NEENA JAYARAJAN  |  BOARD MEMBER (2017)  |  ACTING VICE-CHAIR (2021)

Neena Jayarajan is an independent dance theatre artist whose work bridges tradition and contemporary exploration. Trained extensively in Bharatanatyam and Odissi under Dr. Menaka Thakkar and Sujatha Mohapatra, she brings over two decades of performance, teaching, and choreographic experience.

She served as Assistant Artistic Director of the Menaka Thakkar Dance Company for seven years and taught at Nrtyakala for twenty. Since 2012, she has been an Associate Artist with Nova Dance, contributing to company initiatives such as Discover Dance, Compassion Funding for Caregivers, and The Deep End Week. She has originated roles in productions including Broken Lines, Jatiswaram Remix, and Svāhā!

She completed her MA in Dance at York University and made her theatrical debut in Theatre Smith-Gilmour’s Metamorphosis.

RACHANA JOSHI  |  BOARD MEMBER (2024)

Rachana Joshi is an independent dance artist based on Tkaronto. She completed her bharatanatyam arangetram under the tutelage of Lata Pada in 2017, and is currently a company dance and teacher at Sampradaya Dance Academy. She has been a part of several company productions including Parshwanath Upadhye's Nirvana and most recently, Sankhya. In 2019, she graduated from York University's B.F.A program in Dance with Honours, receiving training in Limon and Graham modern dance techniques through the program.

As a diasporic artist informed by her diverse training, Rachana is interested in mining the form of bharatanatyam to explore contemporary ways of sharing the technique. She is a company dancer at Nova Dance and most recently, was a dancer and rehearsal assistance in the company's touring production, Svaha!. In 2023, Rachana had the opportunity to participate in and train alongside dancers of UK based company Seeta Patel Dance as the company rehearsed to tour their work Rite of Spring, invigorating her own curiosities within the form of bharatanatyam. 

Rachana is the co-artistic director of Kala Dance Collective, and organization committed to amplifying the voices and work of diasporic dancers. The company's work has been presented at Citadel + Compagnie's Night Shift and Aeris Korper's Prospects in 2021. Kala also runs a community centered, free class series called Prep + Practice to encourage Toronto based bharatanatyam dancers to keep up their practice.

rachanajoshi.com

STEPHANIE MITRO | BOARD MEMBER (2019)

Stephanie Mitro is an established industry professional, choreographer and teacher based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is devoted to educating and mentoring young artists across Canada and abroad.

She is a proud graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University, touting a BFA Degree (Theatre Performance Dance). Additionally, she is a graduate of the Pre-Professional Program, DECIDEDLY JAZZ DANCEWORKS, and has performed for numerous dance companies on the West and East Coast’s. Stephanie has had the privilege to work with numerous well-known North American choreographers, via both company and commercial dance industry projects.

Stephanie is the co-founder of the Halifax professional contemporary, jazz company - ROOTED DANCE PROJECTS (formerly known as VOTIVE DANCE). Stephanie has performed and toured in numerous original full length choreographic works, some including: Wish, Desire, Vow (Atlantic Fringe Festival); In Pursuit, East Meets West, Shedding Suffixes, “Proven Lands” (Nextfest Atlantic Dance Festival, Soulocentric Tour); Natural Forces, Perspective (Connection Dance Works); Homeplace (collaboration with Pier 21), HOME (Bus Stop Theatre), “Embankment” (Lydia Zimmer), “This Mess Of Ours” (David Norsworthy), “Don’t Wake The Lions” (Catherine Hayward) and WHODUNIT? (Kathleen Doherty).

As a sought out choreographer, her work has been showcased by a plethora of dance companies, pre-professional/

professional performance groups, arts programs, theatre companies and dance festivals.

rooteddanceproject.com

(Photo by Tirene Paget)

SHARON MOORE  |  BOARD MEMBER (2024)

Biography Coming Soon.

EILISH 미정 SHIN-CULHANE  | BOARD MEMBER (2024)

Eilish 미정 Shin-Culhane is a Tkaronto-based queer mixed-Korean movement artist. Holding a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College in New York, Eilish feels equal parts mover and maker. Since returning home to Toronto in 2020, Eilish has furthered their artistic curiosities through various commissions, residencies and performances. 

As a performer, Eilish has had the privilege to dance in works by Peter Chu, Bill T. Jones, Nicole von Arx, Nova Bhattacharya, Frog in Hand, Angela Blumberg, Katherine Semchuk, Vim Vigor, and Esie Mensah. Eilish has toured with Nova Dance and is a company dancer for Esie Mensah’s Afrofusion company, Esie Mensah Creations.

As a choreographer they have been commissioned and presented work through Peggy Baker Dance Projects, George Brown, TO Live’s Discover Dance, TDT’s Pilot Episodes Program, the COC’s Expanding the Canvas Program, and the Citadel + Compagnie’s Night Shift Festival. Eilish will be presenting a new work in DanceWorks’ double-bill Sweet Ephemera in June 2026. They center joy, discussion and catharsis through their collaborative process, prioritizing deep connections and continual growth. Eilish continues to be inquisitive in both her mover and maker selves - valuing community, play, and curiosity.