Mrs. Suzi Horton-Ifill

Obituary

Susan “Suzi” Horton-Ifill – A Love Supreme Susan “Suzi” Horton-Ifill was born smiling on May 3, 1966 in Toronto.Suzi’s passion for dance surfaced almost immediately and while many children are taking their first cautious steps, a three year-old Suzi was dancing with teachers from The National Ballet of Canada. Ballet was just the beginning however, Suzi was soon performing with Chissamba Chyuaka, a dance company committed to preserving and sharing Afro-Caribbean culture through music and dance. Suzi’s talents encompassed dance, singing, music, choreography and producing – her career spanned Toronto, Miami and Los Angeles. In her early life she was a member of the Canadian Children’s Choir of Toronto. As part of this internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble, Suzi performed as the opening entertainment for Bill Cosby’s Toronto appearance in the mid 70’s and later at a special event for the Hon. Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada. In her later years, Suzi’s work in film and television especially in music videos, would garner accolades and awards. These experiences inspired Suzi to introduce to Toronto and later Stratford to TigerLily’s Cabaret, a multi-media erotic, exotic spectacle of dance, acrobatics and musical performance. Suzi was no stranger to adversity. In 1987, Suzi suffered life-threatening injuries as a passenger in a devastating car accident. Though told she would likely never dance again, Suzi’s doctors quickly learned that telling Suzi she couldn’t do something was an excellent way to ensure she tried as hard as she could to prove them wrong. Suzi was determined to not just recover, but to emerge from her endless physiotherapy sessions stronger and more agile in every way. This experience sparked her lifelong interest in health and wellness. Suzi studied fitness and nutrition in addition to returning to dance, she became a sought after aerobics and fitness instructor and personal trainer. Not only did Suzi overcome tremendous odds to dance again, in 1992, she began to build her legacy of philanthropy and education through the arts. At that time, she used the funds she received from the accident to create P.S. Catch 22. This multi-use performance and arts education facility became the hub of Toronto’s burgeoning hip-hop, house and R & B communities. P.S. Catch 22 also doubled as a cultural center by hosting open houses, charitable events and record release parties that showcased new Canadian artists, Chicago based house music artists and to other industry professionals. This unique space before its time helped foreign artists develop a Canadian following. Suzi also made time to continue her community involvement by coordinating events for The Bob Lorsch Foundation and volunteering with Street Dreams an art network for homeless & at-risk youth. Suzi was also a trailblazer for powerful female voices. Suzi launched her company sheVISIONS Inc., (Suzi Horton Entertainment Visions) the name of which was drawn from Suzi’s strong desire to empower herself and other women to realize their dream and ideas – on their own terms. With sheVISIONS, Suzi established herself first in public relations, specializing in product, restaurant and nightclub launches and later, in concert promotions, culminating in the now legendary performance by funk pioneer George Clinton at Toronto’s Concert Hall. Suzi’s considerable talent, incredible beauty and joyful attitude attracted the attention of artists from every musical genre. The first international artist to recognize Suzi’s talent as a dancer was Prince. After being asked to join the tour as a dancer for the Purple Rain Tour, Suzi became a highly sought after performer within the music industry. Suzi collaborated on live shows, festival tours and music videos and appeared with artists that included Perry Farrel, The Tea Party, Bass’s Base, Dr. Dre, LL Cool J, Robert Owens, Fishbone, The Beastie Boys’ Michael “Mike D” Diamond, Slim Glillard, Leonard Cohen and HR from Monster Magnet. In 1994, Suzi burst into the world of film and television shows including being highlighted in high profile music videos and commercials. Suzi maintained a steady flow of work as a sought after professional stuntwoman that worked on films and television shows such as Bulletproof Monk, Land of The Dead, The Incredible Hulk, Max Payne, Fringe and Wharehouse 13. Her incredible range as a dancer and skill as a choreographer propelled many of the videos she appeared in to be nominated for and win numerous awards. But again, working as an actor, dancer and stuntwoman in Toronto’s film industry was not enough so she started making special appearances in South Beach, Miami to coordinate special events and advance her modeling career. It was in Toronto that Suzi began her most important and cherished collaboration: she met and later married the love of her life, Laurence Dean Ifill. Dean and Suzi eloped with the blessing of their family on September 9th 2009. They later celebrated their marriage a year later in a waterfront ceremony on Toronto’s Ward’s Island on August 1st, 2010 that highlighted their shared Caribbean heritage. Suzi and Dean became partners in creative and charitable endeavors as well as partners in life. LuvSupreme, a charity they established in Trinidad in 2008, is the realization of their vision to educate Caribbean children on eco-friendly practices through the arts. Suzi’s kind smile and infectious laugh lit up every room she walked into and warmed the hearts of everyone she met. Vivacious, charming, funny, charismatic, creative, wife, daughter sister, aunt, friend, inspiration – she will be dearly missed by husband Dean, her mother Sybil, sister Aretha, nieces, Christina and Thianna, Haley, Lianah and nephew, Christopher, in-laws, Laurence and Martha, Shawn and Simona and all her other family and friends. In order to continue the good works and generosity that Suzi and Dean have begun in Trinidad, the family ask that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made via the Canada Helps website to the Northern Lights Dance Theatre Foundation "Luv Supreme Eco Friendly Arts Fund". Donations can be made online by clicking on the “Donate Now” button at www.tinyurl.com/suzihortonifill.

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