Join us for the culminating performances of The Fifth’s Summer Intensive, featuring original works created during the program alongside pieces by our featured and guest choreographers.
Saturday, July 5th:
Featuring new work by William Yong
With guest choreographers Teagan Ariss and Lucy Rupert
Saturday, July 12th:
Featuring new work by Alyssa Martin
With guest choreographers Sofía Ontiveros and Willem Sadler
When: Saturday, July 5th & 12th
Where: Citadel + Compagnie⎥304 Parliament St, Toronto, ON M5A 3A4
Time: 7:00PM-8:00PM
Price: Sliding Scale $5-$35
Choreographers
WILLIAM YONG
William Yong is a multi-faceted artist and an award-winning choreographer, performer and director for dance, theatre and film. He is currently the artistic director of Zata Omm and W Zento Productions. William was trained and received his master's degree with distinction at the London Contemporary Dance School in U.K. Companies that he previously worked for include: Wayne McGregor's Random Dances and Matthew Bourne's Adventures In Motion Pictures in the U.K.; National Ballet of Canada, Canadian Stage, Against The Grain, Toronto Dance Theatre, Peggy Baker Dance Projects, Fila 13, Echo Chamber Toronto and many others in Canada. William's professional career spans over thirty years. He has performed in 76 cities within 15 countries. He has created more than 150 original stage and film works worldwide. William and his stage works received eleven Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations. William was a Dora Mavor Moore Award winning performer and the winner of “I love dance/J’aime la danse Award for Innovation” presented by Canadian Dance Assembly. His film works were awarded 'Best Cinematography', 'Award of Excellence' and 'Best Experimental Shorts' at ten prestigious international film festivals.
ALYSSA MARTIN
Alyssa Martin, based in Toronto, is an award-winning choreographer best known for her tongue-in-cheek approach to dance theatre. As the founder and Artistic Director of Rock Bottom Movement, she creates work that challenges patriarchal norms with a blend of comedy and tenderness. Since its inception in 2012, Rock Bottom has met audiences across the country with acclaimed works designed to infuse "going to the theatre" with an excitement that matches our contemporary sensibilities. Martin's commissions include "Desperate Drama of Red" with The National Ballet of Canada, "Bin Chicken" with Toronto Dance Theatre, "PUS" with Susie Burpee and Linnea Swan, “Sugar Water” with The National Ballet of Canada Apprentices and a new circus experiment, “Lizard of Pause.” Her collaborations span theatre, film, musical theatre, and opera, including multiple seasons at The Stratford Festival. As she continues to create, she seeks to foster an environment where irreverence, humour, and individuality flourish.
Guest Choreographers
TEAGAN ARISS
Teagan Ariss is an emerging contemporary dance artist, arts educator and administrator based in Tkaronto. In 2021, she graduated from York University's BFA dance program, where she was most impacted by the teachings of dance artists: Syreeta Hector, Tracey Norman, Susan Lee and Freya Björg Olafson. In all aspects of her work, Teagan values artistic accessibility as a way to reach folks who may not normally engage with dance due to lack of opportunity. Her current artistic interest is regarding how the body communicates to others intentionally and involuntarily. Teagan has presented her work through The Garage (Toronto) and the London Dance Festival. She is also a passionate facilitator of creative movement for youth and older adults and is deeply inspired by witnessing creativity and learning at different stages of life across different abilities.
LUCY RUPERT
Lucy Rupert is a dancer, choreographer, art-science researcher, and writer. She has
performed with Fujiwara Dance Inventions, Theatre Rusticle, Nova Dance, Anandam
Dance, Sashar Zarif Dance, Puppetmongers Theatre, Circus Orange, and Chartier
Danse, among others. In 2004 Lucy founded Blue Ceiling dance, an umbrella for her
choreography, commissions, productions and teaching. Lucy has a Joint Honours BA in
Dance and Music, an MA in History and currently studies philosophy for fun. She lives in west-end Toronto with her husband and son, and two feral cats, in a magical neighbourhood full of coyotes and old trees.
WILLEM SADLER
Willem Sadler is a Hip Hop and contemporary mover/creator based in Toronto, Ontario. His work has been performed and presented internationally. Driven by a deep love for movement and music, Willem brings an expressive, rhythmically charged presence to both performance and creation. He defines himself as a versatile artist, committed to dissolving stylistic boundaries and presenting dance as an unrestricted form of physical expression.He’s performed and collaborated with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Mirvish Productions, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, Dusk Dances, Dance Collection Danse, Zata OMM Dance Projects, ProArteDanza, and Côté Danse. In recent years, Willem has toured internationally and performed at some of North America's top dance festivals, including Fall for Dance, Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur, and Fall for Dance North.Willem is deeply grateful for the freedom to express through dance and is committed to contributing to a vibrant and evolving Toronto dance community. @willemsadler
SOFÍA ONTIVEROS
Sofía Ontiveros (they/she) is a queer, gender fluid Mexican dance artist and choreographer based in Tkaronto, Ontario. A 2021 graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s BFA Dance Program, they received the Lipson Family Endowment Award for an Emerging Choreographer. Their recent work Ojalá…, co-created with María Riaño, was presented at CAMINOS 2023 and The Citadel Dance Mix, and will be reworked for Vanguardia Dance Festival in May 2025. As a performer, Sofía has worked with artists and companies such as Justine Chambers, Jera Wolfe, ProArte Danza, The Bentway, Aluna Theatre, and more. They also trained in heels with Kode Red Academy (2023–2024). Dedicated to versatility, Sofía values curiosity, writing, and continuous growth. Their practice explores social constructs and relationships, often integrating writing as part of choreographic development and healing. Beyond dance, Sofía loves cooking, singing, acting, and playing piano—creativity and reflection are central to both their work and life.
