Junia Mason
Specialist interpretation, narration, contemporizing roots; dancer, performance artist, educator, writer, a co-founder of COBA (Collective of Black Artists since 1993 -Toronto-based dance company working within an Africanist aesthetic.)
Training includes West African dance traditions -COBA, Usafiri African Dance Ensemble, Linda Faye Johnson; Contemporary African Dance-Vincent Mantsoe, COBA; Ballet –Debbie Wilson, XingBallet, Modern dance (Dunham, Graham).
Work in local and international dance and theatre includes Casimir Nhussi (Nafro Dance Winnipeg); Bill T.Jones; Guillermo Gómez-Peña (PochaNostra); Djanet Sears; adri zhina mandiela (b-current); Weyni Mengesha; Rhoma Spencer; Linda Hill (Theatre Direct); Vivine Scarlett (Dance Immersion), Maxine Heppner (Across Oceans).
Recent performances: with Maxine Heppner, Krima (2014), Old Stories (2015); Dilan Dance Company, Mem U Zin (A Kurdish love story), Isabel Bader Theatre (2011); Junia has facilitated workshops for youth and adults through York University with Guillermo Gómez Peña and Roberto Sifuentes, (2010), and Toronto District School Board, YWCA, OAC Artist in Ed Programs.
Her choreography includes 8 to the Centre, Dancers for Peace, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, (2001) and prior to 2000: Burning down the dream (film), Payback Productions, Nila Gupta, director, (1999); The Theatre Centre Research & Development Series #32 (1997); Nightwood Theatre Groundswell Festivals (1991-1993); Long Time Comin’ (with Dionne Brand), NFB (1992).
As artistic co-founder of spoken word performance duo, Last Nerve Productions, Junia has performed and facilitated spoken word workshops for youth and women in marginalized communities to support life enrichment, self-empowerment and community-building. Junia is currently a PhD candidate in Education at York University.
