So Damn Proud Creative Team
CREATIVE TEAM
Justin Neal (Writer, Director) grew up on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Justin is a member of the Squamish Nation.
For his complete biography visit his page on Holy Crow here.
Olivia C. Davies (Choreographer) is a dance artist, choreographer, community-arts facilitator and emerging curator of Anishinaabe, French-Canadian, Finnish and Welsh heritage. Davies creates work that traverses boundaries and challenges social prejudice, conveying concepts and narratives that open different ways to see and experience the world. She is a founding member of the Circadia Indigena Aboriginal Arts Collective, Crow’s Nest Collective, and MataDanze Collective (Toronto). Davies is the founding Artistic Director of O.Dela Arts. Her work has been presented across Canada in Ontario, Quebec, and BC since 2004. oliviacdavies.ca
Rianne Svelnis (Choreographer Assistant, Dance Director) is a queer dance artist and settler of Lithuanian and Belgian/Irish/English descent, born, raised and living in colonially occupied so-called ‘Vancouver’, on the lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh and səlilwətaɬ people. In dance, she creates, performs, teaches and facilitates dialogue. She works in dance as a practice in exalt and disruption, and as a way to learn about the complexities of being together. Current and upcoming projects include Daisy Thompson’s new work Hug, outdoor dances with All Bodies Dance Project, collaboration with visual and landscape artist Sauha Lee.
Harika Xu (Lighting Design) is a lighting designer, video and projection designer, photographer who lives and works in Vancouver and Montreal. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Art and Theatre Design from University of British Columbia. She is a member of Associated Designers of Canada. Born and raised in Southeast China, Harika was drawn towards visual storytelling and digital art since her teenage years. She followed her passion to study visual art in University, later grew fascinated with the ethereal quality of live theatre.
Latash Maurice Nahanee (Squamish Elder and Artistic Consultant) is a professional artist specializing in Coast Salish art and Workshop Facilitator on Native American art and culture. He has produced Welcome Poles, Totem Poles, and story boards, and also produced artworks such as murals, paddles, drums, cedar bark weaving. Nahanee is a singer, composer, and choreographer. His work includes learning and telling cultural stories and legends. He was an Indigenous authenticity consultant and composer. In the Spring of 2018, Nahanee was an actor and script consultant in the play Weaving Reconciliation.
Jay Havens (Production Design) is a multi-media 2Spirit artist of Haudenosaunee and Scottish Canadian ancestry and a proud citizen of the Kanien’keha:ka (Mohawk Nation) from Grand River Territory. Jay works throughout Turtle Island producing large scale installation for many kinds of conditions such as sets, costuming or projection scenography for live performance (Pacific National Exhibition, City of Stratford, Caravan Farm Theatre), works like murals (City of Vancouver, McMaster Children’s Hospital, Iroquois Indian Museum) as well as objects for display in galleries, museums or public spaces (New York State Museum, Waterfront Toronto, Woodland Cultural Centre, The Reach Gallery).
Russell Wallace (Music Composer) is a composer, producer, teacher, and traditional singer from the Lil’wat Nation in B.C. His music has been part of a number of soundtracks (film and television) and theatre/dance productions across Canada.
Daniel Tessy (Sound Design) is a sound designer, composer, recording artist and teacher living and working on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, the Squamish, and the Tsleil-Waututh nations. A settler of Iraqi, Jamaican and Dutch descent, he is the instructor of audio and resident sound designer of the Capilano University theatre department. He also moonlights as an electronic pop musician under the name Delicatessy. He’s worked on many cool shows and will continue to do so.
Tsitsayxemaat Rebecca Duncan (Language and Cultural Advisor) is of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm descent of the Coast Salish Peoples. Rebecca has devoted her life to preserve the Squamish language, Salish weaving, and cultural teachings that have been handed down to her from her late Papa, and his Papa, and so on, and so on, since the beginning of time. Rebecca specializes in cultural activities including Language Games (TPR), Traditional Song & Dance, Traditional Cooking, Weaving, Traditional Health & Wellness, Storytelling, and History. Rebecca has performed worldwide promoting language and culture, representing Coast Salish people and practicing protocols with song and dance, workshops in schools including all the traditional activities, and building healthy relationships with the world! No matter where you are from, it is so important to know your history, your culture, and your ties to the land.
Jessica Adamson (Stage Manager) is an Indigenous woman who hails from the Skatin Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. She is both an artist and a researcher who has recently finished a degree at UBC in First Nation and Indigenous Studies as well as First Nations Endangered languages. In the arts realm she has worked as both a performer and in production for festivals such as The Talking Stick Festival, The Drum is Calling, The Vancouver Folk Festival, The Vancouver International Children’s Festival, and The Vancouver International Jazz Festival to name a few. When she grows up she wants to be an elected potato. ‘