Julien GAGNON

After his studies at Hull University and several spiritual travels around the world, Julien began dancing at the age of 21. He completed his formation at the Conservatoire de danse de Montreal. During that time, he received a bursary from Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal that allowed him to participate in a pedagogical residency at L'Académie internationale de musique et de danse du Domaine Forget (Charlevoix). Another bursary led him to study at the prestigious National Ballet School of Canada. During his dance career, Julien has had the opportunity to perform with Ballet Ouest, The National Ballet of Canada, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and The Banff Center for the Arts Dance Festival. Julien’s interest in oriental wisdom and spirituality drew him to become a certified yoga instructor. His previous studies allowed him to enrich the athletic rigor of the yoga discipline with the principles of dance.

Julien co-founded ezdanza in 2006 and currently parallels his career as administrator, with that of yoga instructor and dancer.

Sara HARTON

Native from Quebec City, Sara graduated from L’École Supérieure de Ballet Contemporain de Montréal. She received several scholarships and awards for excellence including the Lieutenant Gouvernor of Québec’s award of distinction. She was a member of Le Jeune Ballet du Québec, during which time she interpreted creations by many renowned choreographers including Shawn Hounsell, Victor Quijada, Hélène Blackburn, Christophe Garcia, Mario Radacovsky, Kristen Cere and Iréni Stamou. In 2006, she joined Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (bjm_danse). During her three seasons with the company, she performed works by Aszure Barton, Rodrigo Pederneiras, Crystal Pite and Mauro Bigonzetti. Her most recent credits include dancing with Danse K par K, directed by Karine Ledoyen.

Sara has worked with ezdanza since the summer of 2009.

Véronique GIASSON

Born in Longueuil, Véronique Giasson started dancing at the early age of four. She studied ballet, gymnastics, jazz, contemporary and ballroom dance. In 2005, she graduated from L’École Supérieure de Ballet Contemporain de Montréal and joined Le Jeune Ballet du Quebec, where she danced until 2008. At the JBQ she worked with teachers such as Françoise Vaussenat, Fabrice Maufrais, Laurence Lemieux and Lara Tinari. This professional insertion company also gave her the opportunity to tour nationally and internationally, performing creations by renowned choreographers: Miguel Robles, Victor Quijada, Kristen Cere/François Chirpaz, Michel Hallet-Eghayan and Hélène Blackburn. In 2006, Véronique was awarded the Datadraft bursary for “Shakti”, a piece that she choreographed for Le Jeune Ballet du Quebec. One year later, she received the Andrea Boardman bursary for excellence. Véronique made her professional debut in 2008 as an apprentice with Cas Public, under the direction of Hélène Blackburn. Following that, she was hired by Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (bjm_danse) for a six-month contract to dance in the new creation “Rossini Cards”, by Mauro Bigonzetti. Since spring 2009, she has enjoyed the works of Edgar Zendejas as an interpreter for ezdanza.

Drew SANDBULTE

Drew was born and raised near Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received his BFA from The Juilliard School in 2005. During his studies, he had the privilege to work with famous choreographers such as Dwight Rhoden, Jiri Kylian and Nacho Duato. He also had the opportunity to work with Neil Young and to dance for the Prince and Princess of Netherlands. After his graduation, he went on to dance for Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (bjm_danse) for two seasons and then Okulamba Dance Theater (Kampala, Uganda). Drew spent the past two years living and working as a dancer and teacher in Uganda. There, he also provides foster care to over 25 street children. It was through this experience that he was inspired to establish the non-profit organization, "Housing Uganda's Children" which helps support orphanages throughout the country.

Drew has been a dancer with ezdanza since its creation in 2006 and was part of the original cast for much of the company’s repertoire.

David RANCOURT

David Rancourt, a native of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, has been living in Montreal since the summer of 1999. He received his professional contemporary training from Les Ateliers de Danse Moderne de Montréal. Immediately following his graduation in 2003, he joined La Compagnie Marie Chouinard and worked there for three years. Since then, David has been performing works by Sylvain Émard, José Navas, Annie Gagnon, Chanti Wadge and Paula de Vasconcelos, among others. In January 2008, David presented his first co-creation, “The Sorrowful Sons”, in Montreal with Clara Furey at Tangente. In addition to working as a performer, choreographer and modern dance instructor, he practices thai-yoga massage and Qi Gong, a discipline he has studied for many years with Marie-Claude Rodrigue. In recent years, David’s artistic approach has begun to diversify as he occupies different roles (teacher, performer, choreographer and collaborator) on various projects.

Until now, David has collaborated on two projects with ezdanza: in June 2009 and summer 2010.

Jordan MCHENRY

Born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Jordan is a 2005 alumnus of The Colorado Jazz Dance Company, directed by Zetta Alderman. Jordan has trained internationally at programs such as Jacob’s Pillow, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and Springboard Danse Montréal. He is privileged to have performed repertory by Alonzo King, Darrell Moultrie, Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Martha Graham and Ohad Naharin. A 2009 graduate of The Ailey School/ Fordham University BFA program in New York City, he has performed in The Holland Dance Festival and in Ailey’s “Memoria”, alongside Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Jordan’s additional professional credits include Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theater Co. as well as Montreal-based companies Cas Public and Flak. He joined Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, in spring 2010 as Master of Ceremonies in Zumanity.

Jordan has been collaborating with ezdanza since February 2009.

Jesse ROBB

Ontario-born, Jesse Robb graduated with honours from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, in 2002. Before completing his studies, he performed in “Beauty and the Beast” at Walt Disney World, Florida, in 1997 and then in the First National Tour of “Fame” in 1999. Jesse was an original cast member of Cirque du Soleil’s “Zumanity” in Las Vegas in 2003. He acted as Assistant Dance Captain in the world premiere of “Lord of The Rings” at the Princess of Wales Theatre in 2005. During the following two years, he was the Dance Captain and Associate Resident on “We Will Rock You” at the Cannon Theatre, and had a featured role in “Canticum Canticorum,” a 2007 CBC film. From 2007 to 2008 he acted as Resident Choreographer for the North American Premiere of Dirty Dancing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. Jesse has also worked and toured internationally with dance companies: Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal (bjm_danse), Momix, and the Kevin Wynn Collection. His own choreography has been performed at several New York venues including NYU’s Retrospective and more recently at City Centre NYC. He has taught dance at Steps on Broadway and DanceSpace NYC, as well as Master Classes for Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal and Cirque du Soleil’s tour of Delirium.

Jesse has been working with ezdanza since March 2010.

Franco NIETO

Franco was born and raised in Vancouver, Washington. He played football for seven years before pursuing dance. Franco began his training at Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, and at Columbia Dance. He also studied under, and later became assistant to, Tracey Durbin in Portland. In 2009, Franco graduated with a B.F.A. in Jazz from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has danced with the Bad Boys of Dance with Rasta Thomas and joined the Northwest Dance Project, based in Portland Oregon, in summer 2009. Nieto has had the opportunity to perform works by Robert Battle, James Canfield, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Maurice Causey, Wen Wei Wang, Luca Veggetti and Andrea Miller.

He has been collaborating with ezdanza since January 2009.

Emily FINKELSTEIN

Born in Toronto, Emily began dancing at Interplay at the age of seven. There she studied ballet, jazz, and modern dance under the direction of Anna McCowan Johnson and was a member of Interplay’s Youth Ensemble until 2002. During that time, she had the opportunity to perform alongside Evelyn Hart and Jonny W. Chang in a Fundraiser for The Banff Centre and to tour with Ballet Jörgen Canada’s, “The Nutcracker.” Emily spent summers training at The National Ballet School of Canada, The Banff Centre, and at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. She also received private instruction from Dr. Arnold Spohr and Glen Gilmour. Emily later trained in Ballet Divertimento’s Dance-Study Program in Montréal. After graduating in 2009, Emily performed works by Gioconda Barbuto and Edgar Zendejas in the T.Danz Festival in Europe. Upon returning to Montreal, she worked as an apprentice on Pierre Lecours’ “Les Steppes” and Georges-Nicolas Tremblay’s “Interdit de s’embrasser.” Emily has also participated in Springboard Danse Montréal and apprenticed with Rebecca Kelly Ballet, NYC.

Emily began collaborating with ezdanza in March 2010.

Jonathan ARCHAMBAULT

Born in Gatineau, Quebec, Jonathan started dancing when he was six years old. He explored numerous styles of dance in his native town until he discovered a passion for classical ballet at the age of seventeen. Jonathan’s passion for ballet led him to pursue a career in that field. He began his studies at L’École Supérieure de Ballet Contemporain de Montréal (L’ESBCM) in 2007 and joined Le Jeune Ballet du Quebec (JBQ), the school’s professional insertion company, that same year. Jonathan danced with JBQ for three years, during which time he was able to explore the multifaceted nature of dance. He also had the opportunity to perform on Quebec and international stages, interpreting the creations of such reputable choreographer as Kristen Cere from Holland, Canadian Shawn Hounsell, and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa of Belgium. In April 2010, Jonathan participated in the Monaco Dance Forum and caught the attention of Dider Deschamps, the artistic director of Ballet de Lorraine in Nancy. A few months later, in September 2010, Jonathan moved to France to join the ranks of the company.

Jonathan collaborated on his first project with ezdanza in the summer of 2010.