BIOGRAPHIES: CREATIVE TEAM, PERFORMERS, PRODCUTION
CREATIVE TEAM
Janet Echelman (Sculptor) reshapes airspace with monumental, suspended pieces that react to environmental forces around them. Her net-like works combine ancient craft with advanced technology, and are focal points for public squares, parks, and museum exhibitions. Using unlikely materials from atomized water particles to engineered fiber fifteen times stronger than steel, Echelman combines ancient craft with computational design software to create artworks that have become focal points for urban life on five continents, from Singapore, Sydney, Shanghai, and Santiago, to Beijing, Boston, New York and London. Permanent works in Porto (Portugal), Gwanggyo (South Korea), Vancouver, San Francisco, West Hollywood, Phoenix, Eugene, Greensboro, Philadelphia, Seattle, Columbus (OH) and St. Petersburg (FL) transform daily with colored light. Recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, Harvard Loeb Fellowship, Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellowship, and Fulbright Sr. Lectureship, Echelman received the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award in Visual Arts, honoring “the greatest innovators in America today.” Echelman’s past collaborations with dance include set design for Stuttgart Ballet and advising Cirque de Soleil.
Jorane (Composer) combines classical cello and haunting vocals to craft unique, alternative music that draws on rock, folk, classical, and ambient styles. Her musical career has spanned more than 20 years, she has received the André Gagnon Award, an honorable mention for the Her Music Award bestowed by SOCAN and nods from Junos, Adisq, and GAMIQ. With a dozen albums to her credit and tours that have taken her to the four corners of the world, Jorane has created soundtracks for theatrical, cinematographic, televisual and documentary works, most notably for the plays Le Journal d'Anne Frank (Gascon-Roux Award) and Albertine en cinq temps, as well as for the film Un dimanche à Kigali, which earned her a Jutra in 2007. Collaborations include work with the OSQ, the Orchestre Métropolitain, the I Musici ensemble, Margie Gillis, Michael Brook, and Sarah McLachlan and most recently with the Felix & Paul Studios, creator of immersive entertainment experiences. Jorane has shared the stage with Bobby McFerrin, Daniel Lanois, and Anne Sylvestre.
Rebecca Lazier (Director/Choreographer) is a 2024 Guggenheim Fellow. Recognized as an audacious experimenter, Rebecca creates dances of explosive vitality inspired by the thinking and innovation made possible through collaboration. Past collaborators range from theater director Bartlett Sher to composer Fred Ho and engineer Naomi Leonard. Her collaboration with composer Dan Trueman, There Might Be Others, was commissioned by New York Live Arts, won a New York Performance “Bessie” Award, and became a book of intra-disciplinary scores published by Operating System Press. Her choreography has been performed throughout New York, Canada, Greece, Russia, Turkey, and Poland. A film of her Coming Together/Attica was presented at the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale. Honors include support from the National Dance Project/NEFA, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Trust for Mutual Understanding, New Music USA, National Creation Fund from Canada’s National Arts Center, The Canada Council for the Arts and residencies at The Joyce Theater Foundation, Movement Research, and The Yard. Rebecca, originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, is Professor of the Practice at Princeton University and graduated from The Juilliard School.
Mary Jo Mecca (Costume Designer) Designing for Rebecca Laziers’ Noli Timere, and incorporating the incredible sculpture created by Janet Echelman, has been an inspiring and rewarding experience. Laziers’ passion for the artistic process is the secret to our successful relationship. Previous works, There Might Be Others at New York Live Arts, Coming Together/Attica at the Invisible Dog, I Just Like This Music at Live Art Dance, Terminal at Joyce Soho, as well as several collaborations at Princeton University. Special thanks to Ellery Jane Ring (Draper) for her many skills!
Leigh Ann Vardy (Lighting Designer)is based in Nova Scotia, Canada. She has designed lights for theatre, opera, and dance across Canada. Recent credits include Disney’s Frozen and Controlled Damage (Neptune), The Lehman Trilogy (Belfry), Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead (Neptune/Mirvish), Guilt, A Love Story (Tarragon/Centaur/MTC), Fall on Your Knees (Can. Stage/NAC/Neptune/Grand), Richard II, Hamlet 911, As You Like It (Stratford), February (Opera on the Avalon), Between Breaths (Artistic Fraud), Come From Away (Nfld A&CCs, Michael Rubinoff). Her work has been seen in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. When not designing, Leigh Ann teaches and coaches at the National Theatre School of Canada.
PERFORMERS
Joaquin Barral (Performer) is a Latin American circus and dance artist from Uruguay, residing in Montreal, QC. He graduated from the École Nationale de Cirque de Montreal, specializing in aerial rope and acrobatics. Prior to Canada, he studied industrial design at Universidad de la República del Uruguay; as well as contemporary dance at Mu-Danza, and ballet with Rosana Perez. Joaquin's work is inspired by dance theater, the exploration of body expression, visuals and materiality, linking back to his formation in design. He is intrigued by the interplay of the absurd, serious, and comical, and the connections between people and objects.
Zed Cézard (Performer) crosses several professional fields, from author to astrologer, doctor of art sciences and circus artist. He has published two socio-political essays on clowns and participated in several collective literary works. Zed is the recipient of two prestigious prizes - the “Prix Spécial du Jury” and “Coup de coeur du festival”, awarded during 41ème Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain, following which he invented a new circus apparatus. He recently published his latest book of poetic stories, “C’est ainsi que je ne suis personne. Poétique de l’inêtre” (Somme toute Éditions). Zed is very happy to continue working with the Noli Timere team and Rebecca Lazier.
Clark Avery Griffin (Performer) is a multidisciplinary movement and yoga artist from the Bay Area. Clark studied anthropology and dance at Princeton University, holds an MFA in Creative Practice from Trinity Laban, and is a certified yoga instructor. His dissertation, 'The Spiritual Cyborg,' integrated yogic philosophy, post-humanism, and systems theory, and performance. Clark has collaborated and performed with Rambert Dance Company, Birdhouse (NYC), Ethan Colangelo, Liam Francis, and Rebecca Lazier. An award-winning artist, he has performed at Sadler's Wells, Rotterdam International Duet Choreography Competition, Copenhagen International Choreography Competition, and Dance Umbrella (UK). Clark joined the cast of Noli Timere in 2024.
Valmont “Ignite” Harnois (Performer) is a Montreal dance artist who specializes in Popping and contemporary dance. Finishing his Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts in Dance, his creative process lies in interdisciplinarity, and the place of street dance within stage work. He works with various choreographers and artists such as Martin Messier, Simon Ampleman, Handy “HYA” Hyacinthe, Elon Hoglünd, Philippe Boutin and Rebecca Lazier.
Bia Pantojo (Performer) has performed in the Circus world since 2010, starting as a hand-to-hand flyer in circus school in São Paulo, Brazil, following 12 years of competitive artistic gymnastics, diving and pole vaulting. After a trip to Europe in 2014 where she participated in circus workshops across the Czech Republic, France, Belgium and Spain, Bia moved to Montreal to train at the National Circus School of Montreal (NCS) as a circus arts trainer. In addition to her ongoing work with NCS, Bia regularly collaborates with such companies as Cirque du Soleil, 7 fingers, Cirk Lá Putyka et Circus Cirkör.
Raphaëlle Renucci (Performer) trained in classical music from a young age (cello and piano) before switching to dance in her twenties. She flew to Canada to continue her training and graduated from the École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal in 2018. Since then Raphaëlle has collaborated as a dance and music performer with various artists and companies in Canada and internationally such as Cirque du Soleil, Dance company Sursaut, Sylvain Émard Danse, Mathieu Hérard, Rebecca Lazier, Kolinga music, Mélodie-Jade, Empire Panique and many others. Raphaëlle also developed her attraction to the circus arts and theater by collaborating as an aerial dancer, stilt walker, clown and comedian with some companies. Raphaëlle is also an assistant choreographer with various multidisciplinary artists and projects and was offered the role of choreographer for the EXIT troupe 505 from Cégèp du Vieux-Montréal in 2023.
Gillian Seaward-Boone (Performer) is a contemporary dancer from Halifax, Nova Scotia. A graduate of l'Ecole de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal (EDCM), Gillian spent nearly a decade with O Vertigo Danse (Montreal) as a full company member under the direction of Ginette Laurin, before returning to Nova Scotia where she has since performed works by Serge Bennethan, Marie-Josée Chartier, Sara Coffin, Sharon Moore and Parts+Labour_Danse, and regularly collaborates with Mocean Dance, SINS, Phin Performing Arts, Zimmerdans and Rooted Dance Projects. She is an Artist-in-Residence at Halifax Dance, a Diane Moore Creation Award recipient, and a founding member of the Home Ex Artist Collective in partnership with IOTA Art Institute. Gillian began working with Rebecca Lazier in 2020 and has been with the Noli Timere production for 5 years.
Madison Ward (Performer) is a multidisciplinary artist from Austin, Texas. Since completing her studies at the National Circus School of Montreal, where she specialized in aerial rope and acrobatics, she has performed worldwide for a variety of creative endeavors. On stages spanning warehouse floors to Broadway, she loves work that blends collaboration, experimentation, and multiple disciplinary fields. Her experience across circus, dance, theater and film reflects this, and she has been lucky to participate in projects with artists such as Ericka Beckman and Rebecca Lazier. Madi is a mover, writer, and lifelong student. Her free time consists of a wealth of personal projects and studies.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Dominic Clément (Rigger) brings a unique blend of technical expertise and creativity to his work as a rigger. His career highlights include heading acrobatic rigging projects at Cirque de la Pointe-Sèche, touring with Flip Fabrique, and leading major highline projects. His experience spans acrobatic, theatrical, corporate, and outdoor settings, where he combines technical skill with innovation. As an experienced rigger and rope access technician, Dominic ensures safety and precision in every setup.
James Leonard (Rigger) has acquired a vast array of skills and experience throughout his 30 + year career. He is an ETCP certified Rigger for Arena & Theatre, a fly man, carpenter, electrician, metal fabricator and welder. Jamie toured with Big Apple Circus, served as Flying Director for Flying by Foy for over 200 Productions of Peter Pan, Broadway Musicals such as Mary Poppins, American Idiot, Phantom of the Opera amongst many others, as Aerial Effects Supervisor for large scale Events such as the TONY Awards, the MTV Music Video Awards, Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and NBC’s Live Productions of Peter Pan and Jesus Christ Superstar. He was the Production Rigger on the original Production of Martha Clarke’s Garden of Earthly Delights and on Steve Reich’s THE CAVE world tour. Jamie is a member of IATSE Local #1 Theatrical Stage Hands NYC and Local #52 Motion Picture Studio Mechanics.
Gregg Parks (Creative Producer) has extensive experience managing, directing and producing for diverse cultural organizations. Whether establishing a still flourishing annual performing arts festival or directing, from conception to completion, the development of international museums or creating award-winning performing arts productions that continue to tour the world, Gregg has accumulated a wealth of experience and success. Currently Gregg directs the operations of Y2D Productions Inc., a Montreal based production company which continues to develop original shows and tour them internationally.
ElleryJane Ring (Draper) is an artist and costumer from Princeton, NJ. Locally she has worked various costume positions at McCarter Theatre Center, State Theatre NJ, Princeton University, George Street Playhouse, and American Repertory Ballet. Her artistry has taken her to Creede Repertory Theatre in Colorado, La Musica Lirica in Italy, and Shakespeare’s Globe in London. She holds a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. As a former dancer, she now focuses on creating dance costumes for new works. She would like to thank the incredible creative team behind this production for their endless support, and special thanks to Astrid.
Rasmus Sylvest (Technical Director) Born in Denmark, Rasmus has specialized in lighting and production for contemporary dance for the past 17 years. Initially based in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2007 Rasmus settled in Montreal.He has collaborated with Canadian and Quebecois artists such as Peter Troztmer, Marie-Claire Forte, Systeme D/Dominique Porte, Louise Bedard Danse, Martin Belanger and Danish companies and artists such as Republique, Danish Dance Theatre, Recoil Group/ Tina Tarpgaard, Mute Comp and Stilleben - Anders Christiansen (DK) among others. Rasmus has been collaborating and working for Y2D Productions on multiple productions including LEO and NOLI TIMERE.
Jackie Deniz Young (Rigger) Recent work includes Interim Technical Director for Here There are Blueberries (New York Theatre Workshop and Tectonic Theater Company) and opening the new PAC NYC at the Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center. Past technical direction includes work at Two River Theater Company (NJ), Studio Theater (DC), Prototype Festival (NYC), and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Educational work includes Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts and Montclair State University, College of the Arts, teaching, and mentoring theater students. Jackie holds a Master of Fine Arts in Technical Design and Production from Yale University’s School of Drama and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Technical Production from Montclair State University.