The Company

THE COMPANY

HISTORY

Mission of the company

RUBBERBAND is an organization dedicated to creation and production with the mission of supporting the research of choreographer Victor Quijada, disseminating his works, and ensuring the transmission and impact of his practice.

RUBBERBAND wishes to be recognized worldwide for its innovation, its significant contribution in dance, and for its role in the development of a new style inspired by break, classical ballet, and dance theatre.

History

Founded in Montreal in 2002, RUBBERBAND immediately wowed audiences and critics with three creations presented at Espace Tangente over two seasons, while also performing several

smaller-scale works in mixed programs and self-produced evenings throughout the city. Tender Loving Care and Hasta La Próxima were both included in Le Devoir’s “Top 5 in Dance for 2002”, while Elastic Perspective began a 100-performance run in 2003 after winning the RIDEAU Prize at the Vue sur la relève Festival. During the 2003-2004 season, RUBBERBAND was granted a residency at Usine C to create Slicing Static, which was hailed as Best Dance Production of 2004 by the Hour, Montreal’s cultural weekly newspaper (now Cult MTL).

In 2005, Anne Plamondon joined RUBBERBAND as Artistic Co Director, assisting Victor Quijada with the company’s strategic planning. Another residency at Usine C in 2006 was followed by a four-year stint as artists-in-residence at Place des Arts. During this period, with the support of several partners, four new works were created: Punto Ciego and AV Input/Output in 2008, Loan Sharking in 2009, and Gravity of Center in 2011. In 2013, Quijada created Empirical Quotient for six dancers trained in the RUBBERBAND Method. The company then created Vic’s Mix in 2016, a kind of “Greatest Hits” of Quijada’s work. In 2017, as part of the Celebrations of Montreal’s 375th Anniversary, the members of the company were joined by thirty students from the École supérieure de ballet du Québec and the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal to dance in the multidisciplinary performance City Thread on the Esplanade of the Place des Arts. In 2018, Victor Quijada directed ten dancers on the immense stage of the Maisonneuve Theater in Ever So Slightly. 2020 marked the return of Victor Quijada to the stage as a dancer in Trenzado, a piece that raises the question of what it is to be from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Reckless Underdog, created in 2022, propels the company’s achievements of the last twenty years to new heights. In a larger-than-life work, thirteen dancers come together in a choreography of three acts. Each part, a piece in itself, draws spectators into a unique, complex world through its distinctive scenography, music, and movement aesthetic. RUBBERBAND’s newest creation, Second Chances, invites Quijada and the audience to delve deep inside themselves, reflecting on origin, belonging and displacement, between universal questions and intimate, personal thoughts.

RUBBERBAND also co-produced six films choreographed by Quijada, four of which are co-directed by him: Ever So Slightly, Gravity of Center, Secret Service and Small Explosions That Are Yours to Keep. Gravity of Center won in 2012 “Les Enfants Terribles” and “Air Canada” awards at the Rendez-Vous du Cinéma Québécois festival, as well as awards for Best Experimental Short Film and Best Cinematography in a Canadian Short Film at the CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival, among others. Hasta La Próxima, made in 2003, was a finalist in the short film category at the American Choreography Awards. Quijada is also involved in the creation of three music videos for the songs Man I Used to Be by k-os, La Garde by Alexandre Désilets and Blue Wonderful by Elton John.

For more than 22 years, RUBBERBAND has represented Canadian artistic innovation across the United States, and in Europe, Mexico, and Japan. At the forefront of Montreal’s dance community, the company is recognized internationally for its original vision of contemporary dance.

Artistic director and choreographer

Victor Quijada

Since 2002, Victor Quijada and RUBBERBAND have not only redefined the codes of breaking within an institutional context and enlivened the Quebec dance scene, but have opened the way for new creators fascinated by this dance form. Armed with a technique he conceived for dancers, the RUBBERBAND Method – an electrifying vocabulary combining the energy of hip-hop, the refinement of classical ballet, and the angular quality of contemporary dance – and some 40 creations and collaborations in Canada and abroad behind him, Victor Quijada has always continued to evolve and innovate throughout his prolific career.

In the area of peer recognition, Victor Quijada was artist-in-residence at Usine C (2004 and 2006) and at Place des Arts (2007-2011), and has won many awards, including Britain’s National Dance Award for Outstanding Modern Repertory (2003), the Bonnie Bird North American Award (2003, U.K.), the Peter Darrell Choreography Award (2003, U.K.), the International Touring Award of the Canadian Dance Alliance (2012), and two awards from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA (Choreography Fellowship, 2010; Work in Progress Residency, 2016).

In December 2017, Victor Quijada received the award for Cultural Diversity at the Prix de la danse de Montréal and was, in 2019, one of the finalists for the 34th Grand Prix du Conseil des arts de Montréal as well as among the four finalists for the 2019 Charles-Biddle Prize, instigated by Culture pour tous and the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation and Inclusion (MIFI). In 2024, Victor has been named Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation for his choreographic work, a prestigious recognition for all his achievements.

ARTISTIC COORDINATOR & DANCER

Rion Taylor

Rion Taylor established his roots in dance through the hip-hop culture of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Nurtured by Bad Taste Cru, he joined Battalions Crew in 2013 and competed throughout the UK and Europe. Training under Akram Khan with the National Youth Dance Company inspired him to continue his exploration at London Contemporary Dance School, where he worked with Hofesh Shechter, Dane Hurst, and Punch Drunk, among other artists. At the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he performed with the James Cousins Company in Rosalind, which won an award for Best Moments of the Festival. Moving to Montreal in 2018 to work with RUBBERBAND, he has continued to represent the company performing throughout Canada, USA and internationally, as well as recently taking on the role of Artistic Coordinator. Rion has been working closely with Jessica Muszynski since 2020, establishing himself alongside the emerging choreographer as a dancer, performing in festivals within Québec.

dancers

Daniela Jezerinac

Daniela Jezerinac was born in Mississauga, Ontario, where she began her dance training at a local studio. While continuing to pursue her artistic career at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, she performed several works by José Limón, Colin Connor, and Robert Glumbek. In the fall of 2019, she completed her BFA in Dance at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, where she had the honour of performing pieces choreographed by Kevin Wynn, Alexandra Beller, and Hannah Garner. Daniela joined RUBBERBAND in 2018.

Jessica Muszynski

Jessica Joy Muszynski is a Canadian dancer and choreographer originally from Burnaby, B.C., where she trained in ballet at the Richmond Academy of Dance before moving to Calgary in 2012. In May 2019, she earned a BFA in dance from the University of Southern California, performing in excerpts of works by William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, and Victor Quijada. After graduation, Jessica starred in a music video by the band half•alive, which received over two million views. She danced with Aszure Barton & Artists during the creation process of the company’s work, Where There’s Form. Jessica moved to Montreal to dance with RUBBERBAND in 2019.

Jovick Pavajeau-Orostegui

Jovick was born in Miami, Florida, but was introduced to the performing arts while he was living in Bogotá, Colombia. His formal dance training began at the age of 15 under the direction of Jaime Otálora at Bogotá Capital Dance. Later, he attended George Mason University where he received the Kidd/Stearns Dance Talent Scholarship and graduated with a BFA in Dance. During his studies, he was fortunate enough to dive into works by Yin Yue, Merce Cunningham, Lucinda Childs, Andonis Foniadakis, Rafael Bonachela, Micaela Taylor, and Kyle Abraham. Additionally, he attended Springboard Danse Montreal where he performed work by Lior Lazarof and Johannes Wieland. Upon graduating, Jovick apprenticed for David Dorfman Dance while also being able to collaborate and perform with various artists such as Jordan Demetrius Lloyd, Cameron McKinney, and VIM VIGOR. Jovick joined RUBBERBAND in 2021.

Emma-Lynn Mackay-Ronacher

Emma-Lynn Mackay-Ronacher resides from small town Kemptville, Ontario, where she started dancing at a local studio before moving to Montreal at the age of 14, to continue her training at L’École supérieure de ballet du Québec. She graduated at the age of 19, after five years in the professional program where she trained in classical and contemporary dance. Upon graduation, Emma began freelancing for renowned choreographers and companies, such as Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Anne Plamondon Productions, Gioconda Barbuto and Veronique Giasson, among others. Emma-Lynn joined RUBBERBAND in 2021.

Cindy Mateus

Cindy Mateus, from Montreal, trained in rhythmic gymnastics, hip-hop, and contemporary dance, deciding on a dance career after her meeting with choreographer Amy Gardner. She specialized in classical ballet and contemporary dance at L’Académie du Ballet Métropolitain from 2012 to 2018. She stood out in several competitions, winning a first prize in the Youth America Grand Prix (2019), and for two years, was invited to attend the Junior Training Program of the Broadway Dance Center in New York, concentrating on jazz and classical ballet. She then danced for several choreographers at different venues. Among her television appearances, she was one of the top 14 in the second season of the Quebec TV dance program, “Révolution”. Cindy teaches dance and has choreographed works for numerous studios and events. She discovered RUBBERBAND during the intensive workshop at Domaine Forget and joined the company in 2021.

Wyeth Walker

Wyeth Walker grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he began his training under Denise Wall. This led him to attend the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, where he was able to study with and perform work by Peter Chu, Barak Marshall, Jermaine Spivey, and William Forsythe, among others. After graduating in 2022, Wyeth attended Springboard Danse Montreal. He joined RUBBERBAND in 2022.

Dareon Blowe

Dareon Blowe, a native to Norfolk, VA, is an emerging Dancer and Choreographer who is fascinated with space theory, disrupting hierarchies in the body, reorganizing architectures, and tuning into impulses. He obtained his BFA from The George Mason School of Dance on a full scholarship, under the artistic direction of Susan Shields & Karen Reedy. During his time there he was awarded the Excellence in Performance award due to his adaptability in multiple Residencies. Dareon has performed works by Kyle Abraham, Victor Quijada, Wayne McGregor, Rena Butler, Sidra Bell, Micaela Taylor, Doug Varone, Camille A. Brown, Rafael Bonachela, Robert battle, Manuel Vignoulle, Shaun Boyle D’arcy, and more. In his time away from school, he attended professional development programs like Springboard Danse Montreal, Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ensemble, and BODYTRAFFIC. In the year of 2021 he joined MOTUS the Company under the artistic direction of Diana Matos where he trained with Shay Latukolan, Rich & Tone, Sheopatra jones, Packrat, Sekou Heru, and many more. As a choreographer, he created four works during his time in school. From those creations, he was able to set two on Colgan High School Center for the Arts. Most recently, he has presented his work at the 42nd Annual Battery Dance Festival: Young Voices in Dance. He is going into his second season with RUBBERBAND.

Zao Dinel

Born in Montreal, Zao Dinel grew up in a family of six that valued sports as well as art. He was home schooled, allowing him to practice men's artistic gymnastics, swimming and sailing at a competitive level, while studying violin at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal until he was introduced to dance. In 2012, he began his professional training at the École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec and fell in love with dance. Zao is curious, observant and very social. He is full of energy, great enthusiasm and always ready for a challenge, whether it is a new dance style or repertoire he has never experienced. He is driven by three important passions - music, dance and film - and has a strong sense of collaboration. Thus, he finds pleasure in surrounding himself with artists from various disciplines for improvisations or creations. It was during the 2022 edition of Springboard Danse Montréal that Zao was exposed to the repertoire of RUBBERBAND, which he joined in 2022.

Mackenzie Corrales

Mackenzie Corrales resides from the small town of Templeton, California. She started her dance training at a local studio before moving to San Jose, California at the age of 15 to train with Nor Cal Dance Arts under the direction of Tawnya Kuzia. After graduating high school in 2020 Mackenzie moved to Vancouver, British Columbia to dance with Arts Umbrella’s prestigious Graduate Program under the direction of Artemis Gordon. During her studies she had the opportunity to work with dance artists such as Eric Beauchesne, Francsico Martinez, Victor Quijada, Acacia Schachte, Cindy Selgado, Anna Herrmann, among others. She has performed pieces by world renowned artists such as Crystal Pite, Sidi Larbi, Anne Plamondon, Fernando Hernando Magadan, and Nacho Duato. Mackenzie joined RUBBERBAND in 2022.

APPRENTICES

Éloïse Chénier

Éloïse Chénier, originally from Mascouche, Quebec, began dancing in a local studio at the age of 3. In 2015, she began her professional training at the École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec. During her studies, she had the chance to perform pieces such as The Nutcracker with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Colossus by Stephanie Lake, Daphnis and Chloe by Andrew Skeels and Bolero X with Ballet BC. Curious by nature, she enjoys exploring different dance styles to enrich her vocabulary. She particularly enjoys the physical and human aspects of dance. Éloïse uses dance as a means of expressing herself, exploring the limits of the body and creating connections with others through movement. While completing her training at ESBQ, Éloïse joined RUBBERBAND in 2024.

Anna Lopez

Anna Lopez is a dancer and choreographer from New York who seeks to construct a tangible and meaningful universe for all who view her work. She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and is a recent graduate of George Mason University School of Dance. Anna is also an alumna of the MOVE |NYC| Young Professionals program. Most recently, she has performed works by Kyle Abraham, Rena Butler and Susan Shields, as well as Martha Graham's Steps in the Street with the Graham Company. In May 2024, Anna performed the role of “Anna II” and choreographed Kurt Weill's Seven Deadly Sins for Wolf Trap Opera. She is thrilled to be embarking on her first year of apprenticeship with RUBBERBAND.

Micah Sell

Micah Sell was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he began his career in circus and gymnastics. He began dancing in 2009 at the Metropolitan Ballet Academy under the direction of Lisa Collins, mentored by Sarah Mettin. After graduating from high school, he studied at the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, where he performed works by Doug Varonè, Bret Easterling and Martha Graham, among others. Outside of school, he had the opportunity to perform works by Victor Quijada and Mark Caserta. In 2024, Micah received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from SUNY Purchase with a concentration in composition. This is his first season with RUBBERBAND as an apprentice.

Alyssa Allen

Alyssa Allen is originally from Los Angeles, where she obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts as a member of the inaugural class of 2019 at the University of Southern California's Glorya Kaufman School. After graduating, she joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for three seasons. She then joined Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal for two seasons. She is very excited to begin her first season with RUBBERBAND.

executive director

Fannie Bellefeuille

Fannie Bellefeuille’s career with RUBBERBAND began in 2010, when she was appointed the company’s administrative director, and she has been executive director since 2015. After graduating from the theatre program at UQAM in 2004, she moved toward a career in arts administration when she founded and directed her own theatre company, Collectif Ikaria. Bellefeuille proceeded to obtain a DESS diploma, followed by a master’s degree, in the management of cultural organizations at HEC Montréal, and completed a certificate program in philanthropic management at l’Université de Montréal in 2018.Parallel to her administrative activities, Bellefeuille has acted in live theatre and television plays since 1992. She also wrote and produced several plays as well as two short films. She has won several awards for her work, including a prestigious ISPA Canada Fellowship (2013-2015) and the Raymond Blais playwright’s prize for Stockholm, la nuit (2007). For Bellefeuille, it is imperative to give back to the artistic community, which she does by mentoring emerging companies and by sitting on juries for the various arts councils. In 2012, she joined the board of directors of the Regroupement québécois de la danse, becoming treasurer in 2013. She was also elected President of the National Council of the Canadian Dance Assembly in 2017, and until 2023 she was the Canadian representative for creative companies.

Production Manager | Tour Manager

Diana Catalina Cárdenas

Diana Catalina Cárdenas holds a bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from the Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano in Bogota and a second one in dance from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). In 2012, she obtained her degree in contemporary dance performance from UQAM. While continuing her artistic process as a performer, in 2013 she created her first piece for the general public, "Et si nous étions...". In 2015, she joined the Regroupement québécois de la danse's work team as a member services agent. While continuing to collaborate on various multidisciplinary projects, she joins, in 2019, the team of the Conseil des arts de Montréal as assistant to the professionals and then as assistant to the general management. Passionate about dance and management, she begins a DESS in management in 2020. In 2022, she joined the RUBBERBAND team as Production Manager and Tour Manager.

Artistic director and choreographer

Victor Quijada

Since 2002, Victor Quijada and his RUBBERBAND have not only redefined break dance codes within an institutional context and enlivened the Quebec dance scene, but have opened the way for new creators fascinated by this dance form. Armed with a technique he conceived for dancers, the RUBBERBAND Method – an electrifying vocabulary combining the energy of Hip Hop, the refinement of classical ballet, and the angular quality of contemporary dance – and some 40 creations and collaborations in Canada and abroad behind him, Quijada has always continued to evolve and innovate throughout his prolific career.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, the child of Mexican parents, Quijada first danced in the b-boying circles and hip-hop clubs of his native city. He performed with Rudy Perez from 1994 to 1996, then moved to New York City to join THARP! After spending three years with that company and following a stint with Ballets Tech, in 2000 he came to Montreal to join Les Grands Ballets canadiens. In 2002, he founded RUBBERBAND, throwing himself into deconstructing the choreographic principles he had learned by blending them with the raw ideology of his street dance origins. His creations – numerous short works and 14 full-length productions – are distinguished by a powerful theatricality, the energy of improvisation, and certain codes of film language, the whole sculpted with an incomparable precision of movement.

For several years now, Quijada has taught the RUBBERBAND Method throughout the world in workshops and internships for many dance companies, dance schools, and universities, as well as on a yearly basis in RBDG’s workshop for professional dancers; at the Académie du Domaine Forget in Charlevoix every summer; and in his classes at the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California (USC). As guest choreographer, he has created new works for dance and circus companies; notably in return commissions for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Scottish Dance Theatre.

Besides his stage productions, Quijada has been involved in almost a dozen dance films, as director, choreographer, or dramaturge. His short film, Hasta La Próxima, was a finalist at the American Choreography Awards in 2004. He also choreographed the music videos Man I Used to Be by k-os, La garde by Alexandre Désilets, and Elton John’s Blue Wonderful. His Gravity of Center – The Movie won Best Experimental Short at the CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival of 2012, among other awards, and was shown at several exhibitions and national and international festivals.

In the area of peer recognition, Quijada was artist-in-residence at Usine C (2004 and 2006) and at Place des Arts (2007-2011), and has won many awards, including Britain’s National Dance Award for Outstanding Modern Repertory (2003), the Bonnie Bird North American Award (2003, U.K.), the Peter Darrell Choreography Award (2003, U.K.), the International Touring Award of the Canadian Dance Alliance (2012), and two awards from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA (Choreography Fellowship, 2010; Work in Progress Residency, 2016).

In December 2017, Victor Quijada received the award for cultural diversity at the Prix de la danse de Montréal and was, in 2019, one of the finalists for the 34th Grand Prix du Conseil des arts de Montréal as well as among the four finalists for the 2019 Charles-Biddle Prize, instigated by Culture pour tous and the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation and Inclusion (MIFI). 

Production Manager | Tour Manager

Diana Catalina Cardenas

Diana Catalina Cardenas holds a bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from the Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano in Bogota and a second one in dance from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). In 2012, she obtained her degree in contemporary dance performance from UQAM. While continuing her artistic process as a performer, in 2013 she created her first piece for the general public, "Et si nous étions...". In 2015, she joined the Regroupement québécois de la danse's work team as a member services agent. While continuing to collaborate on various multidisciplinary projects, she joins, in 2019, the team of the Conseil des arts de Montréal as assistant to the professionals and then as assistant to the general management. Passionate about dance and management, she begins a DESS in management in 2020. In 2022, she joined the RUBBERBAND team as Production Manager and Tour Manager in 2022.

executive director

Fannie Bellefeuille

Fannie Bellefeuille’s career with RUBBERBAND began in 2010, when she was appointed the company’s administrative director, and she has been executive director since 2015. After graduating from the theatre program at UQAM in 2004, she moved toward a career in arts administration when she founded and directed her own theatre company, Collectif Ikaria. Bellefeuille proceeded to obtain a DESS diploma, followed by a master’s degree, in the management of cultural organizations at HEC Montréal, and completed a certificate program in philanthropic management at l’Université de Montréal in 2018.Parallel to her administrative activities, Bellefeuille has acted in live theatre and television plays since 1992. She also wrote and produced several plays as well as two short films. She has won several awards for her work, including a prestigious ISPA Canada Fellowship (2013-2015) and the Raymond Blais playwright’s prize for Stockholm, la nuit (2007). For Bellefeuille, it is imperative to give back to the artistic community, which she does by mentoring emerging companies and by sitting on juries for the various arts councils. In 2012, she joined the board of directors of the Regroupement québécois de la danse, becoming treasurer in 2013. She is also on the Finance Committee of ISPA, and in 2017, she was elected to the National Council of the Canadian Dance Assembly.

Artistic Coordinator and Dancer

Paco Ziel

Paco Ziel, born in Mexico City, began his dance training at l’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec. An early interest in body awareness led him to discover diverse movement approaches such as Gaga, the RUBBERBAND Method, and Feldenkrais, as well as yoga and meditation. In 2014, he founded the multidisciplinary lab, Quantum Collective, whose work was presented twice by Tangente in Montreal. Paco has performed with Montreal-based artists and companies that include Edgar Zendejas, PPS Danse, Anne Plamondon, and Martin Messier. Since 2019, he has co-directed VIAS, a dance company that alternates between Montreal and Mexico City. He is a self-taught filmmaker and photographer with a main focus on the human body, movement, and natural landscapes. Paco has danced with RUBBERBAND since 2015, and is also the company’s artistic coordinator.

dancers

Jean Bui

Jean Bui studied visual arts and earned his BA in Contemporary Dance at UQAM. Over the course of his career, Jean has had the opportunity to work with George Stamos, Katya Montaignac, and Andrea Peña, along with many appearances in music videos and commercials. Jean started a collective with Sydney in which they generate collaborative works that explore functionality. He has danced with RUBBERBAND since 2015.

Daniela Jezerinac

Daniela Jezerinac was born in Mississauga, Ontario, where she began her dance training at a local studio. While continuing to pursue her artistic career at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, she performed several works by José Limón, Colin Connor, and Robert Glumbek. In the fall of 2019, she completed her BFA in Dance at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, where she had the honour of performing pieces choreographed by Kevin Wynn, Alexandra Beller, and Hannah Garner. Daniela joined RUBBERBAND in 2018.

Jessica Muszynski

Jessica Joy Muszynski is a Canadian dancer and choreographer originally from Burnaby, B.C., where she trained in ballet at the Richmond Academy of Dance before moving to Calgary in 2012. In May 2019, she earned a BFA in dance from the University of Southern California, performing in excerpts of works by William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, and Victor Quijada. After graduation, Jessica starred in a music video by the band half•alive, which received over two million views. She danced with Aszure Barton & Artists during the creation process of the company’s work, Where There’s Form. Jessica moved to Montreal to dance with RUBBERBAND in 2019.

Brontë Poiré-Prest

Brontë Poiré-Prest hails from Montreal. She fell in love with the art of movement at L’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, where she had the good fortune to collaborate with renowned choreographers Angélique Willkie, Hélène Blackburn, and Alan Lake, among others. After graduating, she was invited to work at several well-established companies in Montreal, including Van Grimde Corps Secrets and Le Carré des Lombes, and as a freelancer for Compagnie Marie Chouinard. Brontë joined RUBBERBAND in 2018.

Ryan Taylor

Ryan Taylor established his roots in dance through the hip-hop culture of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Nurtured by Bad Taste Cru, he joined Battalions Crew in 2013 and competed throughout Europe. Training under Akram Kahn with the National Youth Dance Company inspired him to continue his exploration at London Contemporary Dance School, where he worked with Hofesh Shechter, Dane Hurst, and Jeannie Steele, among other artists. At the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, he performed with the James Cousins Company in Rosalind, which won Best Moment of the Festival. Ryan is starting his third year with RUBBERBAND after joining the company in 2018.

Jovick Pavajeau-Orostegui

Jovick Pavajeau-Orostegui was born in Miami, Florida, and began his formal dance training in Bogotá, Colombia, at the age of 15 under the direction of Jaime Otálora. Later, he attended George Mason University where he received the Kidd/Stearns Dance Talent Scholarship and graduated with a BFA in Dance in 2020. He has attended workshops with RUBBERBAND, VIM VIGOR, David Dorfman Dance and Springboard Danse Montreal under the direction of Alexandra Wells - where he performed work by Lior Lazarof and Johannes Wieland. After graduating in 2020, Jovick moved to New York City where he was an apprentice with David Dorfman Dance. In his time in NYC, he also performed with VIM VIGOR and collaborated with other New York based artists such as Jordan Demetrius Lloyd, Robert Rubama, and Cameron McKinney of Kizuna Dance. Jovick relocated to Montreal in 2021 to join RUBBERBAND.

APPRENTICES

Emma-Lynn Mackay-Ronacher

Emma-Lynn Mackay-Ronacher resides from small town Kemptville, Ontario, where she started dancing at a local studio before moving to Montreal at the age of 14, to continue her training at L’École supérieure de ballet du Québec. She graduated at the age of 19, after five years in the professional program where she trained in classical and contemporary dance. Upon graduation, Emma began freelancing for renowned choreographers and companies, such as Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Anne Plamondon Productions, Gioconda Barbuto and Veronique Giasson, among others. Emma-Lynn joined RUBBERBAND in 2021.

Cindy Mateus

Cindy Mateus, from Montreal, trained in rhythmic gymnastics, hip-hop, and contemporary dance, deciding on a dance career after her meeting with choreographer Amy Gardner. She specialized in classical ballet and contemporary dance at L’Académie du Ballet Métropolitain from 2012 to 2018. She stood out in several competitions, winning a first prize in the Youth America Grand Prix (2019), and for two years, was invited to attend the Junior Training Program of the Broadway Dance Center in New York, concentrating on jazz and classical ballet. She then danced for several choreographers at different venues. Among her television appearances, she was one of the top 14 in the second season of the Quebec TV dance program, “Révolution”. Cindy teaches dance and has choreographed works for numerous studios and events. She discovered RUBBERBAND during the intensive workshop at Domaine Forget and joined the company in 2021.

Wyeth Walker

Wyeth Walker grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he began his training under Denise Wall. This led him to attend the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, where he was able to study with and perform work by Peter Chu, Barak Marshall, Jermaine Spivey, and William Forsythe, among others. After graduating in 2022, Wyeth attended Springboard Danse Montreal. He joined RUBBERBAND in 2022.

Zao Dinel

Born in Montreal, Zao Dinel grew up in a family of six that valued sports as well as art. He was home schooled, allowing him to practice men's artistic gymnastics, swimming and sailing at a competitive level, while studying violin at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal until he was introduced to dance. In 2012, he began his professional training at the École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec and fell in love with dance. Zao is curious, observant and very social. He is full of energy, great enthusiasm and always ready for a challenge, whether it is a new dance style or repertoire he has never experienced. He is driven by three important passions - music, dance and film - and has a strong sense of collaboration. Thus, he finds pleasure in surrounding himself with artists from various disciplines for improvisations or creations. It was during the 2022 edition of Springboard Danse Montréal that Zao was exposed to the repertoire of RUBBERBAND, which he joined in 2022.

Sierra Kellman

Sierra Kellman started her dance training at a local studio in Markham, ON. She continued her pursuit of dance with Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre in Toronto, dancing the works of numerous renowned choreographers such as Ryan Lee, Jennifer Archibald, Hana Kiel, Roderick George, David Earle, Colin Connor and Sylvie Bouchard, on stages across Ontario. Sierra graduated in the Spring of 2022 from the Performance Dance program at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) and has danced in Tkaronto and the surrounding areas for many years. Through her studies, she has had the opportunity to be a part of many performances and dance films by prominent choreographers including Angela Blumberg, Alyssa Martin, Natasha Powell, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber. Sierra has taken part in dance festivals in Toronto including The National Ballet of Canada sharing the stage with Rockbottom Movement (2022) and Fall For Dance North with HOLLA JAZZ (2021). She blends all of her performance, teaching and artistic experiences curating ideas and creating choreography that she hopes to conceptualize as an emerging artist. At the core of Sierra’s artistic practice, she believes it is important to express personal experiences and emotions as a way of showcasing individual identity through contemporary movement.

Mackenzie Corrales

Mackenzie Corrales resides from the small town of Templeton, California. She started her dance training at a local studio before moving to San Jose, California at the age of 15 to train with Nor Cal Dance Arts under the direction of Tawnya Kuzia. After graduating high school in 2020 Mackenzie moved to Vancouver, British Columbia to dance with Arts Umbrella’s prestigious Graduate Program under the direction of Artemis Gordon. During her studies she had the opportunity to work with dance artists such as Eric Beauchesne, Francsico Martinez, Victor Quijada, Acacia Schachte, Cindy Selgado, Anna Herrmann, among others. She has performed pieces by world renowned artists such as Crystal Pite, Sidi Larbi, Anne Plamondon, Fernando Hernando Magadan, and Nacho Duato. Mackenzie joined RUBBERBAND in 2022.

videos

Man i used to be

Made in 2004
Prize-winner at the MuchMusic Video Awards in 2005 (MuchVibe Best Rap Video).
Credits
Artist : k-os
Lyrics and music : Kevin Brereton
Director : Micah Meisner
Choreography : Victor Quijada
Dancers : Victor Quijada, Jayko Eloï

la garde

Made in 2011
Credits
Artist : Alexandre Désilets
Lyrics and music : Alexandre Désilets
Director : Mathieu Grimard
Choreography : Victor Quijada
Dancers : Elon Höglund, Emmanuelle Lê Phan, Daniel Mayo, and Lila Mae G.Talbot

blue wonderful

Made in 2016
Credits
Artist : Elton John
Lyrics and music : Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Director : Thibaut Duverneix
Choreography : Victor Quijada
Dancers : Lydia Bouchard and James Gregg

AWARDS

2017

Prix de la Diversité culturelle en danse aux Prix de la Danse de Montréal (CAN)

2016

Princess Grace Foundation Award /
Works in Progress Residency (US)

2010

Princess Grace Foundation Award /
Choreography Fellowship (US)

ADDITIONAL PRICES

2009

Prix OQAJ/Rideau (CAN)

2004

National Dance Award /
Best Modern Repertory (UK)

2003

Bonnie Bird North American Award /
New Choreography (US)

Peter Darrell Choreography Award /
Self Observation Without Judgement (UK)

ADDITIONAL PRICES

PARTNERS

MEMBER

2023 - 2025 donors

Céline Choiselat

Claude Lorange

Charles Morgan

Caisse Populaire Desjardins

Paul Tanguay

Sheila Skaiem

Fondation Pronovost Morgan

Victor Quijada

Lük Fleury

Julie Gaboriault

Geneviève Guérard

Sylvie Lalancette

Myriam Valcin 

Julie Allaire

Philippe Coles

Fannie Bellefeuille

Lisa Davies

Luce Couture

Michel Bellefeuille

Karine Laurendeau

Rina Trentadue

Véronique Boulet

Wendy Reid

Michèle Beauchamp

Claire Adamczyk

Éric Gosselin

Jean-Pierre Primiani

Valéry Psyché

Pierre-David Rodrigue

Francis Langlois

François Caron-Mélenchon

Anonymous (2)

 

 

Some of the talented dancers that contributed to RUBBERBAND’s success over the years:

 

 

Elon Höglund – Tentacle Tribe

Louise Michel Jackson – Animals of Distinction

Béatrice Larrivée – Batsheva Dance Company

Emmanuelle Lê Phan – Tentacle Tribe

Daniel Mayo – BalletX

Dana Pajarillaga – Staatsballett Berlin

Lea Ved – NDT