Born in North Carolina and based in Montreal, Dorian Nuskind-Oder is a choreographer and cultural worker. She often works in collaboration with dramaturg and sound designer Simon Grenier-Poirier. Dorian’s projects reflect her interest in social dynamics, humor and unusual forms. Past works include: Looper (2023), a deconstruction of Elena Lev’s iconic circus act, Speed Glue (2019), a choreographic score for two members of the Canadian National Table Tennis Team; Orchestrated Accidents (2018), a performative game about destiny inspired by the work of seminal québécoise artist Françoise Sullivan; and Memory Palace (2016), a performance for three dancers with a background in social or folk dance. These works have been presented by Montreal institutions including the Festival TransAmériques, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Montréal Complètement Cirque, and Danse-Cité, as well as on tour regionally and internationally in France, UK, Germany, China, Japan and the USA. Their development has been supported by residencies at Festival Aperto (IT), Fabrik Potsdam (DE), Mains D’oeuvres (FR), New Dance Alliance (USA), Centre de création O Vertigo (CA), Studio 303 (CA), and Circuit-est centre chorégraphique (CA), among others. Dorian is a co-director of Le Radeau, a production company supporting experimental and interdisciplinary choreography. Since 2022 the company has been in residence at the Cité-des-hospitalières in transition, with the goal of creating a new home for dance in downtown Montreal.
Born in Moscow, Russia in 1981, Elena Lev began training to become a rhythmic gymnast at a young age, with the help and coaching of her mother, Elena Lev Sr. She developed a special hula hoop routine, incorporating gymnastics and contortion. Her career took off when she was invited to join one of Cirque du Soleil’s iconic touring shows AlegriA, which she performed in from 1994 to 2000. After briefly joining the troupe of Quidam, Elena performed in Wintuk at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, Zumanity in Las Vegas. She also performed at the 2002 Academy Awards, and in numerous other events and galas around the world. After living in the United States for many years, she now lives in Canada.
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K.J. Holmes, photo by Elyse Mertz
“Performance Mix Festival has its own life, and Karen and the staff continue to evolve with the times in a way I appreciate…it was tremendous to be a Liftoff AIR and then get to show the work I had continued to explore as an AIR a year later at PMF!”
– K.J. Holmes
New Dance Alliance
182 Duane Street
New York, NY 10013
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All venues are wheelchair accessible.
