A Tap Dancer returns from Harlem to her home province of Alberta, Canada and discovers unknown Tap Dance ancestors which sends her on a journey exploring the borderless Black History unimaginable right underneath her feet.
MPOE MOGALE
Mpoe Mogale (they/them) reigns from Lebowakgomo, South Africa and splits their time between amiskwaciy and moh’kínst’sis, in the colonial state of Canada. They hold a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political Science, and a wealth of expertise in community-based research, facilitation, and arts administration. Mpoe’s primary artmaking form is dance, and through their deep curiosity of exploring Black life in “Canada” they have curated several projects including “What (Black) Life Requires” (produced by Mile Zero Dance and Azimuth Theatre). Mpoe’s artistic imaginations currently center the brilliance, mundane, and joyous aspects that foreground the lives of Black folks.
JOEL VARJASSY
Joel Louis Varjassy is a cinematographer, VFX artist and sound designer based out of Calgary, Alberta, who is best known for his cinematography in AMMOLITE: GEM OF THE WEST and his VFX work in STREETS. He has filmed and directed music/dance videos for artists across North America including Lukas Mcfarlane (Lost Without You), Megan McDuffee/Moonrunner83 (Streets), Okoro (Paradise), Jordan Hart (Whole). Joel has also photographed for Canadian singer Tate McRae and continues to work in audio post-production for films across Canada.
CHERYL FOGGO
Cheryl Foggo is a multiple award winning playwright, author and filmmaker, whose work over the last 30 years has focused on the lives of Western Canadians of African descent. Recent works include the release of her NFB feature documentary John Ware Reclaimed, available on nfb.ca, as well as the 30 th anniversary edition of her book Pourin’ Down Rain: A Black Woman Claims Her Place in the Canadian West. Her play The Sender can be viewed as part of Obsidian Theatre’s 21 Black Futures. She has multiple projects upcoming in 2022, including a production of her play Heaven at Lunchbox Theatre. Cheryl is the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Outstanding Artist Award, The Doug and Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award and the Arts, Media and Entertainment Award from the Calgary Black Chambers, all in 2021.
JOhn ware: reclaimed
Filmmaker Cheryl Foggo examines the mythology surrounding John Ware, a Black cowboy who settled in Alberta, Canada, before the turn of the 20th century.