Vancouver is known across Canada as a hotbed of contemporary dance with sophisticated audiences to prove it. In celebration of that, Dance in Vancouver, a biennial event providing the public and presenters from across Canada the unique opportunity to experience local artists, is showcasing eight companies performing excerpts of new works and recent hits in four mixed programs. As well, free showings and discussions where the artistic process is demystified and deconstructed will give audiences a greater ability to enjoy what they are experiencing.
“Dance in Vancouver offers a platform for artists to tour across the country and to have their work seen outside of Vancouver, “ enthused Jeanne Holmes, curator of this year’s Dance in Vancouver November 20-23. “This is a collision of the industry and the public so I wanted to include a mix of all-in-one shows to get a sense of the landscape of Vancouver artists. They will feature excerpts of longer works.”
Holmes has travelled extensively across the country in her role as Artistic Producer of the Canada Dance Festival and before that as the Producing Director of Dancemakers and the Centre for Creation in Toronto and as the dance programmer at Harbourfront Centre where she curated the dance component of the World Stage performance series and was the Artistic Director of World Moves, Harbourfront Centre’s international dance season. Executive Director of The Dance Centre, Mirna Zagar was wise to ask her to curate.
The 2013 edition features some of the West Coast’s most exciting companies: Wen Wei Dance, Tara Cheyenne Performance, Joe Ink, Sarah Chase with Andrea Nann, dumb instrument Dance/Ziyian Kwan, Vision Impure with Nova Dance, the plastic orchid factory and battery opera performance.
The Vancouver dance scene has a particular aesthetic that stands out.
“Many places are producing dance that is very conceptual or intellectual. Vancouver’s scene is really physical, “explained Holmes. “The young generation of artists like Shay Kuebler, Amber Funk Barton and Noam Gagnon, 605 Collective are super urban in their approach offering a very contemporary voice. It has an important immediacy that speaks to lots of different audiences."
The free studio showings and dialogues run throughout the week with other venerable local companies: MascallDance; Karen Jamieson Dance, Out Inner Space, Les Productions Figlio, 605 Collective, Marta Marta Productions, Restless Productions, and Kokoro Dance.
"Dance in Vancouver is what's happening right now, "said Holmes. "It's a great snapshot."
Photo credit:Tara Cheyenne Performance (l-r:Justine Chambers & Tara Cheyenne) by Wendy D.
Performances at 7pm and 9pm at Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street, Vancouver
Tickets: $30/$22 students & seniors. Double bill ticket $50 (for two shows the same evening)
Tickets Tonight: 604.684.2787 www.ticketstonight.ca
Packages and group bookings: 604.606.6420
Information: 604.606.6400 www.thedancecentre.ca