Nova Bhattacharya – Choreographer & Performer

Born in Mi’kkma’ki (Halifax) and raised in Tkaronto, Nova Bhattacharya is a ground-breaking choreographer, cultural leader and dancer. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Nova Dance, established in 2008. Her dance works breathe rich life into the world of contemporary Canadian dance.

For over 20 years, Bhattacharya has been crafting vivid images that invite the viewer on a journey of heart and mind. Integrating improvised movement and gesture, she is inventing a language that needs no translation. Her curiosities and collaborative spirit have led to a body of work widely recognized for its craft, use of space, subtlety of gesture and accessibility to audiences.  She’s always been a rebel, reinterpreting traditions to tell new stories, throughout her career she’s embraced multiple influences and her studies of Butoh, folk dance and Western dance practices have impacted her work which she describes as “uprooted” from the movement, theatre, and rhythms of Bharatnatyam.  Her critically acclaimed works have been presented across Canada, in Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom and Uganda.

Her choreography has been commissioned by DanceWorks, Blue Ceiling Dance, Canada Dance Festival, Cahoots Theatre, Dusk Dances, Tarragon Theatre, Toronto Dance Theatre, Theatre Direct Canada and Dancemakers.  She has performed as a guest artist with Peggy Baker Dance Projects and Compagnie Flak and others.

Bhattacharya is the recipient of multiple awards for artistic achievement and for contributions to community: the Dancing Damsels Inc. “Women Achiever” Award (2019), the Pink Attitude “Game Changer” Award (2018), the Summerworks Outstanding Direction Award for Broken Lines (2016), the Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award for outstanding artistic achievement in dance (2012), and the Manasumanjali Award for Dance (1997). She’s also received multiple nominations from the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, the K.M. Hunter Artist Awards and in 2021 the Eldred Family Dance Award.

Nova believes that dance expresses the essence of our humanity and has tremendous transformative power to bring us together.

Nova Dance

Founded by Nova Bhattacharya in 2008, Nova Dance brings new ideas to dance, re-inventing the possibilities of the art. The company breaks down conventions and encourages new talent with the best and most exciting in performance the world over. Nova Dance works with artists from many art forms and a multitude of backgrounds to create a community that celebrates the life-force of dance in our lives.

Nova Dance exists to bring contemporary Canadian dance towards a new future. Embracing diversity as creative inspiration for a body of work that has garnered awards, national and international recognition, and most importantly made connections with audiences and communities.

The company presents critically acclaimed works and arts events, creating a context for a diversity of dance artists to take space with their art. Equity is in the DNA of Nova Dance, and the belief that bringing differences together leads to greater things. The company is dedicated to creating meaningful points of intersection for dance and audiences; supporting artists; and celebrating the role of the arts in a vital society.

Nova Dance has initiated a wide range of projects to nurture the growth of artists, and create community enrichment programming, such as their Studio Series, Creation Labs, Date with Dance, Discover Dance, The Deep End Weekendm and paid internships.

In 2017 Nova Dance became the first dance company to be invited into a long-term relationship with Toronto’s contemporary arts hub, The Theatre Centre. Through this partnership the company has presented a current and feminist context for rituals centering the arts in our daily lives and our connection to Mother Earth. Other community partners include TO Live and Citadel + Compagnie.

Nova Dance’s work has been presented from coast to coast in Canada, as well as in Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom and Uganda.

Recognized for redefining Canadian contemporary dance and re-imagining Indian classical dance idioms; Nova Dance transports audiences to a place of wonderment with work that ranges from solos to ensembles and collaborative creations.

Celebrating and challenging the art form of dance with daring, thought-provoking creations, Nova Dance holds our histories while reflecting the present; and dreams the future with dance.

Jai Govinda

Jai Govinda is the managing artistic director of Mandala Arts and Culture. Through creations, training, performances and collaborations, he expresses a broad vision for the dissemination of bharata Natyam in a Canadian context.

Govinda has been practicing bharata natyam for the past 40 years. During that time, his work as a dancer, teacher and choreographer has been acclaimed nationally and internationally. He began his dance training with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Quebec city and Montreal under full scholarship. He then received bharata natyam training from notable gurus: Shri US Krishna Rao and Smt. Chandrabhaga Devi, Shri K J Govindarajan, Smt. Jamuna Krishnan, and Dr Mamata N Nakra.

Govinda is the recipient of the Dance Centre’s 2006 Isadora Award for excellence in teaching, and for his outstanding achievements in BC’s dance community. He is also the recipient of the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award 2014 – Honouree/Dance, for leadership, innovation and support for the city’s cultural life over the course of his career. For 5 years, Jai Govinda was the curator of “Gait to the Spirit”, the first festival of Indian classical dance in Vancouver. Jai Govinda creates a space for Bharata Natyam to thrive and evolve in Canada.

Dada Masilo

Dada was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. She began training at The Dance Factory at the age of 11. On matriculating from the National School of the Arts, she trained for a year at Jazzart in Cape Town, then at the age of 19, she was accepted as a student at the Performing Arts Research and Training Studios in Brussels, where she remained for two years. She returned to South Africa and in 2008, was awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Dance. Three commissions from the National Arts Festival resulted in her ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (2008), ‘Carmen’ (2009) and ‘Swan Lake’ (2010). In May 2017, she premiered her ‘Giselle’ in Oslo and in 2021 ‘The Sacrifice’ in Vienna. Since 2012, her works have been performed in 27 countries and 160 cities around the world.

Awards: 2016 Nominated for a Bessie Award (Swan Lake), 2017 Danza&Danza Award for ‘Best Performance 2017’ (Giselle), Prince Claus ‘Next Generation’ Award 2018; UK Critic’s Circle 2020 National Dance Award for Outstanding Female Modern Performance in the title role as Giselle.

Ann Masina

Ann was born and raised in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Her solo career began in 1994, as part of the Africa Sings Choral choir, an informal institution where her music background was established. In 1991, she joined the Nico Malan Opera (now known as Cape Town Opera) and performed in such works as Carmen and Aida.

From 2005 to 2020, she toured extensively in Robyn Orlin’s Dressed to Kill, Venus and Walked Next to our Shoes. 2007 to 2009, Ann was a member of the triple Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir and in 2014/15, performed in the musical Colour Me Human. Since 2011, she has also worked with William Kentridge in Refuse the Hour, Paper Music, Triumphs and Laments and been a part of his Centre for the Less Good Idea. As lead vocalist in his The Head and the Load which premiered in 2018 at London’s Tate Modern, she has since toured to New York, Dusseldorf and Amsterdam.

Her collaboration with Lebo Mashile, Venus vs Modernity (2019), premiered at the Market Theatre, later being staged at the Afrovibes Festival in Amsterdam. Recently, she received a Naledi Award for Best Performer in this work.

*This part will be played by Tina Meni in Vancouver

Leroy Mapholo

Leroy had his first violin lesson at the age of 13, which is considered old to start learning a classical instrument. But his enthusiasm convinced Rosemary Nalden, the Founder and Director of The Buskaid Soweto String Project to accept him as a student in 2005. At Buskaid, he was featured in ‘Soweto Strings’, a film by Mark Kidel which tells the story of an outstanding music project in Soweto. The film shows one of Leroy’s first lessons and how he discovered his vocal abilities. He now holds ARSM Grade 7 (with distinction), and with Buskaid has performed at the Royal Albert Hall among other prestigious venues; and has entertained such luminaries as Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. 

At 16, he auditioned and was accepted into the Dance Factory Youth Programme and began taking contemporary dance classes. In 2009, 

Dada Masilo invited him to Israel, to participate in workshops with young people. The culmination was a work entitled ‘Umfula wa ma Dada’ which proved to be a building block for Dada Masilo’s Swan Lake.

Mpho Mothiba

Mpho is a performing artist. He was born in Mamelodi, Pretoria. He specializes in African dance and African percussion. He has performed in numerous shows including ‘The Return of Amancamane’, ’Qina’, ‘Lekgoba’, ‘Beating the Ground’, Magnificent 7’, ‘Bright in the Corner’, ‘Legae’ – with the Joburg Ballet Company, ‘Savour’ with Jozi Youth Dance Company to name a few. 

He has travelled to the UK, USA, Australia, Hong Kong and India. He has worked at Tshwane University of Technology as a percussionist for African dance class. He is currently an African dance and African music and drumming facilitator. He joined the company in October 2022 and will perform with them throughout November and December 2022.

Nathi Shongwe

Nathi is a pianist, songwriter and singer. He obtained a Diploma in Jazz and Popular Music Performance from the University of KwaZulu Natal. He began his career in 2007, as a member of the Simphiwe Dana Band, with which he toured extensively across Europe. Simultaneously, he worked with the popular Gospel artist, Sifiso Ncwane.

In 2009, he received the De Waal Award as runner-up in the SAMRO Overseas Scholarship Competition for Keyboards. That year, he was also lead pianist for the launch of the South African Traditional Music Awards and at the 2nd African Union Conference in Durban.

From 2009 to 2013, he was the lead pianist for the SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards and also assisted He was subsequently invited by the National Heritage Council to perform at the opening of the African Museum in Serbia. The NHC then invited him to perform at the embassy residence in Athens. He has also played at the Oslo World Music Festival in Norway.

Nathi is currently working on an album, whilst working as pianist and keyboard player for his fast growing band “B&B”. As a freelance keyboard player, Nathi appears on television in Afro Café and other DSTV channels occasionally backing  artists such as Joel Zuma, Berita, Thembisile Ntaka, With these are the same artists, he has performed at major music festivals across South Africa. 

Leorate Bessler Dibatana

Leo trained in Latin American and Ballroom dance at the Westbury Dance Academy. He competed in the following: 2016 South African Dance Teachers Association, 2017 Dance Sport SA and Salga Games, 2018 Rumba in the Jungle International Dance Festival at Sun City.

He also studied at the National School of the Arts, matriculating in 2021. There he studied Ballet, Contemporary and Spanish Dance. Performances included ‘Hidden Language’ at the Joburg Theatre in works by Sean Bovim, Sunnyboy Motau, Gillian Bonegio, Laura Cameron and Heather Dreyer. He also performed in his own work.

In 2022, he performed the role of Alchoholic Man in ‘Kuyenyuka’ – a contemporary work by Vuyelwa Phota. Leo successfully auditioned for Dada Masilo in 2022.

Lwando Dutyulwa

Lwando hails from Cape Town, South Africa.

Lwando was invited to join the company in July 2018. Since then, he has performed in Dada Masilo’s Giselle in Montreal, several cities in France including Paris, in Italy, the Netherlands, Stockholm, Switzerland, St Petersburg, Belgrade. He alternates in the role of Albrecht.

He began his training at Dance For All (2005-2013) and continued with the Cape Academy of Performing Arts (2014-2016) from where he received his Diploma and numerous student awards. His training included Ballet, Contemporary, Release Technique, Horton, Tap, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Drama, Anatomy, Body Conditioning and Vocal Training. He performed with the Cape Dance Company in a variety of works across South Africa.

In the United States, he attended a Summer Dance Programme with the Alfonso Lines Company in San Francisco and an internship, completing his ABT Level 6 examination at the New Ballet Studio Company in San Jose.

Thuso Lobeko

Thuso Lobeko is from the North West province and he started dancing at the age of thirteen. He did Latin American and Ballroom dancing and later on tried out Modern dance.

In 2003 Thuso received an award for the most promising dancer after a string of performances in concerts, functions and beauty pageants. After matriculating, Thuso went to study drama at the University of Pretoria for a year and did hip hop and contemporary dance extramurally at the Monnyth Dance House at the State Theatre and in 2008 he joined the Big One entertainment studios as a dancer, performing in a musical ‘The Noble man’. In 2009 he featured in ‘Mzansi’ a music video by the all-girl RnB group Jamali.  During 2011 he was a student at Moving into Dance Mophatong. After a nomination under the dance category of the City Festival Awards, Thuso  became a trainee dancer at Moving Into Dance where he also became an Edudance facilitator, working with school learners. He then joined Sibikwa Dance company in Benoni, where he performed in works by Sifiso Kweyama, Gladys Agulhas, Adele Blank and Somizi Mhlongo. 

Lehlohonolo Madise

Lehlohonolo graduated from Tshwane University of Technology in 2019, with a national diploma in Musical Theatre. In 2017, she performed as both dancer and singer in ‘Inyanga and ‘Ngoma’ at the Breytenbach Theatre and in ‘Rangi ya Ngodzi’ at the Market Theatre. She has also performed most recently in ‘Death Comes to a Wedding’ at the State Theatre and National Arts Festival and for Gregory Maqoma in ‘Third World Express’. 

She successfully auditioned to join Dada Masilo/The Dance Factory in 2022 and is contracted to perform in 9 European cities and in 15 cities in the UK prior to the tour to the USA. Her participation is needed, as she replaces a woman dancer who is unable to tour due to injury.

Songezo Mcilizeli

Songezo Mcilizeli started his dance training in ballet at Zama dance school in Gugulethu. He further went on to study at the Tshwane University of Technology where he received a Diploma in dance. He became a founding member of Tshwane Dance Theatre, Jozi Dance Company, Inspirations Dance company. He later joined the Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative on various performance projects eventually becoming a full company member for 3 years. Upon invitation by the Dance Factory to dance in Dada Masilo’s Swan Lake he went on to tour with the Dance Factory for 7 years; and also performed in Carmen. 

He has also performed in the Lion King production in South Africa and Asia. Songezo Is a dancer, teacher and choreographer: He has danced, performed and choreographed pieces of work, including solo performances that have been showcased in national and international platforms. He joined “The Sacrifice” in September 2021.

Refiloe Mogoje

Refiloe first shared a stage with Dada Masilo in 2005, in Swedish choreographer Marie Brolin-Tani’s Oliver, at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. The work involved 18 dancers between the ages of 8 and 18, drawn from the youth training programmes of The Dance Factory and Moving Into Dance. 

On leaving school, Refiloe enrolled at Jazzart Dance Theatre, in its Training and Job Creation Program, where she studied Ballet, Contemporary, African, Indian, Tai Chi, Pilates, Yoga, Pantsula, Tap, Gumboot and Flamenco. In 2009, she also received a Higher Diploma in Adult Basic Education and Training from the University of South Africa. Her subjects included Environmental Studies, Sociology, Critical Thinking and Psychology. 

In 2014, she returned to Johannesburg and began touring internationally in Dada Masilo’s Carmen. She was then a part of the work-in-progress production of Masilo’s Spring, which performed at New York’s City Centre in September 2016 as part of the Fall for Dance season. 

Refiloe is also passionate about teaching and shares her knowledge with the children of the Dance Factory Youth Training Programme.

Steven Mokone

Steven was born and bred in Benoni, just outside of Johannesburg. He began dance training at the age of 15 at the East Rand School of the Arts, matriculating in 2010.

In 2011, he enrolled in the performing arts training programme at Moving into Dance Mophatong in Johannesburg. From 2013 to 2016, he attended Tshwane University of Technology, graduating with a National Diploma in Dance. 

In 2014 Steven performed the South African State Theatre and at the National Arts Festival in the musical Marikana and the following year performed in the classical Sleeping Beauty for the Sharon & Rochelle School of Ballet. 

Steven has been with the Company since June 2016, touring and performing in Dada Masilo’s Carmen, Swan Lake and Giselle. Amongst other cities, he has performed in Singapore, Saint Petersburg, Montreal, Perth, New York, Los Angeles, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Paris.

His qualifications include NQF-Level 4 (Skills in Dance training) – Moving Into Dance Mophatong, DanceCor- Advanced One and Ballet RAD- Intermediate.

Thandiwe Mqokeli

Thandiwe grew up in Cape Town. She finished school in 2008 and joined the Nomonde Arts Organisation as an actor and drama teacher. In 2011, she enrolled at the Lovedale Public FET College, where she studied theatre, arts administration, directing, writing and public speaking, graduating with an Advanced Certificate in Performing Arts. For the following 2 years, Thandiwe was employed at the Steve Biko Centre – Abelusi (Eastern Cape) as a Performing Arts Practitioner, Outreach Teacher, Movement Co-ordinator and Dance Teacher for evening classes.

In 2015, she enrolled at Cape Town’s Jazzart Dance Theatre for the dance training programme. Here, she studied Tap, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Ballet, Sbujwa, Pantsula, Gumboot and Contemporary African dance. She graduated in 2018.

Thandiwe also wrote and performed a one-woman show MaMela-Listen. 

Thandiwe joined the company in 2019 and has since performed in both Giselle and The Sacrifice on numerous international tours.

Eutychia Rakaki

In 2019, Eutychia completed her National Diploma in Musical Theatre at the Tshwane University of Technology. In 2015,  she was a featured actor and dancer in ‘Hear Me Move’, dubbed the first South African dance film. From 2017 to 2019, she performed as lead actor and dancer in ‘Kiu’ and in 2018, she toured to Beijing as a dancer and backing vocalist for the China-South Africa Diplomatic Relations Celebration. In 2019, she performed for the South African State Theatre in ‘Freedom – the Musical’ and for the same company in 2021 in ‘ASKARI – Political Thriller’.

Eutychia teaches dance, fitness and body conditioning. She auditioned for the Company in July 2022 and has since toured with them to Hamburg, Germany and Martigues, France. She is contracted to perform in 9 European cities and 15 cities in the UK prior to the tour of the USA.

Tshepo Zasekhaya

Tshepo was born in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg. He began his training at The Dance Factory at the age of 4. His first professional performance was at the age of 8, in Swedish choreographer Marie Brolin-Tani’s Oliver at the National Arts Festival. 

He attended the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg, whilst continuing his training with Dance Factory Youth. He completed his Cecchetti ballet examinations through to Grade 5 – Honours. 

On leaving school, he interned with The Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative and then toured Scandinavia in Melody Putu’s Faith, as a member of the Unga Fuse Dance Ensemble. 

For The Dance Factory, he has performed in PJ Sabbagha’s Macbeth, and in Dada Masilo’s Carmen, Swan Lake and Giselle, the latter 3 on all international tours since 2012. In 2018, he partnered Masilo in a residency at ImpulsTanz in Vienna.

In addition, Tshepo has performed in Llewellyn Mnguni’s Prozac for Dance Umbrella 2016 and in Nadine Buys’s The Walk Up for Baxter Dance Festival 2016.