Artistic Director / Roshanak Jaberi
Profile
Roshanak is an Iranian-born Canadian choreographer, director, producer and a Dora Award nominated artist with a career that spans over 20 years. Described as a “force to reckon with,” she has created and co-created over 30 works in dance, visual arts, film and music, has performed in numerous dance works, and has presented her work in Canada and internationally. Roshanak is the recipient of the ISPA-International Society of Performing Arts Global Fellowship (2020, 2021) and the Chalmers Arts Fellowship (2019), and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours from York University. She has been a guest speaker and lecturer in various forums, and her work has been referenced in adult education courses and in critical pedagogy at the University of Toronto.
My Practice
My practice is based on the principles of research, collaboration, and intersectionality. As a multi-hyphenate artist, I experiment with a wide range of mediums to express my ideas, working at the interface of performance, politics, people and places. My ongoing artistic research focuses on refugee and migrant issues, and the experiences of war and displacement; gender based violence; political prisoners; embodied memory; and the relationship between architecture and performance.
Photo: Ashley Irwin
Profile
Roshanak is an Iranian-born Canadian choreographer, director, producer and a Dora Award nominated artist with a career that spans over 20 years. Described as a “force to reckon with,” she has created and co-created over 30 works in dance, visual arts, film and music, has performed in numerous dance works, and has presented her work in Canada and internationally. Roshanak is the recipient of the ISPA-International Society of Performing Arts Global Fellowship (2020, 2021) and the Chalmers Arts Fellowship (2019), and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours from York University. She has been a guest speaker and lecturer in various forums, and her work has been referenced in adult education courses and in critical pedagogy at the University of Toronto.
My Practice
My practice is based on the principles of research, collaboration, and intersectionality. As a multi-hyphenate artist, I experiment with a wide range of mediums to express my ideas, working at the interface of performance, politics, people and places. My ongoing artistic research focuses on refugee and migrant issues, and the experiences of war and displacement; gender based violence; political prisoners; embodied memory; and the relationship between architecture and performance.
“My art is both personal
and political."
My Story
I come from a family of artists and entrepreneurs. My love of the arts was passed down to me by my father–a visual artist, craftsman and musician; and my grandfather—a master ceramic artist. My interest in storytelling was sparked and nurtured at a young age by my mother and my grandmothers. My spirit of activism was shaped by the culture and political climate I was born into. I travel often and enjoy taking risks, following my curiosity, and getting lost in my own imagination. As a first generation refugee and war survivor, I value human connection and resilience and try to portray this in my work. It is my great privilege to tell the stories of the many women from around the world who have, and continue to, inspire me.
Selected Credits
Education
Awards and Nominations
Fellowships
Publications
Residencies
Boards and Committees
Teaching & Speaking
Honours
Other Experience
Selected Credits
Education
Awards and Nominations
Fellowships
Publications
Residencies
Boards and Committees
Teaching & Speaking
Honours
Other Experience
“Roshanak Jaberi is a force
to reckon with.”
—Kathleen Rea
