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@hollajazz

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Canadian award-winning dance company.
Soulful, cool, contemporary.
Artistic Director @tashapowellto

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Dizzy Gillespie once said that “the best music, is the music that is written for dance. Because dancing enhances music.”

April is Jazz Appreciation Month and we couldn’t be more inspired to add another layer to this music through movement. Check out our latest video in lead up to our production of The Room Upstairs.

Director of Photography @thejasondsouza
Edit @mihamovesthecamera
Gaffer and 1st AC @robertolambrano
Grip @alanrgarciaortiz
Colour @austin_tang_
Dancers @mihamatevzic @hollywoodjade @raoulwilke by @hollajazz

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6 months ago

It’s a big year for us! 10 years ago we decided it was vital to be part of continuing the beautiful legacy of jazz dancing and share it with our Toronto community! A decade later and we’re still here! Stay tuned to help us celebrate, fundraise, and acknowledge this special milestone 😊 by @hollajazz

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8 months ago

Thank you Holla Jazz and performers for a riveting performance at YENSA Festival 2026!

This year’s festival theme, AS I AM, invited us to honour the fullness of who we are. ⭐️

@hollajazz

#LuaShayenneDanceCompany #YENSA #LetsDance #BlackWomenInDance #Dance taken in Toronto, Canada by @hollajazz

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a month ago

Pop-Up Jazz Dance Class!

It’s been a while since we danced together and I’m eager to move. Come dance with me next week!

Pop-up Jazz Dance Class w/Natasha
Thursday September 17
11:15 am - 12:45 pm
Academy of Spanish Dance
401 Richmond St W., B104
$25 + HST, Link in bio to register by @hollajazz

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a month ago

Thank you YENSA Festival (@yensafestival) !

Grateful for the opportunity to look at excerpts of and reimagine The Room Upstairs. Thank you to the audiences that came out to see the performances. Always a pleasure collaborating with these awesome artists. Until next time !

Photo 1 by Amelie Giusta
Photo 2 by Raoul Wilke

Credits
Jacob Gorzhaltsan @jgorzh (saxophone)
Scott Hunter @scotthuntermusic (bass)
Eric West @e.west.drums (drums)
Raoul Wilke @raoulwilke (dance)
Lighting design by Arun Srinivasan
Stage Management by AJ Morra by @hollajazz

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2 months ago

Excerpt of The Room Upstairs at YENSA Festival

We are honored to share a 20-minute excerpt of our recent work, The Room Upstairs as part of the 3rd edition of @yensafestival . The excerpt will be presented on a mixed program alongside works from black female choreographers.

This excerpt will be performed by Raoul Wilke (dance), Jacob Gorzhaltsan (saxophone), Scott Hunter (bass), and Eric West (drums).

YENSA Festival, Black Flames
August 21-22, 8pm performances
Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St

Photo credits
The Room Upstairs (2026) at Winchester Street Theatre
Photo by Kendra Epik
Lighting design by Emerson Kafarowski
Scenic design by James Kendal
Costume design by Valerie Calam
Performer Raoul Wilke by @hollajazz

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2 months ago

It’s Dora Seaon!

We are extremely honoured that The Room Upstairs has been nominated for 3 Dora Mavor Moore Awards this season! We do not take this acknowledgment lightly and are humbled by this being alongside some great art-makers in the city 🙏🏾 Thank you to the Dora jurors with @tapa_to who watch so many shows throughout the season! Thank you to all of our partners, funders, and audiences that made this project possible

Nominations in the Dance Division:

🎷Outstanding Original Choreography by Natasha Powell

🎷Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble by Caroline ‘Lady C’ Fraser, Hollywood Jade, Raoul Wilke and Miha Matevzic

🎷Outstanding Production presented by DanceWorks and Toronto Dance Theatre + co-produced by DanceWorks and Holla Jazz in collaboration with Toronto Dance Theatre.

Credits
Photography by Kendra Epik
Lighting Design by Emerson Kafarowski
Scenic and props by James Kendal
Costumes by Val Calam
Music Direction by Jacob Gorzhaltsan
Associate Music Direction by Tom Richards
Dramaturgy by Seika Boye
Performers: Tom Richards, Rebecca Hennessy, Colleen Allen, Eric West, Scott Hunter, Thompson T. Egbo-Egbo, Caroline Lady C Fraser, Hollywood Jade, Raoul Wilke, Miha Matevzic
Production and Stage Management by Taylor Zalik-Young by @hollajazz

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5 months ago

A heartfelt thank you 🙏🏾 🎷

It’s been almost two weeks since we wrapped our performances of The Room Upstairs in Toronto. What wild and beautiful ride it has been getting this work to the stage. Thank you all for your support, it was an honour to share the gift of Coltrane’s music through dance with all of you.

We are thankful for project funding support from Toronto Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts; and our co-presenters @danceworkstoronto and @torontodancetheatre.

Jazz love!
📷 by @kendraepikphotography
Lighting design by Emerson Kafarowski
Scenic Design by James Kendal
Costume design by Valerie Calam

Dancers: Miha Matevzic, Caroline 'Lady C' Fraser, Hollywood Jade, Raoul Wilke
Musicians: Thompson T. Egbo Egbo, Scott Hunter, Eric West, Colleen Allen, Rebecca Hennessy, Tom Richards by @hollajazz

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5 months ago

It’s the last performance of this run 🎺

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘜𝘱𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘴 has opened to full houses every night and met with standing ovations — the outpouring of love is truly meaningful.

To the artists, creators, collaborators, audiences, and supporters: thank you for showing up so fully. This work is a powerful example of our time together, and we’re deeply moved by the response it’s received.

Presented by DanceWorks and Toronto Dance Theatre (TDT)
Co-produced by DanceWorks and Holla Jazz in partnership with TDT

Choreography: Natasha Powell @tashapowellto
Music Direction: Jacob Gorzhaltsan
Associate Music Director: Tom Richards @tom.insoundmusic

Dancers: Caroline “Lady C” Fraser @carolineladyc , Hollywood Jade @hollywoodjade , Miha Matevzic @mihamatevzic , Raoul Wilke @raoulwilke
Musicians: Colleen Allen @colleenallenmusic , Thompson Egbo-Egbo @egbo.music , Rebecca Hennessy @rebeccahennessymusic , Scott Hunter @scotthuntermusic , Tom Richards, Eric West @e.west.drums

Lighting Design by Emerson Kafarowski
Scenic Design by James Kendal
Costume Design by Valerie Calam
Photo by Kendra Epik @kendraepikphotography

#TheRoomUpstairs #TorontoDance #DanceWorks #TDT #HollaJazz taken in Winchester Street Theatre by @hollajazz

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6 months ago

2 down, 2 to go ❤️‍🔥

The Room Upstairs is in full swing, and we’re thrilled to have the audience join us for tonight’s talkback with choreographer Natasha Powell (@tashapowell) and all the incredible artists — dancers and musicians, in conversation with facilitator Seika Boye (@seikalab).

Presented by DanceWorks (@danceworkstoronto) and TDT
Co-produced by Holla Jazz (@hollajazz), DanceWorks and TDT

📸 Photo of dancers Caroline “Lady C” Fraser (@carolineladyc), Hollywood Jade (@hollywoodjade), Miha Matevzic (@mihamatevzic), Raoul Wilke (@raoulwilke). Lighting Design by Emerson Kafarowski. Scenic Design by James Kendal. Costume Design by Valerie Calam
Photo by Kendra Epik (@kendraepikphotography)

#TheRoomUpstairs #TDT #LivePerformance #Talkback #HollaJazz taken in Winchester Street Theatre by @hollajazz

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6 months ago

Congratulations to Holla Jazz on a powerful premiere 🎉

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭’𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.
𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 1930𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 1940𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 — 𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘳𝘢 — 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘪𝘤. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯; 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵.
𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘮𝘪𝘥-𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘻𝘻 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺’𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦, 𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴, 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺, 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨. — @ludwigvantoronto

Thank you to everyone who joined us ❤️
We’re so excited to share this work with even more audiences in the days ahead.

Only 3 more shows to go, including a special artist talkback after Friday night’s performance.

Presented by DanceWorks & TDT.
Co-produced by Holla Jazz, DanceWorks, in partnership with TDT

See you there!

Credits: Raoul Wilke (dancer); Tom Richards (trombone), Colleen Allen (saxophone), Rebecca Hennessy (trumpet), Thompson T. Egbo-Egbo (piano), Scott Hunter (bass), Eric West (drums). Lighting Design by Emerson Kafarowski. Scenic Design by James Kendal. Costume Design by Valerie Calam.
📸 Photo by Kendra Epik @kendraepikphotography

#HollaJazz #LivePerformance #TorontoArts #TorontoEvents #ArtistTalkback taken in Winchester Street Theatre by @hollajazz

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6 months ago

It’s Production Week!

So many special people are collaborating to make this massive project come to life. We wouldn’t have made it this far without the talents, expertise, and care of these incredible collaborators.

Slide 1: Taylor Zalik-Young, Production and Stage Manager
Slide 2: Seika Boye, Dramaturg
Slide 3: Emerson Kafarowski, Lighting Design
Slide 4: James Kendal, Scenic and Props
Slide 5: Valerie Calam, Costume Design by @hollajazz

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6 months ago