park and Dance Together Project.

Ballet Folklorico Puro Mexico is a Mexican dance company founded in May 2003 by Melissa Lowry and is currently directed by Jezreel Vazquez. During its 18 years as a non-for-profit organization, Puro Mexico has grown exponentially thanks to the passion and dedication of each one of its members. They work tirelessly to promote Mexican folklore by committing to bring their best work forward with pride and professionalism to every audience.

Photo by Miguel Magro @mestitia

*This performance is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

In this workshop we will play with various Cuban Rhythms, such as Mambo, Chachacha and Salsa. Dailyn Martinez will guide you through the basic footwork and body movement in her signature style of Shumdesalsa. All ages welcome!

Dailyn Martínez was born in Cuba, graduated from the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Espectáculos Musicales in Havana, specializing in contemporary dance, musical theatre and cabaret. She has been sharing her passion for dance for over twenty years. In Cuba, Dailyn has taught for Teatro America and Havana Night. In Toronto, she is the Owner/Director of ShumdeSalsa Dance Company where she teaches different styles such as Cuban Salsa, Son and Afro-Cuban dance to adults and youth at various studios, including Lula Lounge, Steps Dance Studio, Royal Classical Ballet and Dance Annex. Dailyn also performs with various live musicians, including Juno Award Winners OKAN and Dayme Arocena.

Photo by Mirna Chacin

*This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

Join Stephania Woloshyn (@bliskmusic , @lemonbucketorkestra ) along with live musicians Daev Clysdale on accordion and Jaash Singh on darbuka as they lead you through some fun social Ukrainian dances that combine partner and group formations, using simple repetitive sequences. The best part is you don't need to have ANY dance experience! All ages, all levels welcome! Come on out and have some fun! We guarantee you'll be giggling as you dance!

Stephania Woloshyn is a Toronto based Juno-nominated and Dora award-winning dancer/singer/musician, and multidisciplinary designer. She has trained extensively in ballet, Ukrainian, Eastern-European, Romani and bellydance, and has performed professionally world-wide as a singer and dancer with Toronto’s BLISK, The Lemon Bucket Orkestra, and Kalendar Ukrainian folk ensemble.

Photo by Mirna Chacin

*This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

Fantástica Bateria from Samba Toronto with accompany Albena’s Samba class and play live afterward for the neighbourhood to enjoy!

They are Canada’s premiere Brazilian Bateria ensemble, a professional group of drummers, instrumentalists, singers and dancers, who share a passion for Brazilian music, samba, above all! Their strong cultural connections to Brazil are the subject of filmmaker Avi Lev’s documentary film, 'We Are Samba' and they have released a CD together with sambista Chocolatte da Vila Maria, entitled A Fantástica Bateria de Chocolatte e Alan Hetherington.

The leader and musical director of the A Fantástica Bateria is percussionist and musical all-rounder Alan “Canadense” Hetherington a devotee of the Samba Enredo tradition of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo since 1989. At the receiving end of Hetherington’s knowledge is the Bateria's core, a percussion ensemble, with singers, musicians and dancers who have all been transformed by the power and beauty of samba.

*This event is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

Learn some of the fundamentals elements of the exhilarating and energetic Samba, the national dance of Brazil. This class will also feature live accompaniment by Samba Toronto!

Albena de Assis grew up in Luanda, Angola where, as a child, she started studying ballet and modern dance at the National School of Dance. She later moved to Portugal to study Computer Engineering but continued her dance training in ballet with Fernando Lima. After moving to Toronto she started salsa dancing in 2001, studied with some of the best salsa and Afro-Cuban instructors in Toronto and taught as senior instructor for United Salseros for two years. In 2005 she founded AfroLatino Dance Company, a company dedicated to the performance and instruction of the dances of Afro and Latin origin, from her native Angola (Kizomba, Semba, Afrohouse), to Cuba (salsa, Afro-Cuban, rumba), Brazil (samba) and more. 

Photo by Svetlana Babaylova @Svetlanabohemienne

*This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

This workshops will introduce various street dance styles from across Africa. This is an open level class exploring body isolations, footwork, hip and core-based movements. Explore African culture through dance while exploring your individuality and self-expression. Open to all ages and levels of experience.

Zahra Badua is a Ghanaian dance educator and choreographer originally from Montreal, Quebec. Her passion for dance started at a very young age as a means to learn and understand her African heritage. Through discovery and training she is skilled in various African and Caribbean based dance genres such as Traditional West African (primarily from Ghana and Guinea), several West African street styles, Soca and Dancehall. She teaches all levels from primary to recreational adults all around the GTA.

Photo by Eddieimages

**This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

This workshop is an introduction to one of today’s most well-known ballroom categories, performance, the dance form also known as Vogue. Vogue is a stylized freestyle dance born from the New York underground ballroom scene, a by-for community founded by Black and Latinx LGBTQI+ people. It is a camp style of dance that presents gender as a performance where dancers embody the spirit of extravagance in a way that is purposefully exaggerated and artificial. From applying makeup/"beating the face", to styling hair, donning extravagant clothing, and throwing shade through physical movement, not only does Vogue transform into a physical and emotional way to express stories and fantasies but it becomes a tool in learning to embody ones best self. During our workshop, we will be discussing the history, playing with poses, and the elements of Vogue.

Danah Rosales (She/Her/Siya), known as 'New Legend Mother Maldita Siriano' in the Kiki Canadian Ballroom Scene, is a Tkaronto based queer millennial; second-generation Canadian-Filipinx; a daughter; a dawta; a sister; a sis; a cis; a mother of two little humans; a motha of a kiki house; and an artist in which her work encompasses teaching, collaborative and interdisciplinary choreography and performance. As an active community leader in the kiki scene, she contributes as a house mutha, choreographer, and teacher in pursuit of increasing the awareness of the ballroom scene and its history, major contributions, importance and presence within today's time. She continues to develop herself as a ballroom artist for the mainstream scene, developing, training, working with and supporting her Kiki house and work within the Toronto Kiki Ballroom Alliance.

Photo by Simone Chnarakis @wurld2000k

*This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

This workshop fuses Indigenous and Contemporary dance forms! Opening with a traditional warm up and  exploring different styles of dance and the relationships between them. Participants will learn different ways of connecting to their bodies and movements to the universal language of music.

Nichole Leveck is a Fancy Shawl and Jingle dress artist born and raised in Scarborough Ontario. Her family is Wyandat, Algonquin, Irish and French who originate from the Ottawa Valley of Madawaska, Griffith and Matawatchan Ontario.

Photo by Matt Barnes

*This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

Generations of African-based vernacular continues in contemporary time. Join Miss Coco Murray in movements rooted in community engagement and social life of the Western region of Africa. Experience dancing in relationship to the live musicianship of polyrhythms from the ethnic communities in Guinea.

Collette “Coco” Murray is a dance artist-scholar, cultural arts programmer, and arts leader with a mobile, dance education business that amplifies Afro-diasporic dance vernacular. Murray is artistic director of Coco Collective, an intergenerational and multidisciplinary team offering culturally responsive projects in African and Caribbean arts. Murray received the 2022 Racial Justice Award in Creative Arts from Urban Alliance of Race Relations, recognized as one of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women in 2020, and Toronto Arts Foundation’s 2019 Community Arts Award recipient for advancing cultural arts, anti-racism work in dance and significant contributions to creating access and inclusion to arts and culture. Murray pursues a Ph.D. in Dance Studies, holds a master’s in education, an Honours BA in Race, Ethnicity, and Indigeneity, and a Sociology BA from the University of Toronto. Murray leads with an EDI lens in the arts and dance sector as board chair of Dance Umbrella of Ontario, and board members of the National Council of Canadian Dance Assembly and Arts Etobicoke.

Photo by Christopher Cushman

*This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

Join A.J. in some grooves in the dance style of Popping and Waving! Discover how culture inspires movement and thoughts as well as fashion. Learn a cool routine together!

Raised in Scarborough, A.J. Harper has been dancing since the age of ten. He began competing in street dance battles such as Golden Groove in 2017, placing top 4 with his main style of dance called Popping. After joining the dance collective Blvckout fam, A.J. has won 2 consecutive 2 v 2 Allstyles battles called the Jamdemic, placed 1st in an online American based dance contest as well as winning the Cypher on the Block Popping competition in 2022. A.J. also teaches in various camps and elementary schools about mental health and the importance of movement using dance techniques. As of 2023, A.J. Harper began a dance related organization called Hues In Action teaching dance and connecting it to mental health and culture.

Photo by Vickie Kan

*This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

This Latin Fusion class will dive into rhythmic body movements, isolations and Cuban motion flavour! Basic Salsa, Merengue, Bachata and Reggaeton steps will be combined in some easy to follow freestyle combinations. Jump in to follow along!

From Havana, Cuba, Yordan grew up in a rich dance culture and community. Following his passion and desire to learn more about Cuban dance, as a teen he started his first steps in formal instruction at Casas de Cultura. Yordan taught dance in Havana at international schools of dance, Via Danza and Salsamiga. He can be found at various Afro Cuban events around Toronto and will be teaching street-style Cuban Salsa at the festival.

*This workshop is free for participants thanks to the support of Arts in the Parks Toronto.

This fun workshop will get you grooving to the sounds of Latin Rhythms with learning the basics of Merengue, Salsa and Bachata. This introduction to Latin dance is perfect for beginners learning new moves, but be prepared to break a sweat as you put it all together and pick up the pace alongside Jocelyn!

Jocelyn Azarcon, founder of Soul 2 Sole Latin Dance Company, will guide you through the basics of Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue. Soul2Sole is a Latin dance company since with multiple studio locations across the GTA. With over 20 years of experience, Jocelyn is a seasoned dance educator who brings a high level of energy and passion to her classes.

LOCATION: 1 Atkinson St. Richmond Hill Public Library, Central branch (south east corner)

*In case of rain, the workshops will be on the 2nd Floor - Large Meeting Room

*This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Culture days, in partnership with City of Richmond Hill and Richmond Hill Public Library.

This is a feel-good class known to inspire positivity, build community, and get all ages and abilities moving and grooving! We'll join together in some simple moves and make our own creative choices with each movement. Although we're all doing the same thing, we'll each look completely different while we do it! Celebrating our unity AND individuality! This 45 minute playlist will include a variety of music and dance styles, and finish with a self-guided stretch and peaceful stillness.

Libby Avalos is the co-director and owner of ARTSies Inc. in Markham, which provides musical theatre classes, camps, and exciting performance opportunities to youth of all ages. She retired from her career as a professional dancer in late 2011, after spending many years performing abroad, and refocused on her life-long passion of teaching. Libby believes deeply that the arts can change the world for the better, by changing people for the better!

LOCATION: 1 Atkinson St. Richmond Hill Public Library, Central branch (south east corner)

*In case of rain, the workshops will be on the 2nd Floor - Large Meeting Room

*This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Culture days, in partnership with City of Richmond Hill and Richmond Hill Public Library.

This fun workshop will get you grooving to the sounds of Latin Rhythms with learning the basics of Merengue, Salsa and Bachata. This introduction to Latin dance is perfect for beginners learning new moves, but be prepared to break a sweat as you put it all together and pick up the pace alongside Jocelyn!

Jocelyn Azarcon, founder of Soul 2 Sole Latin Dance Company, will guide you through the basics of Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue. Soul2Sole is a Latin dance company since with multiple studio locations across the GTA. With over 20 years of experience, Jocelyn is a seasoned dance educator who brings a high level of energy and passion to her classes.

**This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Ontario Culture Days, in partnership with City of Vaughan, SmartVMC and YMCA at the at The David Braley Vaughan Centre.

A class that takes you on a tour of Africa through dance. Explore a variety of African street dance styles and learn grooves and moves including body isolations, hip movements, and footwork. Open to all levels of experience.

Zahra Badua is a Ghanaian dance educator and choreographer originally from Montreal, Quebec. Her passion for dance started at a very young age as a means to learn and understand her African heritage. Through discovery and learning she is trained in Traditional West African, Afro-Caribbean Folklore, Soca, Afrobeats and Dancehall. Zahra teaches for Dance 'N' Culture - an organization that brings cultural dance styles to schools across the GTA.

Photo by Mirna Chacin

**This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Ontario Culture Days, in partnership with City of Vaughan, SmartVMC and YMCA at the at The David Braley Vaughan Centre.

Did you know that Waltz was originally a street dance and deemed the ultimate “dirty dance” of its time? In this dance, finding connection in order to support each other through repetitive turns is a source of joy. Let’s take Waltz back to the street and find out what it’s all about! No prior dance experience necessary.

Katya Kuznetsova is a dance artist, educator and cultural producer with a focus and practice of building communities through dance. She develops and facilitates dance workshops and choreographies for beginners, as well as special workshops for the elderly, wheelchair movers and people with visual impairments. Through the Dance Together Project, Katya creates dance with “non-dancers” in a way that embraces vulnerability, builds confidence and opens access to the joy of human connection. She has developed and facilitated dance programs for Wheel Dance, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Sarah Elizabeth Centre, Sunnybrook Veterans Center and various retirement communities in the GTA. As a co-founder and co-producer of the Dance Together Festival, she is invested in opening access to positive dance experiences for everyone.

**This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Ontario Culture Days, in partnership with City of Vaughan, SmartVMC and YMCA at the at The David Braley Vaughan Centre.

Join Stephania Woloshyn (@bliskmusic , @lemonbucketorkestra ) along with live musicians Daev Clysdale on accordion and Jaash Singh on darbuka as they lead you through some fun social Ukrainian dances that combine partner and group formations, using simple repetitive sequences. The best part is you don't need to have ANY dance experience! All ages, all levels welcome! Come on out and have some fun! We guarantee you'll be giggling as you dance!

Stephania Woloshyn is a Toronto based Juno-nominated and Dora award-winning dancer/singer/musician, and multidisciplinary designer. She has trained extensively in ballet, Ukrainian, Eastern-European, Romani and bellydance, and has performed professionally world-wide as a singer and dancer with Toronto’s BLISK, The Lemon Bucket Orkestra, and Kalendar Ukrainian folk ensemble.

Photo by Mirna Chacin

**This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Ontario Culture Days, in partnership with City of Vaughan, SmartVMC and YMCA at the at The David Braley Vaughan Centre.

This sit or stand class is all about feeling the music in the body and letting the body and mind dance together! Each session includes a rhythmic but gentle warm-up followed by dance elements that can all be done while standing or sitting. Katya integrates elements from several dance styles and provides an example and general structure, encouraging each person to move in the ways that work for their body and mobility. The music includes Brazilian drumming, Cuban, Big band, Jazz, and Waltz.

Katya Kuznetsova is a dance artist, educator and cultural producer with a focus and practice of building communities through dance. She develops and facilitates dance workshops and choreographies for beginners, as well as special workshops for the elderly, wheelchair movers and people with visual impairments. Through the Dance Together Project, Katya creates dance with “non-dancers” in a way that embraces vulnerability, builds confidence and opens access to the joy of human connection. She has developed and facilitated dance programs for Wheel Dance, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Sarah Elizabeth Centre, Sunnybrook Veterans Center and various retirement communities in the GTA. As a co-founder and co-producer of the Dance Together Festival, she is invested in opening access to positive dance experiences for everyone.

**This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the Markham Arts Council. Proudly presented as part Ontario Culture Days.

This is a feel-good class known to inspire positivity, build community, and get all ages and abilities moving and grooving! We'll join together in some simple moves and make our own creative choices with each movement. Although we're all doing the same thing, we'll each look completely different while we do it! Celebrating our unity AND individuality! This 45 minute playlist will include a variety of music and dance styles, and finish with a self-guided stretch and peaceful stillness.

Libby Avalos is the co-director and owner of ARTSies Inc. in Markham, which provides musical theatre classes, camps, and exciting performance opportunities to youth of all ages. She retired from her career as a professional dancer in late 2011, after spending many years performing abroad, and refocused on her life-long passion of teaching. Libby believes deeply that the arts can change the world for the better, by changing people for the better!

LOCATION:

*This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the Markham Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of Ontario Culture days, in partnership with Dance Together Project.

Learn the grooves and vibes that accompany illusionary movements to create a beautiful dance style known as Popping.

Raised in Scarborough, A.J. Harper has been dancing since the age of 10. In 2017 he began competing in street dance battles in 2017 with his main style of dance called popping. After joining the dance collective Blvckout fam, A.J. has won 2 consecutive 2 v 2 Allstyles battles called the Jamdemic, placed 1st in an online American based dance contest as well as Top 8 to Semi finalist in battles throughout the Toronto popping and Allstyles Competitions. A.J. also teaches in various camps and elementary schools about mental health and the importance of movement using dance techniques.

Photo by Vickie Kan @vickiekan

Presented in partnership with York Region Arts Council, City of Vaughan, and Smart VMC Vaughan

**This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Ontario Culture Days, in partnership with City of Vaughan, SmartVMC and YMCA at the at The David Braley Vaughan Centre.

Come join us for a beginner introduction to Hip-Hop dance! This workshop will teach basic street dance moves to Hip-Hop and Pop hits of the 90s, 00s, and today.

Matthew Morales is a professional dancer, choreographer, teacher, and event producer. Working in the industry since 2017, his dance credits include the Toronto Raptors North Side Crew, the Toronto Argonauts A-Team, Ceréna, Nilo Blues, and choreographing for a wide variety of recording artists. As an event producer, Matthew has created over a dozen dance and youth-focused events in the GTA under his production company: xM². Currently, Matthew continues to choreograph and dance for musical artists, while teaching for First Nations communities through Outside Looking In. Blending various street styles through choreography and freestyle lessons, Matthew strives to help dancers of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels find the confidence to speak freely through their movement.

Photo by Aidan Tooth

*This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Ontario Culture Days, in partnership with City of Vaughan, SmartVMC and YMCA at the at The David Braley Vaughan Centre.

This workshop will get you grooving to Cuban Salsa, Cha-Cha-Cha, Mambo and Reggaeton. Dailyn Martinez will guide you through the basic steps and rhythms, footwork and body movement in her signature style of Shumdesalsa.

Dailyn Martínez was born in Cuba, graduated from the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Espectáculos Musicales in Havana, specializing in contemporary dance, musical theatre and cabaret. She has been sharing her passion for dance for over twenty years. In Cuba, Dailyn has taught for Teatro America and Havana Night. In Toronto, she is the Owner/Director of ShumdeSalsa Dance Company where she teaches different styles such as Cuban Salsa, Son and Afro-Cuban dance to adults and youth at various studios, including Lula Lounge, Steps Dance Studio, Royal Classical Ballet and Dance Annex. Dailyn also performs with various live musicians, including Juno Award Winners OKAN and Dayme Arocena.

Photo by Mirna Chacin

**This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Ontario Culture Days, in partnership with City of Vaughan, SmartVMC and YMCA at the at The David Braley Vaughan Centre.

This is a feel-good class known to inspire positivity, build community, and get all ages and abilities moving and grooving! We'll join together in some simple moves and make our own creative choices with each movement. Although we're all doing the same thing, we'll each look completely different while we do it! Celebrating our unity AND individuality! This 45 minute playlist will include a variety of music and dance styles, and finish with a self-guided stretch and peaceful stillness.

Libby Avalos is the co-director and owner of ARTSies Inc. in Markham, which provides musical theatre classes, camps, and exciting performance opportunities to youth of all ages. She retired from her career as a professional dancer in late 2011, after spending many years performing abroad, and refocused on her life-long passion of teaching. Libby believes deeply that the arts can change the world for the better, by changing people for the better!

*This workshop is free, thanks to the generous support of the York Region Arts Council. Proudly presented as part of the York Region Experience Trail during Ontario Culture Days, in partnership with City of Vaughan, SmartVMC and YMCA at the at The David Braley Vaughan Centre.