Força

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES; BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE

Drawing her name from her Portuguese heritage, Força is a woman on fire. Dubbed Toronto’s “force of nature,” her acts are as changing and unpredictable as the elements. Força’s signature high-energy choreography, enigmatic facial expressions, dynamic audience interaction, comedic timing, and powerful stage presence bring both classic decadence and neo-burlesque fantasies to life to create an experience that is evocative in every sense.

Força has graced some of the largest burlesque stages worldwide, including throughout Canada, the US and Germany. Fresh out the gate, Força won the crown at the Edmonton Burlesque Festival’s “Bunny” competition for upcoming performers. By 2019, she was invited to perform in the "Best Debut" category at the Burlesque Hall of Fame! A trained actor, director, and designer, she is an award-winning performer who is sure to leave your heart racing.

But Força’s investment in burlesque extends far past just her talents on stage. She holds a Ph.D. focusing on feminist community-based knowledge production in neo-burlesque. Her research has been featured in the Canadian Theatre Review and at conferences across North America. Força has taught burlesque in both studio and academic courses at the University of Toronto and the University of Toronto Scarborough, and has conducted workshops in Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax.

Core to Força’s teaching and research mandate is the importance of making research on burlesque accessible to the burlesque community. In 2020, she organized “Spectacular Striptease,” a panel with four of the Legends of burlesque, a free panel that both community members and interested researchers could attend. In 2021, she co-produced “Love Letters to the Legends” at VHOF, a showcase that tributed the Legends of burlesque. Força currently serves on the Burlycon University Advisory Committee, helping the largest congregation of burlesque instructors and students worldwide design their multi-part course curricula. She is excited to be putting her research into action with the TBF team!