YENSA Dance Festival (Photo by Dahlia Katz)

YENSA Festival is back for a second edition with a program of workshops, performances, and more that focus on Black women in dance from an Afrocentric lens. The Festival takes place from August 21 to 25, 2024, in downtown Toronto.

The Black body is a vessel of memory, and a source of joy and wellness — those are the central themes of the 2024 Festival. For dance professionals, it’s a chance to participate in workshops and discussions. On August 23 and 24, a lineup of Black women choreographers from the African diaspora offer bold dance programs in performance.

BLACK FLAMES

“As the festival’s curator, my mission is to illuminate the intricate tapestry of dance as conveyed by Black women, honouring their myriad and profound contributions,” says Lua Shayenne, Artistic Director and Curator in a statement.

Pieces & Performers

SEZAM | Compagnie Oredans (Montréal) | Choreographer: Shérane Figaro | Dancers: Aurélie Ann Figaro, Coralie Millet, Mya Métellus, Anais Gilles

Sezam is a work about human experience, and transformational changes through the phases of life. Water is part of the symbolism of this piece inspired by ancestral Haitian dances.

Dancer, choreographer and teacher Shérane Figaro is based in Laval, Qc, where she founded her dance company Oredans in 2009. She designed the ESANS method of teaching traditional Haitian dance elements; in her own works, she uses those elements to examine themes of history and spirituality, blending the traditional and contemporary.

FREEFORM | Choreographer & dancer: I’thandi Munro (Halifax)

“As a choreographer, mover, and metalsmith, I combine mediums to create expansive landscapes of thought.” Movement is a healing element in the work of choreographer Munro. She improvises dance around wire structures, expressing the reality of a racialized person in a post-colonial world through the tension of movement vs. restriction.

THE FALL INTO FLOW | Choreographer & Dancer: Rosie Harbans (Toronto)

The Fall Into Flow is a journey into self discovery, where uncertainty can be uncomfortable, but leads to new ways of moving forwards. Trusting intuition is the key.

Choreographer and dancer Rose-Mary “Rosie” Harbans celebrates her Caribbean ancestry through a love of rhythm and storytelling. A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University, she is a teacher at Etobicoke School of the Arts and Canada’s National Ballet School as well as a maintaining a busy performance schedule.

FEMININE | Choreographer & Dancer Olivia Okonkwo (Toronto)

There are exclusionary boundaries around the idea of femininity in Western culture, and those boundaries often fail to recognize the beauty of Black women. This solo work delves into the dual nature of Black women, expressing both power and elegance.

Choreographer and dancer Olivia Okonkwo is a biracial Nigerian-Canadian artist, originally from Edmonton, and currently based in in Toronto. She’s a graduate of the Toronto Metropolitan University’s BFA Performance Dance program, where she trained with renowned educators. She has performed on stage and in film in works by noted choreographers Robert Glumbek and Roberto Campanella (ProArteDanza), Kaitlyn Seibold, Vicki St. Denys, and Guillaume Côté (Côté Danse), among others.

Performances take place at the Betty Oliphant Theatre on August 23 and 24. Find more information and tickets [HERE].

ATSIA Dance & Community Social

The YENSA Festival’s ATSIA dance and live drum Circle celebrates community, inclusivity and diversity. It’s a place for cultural appreciation and exchange, and people from all walks of life are invited to come together to dance to the beat of the drum. Be sure to wear something comfortable you can dance in.

Percussionists can bring their own instruments.

- FREE with registration (space is limited). Information and registration [HERE].

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Anya Wassenberg

Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto City Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an experienced freelance writer, blogger and writing instructor.