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Announcing The Dance Centre’s 2026-2027 Season
Vancouver, BC: The Dance Centre celebrates 40 years of dance programs with a comprehensive 2026-2027 season program. The upcoming season is fueled by a program of exciting performances throughout two dance series, accessible community programs, and creative residencies, featuring a diverse roster of artists working in a variety of dance genres.
“This year is truly extraordinary: we celebrate 40 years of The Dance Centre and 25 years in our landmark building in the heart of downtown Vancouver,” said Mirna Zagar, Dance Centre Executive Director. “It’s a season that honours our past, celebrates our present, and continues boldly into the future. From electrifying world and Canadian premieres in our Global Dance Connections series which include new works that continue to push the boundaries of movement and imagination – to the ever-popular Discover Dance! noon series. Much of this work is the result of numerous collaborations with arts organizations across the country and beyond.”
The Global Dance Connections series features Cedar Woman by Tasha Faye Evans (Oct 1-3), a final solo from Wen Wei Dance (Oct 23-24), and the North American premiere of Barbara Matijevic & Giuseppe Chico’s Forecasting (Nov 13-14). We end the calendar year with a double bill by Raven Spirit Dance | Vanguardia Dance Projects & Aanmitaagzi (Dec 4-5), before starting again in January with Ebnflōh Dance Company’s Mōnad (Jan 30-31, presented with PuSh International Performing Arts Festival). Rounding out our season is Vancouver’s edition of Older & Reckless (May 7-8, presented with Moonhorse Dance Theatre), and a world premiere by Odd Meridian Arts (May 28-29).
The popular Discover Dance! noon hour series includes a contemporary dance ensemble work by tiger princess dance projects (Oct 29), the making of Winterbourne by Ballet Vancouver & Yolonda Skelton (Nov 19), Métis Jigging and House Dance with André Bessette & Josh Cameron (Feb 11), and Bharatanatyam by Vidya Kotamraju and House of Indian Dance (Mar 25).
Our Associate Artists Justine A. Chambers and Ralph Escamillan are now in the third year of their terms. This season Justine will co-curate Vancouver’s edition of Older & Reckless alongside Allison Cummings, while Ralph will continue to create programming initiatives geared towards QTBIPOCs, with a specific focus on the Ballroom Scene. They both are continuing their curation of programs and events as they engage as mentors and connectors with diverse communities and artists. Residency exchanges with partners in Montreal, Toronto and New Zealand support artistic growth and creative exchanges.
Choreographic research and the development of new work is supported through a comprehensive suite of residencies, labs, and projects, with free showings and events throughout the year. The 12 Minutes Max program for emerging artists runs two modules, guided by facilitators Ziyian Kwan and Tasha Faye Evans.
The Dance Centre continues to support hundreds of artists every year through its programs, subsidized or free studio space, resources, information, professional development, and other opportunities.
Community programs including the annual Dance Centre Open House (Sept 12) and International Dance Day (April 29) provide free, accessible dance experiences for all. The Power of Dance program offers workshops for elementary and high school students, immigrant and refugee youth and seniors.
2026-2027 SEASON DETAILS
Tickets and Information
GLOBAL DANCE CONNECTION SERIES
Oct 1-3 Tasha Faye Evans
Oct 23-24 Wen Wei Dance
Nov 13-14 Barbara Matijevic & Giuseppe Chico
Dec 4-5 Raven Spirit Dance | Vanguardia Dance Projects & Aanmitaagzi
Jan 30-31 Ebnflōh Dance Company
May 7-8 Moonhorse Dance Theatre
May 28-29 Odd Meridian Arts
TICKETS Series subscriptions (3, 5 and 7-show packages, starting from $92 + $3 facility fee), single tickets from $29 + $1 facility fee, available at thedancecentre.ca.*
(*Single tickets will go on sale in the fall for Ebnflōh Dance Company at pushfestival.ca)
Oct 29 tiger princess dance projects
Nov 19 Ballet Vancouver & Yolonda Skelton
Feb 11 André Bessette & Josh Cameron
Mar 25 Vidya Kotamraju | House of Indian Dance
TICKETS Series subscription (4-show package; $52 + $4 facility fee), single tickets from $15 + $1 facility fee, available at thedancecentre.ca.
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Sept 12 Dance Centre Open House
April 29 International Dance Day
Season-wide The Power of Dance program
Season-wide 40th Anniversary special events
ASSOCIATE ARTISTS, EXCHANGES, RESIDENCIES
Associate Artists
Justine A. Chambers
Ralph Escamillan
Residencies, Labs and Projects
Artists-in-Residence Odd Meridian Arts | Rising Together Arts Futures: Kaili Che 謝祖弘; Ysadora Dias; Jullianna Oke; Krystal Tsai | Sarah U 余衍晴 | Tara Cheyenne Performance | Wen Wei Dance
DanceLab Interdisciplinary Research Arno Kamolika, Meghna Haldar and Anju Singh | Cori Caulfield and Jai Djwa | Joe Ink and Cindy Mochizuki | Nellie Gossen, Su-Feh Lee, Jae Woo Kang and Vanessa Goodman
Partnerships Aphotic Theatre/Fay Nass | Ballet Vancouver | Dance//Novella | Dancing on the Edge Festival and Action at a Distance | Danny Nielson | Fall for Dance North | F-O-R-M Festival | Helen Walkley | Karen Jamieson Dance | Kay Huang | Matriarchs Uprising Festival | Morrow | PuSh International Performing Arts Festival | Queer Arts Festival | Raven Spirit Dance | soma anima arts | SQxDance Company | Sunkosi Galay-Tamang and Victoria Hunt | Training Society of Vancouver (TSV) | Vancouver Ballroom Arts Society | Vancouver Kiki Ballroom Alliance
And more exciting partnerships and collaborations to be announced!
Residency Exchanges
CanAsian Dance led National Residency Exchange (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver) in partnership with SummerWorks, Toronto Dance Theatre, Tangente, Studio 303, and Morrow supported through the CanDance Network Exchange Fund Award
New Zealand-BC Residency Exchange in partnership with MOVE (Christchurch)
Quebec-BC Residency Exchange in partnership with Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique (Montreal)
Toronto-Vancouver bespoke Exchange in partnership with SummerWorks
Photos: Tasha Faye Evans/Alger Liang; Ballet Vancouver/David Cooper Photography/Odd Meridian Arts/David Cooper Photography
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