Oriah Wiersma is a multidisciplinary dance artist and actor based in Tkaronto. With a BFA in Performance from York University, Oriah’s practice spans dance, circus, music, film, and writing. Her creative process is rooted in embodiment and somatic awareness. Described as “highly visceral” and “beautifully haunting” her work explores the dissonant beauty of the human condition. 

Oriah thrives in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments, often orbiting closely with musicians and fellow artists. Some of her choreographic/stage work includes: the national tour of her solo isn’t this where, The Spirit Garden, R. Murray Schafer’s epic outdoor musical drama, interpreting for various choreographers, and performing live alongside bands in bars, festivals, and community parks. On screen Oriah has appeared in various national commercials and music videos: Gone Baby Gone (Aysanabee), Always a Romantic (ZINNIA), Life (Shannon O’Donovan), and Once I Knew (Ptarmigan). 

Alongside her performance practice, Oriah is a trained Cranial Sacral Therapist, a path rooted in her dedication to community care. Her current research explores the nervous system, states of attention, and the fluid relationship between body, stimulus, and sensation. This work, paralleled in her art, reflects a deep curiosity of the interplay between inner and outer landscapes