Kilusan

About

Maribeth Manalaysay Tabanera aka Kilusan (siya/sanda/any pronouns) is a Tagalog Visayan filipinx queer non-binary multi-hyphenate artist, educator and community organizer. They are a second-generation settler on Treaty No. 1 (Winnipeg, Canada)

A life-long learner, they have focused their energy on diving deeply into their passions of dance, education, DJing, social justice and community building. Kilusan is a full-time public school educator, artist facilitator with Graffiti Art Programming and Unity Charity, and is a board member of Manitoba Music and Kultivation Festival. They have presented their work as an educator, dancer, and DJ at events all over North America.

A street-style dancer for over 25 years, Maribeth's training background includes breaking, hip hop, house, vogue, waacking, dancehall and afrobeat. They began their dance training at the age of 8, with Filipino folk dance organisation, Magdaragat Inc. From 2006 - 2013, they were a member of Define Movement, one of Winnipeg's premiere Hip Hop dance crews. In 2015, Maribeth was part of Project Dance Company. The crew became one of the first groups to represent Winnipeg at the Canadian Hip Hop Championships in Montreal, and Canada at Hip Hop International in San Diego. In 2016, Maribeth became a choreographer and performer with B.O.S.S. Dance Team.

A graduate from Mama Cutsworth's DJ Academy for All Women and Non-Binary Folks, they have been an open-format DJ, since 2018. Kilusan has worked with Queer People of Colour Winnipeg, Synonym Art Consultation, DJ Bles-sed, DJ Maseo, Ill Town Sluggaz and Skratch Bastid.

In 2022, Maribeth launched their company Kilusan Productions. Through unique, inclusive and community-minded education, dance, DJing, production and event organising, Kilusan Productions strives to cultivate a grassroots contemporary art movement in Winnipeg and abroad rooted in social responsibility and mutual solidarity. Maribeth was also chosen as Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists/West Chapter - BIPOC Dance Resident, and was a recipient of the Manitoba Arts Council Support Arts Leaders Grant.

Maribeth's most recent projects include producing a video from CBC Manitoba's Creators Network "Unlocked" series. Co-hosting events with Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain including Queer Nights, Grill Em’ All-Styles Dance Battle and Midsummer Night’s Dream Mini-Ball. As well as, performing with Kimmortal (Vancouver) in Seattle at Taking B(l)acked Pride and in Yellowknife at Folk on The Rocks.

www.maribethtabanera.com
www.linkedin.com/in/maribeth-tabanera
www.instagram.com/kilusan.productions
www.mixcloud.com/Kilusan