Kaeja d’Dance

Two individuals carry different memories and perceptions of the same events from their past. Lasterday delves into their relationship - sense of timeline, emotional impacts, and interactions, throughout their life journey, revealing how they remember and interpret their shared history. Lasterday is part of the Kaeja’s lifeDUET commissioning series for Karen and Allen Kaeja. The works explore their lifelong creative and personal partnership. Many duets have toured across the world through Canada and to Spain, India, England, Japan, Mexico, Venezuela and Israel.

Karen and Allen Kaeja thank BC Movement Arts Society (BCMAS) and Mary-Louise Albert for initiating our BC tour with a residency and performances in Pt.McNeill, Sointula and ‘Namgis Nation/Alert Bay”, and for 30 years of wonderful ongoing collaborations. As well they are grateful to Donna Spencer, Allison Cummings (Older ad Reckless), Claudia Moore, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto Arts Council

Choreographer | Creator: Hanna Kiel

Hanna Kiel, a Dora Award-winning artist hailing from Seoul, South Korea, made Vancouver her home in 1996. Her creative journey has graced stages such as 12 Minutes Max, PlanB Singles and Solos Festival, Dancing on the Edge Festival, and Pulse at the Scotiabank Dance Centre in Vancouver. In 2007, she collaborated with the iconic Yoko Ono, showcasing her talent as both dancer and choreographer at the Centre A. Relocating to Toronto in 2008, Hanna's choreographic prowess has continued to shine through her work with renowned institutions like Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, George Brown Dance, and The National Ballet of Canada. In 2012, she clinched victory in Northwest Dance Project's 'Pretty Creatives' international choreographic competition, further solidifying her status as a prominent figure in the dance world. Hanna Kiel, the founder and artistic director of Human Body Expression, is also a resident choreographer at Canada's Ballet Jorgen.

Composer: Adam Campbell

Adam Campbell, is a versatile sound designer, composer, percussionist and singer-songwriter. Originally from Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Adam has worked as sound designer/composer with Stratford Festival, Blyth Festival, Human Body Expression, Kaeja d'Dance, Edmonton Opera, Capitol Theatre, Lights On Stratford and more. Adam has toured and performed throughout North America as a percussionist with TorQ Percussion Quartet and Ladom Ensemble, and regularly plays in the pit for musical theatre productions with companies such as Mirvish Productions and Stratford Festival. In 2019, Adam released his debut solo singer-songwriter album, Guess I’m A People Too, featuring a mix of folk, rock and 90’s-tinged original music. Adam currently lives in Stratford, Ontario, with his wife Alice and their cats Ninja and Nazca.

Lighting Designer: Gavin McDonald

Gavin McDonald, has designed lighting for over 25 years. He has designed many productions across North America and the UK. Gavin teaches Lighting & Media Design at York University.

Touring Production & Stage Manager - Carla Ritchie

Carla is thrilled to be working with Kaeja d'Dance. She is an accomplished Stage/Production Manager, Technical Director, Designer, and reluctant Improvisor. Currently, General Manager for VIVO Media Arts Centre and Indig-E Girl Comedy, situated on the unceded territory of xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Carla has lived and worked across Canada, in Regina, Calgary, Manitoulin Island and Toronto and has toured the US and China. Some favourite companies include Red Sky Performance, Electric Company Theatre, The National Arts Centre, Tarragon Theatre, Ghost River Theatre, Bound2Create, One Yellow Rabbit, Debajehmujig-Storytellers and Native Earth Performing Arts. 

Rehearsal Director - Mio Sakamoto

Mio Sakamoto is a Toronto based dance artist originally from Japan. She is a performer, choreographer, dance educator and Co-Founder of MillO Dance Projects. Mio has performed (selected) October Sky by Paul-André Fortier at Nuit Blanche, Mani.Deux by Northfoot Movement at Fall For Dance North, TouchX and I am the Child of… by Kaeja d’Dance at Harbourfront Theatre Centre as part of Torque International Contemporary Dance Series 2022, Miigis: Underwater Panther by Red Sky Performance at Canadian Stage, and Nine Bronze Pieces (remount) by Maxine Heppner at Salerno Danza Festival. Her choreographic works (selected), Submerge, Lucid Space (dance film), Systematic, Oblivious or Naive, and Cater To You, were presented in Canada, Brazil, Slovenia, Germany and Japan. In 2020, she received the RBC Newcomer Arts Award by Neighbourhood Arts Network - Toronto Arts Foundation. In 2021, she was selected for the first year-long Artist in Residence of Kaeja d’Dance. 

Performers:

Karen Kaeja (she/her): Karen is a Toronto born, award-winning choreographer, project instigator, performer, mentor and educator. The heart of her research, creation, and writing concentrates on the agency of Touch. She develops platforms for collaborative relationships between dancers and everyday people highlighted in her Porch View Dances festival and concept. Karen is in The Canadian Who’s Who and has received awards including the George Luscombe Mentorship Award, Dance Ontario’s Lifetime Achievement Award, CDA “I Love Dance” Community Award and the Paul D. Fleck Fellowship. A Finalist for the TAF Celebration of Cultural Life Award, TAF Muriel Sherrin Award, NOW’s Best Local Choreographer and twice for Best Dance Company, Karen’s nominations include 7 Dora Mavor Moore Awards - winning one, the Eldred Family Dance Award, and the CDA “I Love Dance” Innovation Award. Her dance films and featured roles have been screened in over 400 festivals world-wide. Karen has taught contact and improvisation across the globe and is in her 3rd decade as faculty member at the Dance Arts Institute (formerly STDT). Co-Artistic Director of Kaeja d’Dance with Allen Kaeja, she is commissioned and presented by performance series globally. She is actively touring a series of commissioned lifeDUET performances for her and Allen. Karen collaborates with many of Canada’s brilliant choreographers and is currently co-choreographing with Roshanak Jaberi for Jaberi Dance Theatre’s international collaboration with Sweden – Architecture of Violence.

Allen Kaeja (he/him): Allen Kaeja (Co-Artistic Director, Choreographer, Film Director, Educator, developed PVD with Karen) is an internationally recognized and award-winning Choreographer and Dance Film Director. The child of a refugee and Holocaust survivor, Allen has created 30 years of Holocaust inspired stage and film works. He has created over 210 stage works and Choreographed/Directed 35 films. Co-Artistic Director of Kaeja d’Dance with Karen Kaeja, Allen’s works have been featured in commercials, films and festivals around the world. He has received numerous national and international commissions, teaches Kaeja Elevations and Dance Film master classes worldwide. Karen and Allen received the Dance Ontario Lifetime Achievement Award; were Finalists for the TAF-2020 Celebration of Cultural Life Award and were nominated for the Eldred Family Dance Award for lifetime achievement in dance. Allen choreographed Stratford’s Wendy / Peter Pan with Director Keira Loughran, until COVID-19 closed Stratford Festival in 2020. Allen and Karen recently created Kitchen Dances Web Series with Moze Mossanen and In Case of Emergency, celebrating eighteen dance artists in our community. The Kaeja’s toured to the USA in 2023 and will be touring to Western Canada in 2024. Allen’s third book “I Found My Dance in a Bomb Shelter…Anecdotes of Gratitude from a Life in Dance” will be published by Dance Collection Danse this fall. www.kaeja.org

www.kaeja.org