MAINSTAGE 2025-2026
Moss Body Breathes
Anya Saugstad / Furious Grace Dance Theatre
Photo: Darryl Ahye
Moss Body Breathes
'Moss Body Breathes' is a new outdoor live ensemble dance and violin work inspired by and in research with the flora and fauna of British Columbia. Anya Saugstad (choreographer and director) and her collaborators are interested in embodying plants and animals of the area pulling inspiration from movement that stems from the celebration of being alive and at the same time the grief we hold from the climate crisis we face. The work is tech free using no electricity, studio space, or single use materials, and creating with dance, live violin, and forested outdoor sites.
Anya Allegra Saugstad
Anya Allegra Saugstad is a dancer and choreographer based in Vancouver BC, on the unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh', Stó:lō and Səlílwətaʔ/ Selilwitulh, and xwməθkwəyə̓ m First Nations.
Anya trained at ArtsUmbrella in the pre-professional training program, and has a BFA in Dance from Simon Fraser University. Her company Furious Grace Dance Theatre creates live collaborative performance works in theaters and outdoors. Anya is interested in building choreography through a feminist perspective and creates work that encompasses toughness and softness, and perseverance and decay. Her work is often inspired by nature and animals.
Anya has created works for Springboard Danse, Ballet Edmonton, ArtsUmbrella, LamonDance, Simon Fraser University, and Coastal City Ballet. Anya’s work has been presented throughout Canada and recently in the USA. Anya Saugstad is the recipient of the Iris Garland Emerging Choreographer Award for 2023/24.
Performance History & Upcoming Performances
'Moss Body Breathes' is a brand new work. We are looking for residencies to complete the project and premiere it, or just premiere. In the summer of 2025 'Moss Body Breathes' had a research and creation phase on Bowen Island, Salt Spring Island (with ArtSpring), and in Vancouver BC.
Project Created by: Choreographed by Anya Saugstad and Artists.
Key Artistic Collaborators: Performed and embodied by Brianne Chan, Eowynn Enquist, Nasiv Sall, Sarah Hutton, Shana Wolfe, and Shion Skye Carter. Violinist and performer Cindy Kao.
Performance type: THIS WORK IS BUILT FOR OUT-OF-DOORS OR ALTERNATE VENUES/SPACES
How do you define this work: Outdoor live dance and music performance / environmental art.
Length of performance: Two options: 30min or 55min
Audience type: General Audience, Children/Family
General Technical Requirements: No tech.
Required amount of time for tech set up: No technical set up is needed as we aim to create and share this work with as little electricity and waste as possible. We do however require at least one day prior to performance in the location to remount the work to the space.
Alternative Venues: We are looking for outdoor forested locations near trees and plants. Ideally spaces with dense foliage, trees, and distance.
Number of Performers on tour (including choreographer): 7-8
Number of Support Staff on Tour: 1
Availabilities: 2025/26 Season, 2026/27 Season
Project Details
Community Engagement
Partnerships:
'Moss Body Breathes' engages an artist local to the community to create a work out of natural materials in the area - we imagine that this would ideally be some type of garment that a dancer could wear and would blend into the forest until worn by or interacted with by one of the performers. For our creation of this work on Bowen Island we are partnering with an artist who will be attempting to create a coat made of moss, or a veil created from ferns. We are interested in partnering with artists interested in this challenge and who would like to work with us. As this is a brand new work we are still figuring out some elements of collaborations with community members but we are hopeful and excited that this could be something that could work. This would be a paid collaboration.
Outreach Activities
'Moss Body Breathes' is rehearsed and performed outside giving people an opportunity to witness not only performance but also creation. We welcome passersby to ask questions, engage in conversation about the work, or sit and watch.
Workshops:
Through workshops, Anya is interested in making connections with other artists, and collaborating and sharing her knowledge in site-specific performance.
In this workshop Anya will guide people interested in artistic practice through a warm-up, improvisational scores, share her collaboration techniques, and lead an open flow. Adults or teens interested in or involved in an artistic practice are invited to join including those who are in dance, theater, music, and other art forms. The workshops will be accompanied by violinist Cindy Kao. This workshop will be an opportunity to make connections with Vancouver based artists, learn tools for collaboration, and experiment with improvisation.