PROJECT // Nafs project
BIOGRAPHY
Hoor Malas
A dancer/ performer born in Syria. Began her dance journey at the age of eight at the Damascus Ballet School. In 2007, she earned her bachelor’s degree in dance from the Higher Institute of Arts in Damascus, Syria, and obtained her diploma in contemporary dance from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, UK in 2008. Hoor taught contemporary dance techniques at the Art Conservatoire in Damascus for ten years. Co-founded her contemporary dance company 2006-2013. Initially, she only had a passion for dancing and didn’t start choreographing her pieces until 2014 when the war caused an exodus of choreographers from the Syrian capital. She moved to Montreal in 2020 to further develop her skills as a choreographer and performer. Her work stems from personal reflection and incorporates socio-cultural and political issues. Some of her notable works include “Regression” (2016), “Three Seconds” (2018), “Hanging” (2019), “Dust” (2022), and “If My body had a Name” (2022-24).
Neil Sochasky Neil’s career wearing various hats as performer, rehearsal director, œil exterior, choreographer, teacher, and coach has spanned five continents and more than 20 years. As a performance coach in the fields of dance, theatre, and circus, he helps individual artists understand how to move more efficiently, communicate more clearly, surpass stubborn technical challenges or resolve chronic injuries. As rehearsal director/dramaturge he has collaborated with dance and theatre companies in France (Cie Pavlov, Transborder, Theatre Naranja, etc.), Canada (Margie Gillis Dance Foundation, Nadère Arts Vivants, Ivanochko et cie/blackandblue dance projects, Hoor Malas, etc) and in the United States (Belinda McGuire Dance Projects). His own choreographies have been performed in Paris, in Los Angeles, in Melbourne, and in Montréal.
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| How do we process grief when our rituals of mourning and the bodies of the mourned aren’t available to us? Nafs is an invented elegiac ritual of commemoration and hope, drawing inspiration from funerary washing, material theater, and memories of home and friendship. Coming from a place of personal grief—the profound sorrow of losing a dear one who committed suicide—Nafs looks through a unique lens, where we can explore the complexities of mourning. It acknowledges the deep chasms that open up when we lose someone we love, particularly in situations where closure is elusive. In regions where conflicts lead to the disappearance of loved ones or where bodies are never recovered, the act of grieving can feel almost insurmountable. In this journey, we invite a sanctuary where grief can coexist with hope, an invitation to dance our way into unforeseen futures. This journey into the heart of our sorrow becomes a transformative experience, revealing the depths of our humanity and the strength we’ve found in our shared pain. |
| Scenographer/lighting designer: Flavia Hevia First creation residency: Circuit-Est & Nyata Nyata Sep 2024 Three-day creation residency: Maison de la culture du Plateau Mont-Royal May 2025. Labdiff 7 in October 2025 |
