DANCE CENTRE PROGRAMS The Dance Centre runs a range of programs designed to support the artistic development of dance artists, and to provide opportunities for audiences to discover the diversity and creativity of dance. If you would like further information about forthcoming performances or events, wish to apply to a program, or are interested in volunteering, please contact us.
Artist-in-Residence The Artist in Residence Program aims to assist dance professionals in developing new work, and promoting dance among new audiences. Residencies may involve working with emerging professional artists and non-professional enthusiasts, as well as teaching and creating in non-traditional contexts and environments with specific communities such as youth, those with special needs, and health/social services agencies.
The Dance Centre’s Artist-in-Residence program provides funding, studio space, and technical and administrative support to enable choreographers to work with various artists and audiences, through creation, teaching, outreach activities and performances. Previous Artists-in-Residence include - Helen Walkley, who worked with professional and non-professional dancers, and with the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, Burnaby Women’s Prison, and GF Strong Rehabilitation Institute; - Joe Ink, who ran a cross-generational community dance project called Move It!; - Byron Chief-Moon, whose work focused on aboriginal youth; - Martha Carter, whose work fuses contemporary and street dance along with multimedia and new technology; - Alvin Erasga Tolentino, who created a music and dance work exploring Asian Canadian identity - UK-based Carolyn Deby who created a new site specific work exploring the Downtown Eastside.
Our Artists in Residence 2010-2011 are Delia Brett (MACHiNENOiSY), Jennifer Clarke, and James Gnam (the plastic orchid factory).
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Dance in Vancouver Dance in Vancouver is a biennial curated festival promoting BC dance to local, regional, national and international audiences. It serves as a platform to enhance visibility and raise awareness about contemporary dance locally; with a series of performances complemented by talks, video screenings, studio showings and roundtables. The event contributes to regional, national and international touring opportunities for BC dance artists.
Next edition: November 2011
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DanceLab The DanceLab program supports research and collaboration between dance artists and other art disciplines. It provides fully subsidized studio space at Scotiabank Dance Centre to the participating artists for a period of 2 weeks, enabling the artists to research how cross-art form collaboration can enhance their artistic growth and the development of new work. Upon completion of the process, the artists open up the process to the public through an informal studio presentation. Artists participating in the 2009-2010 season are
Eleonora Acuna with Bahar Bolourian (dancer), Leah Giselle Field (mezzo), Fernando Aguirre (guitarist), Hoang Ngujen Jazmin (stage designer/photographer), Maliheh Mandegar (stage designer).
Yvonne Chartrand with Winston Wuttunee (storyteller), David MacMurray Smith (creative consultant/clown artist).
Shannon Moreno and Farley Johansson with Ruth MacIntosh (dramaturg), Alison Denham (dancer).
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Discover Dance!
Discover Dance! is an accessible noon hour series running one Thursday a month September-April (except Dec and Jan), which showcases the diversity of British Columbia’s dance scene. Each show features a combination of performance, Q & A with the artists, and sometimes audience participation.
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Global Dance Connections The Global Dance Connections series presents contemporary dance performances by artists from BC, Canada and overseas, supplemented by workshops, talks and events. Featured artists have included Nigel Charnock (UK), Lynda Gaudreau (Montreal), Karine Ponties (Belgium), Eddie Ladd (Wales), Deborah Dunn (Montreal), Philippe Decoufle (France), Chunky Move (Australia), Hiroaki Umeda (Japan), Tribal Crackling Wind (Toronto) and Francesco Scavetta (Norway/Italy).
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International Dance Day/BC Dances Initiated by UNESCO, International Dance Day is celebrated around the world every April 29. The Dance Centre organizes a series of free and low-cost public events, complemented by the participatory program BC Dances, which extends around the province.
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The Iris Garland Emerging Choreographer Award Launched in 2004, the Award is valued at $5,000 and is to be presented every two years to a senior dance student or emerging dance artist between 19 and 30 years of age who demonstrates exceptional choreographic ability and the potential to realize a future in the creative realm of dance. The award was presented to Amber Funk Barton in 2005, to Chengxin Wei in 2007, and to Sara Coffin in 2009.
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Workshops The Dance Centre runs information sessions and workshops for dance artists and companies throughout the season.
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Writing Dance Each March The Dance Centre, in association with the Vancouver International Dance Festival, presents a dance writing workshop led by writer and author Kaija Pepper. This program is currently on hiatus.
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Twelve Minutes Max
12 Minutes Max presents new works in progress resulting in performances, no more than 12 minutes in length. The series celebrates new ideas and directions in dance, theatre and interdisciplinary performance while encouraging artists to explore, experiment and invent. 12 Minutes Max began in 1994 and takes place twice a year at the Firehall Arts Centre. It is administered by The Dance Centre and programmed by a rotating curatorial team. Download the guidelines for the May 2010 edition here. Dates for the 2010-2011 season tba.
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Pulse Pulse is an assisted presentation program, enabling artists to present their work at Scotiabank Dance Centre with additional support in areas including marketing, PR and Front of House. It takes place 1-2 times a year.
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The Isadora Awards Initiated by The Dance Centre in 1999, the Awards recognize professionals who have made an outstanding contribution to dance in BC, and provide the professional community with an opportunity to celebrate its own achievements. Awards are given in three categories: For Excellence in Performance, Choreography, and Teaching. Award recipients:
2009: Rosario Ancer (choreography), Natalie LeFebvre-Gnam (performance), Barbara Bourget (teaching) 2008: Lola MacLaughlin (choreography), Noam Gagnon (performance) 2007: Wen Wei Wang (choreography), Alison Denham (performance), Judith Garay (teaching) 2006: Joe Laughlin (choreography), Ron Stewart (performance), Jai Govinda (teaching) 2005: Crystal Pite (choreography) 2004: Chick Snipper (choreography), Anne Cooper (performance), Peter Bingham (teaching) 2003: Kathleen McDonagh (performance) 1999: Susan Elliott (performance)
