From ballet, contemporary and hip hop to flamenco, Butoh and classical East Indian dance, the annual Scotiabank Dance Centre Open House offers the chance to sample a host of dance styles in a day of open classes, studio showings and events. Highlights include a performance of contemporary aboriginal dance with the Dancers of Damelahamid, Raven Spirit Dance and Starrwind Dance Projects; an artist salon examining how dance entered Canadian universities in the 1970s, with archive footage of works from the era; new solos created by Tracy Dietrich, Gail Lotenberg, Josh Martin and Deanna Peters during Barbara Bourget’s Solo Choreography Project; an improvisation workshop for young families; and open rehearsals of new works in development by Restless Productions and the response.
Full schedule of Events (All classes are open level – beginners welcome.)
10.30-11.30am Workshop: Foolish Operations – Dancing the Parenting. Dance artist Julie Lebel and members of the ensemble invite parents and their young children from 0-5 years old to join them in their practice of open improvisation. Children and parents get inspired on fun ways to cultivate focus on the joy of movement. Presented in partnership with Made In BC.
10.30-11.30am Class: Butoh with Jay Hirabayashi of Kokoro Dance
10.30-11.30am Workshop: The Myths and Facts of Stretching for Dance. Healthy Dancer Canada presents an interactive workshop offering an overview of the current research on athletic stretching, different types of flexibility and various stretching techniques.
11.30am-12.30pm Class: Bellydance with Lava (Lana O’Keefe)
11.30am-12.30pm Open Rehearsal: Restless Productions Choreographer Claire French develops a scene with dancers and a musician for The Moment of Forgetting, premiering in October
11.30am-12.30pm Class: Bharata natyam (Classical East Indian dance) with Mandala Arts and Culture
12.30-2pm Class: Ballet with Linda Arkelian
12.30-1.30pm Class: Hatha Yoga with Kelsey Jorssen
1-2pm Class: Swing with Kat Single-Dain of the Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret
1-2pm Artist Salon: Kaija Pepper and Allan Lindgren’s recent book Renegade Bodies examined how dance entered Canadian universities in the 1970s. In this special event, Kaija is joined by Jennifer Mascall, who was among the first wave of dance graduates, and recent grad Meghan Goodman, to talk dance 70s-style, and show video clips of works from that time.
2pm Performance: a mixed program of contemporary aboriginal dance featuring the Dancers of Damelahamid in Luu hlotitxw: Spirit Transforming, choreographed by Margaret Grenier; Raven Spirit Dance in Frost Exploding Trees Moon, choreographed by Michelle Olson; and Starrwind Dance Projects in before7after, choreographed by Starr Muranko.
2-3pm Class: Capoeira with Aché Brasil
2-3.30pm Workshop: Falling Body with Animals of Distinction Artistic Director Dana Gingras. This workshop presents a series of kinetic explorations combining skills and practices of rolling, releasing, giving and supporting weight. Participants will investigate the fluid pathways and transitions inherent in falling and recovery with emphasis on the initiation of movement and the use of momentum and gravity as a means to full-bodied, dynamic and risky dancing.
2:30 – 3:30pm Discussion: Law of Proximity. Artists and youth engaged in the MACHiNENOiSY/Queer Arts Festival project The Law of Proximity, in which youth created a contemporary dance show with the help of dance artists Delia Brett and Daelik, are joined by QAF Artistic Director Shaira Holman. One month after their last performance, they reflect on their experiences and the impact of community engaged dance. Presented in partnership with Made In BC.
3-4pm Class: Flamenco with Flamenco Rosario
3.30-5pm Class: Jazz with DebbieLee Dance Co
4-5pm Class: Tap with Danny Nielsen
4pm Performance: Barbara Bourget Solo Choreography Project. Dance artists Tracy Dietrich, Gail Lotenberg, Josh Martin and Deanna Peters perform new solos developed during the solo choreography project Bourget mentored during her Dance Centre residency last season.
5-6pm Class: Hip hop with Natasha Gorrie of Project Soul
6-7 pm Studio Showing: the response. An informal showing of Artistic Director Amber Funk Barton’s latest work in progress.
Regarded as Canada’s flagship dance facility, Scotiabank Dance Centre was designed by the late Arthur Erickson and opened in September 2001. “Our annual Open House is an opportunity to not only celebrate a wonderful building, which has become a true home for dance of all kinds, but also to discover the excitement and diversity of Vancouver’s dance scene,” said Mirna Zagar, Executive Director of The Dance Centre, the organization which spearheaded the development of the facility.
10.30am-7pm: free admission
Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street (at Granville), Vancouver
Information: 604 606 6400 www.thedancecentre.ca
Presented with the support of Scotiabank
