October 8th:
A Roundtable Conversation Featuring
October 9th:
Burlesque Workshops for York Students
Força (Julia Matias)
Drawing her name from her Portuguese heritage, Força (Julia Matias) is a woman on fire. Dubbed Toronto’s “force of nature,” her acts are as changing and unpredictable as the elements. Força’s signature high-energy choreography, enigmatic facial expressions, dynamic audience interaction, comedic timing, and powerful stage presence bring both classic decadence and neo-burlesque fantasies to life to create an experience that is evocative in every sense.
Força has graced some of the largest burlesque stages worldwide, including throughout Canada, the US and Germany. Fresh out the gate, Força won the crown at the Edmonton Burlesque Festival’s “Bunny” competition for upcoming performers. Among her many accolades include tours throughout North America, Europe, and competing for the title of M Exotic World at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in 2024, considered the most prestigious competition in burlesque. A trained actor, director, and designer, she is an award-winning performer who is sure to leave your heart racing.
Força’s investment in burlesque extends far past just her talents on stage. She holds a Ph.D. focusing on feminist community-based knowledge production in neo-burlesque, from the University of Toronto. Her research has been featured in the Canadian Theatre Review and at conferences across North America. Força has taught burlesque in both studio and academic courses at the University of Toronto and the University of Toronto Scarborough, and has lead workshops in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and Berlin.
Core to Força’s teaching and research mandate is the importance of making research on burlesque accessible to the burlesque community. In 2020, she organized “Spectacular Striptease,” a panel with four burlesque performers who worked during the 20th century, that both community members and interested researchers could attend. In 2021 she co-produced “Love Letters to the Legends” at the Virtual Burlesque Hall of Fame, a showcase that tributed the Legends of burlesque. Força served on the BurlyCon University Advisory Committee, helping the largest congregation of burlesque instructors and students worldwide design their multi-part course curricula. She was an instrumental part of the team tasked with rebuilding and launching the Toronto Burlesque Festival this Oct 3rd-6th, where she serves as “Head of Education.”
Newfound Lad
Josh Murphy (Newfound Lad) (he/they) is a dance artist and burlesque/drag performer based in Toronto, ON. Murphy trained at York University earning his BFA in 2017. During his time at York, Murphy spent two years dancing with the YDE and co-founded Bloom spearheaded by his co-president of the DSA, Olivia Faveri. Recent credits include headlining in Anchorage, Alaska for Frosteaase Burlesque (Winter 2022), showcasing as a Featured Artist at Hold Fast Contemporary Arts Festival in St. John’s, NL (Summer 2022), and Assistant Movement Directing under Christopher House for Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland’s new play I Forgive You, directed by Jillian Keiley as presented at the NAC in 2023.
Murphy is currently working on (un)Done with Paige Sayles (Rita Ann’tique), this soon-to-be full length show encompasses contemporary dance and burlesque and is intent on both deconstructing and honouring the two forms. (un)Done has been supported by ArtsNL and the Canada Council for the Arts and was recently a featured project at CBNuit (Fall 2023), in Murphy’s hometown, Corner Brook, NL. The 40-minute version of (un)Done will be premiering at the Festival of New Dance in Corner Brook and St. John’s, NL this fall.
Murphy has also worked on film projects from music videos for Donovan Woods, to artistic responses for Kent Monkman’s visual art in collaboration with The Rooms in St. John’s. Murphy’s stage persona “Newfound Lad” was featured on Season 2 of OutTV’s Call Me Mother wherein he showcased the intersections of drag and burlesque. He has also written for The Dance Current on the subjects of East Coast Drag and what Queer visibility means in Atlantic Canada.
For the last 3 years, Murphy has filled the role of producer and curator for evenings of variety entertainment/art for The Festival of New Dance in St. John’s, NL where he has curated circus artists, singers, drag, burlesque and contemporary dance.
Zyra Lee Vanity
Zyra Lee Vanity, also known as Canada’s Urban Desire, is a multi-award winning international burlesque entertainer based in Montreal, Canada. She’s been invited to headline & feature at several shows, festivals and cons throughout Canada, The United States, Central America and Europe.
Some of her festival highlights include performing at The New York Burlesque (2016, 2017, 2018,2023), the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender (2022, 2023, 2024), headlining the Winnipeg Burlesque Festival (2019), headlining the Richmond Virginia Burlesque Festival (2022) , headlining the Vancouver Burlesque Festival (2023) and headlining the Strasbourg France Burlesque Festival (2024). She’s also been a featured performer & instructor onboard Desire Lisbon – Ibiza Cruise (2022) and Desire Greek Islands Cruise (2022, 2023).
In 2018 she won “Best Burlesque” at the Arizona Burlesque Festival and in 2019 she was crowned Panama Queen of Burlesque at the Panama Burlesque Festival.
Zyra Lee Vanity was also voted “Burlesque Top 50” world wide in 2020, 2022 & 2023 via 21 Century Magazine. In 2024 Zyra successfully completed an 8 week European Burlesque tour that included 7 countries, 13 shows and 8 workshops!
She is known for both high energy as well as smooth, sharp & sensual burlesque routines. Her acts captivate and enchant crowds through her choice of various dance & movement styles as well as unique & beautiful costuming. Zyra Lee Vanity is also known for mixing Afro Caribbean & HipHop culture with vintage burlesque glamour. A master of nerdlesque, classic and neoburlesque Zyra proves herself to be versatile in the art of tease.
She’s opened for notable burlesque figures such as Dita Von Teese at Northbound Leathers 26th Anniversary Show, and was a production collaborator for the 2018 Toronto Burlesque Festival. She’s been featured in 21st Century Burlesque Magazine, on Playboy Radio, Sex City Radio and was a keynote speaker at Catalyst Con West. In 2020 she also featured in a commercial for Bodacious Wine.
Rita Ann'tique
Paige Sayles is a Toronto based dance and burlesque artist originally from Calgary, AB. Since graduating from York University’s BFA Dance program in 2017, Sayles has danced across the country, being lauded as “some of the inspiring talents flourishing in the Canadian dance community,” – David Silverberg, Now Magazine. During her time at York, Sayles spent two seasons dancing with the York Dance Ensemble.
As a Canadian Independent Music Video nominee, Sayles has had the opportunity to choreograph, perform and assist director, Witch Haezl, in the making of Poesy’s music video’s “Diamonds”, “Multiply”, “Cynthia”, as well as “Steel Heart” for the 2022 Canada Games. Additionally, Sayles choreographed SIESKI’s music video’s “Lady Deity,” and “Scale Model,” and performed in Mandolynne’s music video’s “Hands” and “Scream”.
Recently, Sayles co-choreographed “Confronting Space” for the 2022 Toronto Fringe Festival. More notable performances include, The Pack choreographed by Mikaela Demers supported by the Hamilton Arts Council, Uncoupling by Nina Milanovski, supported by the Canada Council for the Arts in Edmonton, AB, and 2024 Dance Matters in Toronto, ON, Dance: Made in Canada / fait au canada, DanceWorks, F-O-R-M Festival of Recorded Movement. Moreover, Raine Kearns’ NOSTROVIA, Night/Shift in partnership with Fall For Dance North, Dance Matters,Toronto Fringe Festival, Edmonton’s NextFest, New Blue Emerging Dance Festival, Your Dance Festival, as well as other various independent dance and theatre projects.
Sayles has had the opportunity to perform a self solo prior to the Queen’s of The Stone Age at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto, ON as her burlesque persona Rita Ann’tique (2023). Most recently, Rita competed for the 27th Miss Viva Las Vegas competition in Las Vegas, NV.
Sayles has danced in original works and collaborated with choreographers such as Julia Sasso, Susan Lee, Carol Anderson, Michelle Silagy, Holly Small, Ashley Burton and Michael Greyeyes; Kiera Shaw, Victoria Gubiani, Emily Rapley, Robyn Bedford, Madison Burgess, Sophie Dow, Kendra Epik, Paige Foskett, Lilly Giroux and Mikaela Demers.
Since 2018, Sayles has been working on (un)Done with Josh Murphy. This soon-to-be full length show encompasses contemporary dance and burlesque and is intent on both deconstructing and honouring the two forms. (un)Done has been supported by ArtsNL and the Canada Council for the Arts and was recently a featured project at CBNuit (Fall 2023), in Corner Brook, NL. Currently, Sayles is pursuing a career as a dance artist, choreographer, scholar, teacher, and burlesque performer.