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Member Spotlight: Q&A with Anya Saugstad | Artistic Director, Furious Grace Dance Theatre

How would you describe Furious Grace Dance Theatre in a sentence?

Furious Grace Dance Theatre / Anya Saugstad creates ferocious and distinctive live performance works for theaters and outdoors where collaboration, intuition and autonomy are at the forefront.

What was the artistic path that led you to building the company?

Movement and creativity have always been woven into my everyday life. I grew up on Bowen Island, where I spent much of my time outdoors and was raised in a family that prioritized live performance. I was fortunate to train at Arts Umbrella, where I witnessed and was inspired by many world-renowned choreographers, gaining insight into their creative processes and the works they brought to life.

I later attended Simon Fraser University, where I began creating my own work outside of classes, gathering groups of dancers to develop large ensemble pieces. I was drawn right away to creating work that felt urgent, flooded the space, and was highly physical and raw. After graduating, I continued creating whenever I could, and in the same year, I received my first choreographic commission with the SFU repertory company.

Over the past eight years, I have created more than twenty works, developing a choreographic practice rooted in collaboration and ensemble-driven creation for companies including Springboard Danse, Ballet Edmonton, Arts Umbrella, Lamondance, Simon Fraser University, and Coastal City Ballet. My work has been presented throughout Canada and the United States.

At SFU, I trained with Judith Garay, a phenomenal teacher, mentor, and influential figure in both my artistic development and confidence as a choreographer. Two years ago, Judith entrusted me with her company, originally titled Dancers Dancing. Since then, I have been building and evolving the company, creating, presenting, and touring collaborative, physically driven performance works. Part of my art practice is also an ongoing research of learning how to lead through sharing, collecting, carrying, learning, and listening.

What inspires the work the company creates?

Through my work, I bring together artists from many backgrounds, experiences, ages, and identities to imagine and manifest work that speaks not only to the beauty, but anger and strength of humanity and femininity. “I like beauty that has teeth.” (Ocean Voung).

Through nature based movement practices, spacious research, heterarchical collaboration and with joy and honest ambition moving the work forward, I create rooms where artists are encouraged to build autonomy, practice resilience, meet one another in each moment, and strengthen trust in themselves.

Through my work I often start my process outside, researching and moving near dense ecosystems. As a way of bringing more people into the world of dance, and at the same time wanting others to feel the brevity and importance of living things I wish to share, listen, and activate outdoor spaces as a way for others to appreciate these spaces as well.

My process is deeply sound inspired, and I create while listening to ambient or classical scores, with a close collaboration with a composer throughout my process.

How would you describe dance’s impact on your life?

Dance has always grown within and around me. It is how I make sense of the world and how I connect with others. It feels like less of an impact in this way and more of something that has poured through me – It is my way of being in conversation with the world. Through dance I am made more alive – able to ask, respond, listen through dances, and bloom questions between bodies. Dance has created community, purpose, connection, and ambition in my life. Through dance, I feel most connected, to others, to the world around me, and to my own sense of possibility.

What three core values drive your engagement with dance?

Collaboration. Intuition. Autonomy.

Any upcoming projects or news you can share with us?

We are working on a few projects! Stay up to date on our website or sign up for our newsletter at anyasaugstad.com

What would you say are the most significant benefits for you in being a Dance Centre member?

The Dance Centre has been an invaluable support throughout my career as an emerging artist. Through opportunities to present my work, affordable access to studio space, and a community that connects artists from around the world, it has helped me grow both creatively and professionally. The Dance Centre’s team and their genuine support and commitment has allowed me to develop and share my work in ways that would not otherwise have been possible.

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Photos by Czarina Agustines and Aidan Tooth