Meet the Paprika 2026 Cohort

Jane-Leigh Jamieson (She/Her) is a dancer and choreographer from the Six Nations Reserve. Jane-Leigh has always been passionate about the arts, specifically dance. She enrolled in various dance classes at different studios in her area growing up. She took many classes related to her field of interest in high school while obtaining her stage and screen SHSM. During her time in high school she performed in musicals, The Wedding Singer, Aladdin Jr., and a special performance of One Night Only where she choreographed a number. She also performed in a student written play titled Saving Copetown which competed in the NTS dramafest. She moved on to graduate from the George Brown College Dance Performance Preparation Program, where she took classes in ballet, pointe, jazz, modern dance, contact improve, and other related classes which made her a well rounded performer. Now Jane-Leigh is working on further developing her skills as a choreographer.

Kéïta Fournier-Pelletier (She/They) is a queer, Métis, Franco-Manitoban dance artist currently based in Tkaronto. Kéïta has a strong interest in interdisciplinary arts and combining dance with different mediums, including but not limited to music and theatre. Moving with care, sensitivity and community is at the forefront of how Kéïta creates. Their works are collaborative and tied to their identity and values. She is interested in creating work that questions power, heteronormativity, and other societal norms that reject her identity.

Vandana Maharaj (She/her) is a Trinidadian-Canadian actor, director and writer. Her artistic practice centers community and shared human experiences shaped by the multicultural societies she finds herself in. She is a recent graduate of the Theatre and Drama Studies program at U of T Mississauga and Sheridan College. In her spare time, you can find Vandana reading, writing, singing or surrounding herself with crystals. She is thrilled to be a part of the Paprika Festival!

Nicci Pryce (they/them) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is rooted in passion, vulnerability, and social justice. With a BA in Media Production from TMU, they contributed to creating a wide array of projects ranging from mixtapes, theatrical productions, and short films each with a definitive focus on amplifying underrepresented narratives. Their artistic journey has been shaped by collaboration with companies such as Theatre Gargantua, Bad Hats, Crane Creations, Soulpepper, and New Harlem Productions.

Melissa (She/Her) is a Latina-Filipina writer, artist, theatre lover and box office afficionado who was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She studied at The University of Toronto and earned a degree in biochemistry, but her love of theatre outweighed her need for a job in a stable industry. Her biggest goals are to help the arts in Toronto flourish and to be on Jeopardy.

Gwen Gabriella Caughell (she/her) is a playwright, short story writer and critic based out of Toronto. She is excited by all sorts of theatre, but is drawn work that is queer, difficult and loud. Her writing as a theatre critic has appeared in Intermission. She loves overthinking the hidden meanings in pop music.

Suleekha Hirsi (she/her) is a Somali-Canadian, Black Muslim playwright and filmmaker based in Brampton. Her work follows families and the everyday ways people care, struggle, and practice resilience. She sits on the board of Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) and is pursuing a Masters in Urban Planning, bringing curiosity about people and place into her storytelling. Her work lingers in kitchens, living rooms, and quiet corners, noticing the small, tender moments that make life feel full.

Kobena Ampofo (we / they) is a queer Akan anti-disciplinary artist developing a curiosity-led research practice around witchcraft, Akan mediumship, and the spirit realm.

Kobena was born on a dark Tuesday morning in Kumasi and has since also lived in Accra, South Bend, Chicago, Brampton, and now Toronto. Our practice is guided by exploring how to conjure new realities into being, and finding new ways to communicate beyond (human) language.

saysah (They/Them) is always in the process of (un)becoming—an ever-evolving learner, maker, and mover. As a multi-sensorial artist, their journey weaves together different forms of expression, all guided by sensory exploration. Their practice is one of disruption; peeling back the layers of knowledge systems and re-membering what has been left for us.Through their work, they build spaces for co-creation, where community-building, ritual, and archive come together in a shared approach.