Dance West Network: connecting artists and communities in motion

November 2023 Newsletter

Dance West Network gratefully acknowledges that our work is situated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded Coast Salish territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. 

SHOWCASES, Vancouver & Online

MAINSTAGE SHOWCASE

To view details on over 40 dance projects, click HERE

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Save the Date

IN-PERSON & ONLINE SHOWCASES

~ industry series, Jan & Feb 2024 ~

IN-PERSON SHOWCASES

produced in partnerhsip with The Dance Centre, Birmingham Studio

PuSh FESTIVAL INDUSTRY SERIES

Jan 25, 3-4:30pm

MATRIARCHS UPRISING FESTIVAL

Feb 21, 6-7:30pm

plus ONLINE SHOWCASES, every Thursday

Thurs Jan 18, 2pm-3:15pm

Thurs Feb 1, 2pm-3:15pm

Thurs Feb 8, 2pm-3:15pm

Thurs Feb 15, 2pm-3:15pm

RE-CENTERING/MARGINS Creative Residency 2022-23

RE-CENTERING/MARGINS creative residency

BOOKLET OF ESSAYS

Writers:

BRENDA “BEE” KENT COLINA, ARYO KHAKPOUR, MISHA MASEKA, and COLE ALVIS

Edited by SARAH WONG

available free PDF online

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To read an interview with Sarah Wong by Shanny Rann in the current FALL 2023 issue of The Dance Central , click HERE

(photo by Mika Manning)

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT/ Community Dance Connectors Recent & Upcoming Projects

Robbyn Scott, CDC

xʷənen̕əč (Salt Spring Island)

BEING A FOREST  

A project/workshop series immersed in experiential explorations of creative embodiment in Nature. April, May June, 2024

We would like to thank the Coastal Community Credit Union for their generous donation. Photo By Dahlya Smolash

Ancillary CDC Shelby Richardson

territory of the Lheidli T’enneh (Prince George)

In August 2023, six choreographers participated a performance entitled, Conversations in Six.

Choreographers included: Anya Saugstad (past participant in Dance West Network DADAO Program), Gwynne Bilski (Scotland), Giselle Liu (Prince Rupert), Melissa McCracken (Kelowna), Amber Downie-Back (Victoria) and Cai Glover (a hard of hearing artist originally from Prince George, this being his first time back in over 17 years! )

Almost 300 people attending the showings, and 30 people joined in  repertoire workshops with Anya and Cai, as well as a workshop in Murphy Movement with Amber Downie- Back.

DES ARTS DEHORS/ARTS OUTSIDE DADAO

2023-2024 DADAO cohort

to see artist profiles, in process CLICK HERE

ARTISTS

Myriam Verzat - Des voix dans mon corps - Voices in my body

Sarah Hin Ching U - Stratum

Fiana Kawane - blueblueblue

Deviani Andrea & Shammy Belmore - Island Of Utopia

Carla Alcántara & Kaili Che - INTERWEAVE

Amok Project / Carol Mendes - nowHERE vol.2

Jhoely Triana - Arboles (Trees)

Isaac Gasangwa - The African Project

and in partnership with La danse sur les routes du Québec:

Maribé - sors de ce corps, Les Précédents

Elise Legrand, Dé-Reconstruire

Ancillary Project

These are artists creating work for outdoor/alternative sites, and who we are supporting with professional development opportunities

Mario Matias , Danse To Go , Marco Esccer, Linda Hayes

RECENT PROJECTS

off-parcours danse

Tiohtià:ke/ Montréal

BC & ALBERTA PERFORMERS

off-parcours danse 

Tues Nov 28, 9pm-10pm

Showcase of Western Canadian Dance Artists hosted by Dance West Network (BC) and Springboard Performance (AB)  

A partnership committed to supporting western based artists in order to mobilise new connections, enhance conditions for greater visibility, initiate momentum for future plans, inspire collaborations, and support touring.  For details, click below .

For more info in English & en français, click HERE

ARTISTS

MAKE ME CRY, created and performed by: Tia Kushniruk (AB)

iihksiisiinatsiistostiimao nipaitapiitsiin, created by: Jessica McMann, performed by : Kadin Aumentado (BC/AB)

MAYBE WE LAND, created and performed by: Meghann Michalsky & Katherine Semchuk (AB)

BETA बेटा, created and performed by: Simran Sachar (BC)

Here It Is, created by: Anya Allegra Saugstad, performed by: Eowynn Enquist and Nasiv Sall (BC)

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PLUS

off - parcours danse PREVIEW

Sunday Nov 26, 4pm

Informal showing of work by

Jessica McMann & Simran Sachar 

RECENT PROJECTS

CREATIVE COLLABORATIONS -

EMERGING ARTISTS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES PROJECT

FUSION COLLECTIVE:

Jessica McMann, Tunde Jegede, Daniel Bhattacharya

presented at

Secwepemc (Secwepemcul’ewc), Ktunaxa, Sinixt Territory /Arts Revelstoke Sinixt Nation and the Yaqan Nukiy (Ktunaxa) / Capitol Theatre in Nelson

In February 2023, as part of the DWN Creative Collaborations - Emerging Artists with Local Communities project, Cree Hoop-dancer JESSICA McMANN (Cowessess, SK), internationally renowned Kora and African Classical composer TUNDE JEGEDE and classical violinist DANIEL BHATTACHARYA collaborated to create a unique partnership of music and dance titled Fusion, presented at Arts Revelstoke and at the Capitol Theatre in Nelson.

As a result of this collaboration, Jessica was invited back to both communities this past month. Jessica, a classically trained flautist, performed the work of her new album Prairie Dust, alongside violinist Holly Bhattacharya and pianist, Perri Lo.

In Nelson, Jessica also offered a Hoop Dance workshop for the community, and in Revelstoke, audiences once enjoyed the second iteration of the collaborative work Fusion.

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ORGANIZATION UPDATES

PATHWAYS program

Board Members Christine Añonuevo, Kallee Lins and staff Debora Gordon are participating in this new pilot program.

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Dance West Network joins other Art Service Organizations as part of the

BC Coalition of Arts, Culture, and Heritage

Steering Committee members: Brian McBay (221A), Elliott Hearte (ArtsBC), Kenji Maeda (GVPTA), Rainbow Robert (BC Alliance), Ryan Hunt (BCMA).

For more info on this developing group, click HERE

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One last reminder : )

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Tues Dec 5, 2023

6PM-7PM

To register, contact jane@dancewest.net

Announcement & Agenda, click HERE

COMMUNITY INFO

NEW WORKS

Zahak, the Serpent King - The Biting School

Nov 30th, Dec 1st*, Dec 2nd

join The Biting School for the world premiere of Zahak, the Serpent King

special 25% discount code for DWN community: NWFRIEND

Inspired by this Persian myth, directors Aryo and Arash Khakpour invite audiences into a mesmerizing world of physical theatre, dance, surrealist imagery, slippery snakes and transformation.

Learn more about The Biting School and the Performance here 

NEW WORKS

Dec 3- SHIFTING PARADIGMS 

NW In Practice with Donna Redlick & Tin Gamboa

What might we experience if we allowed ourselves to shift the paradigm within dance practice?  Explore ‘opening up’ to new ways of perceiving in order to expand our perspectives on what dance practice can be.

For more information

DANCE CENTRE - PERFORMANCES

Ebnflōh

La Probabilité du Néant

Thurs-Sat December 7-9

Montreal hip hop dance innovator Ebnfloh comes to Vancouver with a powerful new ensemble work combining dance, music and film.

For more info and tix

DANCE CENTRE - CLASS

Saturday Dec 2, 12:30pm

Developing the Language of Groove: Past, Present, and Future

SIDNEY CHUCKAS

This improv class aims to develop your groove and movement language through research and exploration.

Registration details and class description:

https://addoplatform.com/vancouver-classes1/sidney-chuckas

DANCE HOUSE 

15X15 Young Adult Ticket Program, providing 15 discounted tickets to adults under the age of 30, who have low income, at each performance. For more info, click here

Dancers’ Resource Transition Centre 

EVOLVE | career craft for dance artists, provides skill development and career planning support to dance artists in Canada, promoting career resilience in the field. For more info, click HERE  

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF DANCE WEST NETWORK

Individual donations happily accepted, click HERE