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Youth Forum 2011

GlobalFest presents the second annual GlobalFest Youth Forum in Calgary junior high and high schools from April 25 - May 6. The two-week tour will feature professional urban artists from Toronto-based UNITY Charity as they teach breakdancing, graffti art, beatboxing, and spoken word poetry to eight Calgary schools.

The 2011 GlobalFest Youth Forum is a partnership between GlobalFest and UNITY Charity; together, the Forum actively engages student youth through performance assemblies and artistic workshops. The purpose of the program is to teach urban arts as a legitimate form of artistic expression while educating against mindsets of negativity, discrimination, and violence. The Youth Forum addresses teenage issues ranging from bullying and racism, to drug abuse. In 2010, the GlobalFest Youth Forum reached out to over 2500 students and teachers.

"If you weren't there then there is no way I can explain it that would make you feel the way I did!" (2010 Bishop McNally student)".

The 2011 GlobalFest Youth Forum Artists

Michael Cory Prosserman AKA Bboy Piecez
Executive Director / Break dancer

Michael Prosserman AKA "Bboy Piecez" found his passion for break dancing at a very young age. By the time he was three, Michael was already standing on his head while watching Saturday morning cartoons.

When Michael was growing up, his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia, an event which caused Michael a lot of stress throughout his childhood and put a lot of pressure on Michael to mature at a young age. Michael used dance to relieve his stress and let his passion guide his future. In University, Michael was devastated to learn that he suffered from a chronic neck condition that would limit his dancing forever. Despite his challenges, Michael continues to dance and tell his story to inspire people of all ages. By high school, Michael was traveling the world as one of Canada's top break-dancers. He was accepted into the pool of performers for Cirque Du Soleil in grade twelve. Michael was featured in the major motion picture "Honey" at the age of eighteen and performed alongside artists such as Maestro, Michie Mee and Jully Black. Michael has competed in Japan, Italy, Holland, Thailand, California, Hong Kong, New York, Jamaica, Florida, Detroit, the Yukon Territory, and Chicago against many of the world's top break dancers. He has placed first in over twenty two competitions.

By grade eleven, Michael decided that he wanted to share his outlet of dance with other young people. So hecreated an event called "Hip Hop Away From Violence" as a high school class project. In University, Michael founded the youth-led organization Urban Non-violent Initiatives Through Youth Charity (or UNITY as it has come to be known) based on his high school project. Since then, UNITY has reached over 30,000 young people across the country through inspiring performances, workshops, and after school programs. UNITY teaches youth to use break dancing, spoken word poetry, graffiti art, and beat boxing as a means of expressing their stress and anger in a positive way. For his work with UNITY, Michael was a finalist for the Top 20 Under 20 award, received the Vital People award from the Toronto Community Foundation, was invited to present at TED x Youth Toronto, and represented Canada in Italy at the WeFree Drug Prevention Conference.

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Kay'la Marie Mahy AKA Kiki
Partnership Director / Spoken Word Artist

Kay'la Fraser is a soft spoken, yet eccentric and creative minded individual based out of Brantford, Ontario. She fell in love with performance and language arts at a young age and found a way to weave her life's passion into a seamless, edgy tapestry through spoken word. Since first appearing on the scene in 2008, Kay'la has been working to establish herself as both a serious competitor and artist in the arts community. She has performed at a number of events, festivals, and poetry slams throughout the greater Toronto area and beyond. Kay'la has had the opportunity to share the stage with artists including: CR Avery, Rene Yoxon, Scott Jackson, Dwayne Morgan and Brendan McCleod. She is the founder and Creative Director of The POWERTRY Collective. She is a member of the 2010/11 Toronto Poetry Slam Team and is also a member of the spoken word troupe "Chocolate Fountain". In addition to this, it is a well-known fact that Kay'la is a cheesecake fiend, a wearer of many hats, a purveyor of random acts, and has been known to drop a poem or two on occasion.

For more information, visit:
www.kayfraser.wordpress.com and www.thepowertrycollective.wordpress.com

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Matthew-Ray Edson Jones AKA Testament
Rapper / Spoken Word Artist

Living by the rhythm of words, power, and sound, Matthew Jones AKA Testament uses speech to reach deep into the recesses of the mind to illuminate in youth, their infinite possibilities within.

Being a disciplined wordsmith, Testament has been writing poetry and stories since the age of 7. At 14, he fell in love with Hip-hop music, lyricism, and rhyme construction, leading him to releasing 3 albums to date. His music, art, and determination have brought Testament allover the globe in pursuit of spreading his message of peace, love, and unity. Testament has been to Europe, Asia, South and Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of the United States. He has performed and taught in many places in Canada including Nova Scotia, Nunavut, British Colombia, Quebec, and Ontario.

Testament thrives on instilling passion through experience and education into all of his workshops, talks, and seminars. Motivational, inspirational, bold, and fresh; Testament is sure to fill participants with high energy and challenge their minds and abilities.

With over 11 years of public speaking experience, Testament will certainly please diverse crowds and ages. Dedicated to the eternal pursuit of excellence, Testament lives by the motto "never let anything put out your fire!!!"

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Jessey Pacho AKA Phade
Graffiti Artist

Jessey Pacho is a Graffiti Artist and a Bboy. He started creating graffiti art in 2002 during the beginning of his high school years under the guidance of renowned artist "Bubz "(one half of the Tribal Bridgez Duo). In 2007, Jessey got his first legal opportunity to paint. The gig was to paint a BMX ramp live at the Rogers Centre during a Toronto Argonauts game. This event was possible thanks to both Bubz and Toronto police officer Scot Mills. Shortly after this event, Jessey and Bubz had more and more events to paint at. Eventually, Jessey was hired by the Harbourfront Community Centre as a youth mural artist and one year later won the position of Mural Project Facilitator. In the fall of 2009, UNITY had brought Jessey on board as an Artist Mentor for their high school programming. Since than, Jessey has been working with youth and helping them to realize their creative outlets and find positive ways to deal with situational, teenage problems. This past summer, Jessey was the supervisor of another mural project that involved a dedication to the nationally-known Highway of Heroes mural in Ontario. Jessey's background in breakdancing began at the end of 2008. One year later, he was picked up by dance crew "Ground Illusionz" and has been doing shows and competitions with them since.

"I love what I do. It's community building. I'm a firm believer in the saying 'what we see depends mainly on what we look for'. I look for the best in everything and do my best to help others spread positive energy."

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Troy Feldman AKA Whiplash
Break dancer

Troy is a Toronto based actor, dancer, parkour artist, acrobat and stuntman. This talented and versatile artist began his career at the tender age of 5 when he performed his first flip off the living room sofa. Since then Troy has gone on to win over audiences and fellow artists with his impressive blend of artistry and athleticism.

Troy launched his professional career in the Dora Award winning musical production, Lord of the Rings (Mirvish Productions - World Premiere). Troy has continued to work both in theatre and film over the last decade. Selected theatre credits include: The Forbidden Phoenix (Citadel Theatre/LKTYP), A Soldier's Tale (Theatre Aquarius), Jesus Christ Superstar (Tivoli Theatre) and The Walrus and the Carpenter (Rose Hill Theatre). Film/TV Credits include: White Collar Criminals (1st Runner Up – 2008 YouTube Project: Direct), Stepping Up 2 (Paramount Pictures), Troymotion and Stuntman (One Love Films).

Within the street dance community Troy is known for his unique style of free style movement combining acrobatics, breakdancing, free running, contemporary and house dancing. A self-taught dancer, Troy has been a part of various crews including house groups (Warehouse Jacks), breakdance groups (Albino Zebras, Supernaturals, ABS Crew, Conscious Souls), and the cross-disciplinary group Gadfly Dance Company. His dancing has taken him across Canada, the United States, and Europe both performing and competing in major competitions. He has also danced for the Toronto Raptors and the Blue Jays (including a stint as the Blue Jays mascot). Troy is an accomplished teacher and mentor sought after by many young and emerging street dance artists.

Regardless of the discipline, Troy is a passionate performer that brings his warmth, energy and humour to every project he is involved in. Troy is also extremely committed to being an active participant in community-based projects as evident in his role within UNITY.

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Balu Kanagalingam AKA Ballistic
Beat Boxer

Living his life in Toronto and in Netherlands, Balu will be entering his fourth year at Ryerson University, majoring in Accounting and minoring in Human Resources. Balu has been involved with many community initiatives. He has expressed immense commitment and determination by performing and doing beatbox workshops to over 100+ schools around Ontario, by expressing his own positive outlet, beatboxing. He has also performed internationally in Amsterdam representing Canada as a vocal percussionist in 2008. One of his beatbox groups from a middle school he taught (grade 6-8) has been getting their own shows as well, such as performing at CBC Headquarters for David Miller to performing at Dundas Square. Balu has also performed internationally, performing in front of 1000+ crowds. His name recently got published in the Guinness World Record Book to break the record for the hosting the Largest Human Beatbox Ensemble in the world.

Stay Tuned for more updates of the 2011 GlobalFest Youth Forum!!!

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