Open Art Surgery
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Partners
Breakin' Convention, Jonzi D (Artistic Director) London, England.
Judi Lopez (KeepRockinYou)
Lynanne Sparrow (Harbourfront Centre)
Premiere date
March 13, 2017
Open Art Surgery refers to both to the technical virtuosity and open spirit of Hip Hop theatre – a vital form that freely employs the many modes of expression in contemporary urban culture to tell stories and ask questions. The work was produced during a week long workshop in March and performed at Fleck Dance Theatre at the end of the workshop.
Artists Bios (for May 29th)
Caerina A aka Stiches is a b-girl from Vaughan who has been dancing for about five years now. She is a part of Original Ruckus Crew, a member of the Toronto B-girl Movement and is a unity artist for Unity Charity. She is currently studying illustration at OCAD University.
With over 14 years of experience in the music industry, DJ Andy B Bad began his career on the turntables in early 2010. He quickly became a crowd favourite and scored first Canadian DJ to spin at IBE and became the DJ of choice for bboy events in Toronto. Born in Edmonton, and raised in Toronto, DJ Andy B Bad spent over a decade in the Canadian dance industry as a b-boy.
Rabi B. is a multi-disciplinary street dancer with a background in Hip-Hop/Breaking, House and Krump. She is currently focusing on strengthening, elevating and representing her B-Girl skills.
Eric Lui is a breaker and acrobat with a range of movement backgrounds. He is highly collaborative in his creative processes and especially looks for ways to cross disciplinary boundaries. Right now he is interested in ways of integrating concepts and movements from hip hop, circus, and contact improvisation.
Jacqueline Melindy grew up in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador and moved to Toronto to pursue a Dance degree at York University. She is also a member of the Toronto B-girl Movement Alumni.
Partner Bios
Breakin’ Convention
The UK’s Breakin’ Convention is one of the world’s leading Hip Hop theatre organisations and is committed to celebrating, elevating and supporting Hip Hop theatre. Based at Sadler’s Wells Theatre and spearheaded by Jonzi D, we work with the most respected, innovative and inspirational artists.
Through our world-renowned international festival, national and international tours, professional development, youth projects and educational programme we seek to position Hip Hop dance alongside more historically established artforms.
The first Breakin' Convention Festival in Toronto is being presented by the Sony Centre in association with Luminato Festival June 23-25, 2017. sonycentre.ca
In 2022 Breakin’ Convention will open its Hip Hop academy in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, UK.
KeepRockinYou/Judi Lopez
KeepRockinYou is an artist-based collective that seeks to inspire young women by generating new avenues for them to grow, become empowered and stay true to themselves.
Judi Lopez is the Founder and Collective Director of KeepRockinYou. She has actively been involved in Hip Hop Culture and dancing since the early 2000's. Since Returning to Toronto from South Korea and the UK, Judi has been committed to the development of the B-girl community by starting the project The Toronto BGirl Movement in 2012. Judi has danced for Rihanna and was a featured character in Lost Girl Canadian series. Judi has showed much passion towards the arts and building presence in the Toronto Hip Hop community through her work with Manifesto Community Projects as former Managing Director. Her leadership qualities has given her many opportunities to speak about Hip Hop and Arts for social change at Universities, community gatherings and special event showcases.
Most recently, Lynanne Sparrow was part of the Performing Arts department at Harbourfront Centre as a senior member of the programming team with a focus on dance and circus. Lynanne managed NextSteps, dance for World Stage, the Summer in the Music Garden series and other special projects within the department. Along with working with Government Consulates and traveling to scout for programming, she oversees the writing and preparation of grants internally and alongside artists.
In working with artists to support and develop their work, Lynanne also produced and managed artist development labs and technical creative residencies such as Circus Sessions and Open Art Surgery. Lynanne is a connector of artists, presenters and venues.
As the former Producer and Production Manager for Theatre Junction GRAND in Calgary, Lynanne was a key member in the opening of the new venue from 2005 to the 2009 seasons. This included the move into Theatre Junction GRAND and the set-up/building of the Production and Technical departments. Besides overseeing productions, Lynanne worked with Executive Artistic Director Mark Lawes on the artistic coordination of new creation, presentations and community partners.
Lynanne has worked in film and live performance since 1996. She has worked with producer Sherrie Johnson, as the associate producer for da da kamera and the Six Stages Festivals, and as the producer for Morag Loves Company, a film company producing documentaries and developing feature films in 2009.
A graduate of the Technical Production program at the National Theatre School of Canada, Lynanne also has a Bachelor of Applied Arts from Ryerson University in Radio and Television.
Mary Fogarty is an Associate Professor at York University, Toronto, Canada. She has researched the emergence of hip-hop dance theatre and uses that historical perspective to build networks in the Canadian arts scene through the University and local communities of artist practitioners. She teaches breaking at York University and is also the lead facilitator/lecturer for the Toronto B-Girl Movement as part of the KeepRockinYou arts collective. She has consulted for Breakin' Convention (Sadler's Wells) and in this role helped to initiate the first Open Art Surgery in Toronto, Canada connecting Lynanne Sparrow (then at the Harbourfront Centre) with the UK organization. Her recent publications include Movies, Moves and Music: The Sonic World of Dance Films (Equinox, 2016) with co-editor Mark Evans and a chapter about "Gene Kelly: The Original, Updated" in the Oxford Handbook of Dance and the Popular Screen (OUP, 2014). She is currently writing an article for EQ magazine about the precarious labor of independent dance artists in Canada with a special focus on the experiences of dancers in emerging fields of practice including hip-hop dance.
Harbourfront Centre
For more than 40 years, Harbourfront Centre has been on the cutting edge of all that is current and creative, bringing together the best in both Canadian culture and the rich mosaic of cultures from within our country and around the world.Harbourfront Centre is an innovative, non-profit cultural organization which provides internationally renowned programming in the arts, culture, education and recreation, all within a collection of distinctive venues in the heart of Toronto's downtown waterfront. Diversity has always been at the heart of Harbourfront Centre. In the lakeside places and spaces it encompasses. In the multitude of cultures and backgrounds it celebrates. In the eclectic programming, engagement and entertainment it provides. And in the broad range of people it attracts.
Photos by Jerick Collantes of Open Art Surgery Participants (left) and Jonzi D (right)
Breakin' Convention, Jonzi D (Artistic Director) London, England.
Judi Lopez (KeepRockinYou)
Lynanne Sparrow (Harbourfront Centre)
Premiere date
March 13, 2017
Open Art Surgery refers to both to the technical virtuosity and open spirit of Hip Hop theatre – a vital form that freely employs the many modes of expression in contemporary urban culture to tell stories and ask questions. The work was produced during a week long workshop in March and performed at Fleck Dance Theatre at the end of the workshop.
Artists Bios (for May 29th)
Caerina A aka Stiches is a b-girl from Vaughan who has been dancing for about five years now. She is a part of Original Ruckus Crew, a member of the Toronto B-girl Movement and is a unity artist for Unity Charity. She is currently studying illustration at OCAD University.
With over 14 years of experience in the music industry, DJ Andy B Bad began his career on the turntables in early 2010. He quickly became a crowd favourite and scored first Canadian DJ to spin at IBE and became the DJ of choice for bboy events in Toronto. Born in Edmonton, and raised in Toronto, DJ Andy B Bad spent over a decade in the Canadian dance industry as a b-boy.
Rabi B. is a multi-disciplinary street dancer with a background in Hip-Hop/Breaking, House and Krump. She is currently focusing on strengthening, elevating and representing her B-Girl skills.
Eric Lui is a breaker and acrobat with a range of movement backgrounds. He is highly collaborative in his creative processes and especially looks for ways to cross disciplinary boundaries. Right now he is interested in ways of integrating concepts and movements from hip hop, circus, and contact improvisation.
Jacqueline Melindy grew up in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador and moved to Toronto to pursue a Dance degree at York University. She is also a member of the Toronto B-girl Movement Alumni.
Partner Bios
Breakin’ Convention
The UK’s Breakin’ Convention is one of the world’s leading Hip Hop theatre organisations and is committed to celebrating, elevating and supporting Hip Hop theatre. Based at Sadler’s Wells Theatre and spearheaded by Jonzi D, we work with the most respected, innovative and inspirational artists.
Through our world-renowned international festival, national and international tours, professional development, youth projects and educational programme we seek to position Hip Hop dance alongside more historically established artforms.
The first Breakin' Convention Festival in Toronto is being presented by the Sony Centre in association with Luminato Festival June 23-25, 2017. sonycentre.ca
In 2022 Breakin’ Convention will open its Hip Hop academy in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, UK.
KeepRockinYou/Judi Lopez
KeepRockinYou is an artist-based collective that seeks to inspire young women by generating new avenues for them to grow, become empowered and stay true to themselves.
Judi Lopez is the Founder and Collective Director of KeepRockinYou. She has actively been involved in Hip Hop Culture and dancing since the early 2000's. Since Returning to Toronto from South Korea and the UK, Judi has been committed to the development of the B-girl community by starting the project The Toronto BGirl Movement in 2012. Judi has danced for Rihanna and was a featured character in Lost Girl Canadian series. Judi has showed much passion towards the arts and building presence in the Toronto Hip Hop community through her work with Manifesto Community Projects as former Managing Director. Her leadership qualities has given her many opportunities to speak about Hip Hop and Arts for social change at Universities, community gatherings and special event showcases.
Most recently, Lynanne Sparrow was part of the Performing Arts department at Harbourfront Centre as a senior member of the programming team with a focus on dance and circus. Lynanne managed NextSteps, dance for World Stage, the Summer in the Music Garden series and other special projects within the department. Along with working with Government Consulates and traveling to scout for programming, she oversees the writing and preparation of grants internally and alongside artists.
In working with artists to support and develop their work, Lynanne also produced and managed artist development labs and technical creative residencies such as Circus Sessions and Open Art Surgery. Lynanne is a connector of artists, presenters and venues.
As the former Producer and Production Manager for Theatre Junction GRAND in Calgary, Lynanne was a key member in the opening of the new venue from 2005 to the 2009 seasons. This included the move into Theatre Junction GRAND and the set-up/building of the Production and Technical departments. Besides overseeing productions, Lynanne worked with Executive Artistic Director Mark Lawes on the artistic coordination of new creation, presentations and community partners.
Lynanne has worked in film and live performance since 1996. She has worked with producer Sherrie Johnson, as the associate producer for da da kamera and the Six Stages Festivals, and as the producer for Morag Loves Company, a film company producing documentaries and developing feature films in 2009.
A graduate of the Technical Production program at the National Theatre School of Canada, Lynanne also has a Bachelor of Applied Arts from Ryerson University in Radio and Television.
Mary Fogarty is an Associate Professor at York University, Toronto, Canada. She has researched the emergence of hip-hop dance theatre and uses that historical perspective to build networks in the Canadian arts scene through the University and local communities of artist practitioners. She teaches breaking at York University and is also the lead facilitator/lecturer for the Toronto B-Girl Movement as part of the KeepRockinYou arts collective. She has consulted for Breakin' Convention (Sadler's Wells) and in this role helped to initiate the first Open Art Surgery in Toronto, Canada connecting Lynanne Sparrow (then at the Harbourfront Centre) with the UK organization. Her recent publications include Movies, Moves and Music: The Sonic World of Dance Films (Equinox, 2016) with co-editor Mark Evans and a chapter about "Gene Kelly: The Original, Updated" in the Oxford Handbook of Dance and the Popular Screen (OUP, 2014). She is currently writing an article for EQ magazine about the precarious labor of independent dance artists in Canada with a special focus on the experiences of dancers in emerging fields of practice including hip-hop dance.
Harbourfront Centre
For more than 40 years, Harbourfront Centre has been on the cutting edge of all that is current and creative, bringing together the best in both Canadian culture and the rich mosaic of cultures from within our country and around the world.Harbourfront Centre is an innovative, non-profit cultural organization which provides internationally renowned programming in the arts, culture, education and recreation, all within a collection of distinctive venues in the heart of Toronto's downtown waterfront. Diversity has always been at the heart of Harbourfront Centre. In the lakeside places and spaces it encompasses. In the multitude of cultures and backgrounds it celebrates. In the eclectic programming, engagement and entertainment it provides. And in the broad range of people it attracts.
Photos by Jerick Collantes of Open Art Surgery Participants (left) and Jonzi D (right)
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