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

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.