Refraction

Tiffany Au

Tiffany Au (she/her) is currently in her fourth year of study at Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts, with a major in dance as well as a minor in print and publishing. She is based on the unceded, ancestral and traditional territories of the the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, also known as Vancouver, BC. Tiffany is working on broadening her movement practice and looking to how she can discover the intersection between dance and design, with inspiration from the world around her."

Abby Blanchard

Abby Blanchard, originally from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on Treaty 6 territory, is in her third year of the SFU Contemporary Arts dance program. She is currently working on implementing the various practices she is learning to discover her individuality as a dancer. Abby is extremely grateful to have worked with such an amazing team of artists and professionals through this production process. 

Brittany DeBoer

Brittany DeBoer was born and raised in the Okanagan Valley and is in her final year at SFU's School of Contemporary Arts. She works mainly with improvisational movement as she firmly believes that every dancer is best when they strive for honesty, rather than perfection.

Natasha Denison

Natasha Denison (she/they) is from the traditional territory of the Anishnabek, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee, Oneida and Haudenosaunee people, also known as North Augusta Ontario. In her sixth year in the contemporary dance program, she is continuing to explore new and existing facets of her dance practice as well as choreography. She is also a visual artist, working with linocut printmaking, illustration, textiles, and painting.

Brooklyn Fowler

Brooklyn Fowler (she/her) was born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta on the traditional lands of the Ktunaxa, Michif Piyii (Metis), Niitsítpiis-stahkoii (Blackfoot), Očhéthi Šakówin, and Tsuu T’ina. Brooklyn is an emerging dance artist and aspiring choreographer who is interested in expanding her choreographic process and learning how to navigate within the scope of the professional dance world.

Gabriela Galindo

Gabriela Galindo was born and raised in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico and immigrated to the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, otherwise known as Vancouver, British Columbia in 2014. Gabriela has experience in dancing and teaching various dance styles including jazz, acro dance, hip hop and lyrical, and has recently performed with Vancouver-based artists Sarah U and Kylah Powell earlier this year. She is currently a practicing dance artist in the School for the Contemporary Arts at SFU, where she pursues a BFA in Dance and a minor in Kinesiology. 

Greer Harper

Greer Harper is in her third-year in the dance program at SFU. She currently resides on the unceded traditional territories of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Musqueam, Qayqayt, Tsleil Waututh and Tsawwassen First Nations, also known as Surrey, BC. Being able to perform is one of Greer's favorite parts of the dance program and she is feeling blessed to be able to work with the many talented artists of the Vancouver community. 

Ruby Henderson

Ruby Henderson was born and raised in Vancouver where she has been dancing since the early age of two. She has trained heavily in a multitude of styles throughout her years and is now focusing more specifically on ballet and contemporary here at SFU. Ruby is excited to continue on this path and see where dance takes her.    

Jaime Johnson

Jaime Johnson (she/her) is a third-year in SFU’s BFA dance program, raised on the traditional meeting grounds and homelands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Niisitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux, commonly known as Edmonton, Alberta. She is currently interested in working with bodily sensations, human impulse, and somatic awareness in her dance/choreography journey. In the future she hopes to use her skills from SFU’s Dance program to choreograph and teach dance, as well as advocate for dancer’s physical and mental wellness.

Olivia Johnson

Olivia Johnson is a third-year student born on the traditional meeting grounds and homelands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Niisitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux, in the place now commonly known as Edmonton. She is currently working on expanding her dance practice by immersing herself in various movement techniques. In the future, she hopes to continue performing and learning with embodied curiosity.

Beatrice Keller

Beatrice Keller is a third-year student at Simon Fraser University’s dance program! She resides on the traditional land of the Coast Salish peoples–Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations, commonly known as Vancouver, BC. This is her first-year preforming in the repertoire class performance, and she is super excited!

Carson Keller

Carson Keller was raised on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, including the Nooksack, Katzie, Kwantlen, Stó:lō, and Tsawwassen Nations. He is currently a fourth-year student at SFU’s Beedie School of Business and a practicing dance artist in both SFU's School of Contemporary Arts and the Vancouver dance industry. He is a strong advocate for mental wellness and inclusivity— both of which, bring a healthy focus to the emotional expression in his work.

Jessica Langelier

Jessica Langelier is a third-year dance major from Vancouver Island. Jessica’s passion is teaching and choreographing, and she travels back to Nanaimo on weekends to work at the studio she grew up in. Jessica has enjoyed the group collaborations in repertory and is honoured to be a part of this show.

Nayha Lewis

Nayha Lewis was born and raised in Vancouver, BC, and is currently in her second year of study at SFU as a dance major. Throughout her years of training, Nayha has studied various forms of dance, but in recent years has developed a strong passion for contemporary and ballet. Nayha is interested in constantly finding new ways to move and challenges both the extreme and the subtlety of movement, as well as enjoys finding a grounded sense of calmness by truly noticing and embracing the atmosphere, and allowing it to guide her movement.

Natalia Martineau

Natalia Martineau (she/her) is an emerging dance artist born and raised in Canmore, on the Indigenous homelands of the Stoney Nakoda, Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Blackfoot Confederacy in the Treaty 7 region of southern Alberta. Pursuing her BFA in contemporary dance at Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts, Natalia is in the process of expanding the sensory and physical bounds of her dance practice. Interested in how thoughts, feelings, texts, sounds, and images can be converted into dance, Natalia hopes to investigate how the body can reveal inarticulable truths about identity. 

Quinn Muylaert

Quinn Muylaert (she/her) was raised in Port Perry, Ontario, on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. Quinn had dreams of becoming a dancer from a very young age and has carried this dream along with her since she began her practice at the age of 10. Quinn's current focus is to explore and absorb as many different movement qualities as possible, and ultimately, she hopes to be a part of a dance company to continue performing and sharing her love for the art for as long as her body will allow.

Polina Olshevska

Born and raised in the Treaty 7 region of Alberta, Polina Olshevska is a fourth-year contemporary dance major. Born into a family of dancers, Polina’s passion for dance stems from watching her mom perform, create, and teach Ukrainian dance. Most recently she performed with Bard on the Beach: A Midsummer Night's Dream. She is currently researching the relationship between music and dance and how the relationship between the two can be presented in performance.

Makena Ram

Makena Ram has been dancing from a very early age and trained pre-professionally in classical ballet with Goh Ballet Academy until 2019, where she then joined the Goh Ballet Youth Company. With an extensive background in performing arts through training, teaching, and choreographing for youth, SFU’s contemporary dance program is providing a new wealth of knowledge that can facilitate further opportunities. Makena is thrilled and grateful to be a part of this year’s repertoire class and has thoroughly enjoyed learning from her mentors and colleagues.

Charlotte Samuel

Charlotte Samuel is a contemporary dance artist and third-year BFA student at the SCA. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, they found their love for movement and music at the age of four. They are filled with gratitude to have the freedom to explore and research movement alongside their inspiring peers and mentors.

Krystal Tsai

Krystal Tsai is a Vancouver-based emerging artist who was born and raised in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. During her continuous training and development, she focuses on her interests in improvisation and conceptual dance work. Hoping to contribute her movement language to the community."

Lillian Wallman

Lillian Wallman grew up in Port Alberni which lies within the traditional territories of the Hupacasath and Tseshaht Nations. She is a proud Metis artist and student who now gratefully practices and begins her professional career on the land of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-waututh First Nations. Lillian is a third-year dance student and is very honoured to participate in the repertory course for the first time this semester.

Anna Wang-Albini

Anna Wang-Albini is a fourth-year student attending SFUs School of Contemporary Arts working towards her BFA in dance. She feels extremely fortunate to have performed with amazing artists and companies including Tin Gamboa, Bard on the Beach, and Alberta Dance Theatre. Anna is looking to expand her knowledge of dance and choreography and is working towards developing a personal creative practice she can utilize wherever her craft may take her.

Myah McCarthy

Myah McCarthy is an artist residing on the stolen ancestorial territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, more commonly known as Vancouver, British Columbia. Before attending S.F.U. Myah danced with two companies, them being Lamondance in NothVancouver, B.C. and Royal Flux in Los Angeles, California. Myah is interested in approaching movement with presence and authenticity, while acknowledging the space in which she is located.

Marin Smith

Marin Smith was born and raised on Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People, now commonly known as Fall River, Nova Scotia. She is a third-year dance major here at SFU. She is currently focused on exposing herself to many different experiences at SFU to broaden and strengthen her dancing and her knowledge of dance. 

Kaitlyn La Vigne

Kaitlyn La Vigne (she/her) was born in Vancouver and raised in Surrey, British Columbia, on the traditional territories of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt and Tsawwassen First Nations. Kaitlyn continues to explore and find curiosity in her own movement practice and choreographic work as she moves through SFU’s dance program. Kaitlyn aspires to take her work and appreciation for movement into more therapeutic practices within her community.

Colleen Bayati is a third-year SFU Theatre and Production student. She has helped with various SFU school productions such as Blackbox and Capstone and worked in productions in her local community. As she continues to expand her skill set in further studies, she aspires to create work that touches hearts everywhere.

Brianna Bernard is an undergraduate student in the Theatre Production & Design stream. She spends her time exploring both the design and production management aspects of art and theatre. Originally born and raised in Jamaica, Brianna now works, creates and resides on the stolen lands of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Semiahmoo, sq̓əc̓iy̓aɁɬ təməxʷ (Katzie), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓ (Kwantlen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt) and sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) Nations. Outside of theatre, Brianna takes interest in film and photography.

June Hsu is an artist, musician, and theatre production designer passionate in all aspects of sound, set, and video. In 2019, she graduated from the Douglas College Stagecraft and Event Technology program and is currently studying in Simon Fraser University in the Theatre Production and Design program. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada –the unceded and stolen territories of the xwməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, June has been surrounded by the colourful sounds and sights from the cities to the mountains; sparking an interest in exploring the interrelations between sounds and their unique personalities.

Gabriella (Zhaoxuan) Hu is an 4th year undergraduate student who major in Theatre Production& Design and more focus on stage management and lighting designer. She comes from China and sharing the mixed and grey zone as an artist. Stand on the stage from dancing to producing strong and passionate for the past five years. She believes that art has no regions and boundaries, and the combination of all art forms is desirable.

Kezi Jacob is a theatre production & design student at SFU. Raised by artists in Kingston, Ontario, she has been involved in the art world since childhood. Kezi considers herself a “backstage artist” and intends to continue working to produce theatre, music and visual art events.

Yvonne Liang is from China. She came to Vancouver four years ago and is a fourth-year theatre production student at SFU. She likes traditional Chinese cultural elements, and because she lives in a culturally diverse country, she would like to do something innovative. She feels that inspiration doesn't come out of anywhere, but it's a sudden opportunity in your subconscious after a long time of accumulation.

Bernice Paet (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist interested in portraying and exploring the complex web of human relations in her performance, designs, and installation works. Growing up on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, Bernice has always been passionate in different areas of fine arts and is now a fourth-year student majoring in Theatre Production and Design at Simon Fraser University. There, she has stage managed for Ascension 2021 and LIVE ACTS Vol.1 and is delighted to be stage managing for Refraction! 


Jammi Sze, a third-year Theatre Production and Design student, was born and raised in vibrant Hong Kong with a diverse modern cityscape. Filled with curiosity, she is passionate about exploring the “unknown” through visual art forms such as graphic design, photography and installations to make an impact. “In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Zhengyi Wu (Joy), is a third-year SFU student majoring in Theatre Production and design. She was born and raised in Changsha, Hunan province, China. Joy works in lighting and stage management, and she endeavors to improve her ability and knowledge in both fields. Additionally, she is currently doing research into voice over and emotional expression. In the future, she wants to be a part of teams of creators making great shows throughout the world.