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Member Spotlight: Q&A with Racheal Prince & Brandon Lee Alley | Co-Artistic Directors, Dance//Novella

How would you describe Dance//Novella in a sentence?
Dance//Novella is a contemporary dance company that explores the intersection of movement and meaning, transforming human experience into thoughtful, physical storytelling.

What was the artistic path that led you to building the company?
We (Racheal & Brandon) met while dancing with Ballet BC and connected over a shared curiosity about the edges of contemporary dance and how it could reach people more directly, speak to complex human experiences, and be built more equitably. Founding Dance//Novella was a natural evolution, a way to create from the ground up while blending our backgrounds in classical, theatrical, and experimental forms. We wanted to make work that feels personal, necessary, and alive within a structure centered on care, collaboration, and inclusion.

What inspires the work the company creates?
Our work often begins with questions about memory, identity, absurdity, and resilience. We draw inspiration from personal stories, surreal imagery, and the embodied wisdom of our collaborators. Increasingly, we explore intersections of dance, theatre, clowning, and sound design to expand the emotional range of performance. Our community, and our desire to reflect and honour it, remains our greatest source of motivation.

How would you describe dance’s impact on your life?
Dance gave us language when words weren’t enough. It shaped how we move through time, how we listen, and how we relate to each other. It taught us the balance between discipline and surrender and the beauty of vulnerability. Dance isn’t just our profession; it’s our way of being in the world.

What three core values drive your engagement with dance?
Curiosity – Staying open to experimentation, play, feedback, and not knowing, allowing the work to surprise us.

Authenticity – Creating work that is honest, felt, and rooted in lived experience and in the people who express it.

Methodology as a Path to Creativity – Treating process as an act of imagination. Each rehearsal is an ecosystem of rigor and risk, where structure bends toward discovery and accidents become choreography.

Any upcoming projects or news you can share with us?
We’re thrilled to share that Dance//Novella has been awarded a residency at Dance Victoria. During this time, Co-Artistic Director Brandon Lee Alley will develop his new solo work So to Speak, a poetic fusion of clowning, physical theatre, and original text. Through humor, heart, and a touch of absurdity, the piece explores the art of waiting and the emotional echoes that ripple through daily life.

In January 2026, our celebrated Emerging Artist Program returns in collaboration with The Polygon Gallery and The Dance Centre, providing mentorship, creation support, and performance opportunities for ten early-career dance artists.

Save the date: Jan 29th, 2026 at The Polygon Gallery.

Dance//Novella’s Member Profile
Dance//Novella’s Website
Dance//Novella’s Instagram
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Interested in becoming a Dance Centre Member? Learn more here.
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Photos: David Cooper