What is CRIPSiE?
CRIPSiE (The Collaborative Radically Integrated Performers Society in
Edmonton) is an Edmonton-based collective of artists that include people who experience disability and their allies. We challenge dominant stories of disability and other forms of oppression through high-quality crip and mad performance art, video art, as well as public education and outreach programs.
Who Is CRIPSiE?
CRIPSiE Board is pleased to announce a new chapter in CRIPSiE, and introduce our new artistic leadership and our decision-making model. After many years of AA collective programming leadership, The Artistic Associates and the Board of Directors have decided to place Alison Neuman in the Artistic Leadership role, as Co-Artistic Producer. She will be working with Krista Lin as Administrative Manager and Rebecca Bissonnette as Operations Manager.
Leadership Team:
Alison Neuman
Krista Lin
Rebecca Bissonnette
Active Artistic Associates:
Nicolle Marie Elliot
Julie Andrew
Board of Directors:
Brooke Leifso
Kristi Hansen
Angela Meneley
Carly Neis
Mallory Chipman
Molly Staley
Alison Neuman
Co-Artistic Producer
Alison Neuman is a disabled artist with an education and performance foundation in dance, choreography, theatre, music, and playwriting rooted in the arts community from Edmonton to California. She has studied with CRIPSiE Edmonton, Good Women Dance Collective (GWDC), Orchesis Dance, Mile Zero Dance, AXIS Dance, Nextfest, The Citadel Theatre Foote Theatre School, The MacEwan Conservatory of Music, The Alberta Playwrights’ Network RBC Emerging Artists Mentorship Program, Kompany Family Theatre, and The Citadel Theatre RBC Horizon Emerging Artists Program.
Her choreography has appeared at Nextfest, The Expanse Festival, Dirt Buffet Cabaret, Emergence, and CRIPSiE Shows. Alison’s plays have been produced at The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival and Walterdale Theatre From Cradle to Stage. She has a Master’s Degree with an Educational Studies focus, a Bachelor of Applied Communications Degree, a Diploma in Professional Writing, and a Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing.
She hopes artists will see someone like them on or working behind the stage and know there is a place for them in the arts. Alison looks forward to creating programming and opportunities to engage our community and build relationships with new individuals and organizations.
For more information, visit www.alisonneuman.ca.
Krista Lin
Administrative Manager
Krista Lin is a contemporary artist and arts manager based in amiskwacîwâskahikan (colonially Edmonton). A graduate of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Krista has studied with renowned instructors in Israel, Taiwan, and across Canada. Krista has performed in works by Heidi Strauss, Justine Chambers, Good Women Dance, Matthew Mackenzie, and Gerry Morita, among others. She has choreographed for her own dance productions, musicals, and plays. She has produced independent productions in collaboration with other artists since 2011. Krista teaches dance in public and private institutions, and has taught outreach workshops in Ontario, Alberta, and Taiwan. With a diploma in Arts and Cultural Management from MacEwan University, Krista is a part-time arts manager and arts advocate. Krista has worked for the Edmonton Arts Council, Punctuate! Theatre, Mile Zero Dance, KnK Collective, and Sugar Swing.
Krista is looking forward to being back with CRIPSiE in a new role. She is eager to support the development of the community and organization, by supporting Alison and Rebecca in their new roles, hoping to create stability and widen the path for more integrated art making.
She is a mom to Andy, Lily, and dog-child Louie.
Rebecca Bissonnette
Operations Manager
Rebecca Bissonnette is a Queer, Indigenous, Female artist that loves getting involved in adventures that allow her to tell a story. A sought after collaborator, she has created as an actor, dancer, singer, improviser, comedian, playwright, choreographer, songwriter, director, stage manager, producer, radio show host as well as an arts educator and administrator.
Rebecca has an Education degree with a minor in Educational Psychology, a Management Studies Diploma and close to 3 decades in the dance studio. She has been a part of creating with Mile Zero Dance, Leduc Drama Society, Foote In The Door Theatre, Walterdale Theatre, Workshop West Theatre, Die-Nasty Improv, Horizon Players, Nuova Vocal Arts, Sky’s The Limit Youth Theatre, Fierce and Curvy Empire - as well as run her own dance company Shift Happens Dance, her own production company DEPTH Perception Productions and her own radio station Turn It Up Radio.
Rebecca is thrilled to be working alongside Krista and Alison in order to really showcase that art is for every body, as well as help put the supports in place that allow that to be true.