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Kristen Pepper (CAEA/ACTRA) is a Toronto-based actor, dancer, singer, model, choreographer, director, theatre producer and an intimacy coordinator/director in training. Hailing from Windsor, Ontario, she graduated from York University’s BFA Dance program with Specialized Honours, concentrating in performance and choreography. Her technical background consists of Broadway, Ballet (Cecchetti), Fosse, Tap, African, Jazz, Salsa, Burlesque, Bollywood, Heels, Persian, Graham and Limon techniques, Latin, Modern, Improvisation, Brazilian Samba, Jazz Funk, Contemporary and Hip Hop.
Kristen’s stage works include: Apache Dancer/Ensemble in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Dance Captain/Ensemble in Anne & Gilbert (Island Theatre Festival), Magician/Magician's Assistant in Illusionarium (Starvox Entertainment), In-Transit (Von Hunt Productions, Toronto Fringe Festival - Digital), a Scott Fordham piece in Choreoball, The Silent Goodbye and White Light Follies (High Society Cabaret), Magician's Assistant in the national tours of Seeing is Believing and The Magic of Christmas, DJAA in Fall For Dance North at the Sony Centre of Performing Arts (Lua Shayenne Dance Company), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (LOT - BroadwayWorld Award Winner for Best Musical), The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Cabaret (York University).
She also works frequently in television and film. Selected credits: The Big Finish (Short), Waxing Attendant in the The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, Judith in Your Brother Harry, Exotic Dancer in Mayor of Kingstown, Tracy Edwards in VICE’s Dark Side of the Ring, Karin Strom in Oxygen’s An Unexpected Killer, Sharee Miller in Oxygen’s Killer Affair, Allison Sherrod in Discovery ID’s Deadly Deception, Kim in James Franco’s film Blood Theatre, Featured Dancer in David Record’s music video Closer and Astha’s More, Brazilian Samba Dancer in the 2015 Pan American Games Opening Ceremony with Cirque du Soleil and in commercials for Toyota and TSN. As a model, Kristen can be seen in online campaigns for Hena, print work for Liftow Toyota and in a lookbook campaign for a clothing supplier of Hudson’s Bay, Laura, and boutique stores across the country.
Kristen is an avid and versatile choreographer and director. She produced, choreographed, and performed in her company Pepper Dance Projects’ inaugural production Hooked, a contemporary-jazz dance theatre piece about addiction and mental health, which toured the Toronto and Windsor-Walkerville Fringe Festivals to critical acclaim. Hooked was nominated for several BroadwayWorld Awards including Best Fringe Festival Production (Play) and Fringe Festival Female Breakout Performance (Kristen Pepper, Alysia Charbonneau). Her other choreographic credits include: Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens, Villains: An 80s Musical Cabaret, Cabaret, Show Choir, and her contemporary work Premena. Kristen worked as an Associate Producer at Vanier College Productions at York University for three years and directed There Is No Maybe: A Play About Sex and Consent, which was performed annually for 6,000 incoming students. During the pandemic, Kristen choreographed their Show Choir and directed Consent Talks, a new piece written about consent and sexual violence during COVID-19 and in the online world,. She also directed a series of consent training videos for faculty, staff and student leaders at York.