presented by
in the 2023
A Note from the Artistic Directors
We want to express our most sincere gratitude for the love and support we have received from our audience since Rhythm & Sound's conception in 2015, and we would like to welcome any new faces to our work tonight! Thank you all so much for coming!
We would like to take a moment to acknowledge our cast, for their endless dedication and contribution to the dance! You continue to inspire us with the professionalism you bring into the company and the talent we get to witness from each of you! To the residency dancers, thank you for your hard work and dedication throughout this project! This show would not be the same without you and we are so proud of your growth! To our stage manager, Barb, we can't imagine doing a single show without you. The value you bring to our team is truly unmatched! To all of our donors, we can not begin to express how deeply appreciative we are for your financial contributions to this production! As a small company, every donation provided us the opportunity to do what we love with a little more ease! A huge thank you to Esmeralda Enrique for allowing us to inhabit your dance studio for our rehearsals! It was an honour to rehearse in a space with such rich history! To the Toronto Fringe Festival staff, thank you for the support and resources you continually provided throughout the process! We have learned so much because of each of you! And finally, we would like to take a moment to remember the masters of the dance; without them, we wouldn't have this platform in which we can express our "Rhythm & Sound." With that being said, thank you all for coming, and we hope you enjoy our show, In Passing.
Cori Giannotta & Johnathan Morin
AL GREEN THEATRE
Toronto
proudly presents
In Passing
Artistic Directors: Cori Giannotta, Johnathan Morin
Choreographers: Cori Giannotta, Johnathan Morin
Stage Manager: Barbara Vargas
Photographer: Erica Cheah
Dancers: Cori Giannotta, David Lafleur, Johnathan Morin,
Veronica Simpson, Ella Steele
Ensemble: Ariyah Henriquez, Serena Henriquez,
Brayden Komel, Allie Stewart
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Synopsis
Have you ever wondered if the walls have ears? What about outdoor spaces? Do they remember our stories? “In Passing” is a tap dance performance that highlights the many stories tied to a park bench; a blossoming love story, a defeated young adult trying to make ends meet, a young man experiencing loss. With a unique and exciting cast of tap dancers from across Canada, this rhythmical performance will take you on a captivating journey from start to finish!
MEET THE CAST
JOHNATHAN MORIN
Johnathan Morin is a 32 year old indigenous tap dancer hailing from Treaty 6 Edmonton, Alberta. Now residing in Treaty 13 Toronto Ontario he is a force in the tap dance community and known across the country and around the world. A Dora Award Nominee, Johnathan co-produces and co directs Rhythm and Sound Dance Company alongside Cori Giannotta and also runs his own drop in classes in Toronto. His passion for the dance as brought him across the country as well as internationally as a performer and educator.
With his talent, dedication, and impressive list of accomplishments, Johnathan Morin is sure to continue making rhythmic waves in the world of Canadian tap dance for years to come.
CORI GIANNOTTA
Born in Toronto, Cori Giannotta has been heavily involved in the city’s tap dance scene teaching, performing, choreographing and producing. She’s had the opportunity to teach at various events, such as the Toronto Rhythm Initiative and Performing Arts BC Provincial Festival. Performing credits include the Big Band Tap Revue with the Toronto Jazz Orchestra, The Whole Shebang: Taken By Night, the Toronto International Tap Dance Festival, Dusk Dances, and the 2023 Fall For Dance North Festival in Dianne Montgomery’s piece, “Softly Losing Softly Gaining.” In 2015, Cori, alongside Johnathan Morin, established tap dance company, Rhythm & Sound. The company has annual performances in Toronto and has been featured across Canada.
DAVID LAFLEUR
David Lafleur is a tap dancer based in the National Capital Region. He is the co-artistic director of (in)sight, a cross-canadian multi-disciplinary tap dance rooted collective, alongside Ella Steele, which strives to create, produce, and disseminate work across Canada. Most recently, they have launched their summer series programming in which students are able to train and learn from some of the most devoted and passionate educators in North America. (in)sight also has debuted new work at the Toronto International Tap Dance Festival in August 2022 produced by Toffan Rhythm Projects. David danced in Dianne Montgomery’s Fall For Dance North 2022 Commission and World Premiere, Softly Losing, Softly Gaining. He has also been a main cast member for Rhythm and Sound, directed by Johnathan Morin and Cori Giannotta, since their 2017 fall iteration “Illumination”, and most recently as a part of “Revamped” in July 2022. He has performed in various productions across North America, including the School at Jacob’s Pillow (directed by Michelle Dorrance, Derick Grant and Dormeshia), the Just for Laughs Festival (opening for Aba and Preach with the Montreal Swing Riot), Toffan Rhythm Projects (Allison Toffan and Juliana Kelly), and the Ottawa Jazz Festival (with the Ottawa Rhythm Initiative). He is a sought-after tap dance educator and is devoted to sharing his love of tap dance with his community. In addition to his professional tap dance career, David has recently completed his master’s degree in human kinetics with a specialization in neuroscience at the University of Ottawa.
VERONICA SIMPSON
Veronica Simpson is a tap dancer and theatre artist based in Toronto. Some of her credits include projects with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Rhythm and Sound, (in)sight dance, Danny Nielsen’s On Foot, Dianne Montgomery at Fall For Dance North, and Michelle Dorrance at New York City Center. In 2021, she attended the School at Jacob’s Pillow as part of the Tap Dance Performance Ensemble studying closely alongside highly esteemed faculty, and has since performed extensively across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Veronica is also the co-founder of the all-female tap dance collective Boys’ Club, which has been selected for national and international residencies and performances at tanzhaus nrw (Germany), Leña Arts Residency, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, the Claquettes Club (Belgium), and Golem’s Theatre (Barcelona). Veronica is thrilled to be a part of her fifth Rhythm and Sound Production, and her second show as a member of the R+S main cast.
ELLA STEELE
Ella Steele (she/her) is a Tap dancer based in Winnipeg with experience both nationally and internationally. Some highlights include being a part of Nicholas Van Young’s Institute for the Rhythmic Arts, Chicago 2015, performing in shows presented by Toffan Rhythm Projects since 2016, training with Heather Cornell and Jim Donica in New York, summer 2019, and being selected for The School at Jacob’s Pillow Virtual Tap Dance Program, summer 2021. Ella has also choreographed and performed in multiple music videos, live shows, and video art pieces created by local musicians and artists in Winnipeg. Additionally, with 12 years of experience across Canada as a teacher and choreographer, Ella prides herself in being a dedicated dance educator. This includes founding and directing Language of Rhythm Pre-Professional Tap Dance Company with the goal of developing Tap dance community in Winnipeg, sharing with young artists, and creating connections with the local Jazz music scene. Ella is co-artistic director of (in)sight alongside David Lafleur, a new cross-Canadian multi-disciplinary Tap dance rooted collective. An excerpt of (in)sight’s debut work, Mirror/Water/Doorway, was presented as a part of the Toronto International Tap Dance Festival, summer 2022, and has recently been selected by La Danse Sur Les Routes Du Quebec for Parcours Dance, fall 2023. Ella has been a main cast member of Rhythm & Sound since 2017, performing in shows in both Toronto and Edmonton and is thrilled to have the opportunity to perform with them at the Toronto Fringe Festival for their current work, “In Passing”.
