Scotiabank Dance Centre celebrates its 20th anniversary this season! Join us for a special edition of our popular annual Open House. Highlights include a performance on the outside wall by Vancouver’s spectacular aerial dance company Aeriosa; a creative activation of the Granville Street frontage by Company 605 and guests; and free classes, events and exhibits.
Scroll down for the full schedule, registration links and details.
Schedule of Events
Admission is free but advance registration is required for most events.
All classes are open level: beginners welcome.
1-6pm Event: Company 605
Granville St frontage
Registration not required
Company 605 has curated SPLAY, a special program of artists who will animate the Granville Street frontage of the Scotiabank Dance Centre building. Each artist will create encounters for viewers, making their process and practice visible, culminating in a sharing of intimate performance experiences across a variety of formats.
Artists: Ellie Bishop, Justine A Chambers, Stephanie Cyr, Jeanette Kotowich, Ted Littlemore, Kylie Miller, Tamar Tabori.
7-8.30pm Join us for a special ‘after hours’ edition featuring adapted SPLAY highlights.
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1-2pm Class: Flamenco with Kasandra ‘La China’
Birmingham Studio
REGISTER
Kasandra ‘La China’ of Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy leads an open flamenco class.
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2-3pm Performance: Dumb Instrument Dance + Sujit Vaidya
Faris Family Studio
BOOK TICKETS
A program of new works in progress. Dumb Instrument Dance shares a first draft of Bunso: choreographed by Ziyian Kwan in collaboration with performer Justin Calvadores and composer Mary Ancheta, Bunso celebrates Justin’s relationship with their grandmother, one in which care has provided a foundation for choice and liberty. In addition, Ziyian will perform a cameo that is a sneak peak of Dumb Instrument’s new work Rebel Grace, which will premiere in May 2022.
Bharatanatyam exponent Sujit Vaidya will present excerpts from a new digital work as well as a live performance of a traditional piece that he is reimagining through queer expression and experience.
Credits:
Digital excerpts from Sacred Sacrilegious (work in progress supported through the Sadhana Project Residency Program by Anandam DanceTheatre and Canada Council for the Arts)
Concept/Choreography Sujit Vaidya | Media Artist Robert Kingsbury
Excerpt from Breathe In The Fragrance (work in progress supported by Canada Council for the Arts)
Choreography: A. Lakshman | Additional Choreography: Sujit Vaidya | Vocal: Srividhya Sairam | Mridangam: Curtis Andrews | Nattuvangam: Arno Kamolika | Lighting Design: James Proudfoot | Tech Director: Anusha Fernando
3-4pm Class: Hip Hop and Street Dance with OURO Collective
Jarislowsky Studio
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Eric Cheung* leads an open class drawing on the Collective’s signature blend of hip hop, breaking, waacking and contemporary.
*Replacing Cristina Bucci.
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3-4pm Class: AfroBeats with AKS Bison
Birmingham Studio
REGISTER
A dynamic fusion of African and hip hop dance.
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4-5pm Class: Tap + Footwork with Danny Nielsen + Shay Kuebler
Birmingham Studio
REGISTER
Two of Vancouver’s most dynamic artists lead a special introductory dance class exploring footwork through the intersection of tap and house/swing: Danny will introduce participants to a brief history of tap and then dive into basic technique. Shay will look at foundational tools around footwork patterns, dynamics and musicality, which will then be used in improvisation and choreography.
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5.30-6pm Performance: Aeriosa
North exterior wall
BOOK TICKETS
Aeriosa’s Home/Domicile is choreographed by Julia Taffe, in collaboration with visual artists Sarah E Fuller and Stuart Ward. This new aerial dance work is inspired by moths, and the dancers, wearing stunning ‘moth’ cloaks designed by Fuller, will perform on the north wall accompanied by Winnipeg sound artist Keri Latimer.
Choreography: Julia Taffe
Dancers: Cara Siu, Meghan Goodman, Julia Carr, Chandra Krown
Sound: Keri Latimer
Safety Director/ Rigging Designer Colin Zacharias
Site Manager Peter Jotkus
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ONLINE:
Film: Our Dance
Postponed – new date TBA
Our Dance is a documentary by Milos Jakovic and Hossein Fani which will capture the impact Scotiabank Dance Centre has had on the dance community over the 20 years of its existence.
COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
In line with current public health orders, proof of vaccination is required for everyone aged 12 and over to attend indoor events at Scotiabank Dance Centre. Full details here. Please also bring ID, and arrive about 15 minutes before your event is scheduled to begin.
Everyone 12 and over is required to wear a mask when inside the building, including in the theatre and studios.
We are working with reduced capacities to allow more space between patrons.
Hand sanitizer is available throughout the building.
If you feel unwell, have any COVID-19 symptoms, or are self-isolating or quarantining, please stay home.
Photos: Kasandra/Kara M Lawrence; Aeriosa/Louise Cecil and Tim Matheson; Company 605/courtesy of artist