Choreographer
Sabrina Naz Comănescu
Canadian dancer Sabrina Naz Comănescu is a dynamic member of the nation's artistic landscape. Her passion for dance and ethnography is rooted in the multitude of genres found in the African diaspora, with a focus on Caribbean and American movement and music.
She has helped cultivate western Canadian dance communities for over a decade as a performer, choreographer, filmmaker, dance instructor and student. She has had the privilege to gather knowledge, teach and perform throughout Canada, The United States, The Caribbean and Europe. She has developed a practice along the way that celebrates cultural diversity and holds close the ideology of Sankofa: “learning from the past to inform the future, reaching back to move forward, and lifting as we climb”.
She is the current artistic associate for The Diversity Performing Arts Club of Calgary and is about to begin her 10th season as a dancer in the Decidedly Jazz Danceworks Company.
Performers
J.R. McNeil
(He/Him)
J.R. McNeil is an interdisciplinary artist focused on Dance, Circus, and Acting. His versatile training has taken him to renowned places such as Cirque Du Soleil’s NexGen program in Portugal and Youssouf Koumbassa’s intensive West African retreat in Guinea. Over the summer, J.R. participated in Diavolo’s Intensive in LA where he received training and mentorship from Cirque Du Soleil choreographer, Jacques Heim. He has also received very recent training in new apparatuses at Academie De Cirque in Montreal. Past experience also includes Decidedly Jazz Danceworks’ Professional Training Program (2 years), The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts (3 years in Dance and Theatre arts), and The Young Canadians (2 years).
Maryn Bjorndahl
(She/Her)
Maryn Bjorndahl is a Mohkinstsis (Calgary) born dancer, choreographer, and dance educator. She completed her BFA in Dance from the University of Calgary in 2017. Maryn has worked with local and international dance artists, broadening her perception of the art form. Her local credits include performances and work with various dance projects and festivals. In 2014, she travelled to Namibia, Africa for a dance internship program with the Ombetja Yehinga Organization, aiming to raise awareness about social issues through the arts. From 2021-2023, Maryn completed 2 years of the Professional Training Program at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks and looks forward to continuing her work as an artist in the Calgary dance community.
Stephanie Jurkova-Abaco
(She/Her)
Stephanie Jurkova-Abaco is a dance artist, movement mentor, and choreographer. She is a graduate of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the University of Calgary and was immersed in Decidedly Jazz Dancework’s Professional Training Program. Stephanie has had the opportunity to engage with local performing arts collectives such as Kloetzel&Co, Storybook Theatre, Calgary Core Contemporaries, BrownCow Collective and Casa De Naz. Currently, she is beginning her first season as a company dancer for Corps Bara. Stephanie is also the founder of Rhythm Embodied, a mobile dance company that teaches expression through movement to curious minds, bodies, and hearts. As a dance educator, her purpose is to spread happiness, share a sustainable approach to movement and help individuals connect to their inner rhythm, regardless of culture, race, or ability.
Tara Blue
(She/Her)
Tara Blue is a proud dancer from Mohkinstsis (Calgary). She has studied with many movement masters including Bessie Schonberg, Amelia Itcush, Peggy Baker, Denise Clarke, Vicky Adams Willis, and Davida Monk. The first graduate of the Dance Degree Program at The University of Calgary, Tara serves as Artistic Director of BlueBird Moving Arts, where she has been fortunate to work with many artists and dance companies in Calgary and Canada. She is deeply honoured to share the stage with such luminous, kick-ass artists. Just Keep Dancing….
Annalise Grammacione
(She/Her)
Annalise Grammacione, a Toronto-born dance artist, began her journey at the Etobicoke School of the Arts. She worked with Hannah Keil in Kenny Pearl’s 2020 Emerging Artist Residency, choreographing and performing in Together Inside-Out. Joining Frog in Hand Dance Company in 2021/22, she explored site-specific choreography and clowning. Her love for jazz dance was sparked by Vicki St. Denys’s class, during her time at Toronto Metropolitan University Dance Program, and further developed in DJD’s Professional Training Program. In 2024, Annalise became the department director at Prancing Peanuts Dance and Movement School in Marda Loop, aiming to inspire young dancers. Since moving to Calgary in 2022, she has deepened her passion for rhythmic and dynamic movement. Currently, in her third season with DJD’s Professional Training Program as well as taking classes with DJD’s Professional Company, Annalise continues to explore jazz music and dance as a performer, choreographer, and teacher with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks.
Christahh Ahh
(She/Her)
Born in Mohkinstsis (Calgary), Christahh Ahh developed an early love for dance, earning scholarships from the Edmonton School of Ballet. She holds a BA in Dance from the University of Calgary, where she choreographed Indomitable Spirit and Essence of Humanity. Christahh created works for Woezo Africa's Umaganisha, dance films Someone. and Real People for the NextGen Dance Film Festival. She has worked with artists including Hayden McHugh, Yung Dre, Juice Wrld, Big Sean and Fetty Wap, Sabrina Naz, Deanne Walsh in Ciclo De La Vida , Suite of Dreams choreographed by Hannah Stillwell. She interned with OYO (Ombetja Yehinga Organisation) dance troupe in Windhoek, Namibia, contributing to creating Ania. Christahh has completed DJD’s Training program and dances with The Tomorrows. She is also the director and founder of Dance YYC Community Outreach (www.danceyyc.ca), organizing Dance YYC Showcase, a mobile app, and panels like ‘Discover: Life as a Dancer.’
Cindy Ansah
(She/Her)
Cindy Ansah is a multidimensional dance artist and choreographer based in Mohkínstsis (Calgary). Since completing her BFA in Dance from the University of Calgary with a minor in English, Cindy has collaborated with Arts Commons, Theatre Calgary, DJD, AUArts, Village Girls, Aluma Studio, Woezo Africa, Carifest, Casa De Naz, FOREIGNERZ, Alcove Centre, kloetzel&co, and Forcier Stage Works. Cindy’s choreographic works have been screened internationally at Dancers’ Studio West’s Quick + Dirty Fest, Fluid Fest, WildDogs International Screendance Festival, and DanceWorks’ Moving Online Film Showcase. Cindy made her acting debut in Misha Maseka’s award-winning short films Not That Deep and Sweeter Blue for Telus Storyhive. Her writing has appeared in The Dance Current, Alberta Dance Alliance, and Configurations in Motion. As the Co-founder and Artistic Director of the all-Black contemporary arts collective, Not Another Political Playground Y’all (N.A.P.P.Y.), Cindy is committed to nurturing Black artistry in all its depth and nuance.
Kayla MacKenzie
(She/Her)
An award-winning triple threat and choreographer, Kayla MacKenzie just completed her role(s) as Dance Captain/Cover in the international premiere of Beaches at Theatre Calgary.
Kayla currently teaches Diva, Hip Hop and Theatre Dance at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, and Adult Musical Theatre at Storybook Theatre. Kayla holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary, completed two years of the Professional Training Program at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks and recently won a Broadway World Award for her Choreography on NEWSIES at Storybook Theatre. She has trained in New York, Toronto and Calgary in Voice, Dance and Acting and continues to pursue the stage. SELECT PERFORMANCE CREDITS: Candy Cane Kids (Occasional Notes) Footprints 2022 & 2021(Decidedly Jazz Danceworks PTP), Unplugged (Broadway Dreams) Sister Act the Musical, Camp Rock (Storybook Theatre) Hunchback of Notre dame, RENT (Cappuccino Musical Theatre).
SELECT CHOREOGRAPHY CREDITS: Tick,Tick,Boom (Forte Musical Theatre Guild) Newsies, The Lightning Thief (Storybook Theatre) Candy Cane Kids (Occasional Notes).