Zacharie Winter

Zacharie Winter is a guitarist, arranger, and composer whose work bridges the worlds of jazz, rock, and experimental sound. Based between New York City and Montreal, he is a graduate of the renowned LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts and holds a Bachelor of Music from McGill University. His artistic voice has been shaped under the mentorship of acclaimed musicians such as Camille Thurman, Stéphane Wrembel, and Darrell Green. Drawing from a broad palette of influences, Zacharie crafts immersive musical experiences that blur genre lines. For this edition of Mazeru, Zacharie and his ensemble — featuring Leo Codiga, Julian Ferrer, and Sean Burke — will be performing a standalone jazz set, offering a rich sonic atmosphere to open the night.

Kaia Portner / Nomi Nova

Kaia Portner (elle/she/her) (Nomi Nova on stage) is a dancer/choreographic artist based in Montreal/Tiohtià:ke QC and has obtained a BFA in Contemporary Dance and choreography from Concordia University. Kaia performs regularly as a showgirl and dance entertainer at various clubs/events in Montreal such as Yoko Luna, La Nuit Shanghai, YDC productions, Cabaret de Curiosités, LikeitLoveit events and more. Kaia has worked commercially as a model and dancer for brands like Brown’s shoes and Mondaine de Pariso, as well as her individual choreography and direction for Quebec artists MAZE and BéLi for Osheaga 2025. Kaia’s work has influences from the showgirls of Paris that impact her choreographic and performative state in manners of hyperfemininity and pleasure seeking as a dynamic dancer. Kaia continues her training in Montreal, New York and Toronto, in jazz, contemporary, heels, latin styles, house, pole and aerial hoop. Kaia’s choreographic pursuits have led her to debut a solo work for Tangente’s Danses Buissonnières 2024 season titled “Capital Erotica”, as well as a live performance excerpt of her work PHASE2” for the choreographic marathon at Studio 303. Kaia also teaches a sensual flow class at Studio Bizz, and loves to share her passion for theatricality and sensuous dance with others.

For this edition of Cirque de Mazeru, she conjures up a slinky, striptease-inspired performance—melding hyperfemininity, pleasure, and performance into one unforgettable act. “Thrilled to be performing with Cirque Mazeru! Blending contemporary movement, sharp choreography and a touch of showgirl glamour.” — Nomi Nova

Sydney Bluck

Sydney Bluck (she/they) is a queer contemporary dancer and choreographer currently residing in Tiohtià:ke, commonly known as Montréal, Québec. They are a graduate of Simon Fraser University (2023), receiving a BFA in dance from the School of Contemporary Arts, during which she also completed a semester abroad at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Having had the opportunity to train in Vancouver, London and Montréal, each new place has connected them with new people, new music, new food, and new inspirations that have broadened her sense of the world, and how she approaches her movement practice.

As a dancer, Sydney embodies three main principles; pleasure, discovery and expression while simultaneously prioritizing care for others, herself, and her body. They have worked most recently with Robert Kitsos on his film Moving Matter 1 (Dance on Camera, Oslo Short Film Festival, WildDogs) and with Alexandra Caprara on ULTRA VIOLETS (IndieFest). As a choreographer, Sydney works with confronting and exploring the self. Recently, they have found inspiration in drag and clown, admiring specifically the virtuosity, confidence, and vulnerability expressed in these forms. She works from within by responding to impulses both emotionally and physically, and ultimately uses joy to guide her throughout all her creative processes.

Hannah Grove

Hannah’s artistic practice is formed on a foundation of internal feeling. Her primary medium is performance with a background in contemporary circus and movement. She performs tightwire, acro dance, ground and group acrobatics, aerial hoop, hoop diving, bottle walking, hula hoop and dance. Hannah also performs contemporary co-founded, directed, and produced shows in her creative duo, Primary Witness. She is highly inspired by claymation, 70’s experimental music, the way scaly animals move, avant-garde fashion and visceral live performance. Hannah approaches her work with an extreme appreciation for the limitations of the body and a wonderment for lengths art can stretch to and provide for. She also utilizes many other visual artistic mediums including poetry, block printing, and wire sculpture to inspire and aid her process. Hannah has experience in stationary and touring shows and events across the US, Canada, and EU with experience in traditional and contemporary circus settings.

Chanel Monange

Chanel Monange, a Montreal based circus artist, strives to blend technical skill with expressive movement to create dynamic, engaging performances. She specializes in floor acrobatics, with a focus on Hoop Diving and Hula Hoop and her acts are deeply rooted in dance and musicality.