Featuring spectacular guest dancers from Montreal Yamoussa Bangoura and Aka Bangoura,along with seasoned and talented Nafro Artists.

Dancers: Paula Blair, Kyla Wallace, Helene Le Moullec Mancini and Nicole Coppens.

Apprentice Dancers: Kayla Coppens and Robyn Thomson Kacki.

Musicians: Jay Stoller, Cam MacLean, Kelly Levielle, Mark Paxton-MacRae, Roger Cloutier, Tim Church and Casimiro Nhussi.

Choreographer's inspiration:

"In most African traditions, it is believed that there is life after death. It is believed that the ancestors are still present and are guiding us everyday. From time to time, we take a moment to pay tribute to them, to communicate with them, to ask questions and to ask for help. That moment of communication, in the Makonde language, is called Kulipudya - Pudya in singular form. As an African man, a Makonde, I believe that we all need a moment to find our own inner spirit, a moment to communicate with our souls, a moment to revaluate our lives, and refill it for tomorrow. PUDYA is a moment of self evaluation. PUDYA was inspired by the Makonde people's traditional ceremony of communicating with their ancestors. At this ceremony, they chant and dance, invoking the spirit of their ancestors to ask for help and good guidance in their lives." - Casimiro Nhussi -