Suzanne Liska is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and researcher specializing in dance improvisation and somatics since 1998. She has choreographed and performed works presented by CanAsian KickStart, DanceWorks CoWorks, Dusk Dances, Dance Matters, and Harbourfront Centre, receiving grants and awards through York University, the Toronto Arts Council and Ontario Arts Council. She has originated in roles for choreographers Maxine Heppner, Pam Johnson, Karen Kaeja, Susan Lee, Kathleen Rea and Takako Segawa. Suzanne’s upcoming choreographies include a new dance/theatre duet with Kathleen Rea and multi-media project with dance artist Susan Lee, visual artist JJ Lee, composer Edgardo Moreno and digital media artist Don Sinclair. Receiving Bachelor Degrees in Arts and in Education, as a Certified Alexander Technique Teacher, and having an MFA in Dance Choreography, Suzanne has been a teacher since 2001. She teaches professional dancers, actors, community dancers, and high school and elementary school students. Her main classes include Somatics (Alexander Technique), Conditioning, Solo, Contact, and Ensemble Improvisation/Composition and advanced partnering. Suzanne has taught workshop intensives for Collective Gulp in Ottawa, CCDC in Calgary, CINN in Tokyo, and Leviathan studio in BC and in Toronto for Randolph Performing Arts College, Ryerson University, George Brown and Humber College. She is contract faculty in York University’s Dance department. Funded by a SSHRC award, she received her MFA in Choreography at York University. Investigating Contact Improvisation and the Alexander Technique within the choreographic process, she conducted her research in Tokyo and Toronto. Suzanne presented her research at the Dance Science and Somatics Conference in August 2018.
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Selected Choreography
2018 "Yume-Iro (Dream Colour), Co-choreographed and performed with Takako Segawa, dramaturge Tedd Robbinson, music by Heidi Chan. Presented by CanAsian KickStart Sep 2018, Theatre Centre Toronto.
2017 “Momentary” Dance Video, Choreography and Videography by Suzanne Liska with co-videographer Farviash Babanorouzi, dance co-creators Louis Barbier, Madison Burgess, Mika Lillit Lior, and Zita Nyarady, presented at the CIFM (Contact International Film Festival)
2016 “No Score”, Co-choreographed and performed with C.I.N.N. (Japan), Goran Bogdanovski (Slovenia) in Tokyo, Japan
2013 “Groundswell” Dance Video. Co-choreographed with Kathleen Rea. Performed by Kathleen Rea and Lee Walder. Contact Dance International Film Festival. Premiered at the Revue Cinema
2012 “The House of Bernarda Alba”, Directed by Bruce Pitkin. Performed by Randolph Academy of Performing Arts – College Program at the Annex Theatre. Received 4 Ns in NOW for Toronto Fringe Festival
2010 “Sometimes I need” Dance Matters, Flightworks* with singer Neema Bickersteth, Pia Bouman’s Theatre.
2008 “Out of Line”, Flightworks, Second City
2007 “Shuketsu-do, Co-choreographed and performed with RAW Taiko Drummers. Dusk Dances, Withrow Park
2004 The Beat Goes On, Mountain Moving Day, Tequilla Lounge. Dance and Taiko duet. Collaborated with Vena player, spoken word artist, and RAW
Flightworks - Co-artistic director with Ajna Samadhi
aLOFT - Co-artistic director with Rebecca Bryan, Kathleen Rea, Karen Kaeja, Mika Lior, and Zita Nyarady
Selected Performances
2014/15 “KRIMA”, Choreographed by Maxine Heppner, principal dancer, featuring duet with Mateo Galindo Torres.
2013 “Half Life Motel” Co-produced by Flightworks and Lucy Rupert, Blue Ceiling Dance, DanceWorks CoWorks Series presentation, Dance Makers Theatre. Featuring duet “Centennial Motel and Rest” Choreographed by Karen Kaeja, commission for Flightworks.
2011 “Vivid 4” Choreographed by Kathleen Rea with dancers Yves Candau, Karen Kaeja, Jessica Runge, Holly Small, et al. WinchesterTheatre.
2010 “Shadowplay” Choreographed by Sue Lee. York University Theatre
2009 “Brother, Can you Spare a Dime?” Choreographed by Pam Johnson with dancers Tanya Crowder, Diana Rose, Eroca Nicols et al. Winchester Theatre
2009 “White Alley” CanAsian Film Workshop Film directed by Karen Kaeja with dancers Mairead Filgate, Barbara Pallomina, et al.
2008 Dora Nominated “Long Live” Choreographed by Kathleen Rea with dancers Karen Kaeja, Tom Brouillette, et al with live music by the Snowblinks. Betty Oliphant Theatre
2007 “Close Knit” Nuit Blanche. Choreographed by Kathleen Rea. Toronto
2018 "Yume-Iro (Dream Colour), Co-choreographed and performed with Takako Segawa, dramaturge Tedd Robbinson, music by Heidi Chan. Presented by CanAsian KickStart Sep 2018, Theatre Centre Toronto.
2017 “Momentary” Dance Video, Choreography and Videography by Suzanne Liska with co-videographer Farviash Babanorouzi, dance co-creators Louis Barbier, Madison Burgess, Mika Lillit Lior, and Zita Nyarady, presented at the CIFM (Contact International Film Festival)
2016 “No Score”, Co-choreographed and performed with C.I.N.N. (Japan), Goran Bogdanovski (Slovenia) in Tokyo, Japan
2013 “Groundswell” Dance Video. Co-choreographed with Kathleen Rea. Performed by Kathleen Rea and Lee Walder. Contact Dance International Film Festival. Premiered at the Revue Cinema
2012 “The House of Bernarda Alba”, Directed by Bruce Pitkin. Performed by Randolph Academy of Performing Arts – College Program at the Annex Theatre. Received 4 Ns in NOW for Toronto Fringe Festival
2010 “Sometimes I need” Dance Matters, Flightworks* with singer Neema Bickersteth, Pia Bouman’s Theatre.
2008 “Out of Line”, Flightworks, Second City
2007 “Shuketsu-do, Co-choreographed and performed with RAW Taiko Drummers. Dusk Dances, Withrow Park
2004 The Beat Goes On, Mountain Moving Day, Tequilla Lounge. Dance and Taiko duet. Collaborated with Vena player, spoken word artist, and RAW
Flightworks - Co-artistic director with Ajna Samadhi
aLOFT - Co-artistic director with Rebecca Bryan, Kathleen Rea, Karen Kaeja, Mika Lior, and Zita Nyarady
Selected Performances
2014/15 “KRIMA”, Choreographed by Maxine Heppner, principal dancer, featuring duet with Mateo Galindo Torres.
2013 “Half Life Motel” Co-produced by Flightworks and Lucy Rupert, Blue Ceiling Dance, DanceWorks CoWorks Series presentation, Dance Makers Theatre. Featuring duet “Centennial Motel and Rest” Choreographed by Karen Kaeja, commission for Flightworks.
2011 “Vivid 4” Choreographed by Kathleen Rea with dancers Yves Candau, Karen Kaeja, Jessica Runge, Holly Small, et al. WinchesterTheatre.
2010 “Shadowplay” Choreographed by Sue Lee. York University Theatre
2009 “Brother, Can you Spare a Dime?” Choreographed by Pam Johnson with dancers Tanya Crowder, Diana Rose, Eroca Nicols et al. Winchester Theatre
2009 “White Alley” CanAsian Film Workshop Film directed by Karen Kaeja with dancers Mairead Filgate, Barbara Pallomina, et al.
2008 Dora Nominated “Long Live” Choreographed by Kathleen Rea with dancers Karen Kaeja, Tom Brouillette, et al with live music by the Snowblinks. Betty Oliphant Theatre
2007 “Close Knit” Nuit Blanche. Choreographed by Kathleen Rea. Toronto