Toronto-based emerging artist Derek Souvannavong is a 2022 graduate of the Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours Dance Program at York University, where his achievements in choreography and performance were recognized with the Spedding Memorial Scholarship and the Menaka Thakkar Award in World Dance. He has recently performed solo work this identity: woven created in collaboration with Peggy Baker through the RBC emerging Artists Program, as well as performed work through DaCo Lab hosted by Angela Blumberg. He is a former company member of Free Flow Dance Theatre where he has performed in numerous productions by guest artists Terrill Maguire, Danny Grossman, Edward Kastrau and Newton Moraes. Also Intrigued by traditional Lao dance forms, Souvannavong wishes to continue exploring relations between Lao dance forms and the western diaspora of contemporary dance.