Featured Artists
Zaria Rajha and Mario Lemvar ·
Zaria Rajha and Mario Lemvar are movement artists and choreographers who share a deep passion for exploring human existence through dance. Graduates of the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts, Damascus, Syria where they received professional training in dance, as well as in dance choreography, theatrical movement, mime, and puppetry, Zaria and Mario co-founded Error 404 Dance Found Collective and became the artistic directors of Error 404 performance, establishing themselves as rising artists in the Canadian dance scene. They have co-choreographed and performed works for different festivals and cabarets, including the Grand Residency Cabaret (Grand Theatre), and Fluid Festival (Springboard Performance),Transform Festival and Quick+Dirty Festival (Dancer Studio West) receiving the audience choice award. Zaria’s background in hip-hop, and contemporary dance, combined with Mario’s roots in bboying and breakdance, result in a fusion of movement that is both innovative and deeply moving.
Recently in 2023, they created and produced their show “Error 404” at the Grand Theatre, further showcasing their talent and creativity. Their performances are known for a unique style of choreography that skillfully combines comic joyful moments with dramatic infusions, leaving audiences enthralled and emotionally connected to their artistry.
Detour
Detour is a dance-theatre work that explores life as a series of entrances, where each door opens into something unexpected. We begin our lives wide-eyed and curious, but as we move forward, our paths become layered with responsibilities, social pressures, and unforeseen challenges. These experiences compel us to navigate change, sometimes with courage, and sometimes with hesitation.
The piece explores themes of belonging, adaptability, and resilience. Some detours we choose, while others appear without warning, and we must learn to drift through them in order to continue.
A central metaphor in the work is paper—an ordinary, fragile material that holds immense power. Throughout the performance, paper represents documents, permissions, systems, and rules that can shape, limit, or redirect our lives. It becomes a symbol of how something seemingly mundane can control our movement, influence our choices, and lead us into unexpected detours.
This performance becomes a living exploration of identity and transition revealing how external structures and internal emotions intersect within the body.
This 20-minute duet blends contemporary dance and physical theatre, incorporating improvised sections and movement inspired by pedestrian gestures and everyday body language. These simple yet powerful actions are reimagined through expressive physicality and theatrical storytelling, allowing emotion and intention to guide the work.
Detour invites curiosity and challenges linear storytelling. At times playful and at times dramatic, the piece encourages audiences to shift perspectives and reflechttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1VedNZGTX9zqScuOQjdxewju7_Bp8eO0_/view?usp=sharingt on the forces shaping their lives. It reminds us that life rarely follows a straight path, there are always detours, some chosen and some imposed!
Performed by two dancers, the work is tour-ready for Fall 2026 and open for 2027. With a simple set, adaptable technical needs, and emotionally engaging storytelling, Detour connects with audiences of all ages. Described as fresh, dynamic, surprising, and deeply moving, the piece is visceral, allowing each viewer to relate through their own experience.