2024 Commissioned Artists

Kaya Tsurumi (she/her) is an emerging contemporary dance artist who grew up on Kwikwetlem First Nations territory (Coquitlam, BC, Canada). Kaya received her post-secondary dance education from Arts Umbrella and Modus Operandi. Her curiosity in non-traditional dance formats has led her to dance in site-specific projects by Eilish Shin Culhane and Sarah U, in addition to creating her own dance film that screened in F-O-R-M’s short film program in 2021. Inspired largely by past teachers and choreographers, Kaya is developing her own improvisation practice that she can use in her creative projects. For this project, she is collaborating with filmmaker Ethan Volberg to discover the ebbs and flows between cinema and movement.

Photo by Ethan Volberg

Ngaire Le (she/they) is a filmmaker, director and writer. Coming from a mixed Pasifika Indigenous background, storytelling has been an integral part of their life, and they are dedicated to creating and uplifting Indigenous and Queer voices and narratives!

Shapeshifter Media Collective is a queer experimental multimedia sound and motion picture production formed by Chantal and Rae specializing in eco-noise art, analog cinematography, somatic practices and collective liberation. Shapeshifter is thrilled to collaborate with Reed Jackson on movement research and cinematography.

Chantal Dobles Gering (they/she/he) is a movement artist born on Huetar land colonially known as “Costa Rica” and grew up on Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh territory. They are informed by Liberated Planet Studios’ movement research, Adrienne Maree Brown’s Emergent Strategy, and their interspecies collaborations. Chantal co-founded Shapeshifter Media Collective, creating dance films and spatial sound to archive queer/trans expression with a residency at Lobe Studio.

Rae Phoenix Grant Duff (they/them) is a transdisciplinary musician, writer, filmmaker, performer, and poet based on the un-ceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tseil-Watuth Nations.  Rae cofounded Shapeshifter Media Collective in 2022. Playing with diverse perspectives and opening up dialog around queering bodies, spaces, and systems manifests as challenging conventional norms in their music and films.

Andy Liu (He/him) is an emerging filmmaker based in Vancouver who enjoys exploring new and unfamiliar media through his works, both as a challenge and a learning experience. His creative practice focuses on the interaction between one's self consciousness and their surroundings through audio-visual experimentation. From his past experience as a dance videographer, Andy also enjoys capturing spontaneous moments as highlights in his works.

Iris Gao (She/he) is a talented Queer artist and a notable figure in Vancouver's dance scene. She has recently developed her passion for street dance culture and has trained in all styles. For her creative approach, Iris primarily focuses on performance and freestyle sessions with a new found hobby in street dance battles. Her credits include The Main Event, F-O-R-M, DJI Commercial as well as Queer Dance Film Festival in Oakland. Iris's mission for this year's F-O-R-M is to visualize and push the boundaries between mental and physical movements.

Edro Gonzales (He/him) is a multi-styled dancer and prominent figure in Vancouver's street dance community, with focuses in popping, house, and hip-hop. Through his involvement in numerous dance companies and crews, Edro has significantly impacted Vancouver's street dance culture through his performances and appearances in local competitions. His dynamic style and creative energy continue to inspire and push the boundaries of street dance in the city.