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Alisia Pobega (she/her) completed her dance training in Montréal at L'École Supérieure de ballet du Québec. 

In 2000, Alisia joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens where she danced for over 12 years, performing in works by numerous international choreographers and rising to the rank of soloist. 

She is currently an independent artist in Montréal dancing for choreographers Jane Mappin, Andrew Skeels, Hélène Simoneau and Kvarcakova-Galdeano and is a member of The Legacy Project, directed by Margie Gillis. 

Along with Louis-Martin Charest, they have developed and teach a series of workshops: Presence and Interpretation Method For Dancers. They have also collaborated on several short dance films. 

Alisia teaches classical ballet and contemporary dance for established institutions such as Danse à la Carte, Studios GB, l’École Supérieure de ballet du Québec, L’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, Springboard Danse Montréal and Compagnie Marie Chouinard. She also spends time in the studio as rehearsal-director, rehearsing pieces for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Cas Public, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (BJM), Véronique Giasson and Anne Plamondon Productions. 

Since June 2023, she has been the Artistic and General Director of Danse à la Carte.

Photo Credit: Michael Slobodian

Dancer

Submitted by Kate King Wale… on
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Taylor MacLeod (she/her) is a performer, dance educator and arts enthusiast from Mohkinstsis (Calgary, Alberta). She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance, with a concentration in choreography and performance with distinction from the University of Calgary. Since emerging in the local arts scene, she has performed with Kloetzel and Co., WM2, Project InTandem, Corps Bara Dance Theatre, and Ballet Bodies. Taylor has had the opportunity to perform across Canada
in Regina’s Stream of Dance, Calgary’s Fluid Festival, Annual Alberta Dance Festival, and Skylines Dance & Film Series, as well as Edmonton’s The Works Festival and Prairie Dance Circuit. 

In her teaching and choreography, Taylor explores pushing technical and creative limits, while seeking to foster kind and inclusive spaces. Her work draws upon vulnerability, human connection and behaviour, and welcomes collaboration to continuously create a fresh perspective.

Dancer

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David Ferri (he/him) has worked with prominent choreographers such as Pina Bausch, Shen Wei, Doug Varone, Yin Mei, Eiko and Koma, Jane  Comfort, David Rousseve, Jody Sperling and Ballet Preljocaj. He has been the Production Manager for the prestigious American Dance Festival since 1996 training upcoming designers in America. Recipient of 1987-1988 BESSIE AWARD for his design of Doug Varone's "Straits", and 2000-2001 BESSIE AWARD for Sustained Achievement in Lighting Design. David is the resident Lighting Designer - Technical Director for The Vassar College Dance Department and was also resident lighting designer and technical director at PS 122 from 1985-1991. 

Lighting Designer

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Kaili Che 謝祖弘 is an emerging interdisciplinary artist, choreographer, and movement educator based on the unceded lands of the Coast Salish Peoples (Vancouver) and in Moh’kinstsis, Treaty 7 Territory (Calgary). Her creative journey is rooted in vulnerability, curiosity, play, and collaboration, fostering braver spaces through anti-oppressive practices and Disability Justice principles. Alongside her artistic practice, Kaili is dedicated to nurturing community connections and supporting fellow artists. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance (with Distinction) from the University of Calgary and is certied in Healthy Dance Practice. Kaili has engaged in collaborative processes with Dancers’ Studio West, TRAction, Ivanochko et cie, W&M Physical Theatre, and kloetzel&co. Her choreography has been presented at the Surrey Art Gallery, The New Gallery, The Dance Centre, New Works, IndieFest, and Expanse Festival. She is currently producing her rst short lm and rehearsing with Cloudsway Dance Theatre (Calgary, January 2025) and Project InTandem (Ban, February 2025) for their upcoming performances.

Photo Credit: Yvonne Chew

Dancer

Submitted by Kate King Wale… on
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Victoria (V) is a Vancouver based scenographer (lighting, sound, set, and projection designer), technical director and Studio 58 graduate. Victoria is an ADC and IATSE 118 member, and a strong proponent for union membership and their justied authority. She is also a Stir recognized "Game Changer" in this year's fall arts guide.

She sees her work as focusing on the depth in shadow and its necessity to show detail in the light. Working between vibrant colours and muted tones, while using Physical structure to fully infuse her designs into the world of the piece. Using physical structures on stage with the performance creates a more literal connection to the lights, she very specically doesn't want to just work in the grid "above" the performance, she is entangled with the performance as a whole, not just its outward nal presentation. She wishes her designs to be objects wielded by and into the metaphor of the text. 

www.Victoriabell-design.com

Lighting Designer

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Meghann Michalsky is an independent Dance Artist working in Calgary, Alberta.

Ms. Michalsky is the Artistic Director of YYC Contemporary Technique Training – a professional training series and the Co-Artistic Director of Project InTandem – a double-bill dance platform that creates and produces evening-length works. She received the 2019 RBC Emerging Artist Award at the Mayor's Lunch for Arts Champions. She is the first Dancer/Choreographer in Alberta to receive this award.

She completed her BA in Contemporary Dance, concentration in Choreography and Performance from the University of Calgary. Since graduating she has rigourously pursued her dance technique training in Canada as well as in Israel, Portugal, Sweden, the U.K., the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Austria. Her research comes directly from her trust in the body and investigating how bodily experiences are deeply embedded. She creates highly visceral works with intense musculature and athletic physicality. She plays with a combination of virtuosic and state-based movements. Her movement signature has been described as vigorous, vivid, animalistic and intricate. Her knowledge of Hip-Hop and Krump movement principles has influenced her to highlight isolated, rhythmic, bound, and fast-twitch movement qualities in her contemporary choreographies.

One of her touring works, Maybe We Land, has travelled to five Canadian cities, earning nominations for two Dora Mavor Moore Awards. Michalsky has worked for an array of individual artists and companies, including Karissa Barry, Laja Feild of LajaMartin, Davida Monk, Linnea Swan, Michele Moss, kloetzel&co, Cloudsway Dance Theatre, Dancing Monkey Laboratories, J-Sik Movements, & Dancers' Studio West - Lab Emerging Artist Program (2016) & Physic/Alchemy (2018), amongst others.

Her most recent choreographic works have been presented at Dance Made in Canada | fait au Canada, artsPlace, Fluid Festival, Chutzpah Festival, Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Mile Zero Dance, Citadel + Compagnie, & artArctia Festival in Finland. She has been honoured to be awarded Choreographic Residencies from the Centro Jobel (Italy), Vitlycke Arts Centre (Sweden), Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, New Dance Horizons (Regina), University of Calgary, W & M Dance Projects, Theatre Junction, Dancers’ Studio West and DJD Dance Centre.

Photo Credit: sentientforms

Choreographer
Feature Image
Photo of dancer on stage with industrial fans and scaffolding
Subtitle
A performance choreographed by Meghann Michalsky
Page Summary
Set in a world where water and wind are both scarce and sacred, Exile serves as a contemporary reflection on displacement, resilience, and transformation.
About the Program

Exile, is a new contemporary dance work by Alberta choreographer Meghann Michalsky.

The boundaries of her primal and rigorous movement signature are pushed to their limit to delve into themes of mass unity, euphoric groove, riotous energy, and surrender.

The work grows from Michalsky’s personal journey where wind and water have been a source of salvation. Set in a world where water and wind are both scarce and sacred, Exile serves as a contemporary reflection on displacement, resilience, and transformation.

The ritual does not end.

 

Supported By:

The creation of this work was made possible through the generous support of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Calgary Arts Development, the DJD Dance Centre Residency Program, Evolved Movement Arts, Dancers’ Studio West Special Projects, Armour Equipment & Heath Kai, United Rentals, Susan Massitti Physio Pilates, and our production partner, Springboard Performance. Special thanks to Sylvie Moquin, Project InTandem, Danita Michalsky, Alice Murry, Michael Linklater, Devon Carter-Wells, Tony McGrath, Oliver Ryes, and Mike Czuba for their invaluable expertise and unwavering support. A heartfelt thank you to our fundraising campaign donors—your generosity made it possible for us to attend the Banff Centre and our Raffle Sponsors: the Malcolm Hotel & El Torro Banff.

 

Sponsor Heading
Banff Centre is grateful to the following supporters for making this event possible
Feature Image
Image of Chris Dodd from his play Deafy.
Page Summary
House Program for Chris Dodd's Deafy

Submitted by Jessica Brende… on
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Ashley has appeared in productions with: Arts Club Theatre and Bard on the Beach (Vancouver); The Citadel Theatre (Edmonton); ATP and Theatre Calgary (Calgary); Manitoba Theatre Centre and Winnipeg Jewish Theatre (Winnipeg); The Globe Theatre (Regina); and Theatre Passe Muraille, Factory Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, Mirvish and Canadian Stage (Toronto). He recently received an MFA in directing from the University of Alberta, and has written several plays, including the award winning Silent Words, starring Chris Dodd.

Submitted by Jessica Brende… on
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This is Jessy’s fourth time acting as the stage manager for Deafy, and she is delighted to be back! When she is not pushing buttons in the booth, Jessy is an actor, a playwright, and an artistic co-producer with interactive theatre company The Fox Den Collective. Recent acting credits include The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, and Twelfth Night (Freewill Shakespeare Festival), and Queen Lear is Dead (TFDC). Her writing has been seen onstage in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Toronto, and Edmonton, where she has won two Sterling Awards for her work. Selected writing credits include Persuasion; Prophecy; and The Fall of the House of Atreus: A Cowboy Love Song.

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