Sansei

Mia Hope

Mia Hope (b. 2001) is an emerging interdisciplinary artist, photographer, writer and performer based on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. As a biracial Japanese-Canadian, she takes on a cross-cultural and feminist framework in her studies and craft. She is interested in cultural liberation, inclusivity and diversity for […]

Bradley Kurushima

Prince Shima is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and third generation Japanese-Canadian based in Victoria BC. By the age of 12 he was writing and performing original compositions live. He has fronted several punk, hardcore and indie bands that have toured throughout North America. As early as 14 he started producing experimental music on a cassette 4-track. […]

Melisa Kamibayashi -Staples

Melisa trained in and performed taiko with an all women’s taiko group in Japan in the 90’s. She went on to participate in International taiko conferences in Los Angeles and Sacramento, and workshops with Grandmaster Seiichi Tanaka, KODO, GONNA, Burlington Taiko, Arashi Taiko and Kiyoshi Nagata. Former performer and Artistic Director of Oto-Wa Taiko, delivering […]

Daniel Tamagi

With over a decade of experience under his belt, The FloWarrior has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s top fire and flow arts performers. Fusing his passion for dance, martial arts and music, he has created his own unique brand of ‘martial artistry’ through years of training and dedication to his craft. A world […]

Steve Oka

Oka is a Sansei, raised in southern Ontario from the 70s to mid 90s. He is honoured to work on the unceded, ancestral and traditional lands of the shíshálh (Sechelt) Nation and the Skwxwu7mesh Uxwumixw (Squamish Nation). Oka studied at Queens University in Kingston gaining a degree in Sociology. He furthered his education through the […]

Peter Shinkoda

Peter Shinkoda is a Canadian born actor most well known for his portrayals of Dai in Steven Spielberg’s Falling Skies and Nobu in Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix. In addition to enjoying an acting career that has spanned almost 30 years Shinkoda also worked at the Warner Bros. Studios facility in Burbank as an employee of […]

Kirsten McAllister

Kirsten Emiko McAllister is a Professor in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University. She grew up with her two brothers on the territories of Snuneymuxw Nation in what is now called Nanaimo in British Columbia. Both sides of her family, the Nakashimas / Mukai and the McAllisters / McQuarries have lived on the […]

Suzanne Liska

Suzanne Liska is a teacher, choreographer, dancer and researcher specializing in somatic practices, contemporary dance/theatre, Japanese artforms and physical partnering. She has choreographed and danced in works for CanAsian KickStart, DanceWorks CoWorks, Dusk Dances, and Dance Matters, receiving grants and awards through the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, York University and SSHRC (Canadian Graduate […]

Warren P. Sonoda

BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Warren P. Sonoda is known for directing his features Coopers’ Camera, Swearnet: The Movie, 5ive Girls, Ham & Cheese, the iconic TV shows Trailer Park Boys, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Murdoch Mysteries and over 160 music videos, 70 episodes of TV and 11 feature films. He’s received over 40 national […]

David Kai

David Kai grew up in Toronto as a Sansei attending the Centennial-Japanese United Church where he was highly involved in its music ministry. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, the Humber College music program where he specialized in arranging and composing, and The Centre for Christian Studies. Commissioned as a diaconal minister […]

Julie Tamiko Manning

Julie is an award-winning actor and theatre creator based in ​Tiohtiá:ke /Montréal. Selected acting credits include: Annie in Jean Dit (Théâtre D’Aujourd’hui), Sin in Paradise Lost (Centaur), Elena in Butcher (Centaur), Isabella Bird in Top Girls (Segal Centre), Emilia in Othello (Scapegoat Carnivale/Segal), Titania in A Midsummer Nights’ Dream (Repercussion), Clarence in Richard III (Metachroma), […]

Tashme Productions

“The Tashme Project” is a 75-minute verbatim theatre piece that traces the history and common experience of the Nisei through childhood, WWII internment and post-war resettlement east of the Rockies. The Nisei, now in their 70’s and 80’s, were children at the time of internment and their stories of adventure and play are presented in […]

Booming Tree Taiko

Booming Tree is a contemporary drum duo, founded by Gregory Hideo Shimizu and Twilla MacLeod in 2008. Known for their innovative combination of taiko, percussion and vocals, they have performed across North America, from New Orleans to Yellowknife, and from coast to coast in their unique duo format. Booming Tree’s work is firmly rooted in […]

Scott Kokichi Kusano

Kokichi began his performing career at the age of 5 as a member of the Toronto Suwa Daiko a cultural association located in Toronto. Subsequently, Kokichi was introduced again to Japanese music during high school after the death of his grandfather and introduction to the Buddhist Temple where he was re-united with Taiko in 1996 […]

Kokoro Dance

Kokoro Dance Theatre Society was incorporated as a non-profit society in Vancouver, British Columbia on July 31, 1986. Its mandate is to re-define the meaning of Canadian culture through teaching, producing and performing new dance theatre with an emphasis on multi-disciplinary collaboration and cross-cultural exploration. Taking its name from the Japanese word kokoro – meaning […]