THE CREATIVE FORCES BEHIND PhOOM!
Natasha Royka is a dancer, choreographer, teacher and producer whose passion for movement and creation is not confined by borders. Originally from Boston, MA, Natasha trained in Classical Ballet and Contemporary (Boston Conservatory, Margot Parsons, Madame Nora Irinova, Goh Ballet Academy), danced and taught there before discovering herself in Western Canada, where she began creating movement pieces based on the ideals of fine art (Natasha has a combined art/art history degree.). This work developed into the creation of theatrical solos/duets/trios, exploring the theme of North American women’s’ lives, that have been presented in Ottawa, Quebec City and Kelowna, BC and led her to the Choreography Workshop at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Lee, MA. With the purchase of her first video camera, she returned to working “within the frame” of fine art - transcending the boundaries of the traditional theatrical format of dance - by creating dance for video, which lead her to the Directing Dance for Camera workshop at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA). Her video dances have been shown both in the States and Canada. Natasha works to extend the idea of “the dancer” by using different body types and ages in all her work. Light is another recurring theme, one that she has been exploring through her experimentation with candlelight and movement in theatrical, liturgical and site specific settings. From the whimsical to the sacred, from the proscenium arch to an outside doorway, Natasha truly believes dance can be found everywhere in our lives. Natasha has a strong belief in community and has collaborated/choreographed for Carleton University’s SOCK 'n' BUSKIN theatre in 2004 & 2006. She was co-founder of the Dance Mosaic (Ottawa, ON), an inter-disciplinary arts space/studio and is currently owner/director of the DANCE/SPACE 637, Ottawa, ON and producer of the contemporary dance series, Sanctuary Series. Recipient of the Ottawa Lumiere Festival Grant 2007 for the PhOOM! piece, Fairy- Light Dance, she was thrilled to see that piece evolve into a PhOOM! performance for Canada's Parliament Hill - both inside & out - in December, 2007.
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Composer/Musician/Dancer Andrea Loken is always looking for ways to connect movement and sound. Hailing from a background that stems from church music, the Carl Orff method, and a Bachelor of Arts (Music) from the University of Ottawa, Andrea draws from her love of music and partners it with a love of dance and movement. A student of Natasha Royka (contemporary dance, Pilates) and Elaine Hunter (tap), she has collaborated with Ms. Royka via the PhOOM! group to compose music and spoken word pieces to accompany performances for the Lumiere Festival (2007), Christmas Lights Across Canada (2007), and Summer Solstice (2007 and 2008). Andrea’s plans for 2008-2009 include continued work with PhOOM!, as well as forays into composition for chamber ensemble with voice.
