Blog

2019 has been another exciting (and busy!) year for The Dance Centre! We asked the staff to share some of their most memorable moments:

Our latest international residency exchange, Space to Fail, launched in the fall. Together with partners in New Zealand and Australia, the project brings together artists from all three countries to experiment, learn and network, without the pressure of producing a finished piece at the end. Mirna – Executive Director

In October we presented Focus Cia de Danca from Rio de Janeiro as part of our Global Dance Connections series. The show brought together a wonderful mix of people from the dance, music and Brazilian communities, and Alex Neoral, the Artistic Director, also taught local dance artists, so it was a great exchange between communities and cultures. Heather – Director of Marketing

This fall we launched The Dance Centre Nouveaux Patrons, a group of working professionals with a keen interest in dance. We’re thrilled to welcome our first members and look forward to an exciting program of events over the coming season. Gemma – Development Coordinator

It was a pleasure to host the 12th biennial Dance In Vancouver in November and showcase our community to over 50 local, national and international presenters. Thank you so much to our guest curator, Dieter Jaenicke, for his curiosity and engagement and to all the generous artists, partners, community members and volunteers who joined us. Highlights include Company 605’s Looping and battery opera’s Dance Machine installations on the third floor, our partnership with Raven Spirit Dance for IndigeDIV, Sierra Tasi Baker’s keynote and artists and presenters hitting the dance floor at the closing party. Raquel – Programming Coordinator

In November, dance artist Vanessa Goodman and I travelled to the UK for 10 days to research different dance organizations, specifically DanceEast in Ipswich. We learned about their cultural values and structure, and how they connect with different communities and artists through outreach programs and creative collaborations. It was a memorable and valuable opportunity to meet and network with individuals who share a passion for dance and a belief in its impact on people and community. Hilary –Member Services Coordinator

On February 23, Wen Wei Dance’s Ying Yun closed in our theatre to much applause, and our team completed the strike immediately afterwards. The following morning, V’ni Dansi entered to begin teching for Michif Medicines, using our new aerial dance performance grid which is finally complete and really expands what the space can support. This overnighter was a culmination of a year and half’s work for me. Chengyan – Lead Technician

One of my biggest highlights was definitely the launch of our new website. The number of programs and events we produce has grown a lot in the last few years and we needed a site which could reflect that and help visitors find what they need. After working on it for many months we were so excited to have it go live at the end of the summer! Lindsay – Digital Marketing Coordinator

Olivia C. Davies completed her artistic residency in June with Matriarchs Uprising, a three-day festival of contemporary dance performances, showings and conversations featuring female Indigenous choreographers from Canada, the US and Australia. It was very rewarding to see how our residency program can help launch projects of all shapes and sizes. Linda – Associate Producer

This season we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Choreographer’s Circle! The Circle is a group of dedicated donors who are committed to supporting our work in the long term. They have been instrumental in the growth of our organization over the last decade. Sheri – Development Director

With the guidance and advice of the Rick Hansen Foundation, we received a BC Accessibility Grant to improve the signage and washrooms in our building, and give people with disabilities a better experience when they visit. Robin – Venue Services Administrator
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Thank you to everyone who supported us and came out for our performances and events this year. We look forward to seeing you again in 2020!

Please consider contributing to our year-end fundraising campaign  to support The Dance Centre.

2018-2019 Season
2019-2020 Season

Photos credits top to bottom, L to R: Jonathan Paranyo, Focus Cia De Dança/Fernanda Vallois, Vanessa Goodman, Valentina Ciardelli, Wen Wei Dance/Chris Randle, The Dance Centre, Santee Smith/Ian Maracle, Johathan Paranyo