Reflections of dance and love: With Newton Moraes

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Live on CIUT 89.5 FM

Airing Date: July 26, 2025
Host: Nicole Inica Hamilton

 

Featured Guest(s):  Newton Moraes

On this episode, Newton Moraes (Artistic Director of Newton Moraes Dance Theatre) reflects upon love, loss, inspiration, and the pathways of his journey in dance.

About Newton Moraes:

Newton Moraes is a Brazilian-Canadian choreographer, performer, and educator recognized for his powerful fusion of Afro-Brazilian culture and contemporary dance. Originally from Porto Alegre, Brazil, he moved to Canada in the early 1990s and trained at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. In 1997, he founded Newton Moraes Dance Theatre, a company dedicated to exploring identity, spirituality, and the artistic dialogue between Canada and Latin America. Moraes has created and performed over 50 original works, touring nationally and internationally in Brazil, Germany, Colombia, and Cuba. His choreography is deeply influenced by his Afro-Brazilian heritage, personal loss, and LGBTQ identity.

Moraes has taught widely in Toronto’s dance community, including at Humber College’s Theatre Department and Acting for Film and Television program, as well as with Ballet Creole, KasheDance, and COBA – Collective of Black Artists. A committed advocate for the arts, Moraes is a board member with Dance Ontario and has contributed to the digital preservation of Canadian dance history through his work with Dance Collection Danse. He serves as a jury member for the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, supporting excellence in Toronto’s performing arts scene.  Moraes’ most recent solo dance “My Dance Is Not a Hobby” has been touring Canada including the Dance On The Edge Festival in Vancouver,  and Vanguadia Dance Festival in Toronto. This work was created with support from Wind in the Leaves Collective, and is part of the IBPOC Touring Network.
📸 Newton Moraes Dance Theatre. Photography by David Hou