Kayla Gerber

I love the fitness and dance industry - it has always been my goal especially as someone with fibromyalgia to encourage health and well-being. I love sprending Caribbean and African culture through dance, fitness and joy. The best part about fitness is it create endorphins and it naturally makes you feel better. I work heavily with traumatic communities working to heal through feeling. Body movement can be a great way to connect your soul and spirit. 

Now that Caribbean culture and African culture is growing in past 5 years - I strive to continue that goal of my ancestors and spread that joy everywhere around the world to all communities. 

Thadinadonnih (Guelph) born and raised, University of Guelph Alumni, Valedictorian Graduate from the Randolph Academy for Performing Arts, Kween is a Black settler living out her passions. She is a dancer, teacher, actor, choreographer, director, producer, advocate, curator, marketing/social media guru, TedX and International Speaker and co-contributing Author to 100 Women of Inspiration and The Stage Light Flickers. 

Kween is the CEO and owner of The Kween Company - a multimedia arts and marketing company specializing in Violence, Oppression and Harm training, Co-owns The Heels Academy with her partners Michelle and Vanessa and runs Soca/Dancehall/Afro dance classes through The Kween Company. Kween is the team coordinator and choreographer for The Guelph Nighthawks Basketball Flight Crew and she also gives back to her arts community as a board member for several committees.

Within the coloured communities, I try to advocate for the rights of African and Caribbean people. Dedicated to Carnival, I help to promote through Epic Carnival Toronto and give my time back into the high schools teaching dance and mentoring during Black History Month.

Within advocacy, Kween uses her platform of activism and mentorship for her Black community through Carnival, Black Heritage Month, BIPOC Social justice, social enterprise projects and through cannabis advocacy.  She works closely with schools, local organizations and businesses, Indigenious communities, The Grove Youth Hub, grant funders, Ontario Health Teams, festivals, the City of Guelph, dignitaries and officials to make representation for the global majority. In addition she is a long time cannabis educator and Cannabis Curation Committee member for AHLOT. 

Kween is the leader of Solidarity March in Support of BLM in 2020 and the Executive Director and Social Justice Initiatives Coordinator for Guelph Black Heritage Society. Through the GBHS, you can catch her monthly as host and community producer on Rogers Channel 20 with her show “Diverse and Converse”, a BIPOC panel discussion.  

Kween held one of three Artistic Residencies with Guelph Dance 2020/2021 promoting her BIPOC art through movement and dance. Kween currently is a title holder for Woman of the Year 2020, nominee for RBC Women of Influence 2021, and nominee for Women of Inspiration 2021.

Dance/Artist BIO available