
Welcome to "Little Girl Big Imagination" - A creative project by Andrea Matei
Little Girl, Big Imagination is an original short dance film series exploring storytelling through movement, character, and visual narrative. Created and produced by Andrea Matei, the project blends expressive movement with cinematic elements to bring imaginative concepts to life on screen.
Developed across a series of short films, the project reflects Andrea’s growing work as both performer and emerging creative director, with a focus on concept development, choreography, and visual storytelling.
Working across movement and visual storytelling, she collaborates on the development of each piece from initial idea through to final execution.
Her work within this series is grounded in storytelling through movement, combining musicality, emotional expression, and visual composition. Each piece explores character, mood, and narrative, reflecting an evolving voice as both artist and creator.
In addition to the film series, the project has expanded into a series of visual and print-based formats, including a children’s photo book and activity-based materials. These extensions further explore the project’s themes of imagination, creativity, and storytelling across different mediums.
Watch the short dance films here: https://www.youtube.com/@littlegirlbigimagination
Check-out the children’s photo books here: www.amazon.ca/littlegirlbigimagination

Little Girl, Big Imagination: At the Beach
Fueled by her love of dance and artistic curiosity, Andrea teamed up with a talented group of likeminded artists in the summer of 2022 to produce her first dance concept film: “Little Girl, Big Imagination: At the beach”, starring little sister Gabriela Matei aka little girl Gabi.
The short film is about exploring and enjoying the world around us in an artistic and creative way and noticing the little things taking on an entire life of their own in a little girl’s head.
Watch it at https://www.youtube.com/@littlegirlbigimagination
Little Girl: Gabriela Matei; Ballerina: Andrea Matei; Director of Photography: Kareem Byfield; Photographer: Ricardo Araújo; Music: Mariya Ismailova; Choreographers: Nicole Decsey & Merey Ismailova. Produced by Andrea Matei

Little Girl, Big Imagination: In the Forest
With the success of the first episode, Andrea expanded her collaboration with Kareem Byfield and Ricardo Araújo to continue Gabi's exploration of the forest, where she encounters a tiny creature that sets her imagination wild.
Directed and produced by Andrea Matei, this episode features Lyrik Alkema as the object of Gabi's imagination, dancing through the forest and expressing some of the wildest thoughts in the little girl's head.
Watch it at https://www.youtube.com/@littlegirlbigimagination
Little Girl: Gabriela Matei; Spider: Lyrik Alkema; Director of Photography: Kareem Byfield; Photographer: Ricardo Araújo; Choreographer: Maryssa Clarke.
Directed and produced by Andrea Matei

Little Girl, Big Imagination: By the Tree
As the holiday season comes upon us, this episode of the short mini web series "Little Girl, Big Imagination" has little girl Gabi enjoying the holiday season and finding her own holiday magic as she decorates a Gingerbread Man cookie that comes to life, in her little head due to her big imagination.
This episode features Leah Shenishevska as the object of Gabi's imagination, tapping by the Christmas Tree, spreading joy and cheer this holiday season.
Watch it at https://www.youtube.com/@littlegirlbigimagination
Little Girl: Gabriela Matei; Gingerbread Man: Leah Shenishevska; Director of Photography: Kareem Byfield; Photographer: Ricardo Araújo; Choreographer: Allie Stewart.
Directed and produced by Andrea Matei
Meet the Team

Andrea Matei
Creator, Author, Director, Producer
Andrea is a passionate, multifaceted young artist from Ontario, Canada. A French Immersion student, Andrea started her artistic journey at the young age of three with dance classes, adding acting and modelling to her endeavors at the age of 10, producing at 12, and book writing at 13.
Andrea is the mastermind behind the "Little Girl, Big Imagination" projects, pouring her heart and sould into its every aspect.

Gabriela Matei
Main Character
Gabriela is an aspiring dancer, actor and model, venturing into the artistic world through dance and gymnastics classes and on camera experiences via the short dance films produced by older sister – Andrea Matei. Gabriela is indeed a little girl with a big imagination, outgoing personality, and a “can do” attitude, loving everything to do with the arts, as well as of course playing and enjoying her childhood activities with family and friends.

Daniela Matei
Editor/Production Manager
Aside from being a caring and supporting mother and wife, Daniela is an experienced Project Manager in the corporate world, a published bilingual poetry author and a freelance Production Manager focusing on short dance and film projects. Daniela is also a regarded Master of Ceremonies in her community.
Daniela is all about putting her organizational skills and artistic visions to good use, always on the lookout for the next creative project.

Kareem Byfield
Director of Photography
Kareem Byfield is known in the dance industry with a teaching career that spans well over 20 years. He is also the proud owner of Chemistry Dance Competition, an author and freelance photographer/videographer in the GTA. Kareem has worked across Canada as both an Instructor & Adjudicator, and has choreographed many shows through his previous companies & businesses.

Ricardo Araújo
Director of Photography/Photographer
Ricardo Araújo is a published Toronto based Photographer of Portuguese descent, adding a touch of cultural richness to his work. He specializes in lifestyle, contemporary and fine art photography, including black and white photography. Ricardo is an active part of the Toronto Photographers Community where you can see some of his work. More about Ricardo can be found on his website TO Photography