Eshidoreen Paradiso

Choregrapher

Eshidoreen Paradiso is a Tanzanian-Norwegian dance artist and choreographer from Furuset in Oslo, with a background in street and club dance and hip hop freestyle. She is affiliated with the collective B16 in Oslo.

As a choreographer, Paradiso explores identity, freedom and stories that arise from the experiences of women of colour. She is committed to creating spaces where Black and melanated women can be seen, recognised and celebrated. Eshidoreen was co-choreographer of the work-in-progress piece UHURU, which was presented during Soul Sessions Encounters and at Dansens Hus, Oslo in 2021.

Paradiso has taken part in several prominent productions such as Perspectives, The Way Out is the Way In, Trekant rundt firkant and Jam. She has also taught and been invited to judge dance competitions in France, Germany and Scandinavia, in recognition of her expertise and influence on the international dance scene.

Carlos Cantún a.k.a. Gato

Choregrapher

Carlos Cantún, better known as Gato, is a Guatemalan dancer and choreographer based in Oslo. He is rooted in breaking and rocking, and also has a growing practice within the contemporary field.

As a choreographer, his work revolves around migration, belonging and human dignity – themes he knows in his own body after a ten-year journey towards safety. In recent years, Gato has worked at the intersection of street culture and performing arts, including in productions such as Vidas Extremas (at the Sami National Theatre Beaivváš), Hyl i Hælen, Fragmenter and 3xHistorias, as well as in the international collaboration Reflets in Madagascar.

Cantún has also worked with renowned Norwegian choreographers such as Mia Habib and Hooman Sharifi. In parallel, he has been active as a teacher and project leader in the hip hop community, working closely with young people and developing open, creative spaces for community and participation.

Emma Damskau

Choregrapher

Emma Damskau (NO) is an Oslo-based choreographer and dancer. She works across genres between club, stage, performance and ritual, and is interested in how dance styles carry emotional, energetic and symbolic qualities that open up new narratives.

Emma has contributed to and created projects such as All About Mimi (Dansens Hus, Oslo Nye, tour in Norway and Sweden), Mimi Devine – Spilling the T on the D, the solo work Nudges and the short film Voguing with Beethoven in collaboration with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. In addition, she has been active in the house and ballroom scene since 2016 and has taken part in a number of battles in Norway and internationally.

Sons Of Wind

Company / Collective

Sons of Wind (SOW) represent a lifestyle. Since they were established in 2013, they have explored hip hop freestyle, both in movement and music, in order to preserve and carry forward a shared cultural heritage that stretches from past to future. Since 2021, SOW has been supported and followed by the FAIR-E / CCN collective in Rennes and Brittany, and by Théâtre Louis Aragon in Tremblay-en-France in the 22–23 and 23–24 seasons.

SOW is a group made up of around twenty artists within dance, music, photography and video. The name points to a pure and simple idea of movement, and to a group where knowledge and expression are constantly shared and passed on between the members. It also refers to the diversity of identities that give the group life. Here, the individual is in the service of the collective. Sharing and transmission are at the core of the project. The artists wish to pass on what they themselves experience through music. S.O.W are more concerned with the experiences created than with the finished result.

Piero Issa and Ole Petter Knarvik

Duo

Piero Issa and Ole Petter Knarvik were part of founding Absence Crew in 1999.

Since then, they have worked closely together on productions aimed at children and young people. They have collaborated with Riksteatret, Den Nationale Scene, the Bergen International Festival and DKS.

In addition, they have carried out international projects in Afghanistan, China and Spain.

Their work combines dance, storytelling and documentary elements, with a focus on presence, play and audience participation.

Their latest project, Sans, is a dance performance created for children. The idea arose during a visit to Kabul, where they improvised without electricity and technical equipment. The performance explores presence in the moment and the fundamentals of dance and music.

The children’s curiosity and co-creation are at the centre.

Coflo (US)

DJ • Afterparty • House Exchange

Coflo is a multidisciplinary artist who brings a dancer’s soul to the heart of house music. Rooted in American house dance and capoeira, his sound is deeply physical, rhythmic, and embodied. Raised in the Bay Area house scene, Coflo honors the culture and community that shaped him while continuously pushing club music forward.

As Head of A&R and Label Manager at Ocha Records, and a core artist on Yoruba Records, Coflo’s releases and remixes have become staples for DJs worldwide. From “Stress Relief (Don’t f*** with me right now)” to acclaimed remixes for Ron Trent and Louie Vega, his work bridges underground history with future-facing grooves — always soulful, always intentional.

MUD Session • DJ Ghar & DJ Niwin (NO)

DJs • Afterparty • House Exchange

Our very own celebrated local heads, MUD resident DJs, @djgharofficial and @niwin_music aims to take us on a musical journey as they deliver a special set to get the crowd going and building an atmosphere on the dance floor! MUD stands for Movement Undefined and started as an open ‘House session’ for movers across different backgrounds. MUD Session concept was born in New York and created by the female House dance crew MAWU back in 2009, and later on brought to Norway, Oslo in 2015. Since then, MUD has been a common meeting ground where we share our spirit and love for House music, House dance and club culture. With roots in house, disco, funk and boogie music genre, MUD aims to recreate the atmosphere that has existed in the spirit of house clubbing culture for decades!

Chriz Nypan (NO)

Host • House Exchange

Chriz Nypan is and the co-founder of MUD sessions Oslo and place a central role in creating spaces within the house dance culture.

She works as a performing and creative dance artist based in Oslo. She started practicing hip-hop at x-Ray youthclub in the 90 and has furthered her education in street and club dances in Paris and New York where she is part of the NYC based female housedance crew MAWU. She is also a member of the Cre8 dance crew.