STAFF BIOS

Natasha Ama Eck is an experienced arts producer, project manager, and dance artist based in Oshawa, with over 15 years of leadership across dance programming, arts administration, and community-centered cultural initiatives. She holds a Project Management Certificate from Humber College, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) and a Bachelor of Education from York University, and a Diploma in Dance & Musical Theatre from Bird College (UK). Natasha is also a certified Kemetic Yoga 200-hour RYT, integrating wellness and African-centered practices into her professional work. Her work spans independent, community, and institutional settings, where she supports projects from early ideas through to completion, guiding people, resources, and timelines with care and clarity. Her practice is grounded in collaboration, sustainability, and culturally responsive approaches to arts administration. With an understanding of the dance sector, Natasha is committed to supporting meaningful artistic activity that strengthens relationships, communities, and the broader arts ecology.

Mikaël Lavogiez is a web designer, photographer and videographer. A native of Strasbourg, France, he completed a degree in geography, but soon changed course and decided to invest his passion for photography and design within the arts and culture sector.  In 2001 Mikael met Pierre Diependaele and Louis Ziegler, artistic directors of Theatre du Marché aux Grains where he worked as a technician and also created videographic imagery for such productions as Troilus et Cressida, Cassandre and Le Jour des Meurtres dans l’histoire d’Hamlet. He also delved into audiovisual production and created the association Procreaction, dedicated to recording and editing concerts and plays, as well as producing documentaries and short films.  In 2009 he created his own company, iSpin Media, offering graphic design, web-design, photo/video and public relations services

Charlotte Cain is an emerging dance artist from Ottawa, first training at National Capital Dance Educators and De La Salle High School’s dance program. With the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, now Dance Arts Institute, she studied Graham, produced for a student-run production, and received the Winchester Prize for choreographic distinction. Charlotte deepens her craft by sharing her passion as a dancer, teacher, rehearsal director, choreographer and content creator. She premiered her first dance film, What Is I’m From, at the SummerWorks Performance Festival in 2021, and the contents, a self-choreographed solo, in a 2024 co-production with Ottawa Dance Directive. Collaborating with Tiger Princess Dance Projects, Charlotte’s performed in All That Is Between, Yvonne Ng’s 2025 Dora nominated work for Outstanding Ensemble and Choreography. Charlotte’s taught with various organizations including Kaeja d’Dance, and most recently in The Fifth’s Emerging Practice Cohort in 2025. Charlotte’s venturing on to the creation of a group work that began early 2026 with The National Ballet of Canada’s Open Space Program. Contributing to the diverse landscape of Toronto’s dance community, including with The Fifth Dance and Fall for Dance North, Charlotte’s deeply committed to cultivating meaningful ways to share dance, inspiring curiosity, community and empowerment.

Karen Bennedsen is a freelance bookkeeper, providing financial services to multiple organizations, mostly working within the Toronto dance community. Her training was acquired working for a bookkeeping service with a wide variety of clients and a specialization in television production. Her connection to the dance community goes back to her years as a dancer in both Toronto and Winnipeg. Karen is pleased that her roster of clients allows her to contribute to the healthy functioning of arts organizations in the city.

After studying literature and photography, Nicolas Filion turns to dance in 1998. For thirteen years, he collaborates with numerous dance artists and companies - Harold Rhéaume, Louise Bédard, Catherine Gaudet among others. Concurrently to his professional career, Nicolas pursues graduate studies at Université du Québec à Montréal, acts as an artistic mediator, teaches and contributes to academic research projects until 2012. After a five-year entrepreneurial venture as the head of his own café, he comes back to the performing arts in 2017, working as a rehearsal director, artistic advisor and opening his own booking agency, Filigrane Arts Vivants. In 2019, he joins FÔVE Diffusion, assuming its general direction. Boasting a wide, eclectic professional and artistic experience, passionate about culture and the performing arts, Nicolas favours an empathic, committed approach to the development and administration of the arts.

Bio to come