With The Royal Ballet, Kathak stars Tanveer Alam and Barkha Patel, and a world premiere from Artist-in-Residence Esie Mensah, Fall for Dance North (FFDN) looks to make a splash with the 11th iteration of the festival. The festival takes place from October 15 to 25, 2025, and revolves around the three signature programs.
FFDN’s new leadership team of Co-CEO’s, Festival Director Lily Sutherland and Artistic Director Robert Binet co-curated the programming with FFDN 2025 Artist-in-Residence Esie Mensah, and renowned Toronto Kathak dancer Tanveer Alam.
“Curating this festival in collaboration with the FFDN team and co-curators Esie Mensah and Tanveer Alam has been a thrill,” says Robert Binet in a statement. “Artists I admire deeply from Toronto and all over the world will meet on stage in explorations of history, human experience, and the future we create when we move together. Every program is an invitation into the joy and community dance creates.”
The Festival: Signature Programs
AFROFUSION: Signature Program 1, October 15 – 18
Elements of Traditional and Contemporary West African Dance, Street Dance, Afro-Latin Dance, Modern, Jazz, and Salsa come together in this program, which incorporates three distinct works: the world premiere of Esie Mensah’s new large scale commission ESHI, and two works by international artists curated by Mensah and Binet — Dickson Mbi (Cameroon/UK) and Sekou McMiller (USA).
HOMEGROWN: Signature Program 2, October 18 & 19
This program celebrates the global connectivity of Toronto choreographers and artists by way of four works: Ethan Colangelo’s Reverence for The National Ballet of Canada, the Dora Award-winning solo CYMATIX from international Street Dance star Caroline “Lady C” Fraser, Traditional West African Dance from Lua Shayenne Dance Company, and a cross-cultural world premiere from Canadian and Nigerian African Street Dance collaborators Kwasi Obeng Adjei and Ambrose Tjark.
KATHAK & BALLET: Signature Program 3, October 23 – 25
This mixed program will include duets, solos and ensemble works that explore the common ground between two historic dance forms from Eastern and Western traditions: the classical Indian dance form of Kathak and Ballet. The program is co-curated by Tanveer Alam, and features the UK’s The Royal Ballet, who will perform a selection of solos and pas de deux from their repertoire, India’s Nad-Roop and Dheerendra Tiwari, and Alam with Barkha Patel.
What’s New?
“This year’s FFDN festival looks to the vibrant future of dance in Toronto with hope and admiration,” adds Lily Sutherland. “We are thrilled to present our three distinct signature program presentations at the beautiful Bluma Appel Theatre, while simultaneously creating opportunities for uniquely intimate encounters with dance across the city, including a brand new dance series at The Citadel, and an up-close-and-personal dance experience with Toronto’s next generation of dance luminaries at OCAD University.”
Intimate Pairings is a new dance series of 45-minute pieces, and takes place at the Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance from October 21 – 23. Two distinct programs will be presented over the three nights: Braids & Heritage, featuring Montreal’s Jossua Satinée and Stacey Désilier; and Gutted and Pendulum, showcasing a pairing of solo works created by female artists Katie Adams-Gossage and Priyanka Tope.
The annual late-night dance series Night Shift returns in a partnership between The Citadel and FFDN, curated by FFDN 2021-2022 Artist-in-Residence Natasha Powell.
Up Next is another new feature, and it takes place on October 25 and 26 at OCAD University’s The Great Hall. Entry is timed, and audience members will be able to move through the space so they can direct their own dance experience, featuring a rotation of cutting edge works from Esie Mensah with FFDN Scholar-in-Residence Devon Healey, Sekou McMiller, Sydney-based street and club dance choreographer and performer Azzam Mohamed, who will perform GLAD, and champion dancers of FFDN’s 3rd annual Tkaronto Open Indigenous Jingle Dress competition.
In August, FFDN will announce a range of free in-person workshops and other activities.
- Single tickets and festival packages are now available [HERE]. Tickets for Up Next will be offered on a sliding scale.
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