About the Choreographers

Cristina Bucci / Vancouver, BC

ristina Bucci has been a dynamic force in the arts community for over two decades, leaving an indelible mark as a choreographer, performer, educator, producer, and mentor, and recently received the prestigious 2023 Jacqueline Lemieux Prize for her exceptional contributions to dance in Canada. Born in Malta and a first-generation Italian immigrant to Canada, she is grateful to reside and work on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mes (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, in so-called Vancouver, Canada.

Kirsten Wicklund / Vancouver, BC

Kirsten Wicklund (she/her) was born in British Columbia, Canada and trained at Pacific Dance Arts, Danzmode Productions, Goh Ballet Academy, Modus Operandi Contemporary Training Program, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, The Banff Centre for the Performing Arts, and received scholarships to train at American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet & Pacific Northwest Ballet. 

As a Dance Artist, Kirsten has danced with The Washington Ballet Company, Ballet BC and Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. Between 2014 - 2021 Kirsten worked exclusively for creation-based company Ballet BC (Canada) under the direction of Emily Molnar, CM and more recently under Medhi Walerski. During this time, she danced and created original works by Lesley Telford, Medhi Walerski, William Forsythe, Emmanuel Gat, Wen Wei Wang, Cayetano Soto, Adi Salant, Aszure Barton, Company 605, Johan Inger, Serge Bennathan, Jorma Elo, Jacopo Godani, Walter Mateini, Emily Molnar, Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, Sharon Eyal and many more. 

Kirsten recently danced at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in Antwerp, Belgium (since 2021) where she performed existing works by Pina Bausch, Sharon Eyal, Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Akram Khan and orignial new creations with Jan Martens, Richard Siegal & Ella Rothschild.

As an independent maker, Kirsten has choreographed works for Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, The Dutch National Ballet’s Junior Company & New Moves Program, The New York Choreographic Institute at New York City Ballet, Ballet BC’s “Take Form”, Ballet Kelowna, Joshua Beamish’s MOVE: the company, The UBC Choir, Dancing on the Edge Festival, Dances for a Small Stage, The Dance Deck Series, Arts Umbrella, Goh Ballet & Lamon Dance. Her work “Overcast” was selected as a finalist for the International Choreographic Competition Hannover in 2021.
 
In February 2024 Kirsten’s work “Tu me manques” for the Dutch National Ballet’s Junior Company premiered and has embarked on a 20 show tour of Holland. Kirsten’s new work for Ballet Edmonton (Canada) also made its world premiere

Heather Dotto / Vancouver, BC

Heather is a diverse performer trained in many forms of dance and theatre. Having been a member of Move: The Company since its inception in 2005, she has been privileged to perform, tour, and be artistically involved in many new creations by Artistic Director Josh Beamish. Heather has also performed for Simone Orlando, Amber Funk-Barton, Coriograph Theatre, Heather Laura Gray, Cardiff Stage Productions, The New Pornographers, and mmHop. Her acting credits include various plays, musicals, and the lead role in the short dance film “Perceptions”. Heather is also the head of the contemporary department for The Dance Initiative, a pre-professional training program for young adults. In 2009, Heather made her professional choreographic debut as one of the invited collaborators involved in the creation of MOVE: the company’s “The Cell”. Since then, she has toured with MOVE: the company to Shanghai, Singapore, New York, Bangkok, England, and all over B.C. with works created by Josh Beamish and Simone Orlando. In 2012 Heather was fortunate to have the time in Vancouver to work with some different local artists. She co-created a dance film with Mathew Joki, danced in the final creation process of Connie Cooke’s “Flightless Aviators and Angels” and excerpts of her piece “gift” starring Delphine Leroux, have been performed throughout Vancouver and at the Chop Shop Festival in Seattle. In the spring of 2013, she performed in Joe Laughlin’s 25th-anniversary Retrospective Show, as well as performing with Lamondance in Vancouver and Brazil. For the past six months, Heather has been back in the studio with Joe Ink creating a new piece to be performed in the fall of 2015.

Davi Rodrigues / Brazil - Canada

Seen as a visionary leader in the Canadian dance community, Davi Rodrigues arrived in Canada in 2008 to pursue his passion for dance. Since then, he has played a pivotal role in the Lamondance Arts Society, first as a dancer and guest choreographer and later as the Artistic Director, shaping the company's artistic identity for over 15 years. His commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment has established a vital scholarship program benefiting emerging artists nationally and internationally, ensuring that arts are accessible to all. Under his guidance, countless emerging artists have been supported by training as professional dancers, choreographers, and rehearsal directors, making a global impact. His unwavering dedication to ensuring that no aspiring artist is held back due to financial constraints has changed lives and set a standard for excellence in the industry.