Afro-Dite: HairLoom is a contemplation of black beauty and the celebration of its otherness.  Sourced from her childhood experience of wearing large braids to school and being different from her mostly Caucasian schoolmates, the artist invites her mother (and others) to rebraid her hair, this time weaving in textures and textiles of autobiographical, cultural, and ethnic significance.  These mixed media plaits will also include contributions from the artist’s community of black femmes and be formed into braid quilts that hold their rich narratives, both painful and exultant.  The piece will culminate in a dance in defiance of mainstream beauty standards, set to a soundscape of the stories collected, all in moving tribute to lineage and community.

Coco Framboise (Nikola Steer) is a multidisciplinary artist, educator and curator.  She has spent 15 years as a world-touring burlesque headliner, and is known for poignant performances that take audiences on a thrill ride from the saucy to the surreal to the sublime. She is the creator of the magical, immersive world of Hotel Tryst, with a five unique iterations including a sold-out run in Coney Island.  She was invited to the Burlesque Hall of Fame weekend in Las Vegas to compete for the Best Debut world title.  She is also the Director of Programming and Creative Director of the Toronto Burlesque Festival, now in its twelfth year. 

In addition to burlesque, she creates work in a variety of forms including dance, photography, film, writing, visual art, and performance art.  She recently mounted her photography exhibit called “The Real Show is Backstage” featuring candid images of her fellow burlesque artists in liminal spaces at the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre.  She has diverse offerings of new work coming up throughout 2019 including an edgy new performance art avatar and experience called Coco Paradise.