Lisa Gelley is a performer, teacher, choreographer, and mother, living and working on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She received her training in classical, contemporary, and urban dance forms in Canada and Europe. In 2007-8, she trained and performed as a guest interpreter at Le Groupe Dance Lab in Ottawa under the direction of Peter Boneham. She has traveled to Tel Aviv, Israel where she carried out two intensive periods of study in Gaga and Batsheva Dance Company repertoire with Ohad Naharin. Lisa’s main focus is now co-directing Company 605, creating original works through collaborative processes with artists in dance and other disciplines. Lisa has performed in works by choreographers including Dana Gingras, Justine A. Chambers, Amber Funk Barton, Vanessa Goodman, Martha Carter, and was a member of Aeriosa (Julia Taffe) for six years, broadening her practice to include vertical contemporary dance in rock climbing systems on urban building walls and mountains. In addition to her work as a performer/choreographer, Lisa values opportunities to connect with young dancers and emerging professionals through contemporary dance education in Vancouver. Lisa is the recipient of the 2015 Vancouver International Dance Festival Choreographic Award.

Photo by David Cooper.

Originally from Alberta, Josh Martin is a diversely trained dance artist with a career-to-date that has led him across North America and Europe, studying and performing in many genres along the way. As a performer and collaborator, he has worked with many other dance companies and independent choreographers such as Wen Wei Wang (Wen Wei Dance), Tiffany Tregarthen and David Raymond (Out Innerspace Dance Theatre), Dana Gingras (Animals of Distinction), Serge Bennathan (Les Productions Figlio), Amber Funk Barton (the response.), Vanessa Goodman (Action at a Distance), Justine A. Chambers, Helen Walkley, Martha Carter, Karen Jamieson, and as a past company member of Le Groupe Dance Lab in Ottawa under the direction of Peter Boneham. Josh’s independent work has been presented in Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Moncton, St. Johns, and through the National Arts Centre in Ottawa; as well as in the USA, Japan, and throughout Germany (Winning 1st Prize for Choreography at the Internatonal SoloTanz Festival in Stuttgart). Off the stage, he serves as Vice-Chair of The Dance Centre’s Board of Directors and Chair of its Artistic Advisory Committee. Josh was the recipient of Vancouver’s 2013 Mayor’s Arts Award – Emerging Dance Category. 

Photo by David Cooper.