The Dance Centre and New Works present
The Falling Company
Family Room
April 19 & 20, 2024
Scotiabank Dance Centre
The Dance Centre acknowledges that it is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. It is an honour and a privilege for us to be guests in their lands. We are grateful.
FAMILY ROOM
Choreography: Marissa Wong
Performers: Justin Calvadores, Tamar Tabori, Shana Wolfe
Sound composer: Jamie Bradbury
Costume design: Meagan Woods
Lighting Design: Jono Kim
Stage/Production Manager: Kayleigh Sandomirsky
Set Design: Kayleigh Sandomirsky and Marissa Wong
Dramaturg: Raïna Von Waldenburg
Dramaturgical Consultation: Intisar Awisse
Outside Eye: Peter Bingham (through EDAM Choreographic Series)
Creative Research Collaborator: Stéphanie Cyr
Support: City of Vancouver, Canada Council for the Arts, Agnes Fong, Dr. Shirley M. Wong Foundation, held at Vancouver Foundation, Florence Wong
Residencies: EDAM Dance Fall Choreographic Series 2021, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, plasticorchidfactory, The Dance Centre, New Works
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S NOTES
When beginning this work three years ago, I didn’t anticipate the many teachings and humans I would encounter during the process.
Thank you to Mama Wong, my dad, and brothers for letting me share their story; know that others are able to see themselves reflected in this piece through your generosity. Big love to the artists whose creative talents bring life to a simple couch, lamp, and rug; to the dancers who have trusted me through all the iterations of this work and who have embodied my family so perfectly; to anyone who has shared their vulnerability with me, you offered a mirror to understand myself further and deepen this work.
The Falling Company is committed to building a sustainable ecosystem, one that is curious about process and learning from others to create deeper community connections. Let’s grab a tea or share ideas on a walk; I would love to hear your offerings. Thank you for joining us tonight, and I look forward to continuing the conversation beyond this evening’s performance.
With love,
Marissa
THE FALLING COMPANY
The Falling Company’s mandate is to produce and present the contemporary dance works of Marissa Wong in Vancouver, BC; serve underrepresented and intersecting artists; empower the lives of artists through art generating, sharing, and opportunities; encourage accessible storytelling and interdisciplinary collaborations; foster movement education to youth, emerging artists and community at large through community-level classes, and mentorship.
The Falling Company leads with sustainability and broadening art making in the community. Our works and artistic process expand inquiry where collaboration intersects varied ideas, specialization, communities, and interdisciplinary practices. The Falling Company decolonizes arts making by providing equity, equality, and balance of power to all participants. Enriched practices are shared through accessible education where the dance art form is varied.
NEW WORKS
New Works is a Vancouver-based non-profit organization that is dedicated to developing and supporting dance communities through accessible art engagement.
newworks.ca
New Works receives support from the Canada Council for the Arts, Government of Canada, BC Arts Council, Province of British Columbia, City of Vancouver, CMHC Granville Island, National Arts Centre – Arts Alive, Metro Vancouver Regional District, Hamber Foundation, Deux Mille Foundation, and many donors and supporters.
THE DANCE CENTRE
The Dance Centre was established in 1986 as a resource centre for dance professionals and the public in British Columbia, and offers a range of activities unparalleled in Canadian dance. The Dance Centre offers programs and resources supporting the professional development of artists, presents public performances and events, manages Scotiabank Dance Centre, one of Canada’s leading dance facilities, and works to promote BC dance.
thedancecentre.ca
Staff
Executive Director Mirna Zagar; Associate Programming Director Raquel Alvaro; Associate Producer Linda Blankstein; Membership Coordinator Kaia Shukin; Director of Marketing Heather Bray; Outreach Coordinator Yurie Kaneko; Digital Marketing Coordinator Lindsay Curtis; Development Manager Catherine Butler; Venue and Services Manager Crystal Lai; Comptroller Elyn Dobbs; Dance Central Editor Shanny Rann
Board of Directors
Linda Gordon (Chair); Andrea Reid (Vice-Chair); Mark Weston (Treasurer); Tin Gamboa (Secretary); Yvonne Chartrand; Judith Garay; Arash Khakpour; Anndraya Luui, Jennifer Aoki.
The Dance Centre is grateful for the generous support of The Choreographer’s Circle, Anndraya Luui and the BC Arts Renaissance Fund.
The Corporate Leader’s Circle
Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP – Ingrid M. Tsui, Partner; Davidson & Company – Erez Bahar; Holiday Inn and Suites Vancouver Downtown – Angela van den Byllaardt, Sales Manager; Jarislowsky, Fraser Limited – Beau Howes
The Choreographer’s Circle
Impresario: Charles and Eve Chang Foundation, Anndraya Luui
Choreographer: Anonymous, Anonymous, Beau Howes and Genieve Burley, Tony Giacinti (in memory of Lola MacLaughlin), Stephen Jarislowsky, Anne Hildebrandt
Artistic Director: Linda Blankstein, Marnie Carter, Moh Faris, David Matte, Jackson McKiee, Yosef Wosk OBC
Principal Dancer: David Cousins, James Felter, Mike and Kathy Gallagher, Ken Gracie and Philip Waddell, McGrane – Pearson Endowment Fund, Jean Orr, Patrick Shea, Don and Jane Shumka, Janet and Ron Stern
Dance Artist: Anonymous, Anonymous, Ken Alexander, Santa Aloi, Rosario Ancer, Mary and Herb Auerbach, Gary R. Bell, Andrew and Andrea Benzel, Noel Best and Barbara Shuman, Matthew Breech and Shino Watanabe, Richard Cavell and Peter Dickinson, Kirk Chantraine, Amanda Collinge, Norm and Dorothy Cross, Count and Countess Enrico and Aline Dobrzensky, Tom Donaldson, Jason Dubois and Clayton Baraniuk, Nicola Follows, Judith Garay, Peter Harmon, Linda Johnston, Emily Klukas, Gail Lotenberg, Peter Maloff, Amy Millar, Jean Millar, Andrea Reid, Kathy Scalzo, Kemo Schedlosky and Mark Gatha, Betty Scheltgen, Kaelin Sheaden, Ingrid Tsui and Matthew Heemskerk, Annelie and Dan Vistica, Denis Walz, Michael Welters, Jason Wrobleski, Max Wyman and Susan Mertens, Mirna Zagar
The Artist’s Circle
Linda Aristizabal, Brent Belsher, Denis Blais and Paras Terezakis, Val Brandt, Carol Carr, Deborah Dragon, Lorna Froidevaux, Lynn B. Johnston, Lorita Leung – The Lorita Leung Dance Association, Barry McKinnon, Dubravko Pajalic, Dr. Mary Robertson, Frank Salisbury, Selma Savage
The operations of The Dance Centre are supported by the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of British Columbia, the BC Arts Council, and the City of Vancouver.
Media sponsors: Stir, The Georgia Straight
The VDC Dance Centre Society is a registered charity no. BN 11925 8754 RR0001