Marcus Merasty
2025–2026 Artist-In-Residence

ARTIST BIO

 Marcus Merasty (he/they) is a Nēhithaw/Cree performer, choreographer, and multidisciplinary artist with ancestral roots in Wapâwikoscikanihk/Pelican Narrows, Saskatchewan. A past Artist-in-Residence at New Dance Horizons (Regina, SK) and graduate of The School of Contemporary Dancers (Winnipeg, MB). Marcus’ work focuses on Indigenous contemporary dance performance and creation. Their work has been presented at; Remai Modern (Saskatoon, SK); Stream of Dance Festival (Regina,SK); Summer Love-in Festival (Toronto, ON); and Queer City Cinema (Regina, SK). He has worked as a dancer/interpreter for the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, The Globe Theatre, NDH/Rouge-gorge, and Lara Kramer. Marcus is currently based in Treaty 4 Territory/Regina, SK.

Marcus’ practice is deeply rooted in the intertwining of traditional and contemporary Indigenous dance forms, ideologies, and practices. His multidisciplinary approach combines choreography with visual imagery, storytelling, poetry, film, and object-based performance. Their work constructs experiences that examine the intersections of personal and collective histories within a contemporary context. De-colonial practices and land-based research inform his process, while somatic movement exploration remains central to their artistic expression.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

“The Golden Rez Dog is a somatic investigation into personal, collective, and ancestral histories. Inspired by the Cree poem The Old Rez Dog by Francine Merasty and The Golden Ass by Lucius Apuleius, the piece reflects on transformation, memory, and transference of intergenerational knowledge.

Through dynamic movement, immersive soundscapes, and interaction with objects and materials, the Golden Rez Dog reveals how stories travel, shift, and continue to shape us. De-colonial and land-based research inform my process, while somatic movement exploration remains central to my artistic expression. This work is rooted in the blending of traditional and contemporary Indigenous dance forms, ideologies, and creative practices.

The research process during the residency will focus on incorporating new soundscores, investigations into time, space, repetition and duration, as well as the installation component of the work.”

RESIDENCY DATES AND EVENTS

Residency:
February 23 – March 6, 2026

Open Studio:
Thursday, March 5, 2026
2:00–4:00pm
Space to Create – 2B-468 Main Street
Pay What You Can
TICKETS

Accessibility Information:
17-step staircase
Gender-inclusive washrooms
ASL interpretation offered upon request

Public Sharing:
Friday, March 6, 2026
7:00–8:30pm
The Forks – 1 Forks Market Road, Room 201
Pay What You Can
TICKETS

Accessibility Information:
Physically accessible
Gender-inclusive washrooms
ASL interpretation offered

Facilitator: Philip Geller

Philip Jonah Logan Geller (they/them) is Jewish (Ashkenazi) and Red River Michif (Métis) with Logan, Dupuis, Vandal ancestors, and roots to the historic Métis community of Rooster Town. Philip is based in Winnipeg/Wînipêk (Treaty 1).

They are a theatre/performance artist, educator, and scholar who is focused on decolonizing their process by listening to and dialoguing with ancestral and cultural knowledge. Their practice includes trickster methodologies, land-based creation, circular storytelling, and destabilizing hierarchical power structures in the rehearsal process, with a focus on anti-oppressive/anti-racist modalities. They are a SSHRC funded Master of Fine Arts Directing graduate from York University, a top 30 under 30 York University Alumni, and a Ken McDougall Award recipient for promising emerging director. Philip is currently Co-Artistic Producer for the Kiyanaan Indigenous Theatre Festival in Winnipeg, MB. They are creating new works in residency at The Theatre Centre and Theatre Passe Muraille. 

As a storyteller they have worked across Turtle Island as a performer, director, dramaturg, producer, clown, creator, and community worker with companies and festivals including Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Native Earth Performing Arts, Indigenous Arts Knowledge Exchange, The Stratford Festival, The National Arts Centre, Theatre YES, Gwaandak Theatre, Toronto Metropolitan University,  Centre for Indigenous Theatre, Made in Exile, Citadel Theatre, Nextfest, Play the Fool Festival, Edmonton Fringe Festival, and Paprika Theatre Festival. They are a graduate of the BFA Acting Program at the University of Alberta. Although, more importantly, they learn from all the incredible relations – human and more than human – they have the fortune of visiting with.

This residency is made possible with support from the Canada Council for the Arts, Manitoba Arts Council, and the Winnipeg Arts Council.