What's next for Performance: Dance grad Isabella Gerosa?
The Performance: Dance program merges high-level, elite technical proficiency with the resources of a university, so students are prepared for a 21st-century career where physical versatility and intellectual leadership are equally vital.
Upcoming Dance program graduate, Isabella Gerosa (external link) is ready to leap into the live entertainment industrys and reflects on how her dance training from TMU prepared her for a variety of possibilities. 
Describe your time at Performance, what were your favourite classes and what rehearsal projects/performances were you a part of?
My time at the School of Performance expanded my understanding of movement and artistic practice in ways I had not previously imagined. It challenged me to engage with dance through a more nuanced and exploratory lens, deepening both my creative voice and critical perspective.
Among the most influential experiences were Creative Performance Studies with Kate Hilliard, as well as technique classes in Contemporary, Jazz, and Cuban Modern. Each of these disciplines offered a distinct physical and expressive language, shaping my versatility and informing my approach as an emerging professional artist. These classes have had a lasting impact on my development, both technically and creatively, as I prepare to enter the industry.
A particularly meaningful part of my training was participating in DACO, a choreographic event directed by Angela Blumberg that highlights emerging choreographic voices. I had the opportunity to perform in this event in both 2024 and 2025, experiences that further refined my performance practice.
I had the opportunity to work with Kate Hilliard through the Arts Orillia Dance and Design Residency, where I developed a choreographic work that first began in the studio. This experience allowed me to expand my professional practice beyond the creative process, deepening my understanding of collaboration with lighting designers, stage managers, and photographers already working within the field.
What are some good memories and your biggest takeaways from your four years?
My greatest takeaway from this experience has been a deeper understanding of art as a holistic and evolving practice. Through the guidance of my teachers and mentors, I have engaged with complex artistic concepts, developed skills in collaboration, and cultivated the ability to both discover and articulate my own approach to creating work. This process has been foundational in shaping not only my artistic voice, but also my capacity to contribute meaningfully within creative communities.
Equally significant has been the influence of my peers. I have had the privilege of working alongside curious, driven, and deeply invested artists who continuously challenge and inspire one another. The relationships I have built and the shared commitment to growth and exploration have been among the most meaningful aspects of my time here, experiences and connections I value profoundly and would not exchange.
From Sung by the Body choreographed by Isabella for Choreographic Works 2024.
Photo by Jeremy Mimnagh
Is there something you wish you could tell yourself in first year?
If I could offer advice to my first-year self, it would be to remain open to change and to embrace it with greater ease and trust. Growth within an artistic practice is rarely linear, and learning to trust the process is essential. Reflecting on my development, I recognize the value of approaching my work with greater intention and presence from the outset. I would encourage myself to more fully engage with the depth of knowledge being offered, and to invest earlier in building meaningful connections within. Relationships and experiences are just as transformative as the training itself.
What is one BIG dream you have for your life after graduation?
After graduation, I aspire to share my work widely offering it to diverse audiences and communities while remaining open in how I create and connect. I’m drawn to collaboration across disciplines and hope to engage with artists whose curiosity aligns with my values as a maker. My goals span multiple spaces: directing and performing in dance film as well as commercial scenes, choreographing for both large stages and companies, and teaching along the way. I’m equally passionate about dance photography, and I see it as another avenue to explore movement, storytelling, and perspective. My goal is to move audiences in whatever way resonates most with them.