Savahna Obol-Ochola - FounderBorn in Uganda and raised in England, Savahna started training in dance at Five Star School of Dance in England and later joined Pineapple Dance Studios where she acquired the confidence to pursue dance on a professional level. She expanded her learning into Contemporary Afro-Jazz, Salsa and Lambada. She also gained choreographic dance skills as a core member of Chakatcha: an African-Caribbean Dance Troupe founded in 1991. This developed to the success of her first professional video, which she choreographed for Chancelier Royce Desi Mbwese of Papa Wemba’s Viva La Musica Squad from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Savahna always manages to take a piece of Uganda with her everywhere. She is aware that traditions are the foundation upon which we can build and unify so it is vital to preserve these with great dignity and care. She sees herself as a storyteller trying to open people's eyes to life through the universal language of music and dance. She thus initiated Nouvel Exposé an African and Caribbean dance troupe in England committed to preserving and promoting traditional African and Indigenous Caribbean Culture through dance, music and drama. She has also worked with the likes of WCK Band of Dominica, singer-song writer Antonio Mees and more. Upon coming to Canada she initiated Toronto’s Nouvel Exposé Dance Troupe. She continues to choreograph for and perform with Nouvel Exposé, Caribbean Folk Performers and more. Having achieved a Masters in International law and Human Rights, Savahna spends her spare time in charity work for humanitarian causes and as a freelance model. |
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Saba Alemayehu AsfawSaba was moved by the beauty of music, dance and culture since her childhood in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia . This led her to focus on exploring dance especially in preserving, creating, and fusing African and related dance forms. Her background being Ethiopian dance, Saba has further training and performing experience in styles such as Congolese Soukous, West African, Hip Hop and Bellydance. Other than spending ample time teaching herself through videos and practicing, Saba studied and performed West African dance with Franklin & Marshall College African Dance Group (USA) and Sonya Mann-McFarlane of Imani Edu-tainers (USA). She studied Bellydance with Yasmina Ramzy and Denise Mireau of Arabesque Academy . Teachers of DLM, National Dance of Canada and DoDat shaped her Hip Hop skills. Saba currently is a Middle Eastern dance teacher and lead dancer with Arabesque Dance Academy & Company. She is also a choreographer, teacher and dancer for Nouvel Exposé Dance Troupe, shaping this young company's aspirations. |
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Helena Alemayehu AsfawBorn in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this young dynamic artist chanced upon the stage as a singer and dancer in Tis Abbay Band of Montreal at 13. Helena 's love of music and dance, however, had been with her since she knew herself. In Montreal , she was also training and performing step dance. Upon moving to Toronto , she joined Nouvel Exposé and continues to explore African and urban dances. She has been key in choreographing some of Nouvel Exposé’s urban and contemporary repertoire. Helena is also a singer, rapper and song-writer in a style that is surely Hip Hop, but with an East African (Habesha) slant. She wrote and recorded her debut hit pieces Adwa and Identity on DJ Dani's Kiyit / Mix. Further, she released the Amharic Hip Hop CD, Guzo Wode Ethiopia (Journey to Ethiopia ) with her brother, Rasselas of Homegrown, in 2002. She continues her artistic exploration with film at York University. |
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Rumbidzai MugwagwaRumbi was born and raised in Harare , Zimbabwe . Influenced by her parents’ love for different styles of music, she picked up most of her African dancing from videos that they brought home. At a later age with the influence of MTV, she fell in love with Hip Hop, Dancehall and South African Kwaito. Picking up dance from friends and videos, she learnt to dance all three and increasingly got involved in shows and dance-offs at school. Her Hip Hop and Dancehall choreography skills developed fast and soon after moving to Canada she teamed up with a group every year to create and perform at University of Toronto Dance Festival . As her interest grew, she took up Hip Hop dance classes and joined her school’s Fo Real Dance Crew, which mixes Dancehall, Hip Hop and Breakdance. On hearing about Nouvel Exposé, she jumped to the opportunity to get formal training in Congolese and Ethiopian Dance as well as share her knowledge of Kwaito. |
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Tifishet TakeleBorn and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tifishet started in the world of dance at a tender age. Her father was keen on the many dances performed by her native kinsmen, especially the Tigrigna. She also acquired the characteristic moves of the Eskesta due to the frequent performances with her family. Her passion for dance led her to perform as a young girl for small and large gatherings alike. Her comfort on stage is brought about by the days spent in the watchful and scrutinizing eyes of her elders. She participated in the 2001 Miss AfriCanada Beauty Pageant, where she met the dance trainer Saba Alemayehu Asfaw. She has trained and perforemed with Nouvel Exposé since. You can also catch Tifishet on Omni.2 TV as the host for the Ethiopian show, Admas TV. |
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Sarah BlairSarah Blair's commitment to dance started at the age of three when she began studying and performing ballet and jazz in children's dance shows and competitions. Sarah has successfully completed her Royal academy of Dance examinations through to advance one (grade 10) and has taught ballet to young children. Now Sarah focuses her study on African dance with Nouvel Exposé while teaching and choreographing dance routines for a teen program at a local community center. |
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Aisha JohnAisha John's love of dance blossomed at an early age. At 5 years old she was a favorite at Montreal 's Dominican Cultural Association Zouk Fêtes. In Vancouver as a youth, she trained in and performed both folk and contemporary Caribbean dance. Aisha moved to Toronto in 1999 to study African Studies at the University of Toronto . For two years, she was a member of a university dance collective, Only Human, where she was introduced to jazz and modern dance. Aisha is extremely honored by the opportunity to explore some of Africa 's diverse dances with Nouvel Exposé. |
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Kristabelle ChenAs a young girl, Kristabelle has always been interested in different forms of dance and music. As a young adult she performed in various multi-cultural productions and talent shows. There she experimented with South Asian, Caribbean and African dances. In recent years, she has focused on Middle Eastern and African dance forms. Kristabelle has choreographed Middle Eastern dance routines for young adults and helps to organize cultural shows in her community. She now continues to pursue her artistic passion with Nouvel Exposé. |
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