Next Stage 2025 Program
Next Stage features the George Brown Dance graduating Commercial Dance students performing Jazz, Hip Hop, Dance Theatre, Chorus Repertoire, Contemporary and Vocal Works. (PG 13)
JULY 31 & AUGUST 1
NATIVE EARTH PERFORMING ARTS & AKI STUDIO THEATRE, TORONTO, ON
*This performance contains flashing lights and strobe effects which may affect photosensitive viewers.*
Director: Jennifer Robichaud
Technical Director & Lighting Designer: Madhu Seran
Wardrobe: Márcio Teixeira
Stage Management: Kathy Le
Vocal Arrangement & Accompaniment: Andrew Ball
Production/Rehearsal Assistant: Rebecca Swift
Rehearsal Assistant: Danaca Bell
Artistic Administrator: Kia Kotsanis
Special thanks to Amanda Davis, Cindy Macedo, Christopher Knowles, Kennedy Elder and Ryan Kelly!
about george brown dance
George Brown Dance is a partnership between Jörgen Dance and George Brown College. The George Brown College Dance programs offer exceptional professional technical training in the heart of downtown Toronto. With hundreds of theatre, dance and production companies, Toronto offers extraordinary opportunities to aspiring performers. The unique leadership of Ballet Jörgen’s expert instructors graduates students with the skills, confidence and connections necessary for employment in a wide range of dance performance settings. Students and faculty have built a strong community that offers continuous support and encouragement at school and beyond. At George Brown Dance, expect to be empowered and challenged to fulfill your dance potential.
Message from the Associate Director
2025 marks George Brown Dance’s 50th anniversary of delivering excellence in dance training and education. This grand milestone reflects decades of distinction in dance and a continued fostering of future artists.
This evening’s performance is dedicated to all those who have been part of our illustrious half century of growth, community, education, sharing, art and vision. Our reach expands substantially further than the studio walls of Casa Loma Campus. The breadth and integrity of faculty, students, alumni, performers, entrepreneurs, directors and choreographers is far reaching and has now encompassed 5 decades – a feat only seen by few. This evening you will be witnessing a continuation of this honoured lineage.
We have successfully completed the final third semester in the Commercial Dance Performance Program and are pleased to present this culmination of work. Tonight you will be introduced to our next generation of graduates and see a diverse showcase with works created from our highly regarded faculty and guest artists. The George Brown Dance faculty is comprised of an outstanding team of instructors, working artists, choreographers and directors, who instill discipline and teach skills necessary to interpret the vision of others.
Each of the choreographers have generously committed themselves to the idea of a “company” setting, which enables the performers to experience the creative work process and environment of the professional world. Our students benefit tremendously from the unique approach and mentorship of the respective team.
I would like to thank each faculty member for their time, energy and inspiring work as they help the students to realize their potential and prepare for the future. My sincerest gratitude to Jennifer Robichaud for her passion and artistic enthusiasm in directing Next Stage 2025.
Enjoy this evening’s performance of Next Stage 2025 and cheers to our next 50 years on the dance floor!
Derek Sangster
Associate Director, George Brown Dance
INTRODUCING THE NEXT GENERATION OF GRADUATES:
NEXT STAGE
Running time: 1 hour
Eight to the Bar
Choreographer: Steve Cota
Music: Beat Me Daddy (Eight to the Bar) from the musical Big Deal composed by Don Raye, Hughie Prince & Eleanor Sheehy
Performers: Natalie Clark, Eleni Dramountanis, Vincent Enorme, Ailfrid Fischer, Amina Gebauer, Keira Price, Emma Scown
Newsies
Choreographer: Nicola Pantin
Music: Seize the Day from the musical Newsies composed by Alan Menken
Lyricist: Jack Feldman
Vocal Arrangement & Live Accompaniment: Andrew Ball
Performers: Natalie Clark, Eleni Dramountanis, Vincent Enorme, Ailfrid Fischer, Amina Gebauer, Keira Price, Emma Scown
Special thank you to Emma-Bradford Wilson!
Mia Kokkini Grammi (A Red Line)
Vocalist: Eleni Dramountanis
Music: Mia Kokkini Grammi by Natasa Theodoridou
Live Accompaniment: Andrew Ball
“A Red Line” is a song about symbolically drawing a red line to mark the end of a painful relationship. It’s about the moment one decides to stop tolerating hurt, to walk away from love that went wrong, and to protect themselves.
Nicest Thing
Choreographer: Lindsay Aquin
Music: Nicest Thing by Kate Nash
Rehearsal Direction: Chris Knowles
Performers: Natalie Clark, Vincent Enorme, Keira Price, Emma Scown
Since I Fell For You
Choreographer & Dancer: Emma Scown
Movement Direction: Danaca Bell & Jennifer Robichaud
Music: Since I Fell For You by Lee Morgan
Heaven Is Here
Choreographer: Eleni Dramountanis
Music: Heaven Is Here by Florence and The Machine
Performer: Amina Gebauer
The View Between Villages
Vocalist: Vincent Enorme
Music: The View Between Villages by Noah Kahan
Live Accompaniment: Andrew Ball
Black Magic
Choreographer: Julia Germano
Music: Black Magic Woman by Santana
Performers: Vincent Enorme, Amina Gebauer, Keira Price
Jeopardy Interlude
Movement Direction: Jennifer Robichaud
Stage Hands/Performers: Ava Thomas & Rebecca Swift
Girlfriend Is Better
Choreographer & Dancer: Ailfrid Fischer
Music: Girlfriend Is Better by Talking Heads
Games Night
Choreographer: Jennifer Robichaud
Music: Nervotica Volutisms by DJ Habett, I Am Slowly Going Crazy by Sharon, Lois & Bram, Poker Face by Lady Gaga, 20 Habits by Stay High, Hippie Sabotage Remix by Tove Lo
Rehearsal Direction: Chris Knowles
Performers: Natalie Clark, Eleni Dramountanis, Vincent Enorme, Ailfrid Fischer, Amina Gebauer, Keira Price, Emma Scown
The Beginning
Choreography & Dancer: Vincent Enorme
Music: The Beginning by Flawed Mangoes
Hot Note
Choreographer: Lindsay Aquin
Music: Hit Me with a Hot Note by Tami Tappan Damiano
Performers: Eleni Dramountanis, Amina Gebauer, Keira Price
You’re So Vain
Vocalist: Natalie Clark
Music: You’re So Vain by Carly Simon
Live Accompanist: Andrew Ball
Not For You
Choreographer: Derick Robinson
Music: Love Me, Not For You by JMSN
Performers: Natalie Clark, Eleni Dramountanis, Vincent Enorme, Ailfrid Fischer, Amina Gebauer, Keira Price, Emma Scown
Control
Choreographer & Dancer: Keira Price
Music: Control by Janet Jackson
Take It All
Vocalist: Amina Gebauer
Music: Take It All by Adele
Live Accompanist: Andrew Ball
Waiting
Choreographer: Allison Bradley
Assistant Choreographer: Kennedy Elder
Music: Lightning by Hayden Calnin
Performers: Natalie Clark, Eleni Dramountanis, Vincent Enorme, Ailfrid Fischer, Amina Gebauer, Keira Price, Emma Scown
About the Commercial Dance Program
This intensive 12-month Commercial Dance program provides you with the performance skills and marketability necessary to work in the vast field of commercial dance. A graduate has the ability to dance, sing and act, enabling a performance career in music videos, musical theatre, cruise ship performance and more. Dance training is in jazz, hip hop and ballet combined with in-depth acting, vocals and chorus repertoire. Career management and personal marketing skills combined with polished performance technique will launch your professional commercial dance career.
George Brown Dance
Artistic Director Bengt Jörgen C.M
Associate Director Derek Sangster
Academy Director Clea Iveson
Program Coordinator Kia Kotsanis
George Brown College
President Dr. Gervan Fearon
Vice–President, Academic (Interim) Patricia Chorin Rubin
Dean of the Faculty of Buisness, Creative Industries and Culinary Arts Ana Rita Morais
School of Media and Performing Arts
Associate Dean, School of Media, Performing Arts and School of Design Trent Scherer
Student Services Coordinator Lise Maher
Commercial Dance Program Faculty
Lindsay Aquin – Hip Hop, Performance Preparation
Andrew Ball – Vocal Coaching, Performance Preparation
Allison Bradley – Jazz, Performance Preparation
Ryan Kelly – Acting Director/Coach
Heidi Lange – Vocal, Music Theory
Cindy Macedo – Ballet
Nicola Pantin – Chorus Repertoire, Performance Preparation
Jennifer Robichaud – Jazz, Business of Dance, Performance Preparation
Derick Robinson – Hip Hop, Performance Preparation
Derek Sangster – Jazz
Accompanists
Andrew Ball – Vocal, Chorus Repertoire
Jörgen Dance
Artistic Director & CEO Bengt Jörgen C.M.
General Manager Stephen Word
Director of Touring Cameron Smillie
Academy Director Clea Iveson
Business Operations Manager Aleksandra Maslennikova
George Brown Dance Associate Director Derek Sangster
Marketing Manager Casey Spector
George Brown Dance Program Coordinator Kia Kotsanis
Resident Lighting Designer & Production Manager Madhu Seran
Bookkeeping Irene Lockrey and Pamela Stickney
Assistant Education Coordinator Sophie Riedl
Administrative Assistant Jay Richard
