Dance in Vancouver

I am excited to announce that I have been invited by The Dance Centre to be the next international guest curator for Dance in Vancouver (DIV), in association with Dance Umbrella London’s International Dance Festival and FABRIC International (UK). This is a biennial Canadian West Coast dance platform taking place across Vancouver 20th -24th November 2024. 

DIV is the leading opportunity for presenters and curators from across North America and around the world to view one of the most vibrant dance scenes in Canada – the eclectic contemporary dance of the West Coast. DIV offers a carefully structured and intensive program with performances, informal studio presentations, events and dialogues. It provides a forum in which to explore the potential for collaborations with artists and organisations, and to learn about an upcoming new generation of choreographers, as well as to see established artists in BC. Dance In Vancouver seeks to engage in dialogue around residencies, creativity and community engagement.

I acknowledge that ‘Dance in Vancouver’ is taking place on the unceded, ancestral and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), colonially known as Vancouver.

Information for presenters here.

Curatorial Statement

The Dance Centre Podcast with Anthea Lewis & Freddie Oppoku Addaie

Led by Claire French, together they explore the dance communities in Vancouver and London and the importance of hearing from multiple, different voices when curating. Plus Anthea shares her approach to curating DIV 2024.

Curator Insights with The Dance Centre

Tell us about your career in dance

I danced as a child and it was always a space where I felt most able to express myself, once I realised it could be more than a hobby, I was all in. I went on the study at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance before doing a year at the Limon School in New York. 

I was always interested in choreography and devised processes so enjoyed working with choreographers where this was part of their method. I worked in a freelance capacity the range and variety suited me well. I worked quite a bit with Belgian choreographer Hans Van den Broeck on different projects and loved the collective building of a world with the full team.

I became curious about all the moving parts involved in creating a production so went on the do an MA in Creative Producing for live performance. I was still passionate about making work but had carried a lot of injuries throughout my dance career and became more selective about the work I could take on; eventually only performing my choreography to accommodate the capacity of my body. Much of my rehabilitative journey involved Pilates which I continue to teach today. I progressed as a producer working with different organisations and artists, then started creating my own events and platforms which leaned more into the curatorial aspects.

I’m continually trying to find the balance between the different types of work I engage with even though it can be a struggle at times to wear multiple hats. I always consider myself a dancer, some how that’s my root and exploring my voice through movement, through connection to my body is an ongoing exploration.

How did you come to connect with The Dance Centre and get involved with DIV?

Freddie Opoku Addaie, Artistic Director & Co-CEO of Dance Umbrella International Festival London(DU)) encouraged me to attend B-Motion Festival in Bassano del Grappa as a good place to make connections and explore a wider field of dance. He introduced me to Mirna Zagar, Executive Director of The Dance Centre (TDC) and continued to facilitate the conversation with TDC about freelance artist led curatorial roles. After ongoing dialogues and a visit to Vancouver, I was invited to be the international guest curator for Dance In Vancouver with mentorship from Freddie and the support of DU.

How do you compare the Vancouver dance scene to that of the UK? What strikes you as different/similar? What surprised you

There’s a strong sense of community in the contemporary dance scene that I have discovered in Vancouver so far and a sense of value for each person’s contribution to the ecosystem that they all co-exist in. 

London being a busier city with more concentration of people makes it a more competitive environment but in the current climate, there is a lot of questioning in both cities about the value of the arts and its contribution to society. The landscape informs the artists and their work so it’s interesting to see the nuances that differ between the cities and the impact of the funding structures. 

What are the main trends you are seeing in dance right now?

I’m seeing young collectives being formed and sharing platforms and resources which is great to know they are finding ways to keep going and empower themselves. Ongoing explorations with structured improvisations and score building. The influence of street dance in contemporary practices has become significant enough for it to be introduced within dance training institutions in the UK. 

What were the driving themes and principles in your curation of DIV?

Part of my focus was to highlight what exists in the ‘in between’, essentially placing emphasis on all parts of a journey as well as the departure and arrival point. Exploring the minutia and allowing more time and space to be with this. 

What do you hope presenters will gain from DIV? Artists? Audiences?

As an experience, I hope it allows room for us all to slow down and be in the present moment with each other. For the exchanges that will take place to be absorbed through all of our senses. I hope it’s an opportunity to discover interactions that may be brief or in depth with an openness to expanding our sense of possibility.

DIV Programme

Events are at Scotiabank Dance Centre unless noted otherwise.
ARC = Artist-Run Centre.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 20

10am-5pm Registration
10am-late DIV Lounge
6-7.30pm Opening Welcome
Bob Baker, Michelle Olsen and Starr Muranko from Raven Spirit Dance
8-9pm Mainstage Performance
Company 605 lossy
10-11.15pm ARC Performance (Location: Boombox)
Boombox: The DIV Edition
Presented by Here For Now Collective in special partnership with The Dance Centre with support from Boombox partnering sponsor Company 605.
Featured artists: Juolin Lee, Emmalena Fredriksson, Ryan Jackson and Kira Radosevic.
(Limited capacity, repeats on Nov 22. Note that access is via 6 steps with a hand rail.)

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21

10am-late DIV Lounge
11.30-2pm Studio Showings
Justine A. Chambers | All Bodies Dance Project | The Biting School | Mardon + Mitsuhashi
2.30-4pm Studio Showings
Adam Grant Warren | Action at a Distance / Belle Spirale Dance Projects | Daina Ashbee
5-7pm ARC Performance and Conversation (Location: Morrow)
Featured artists: Alyssa Favero, Shion Skye Carter
(Limited capacity, advance signup required: priority given to visiting, out of town presenters)
8-9pm Mainstage Performance
DIV Double Bill: FakeKnot Croquis + Ziyian Kwan/Odd Meridian Arts Tendrils

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 22

10am-late DIV Lounge
11.30am-12.30pm ARC Studio Showing (Location: Left of Main)
plastic orchid factory
2-3pm Studio Showings + Conversation
Starr Muranko/Raven Spirit Dance | Tasha Faye Evans
5-7pm ARC Performance and Conversation (Location: Morrow)
Featured artists: Calder White, Deanna Peters/Mutable Subject, Simran Sachar
(Limited capacity, advance signup required: priority given to visiting, out of town presenters)
8-9.30pm Mainstage Performance + Dance Party
Lee Su-Feh Touch Me Hold Me Let Me Go
9.30-10.30pm Dance Party with See Monsters
10.30-11.45pm ARC Performance (Location: Boombox)
Boombox: The DIV Edition
Presented by Here For Now Collective in special partnership with The Dance Centre with support from Boombox partnering sponsor Company 605.
Featured artists: Juolin Lee, Emmalena Fredriksson, Ryan Jackson and Kira Radosevic.
(Limited capacity. Note that access is via 6 steps with a hand rail.)

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 23
10am-late DIV Lounge
12 noon-1pm Studio Showing
FakeKnot
2-4.30pm ARC Studio Showing + Conversation (Location: Progress Lab 1422)
Jeanette Kotowich
5-6.30pm ARC Studio Showing (Location: WhatLab)
Sujit Vaidya, Marion Landers, Jennifer Aoki.
(Limited capacity, advance signup required)
OR
5-6.30pm ARC Studio Showing (Location: Russian Hall)
Chimerik 似不像
Showing and talkback
(Limited capacity, advance signup required)
8-9pm Mainstage Performance
Anya Saugstad Paper Mountains
9.30-10.30pm Performance
Action at a Distance/Vanessa Goodman Soft Currents
10.30pm-12am Closing Party!

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 24

10am-6pm DIV Lounge
10am-5pm DIV Unstructured
Dance In Vancouver 2024 comes to a close with an afternoon of informal artist-led offerings.
10am-12 noon presenter/artist networking brunch
1-1.30pm Studio Showing INVERSO PRODUCTIONS/ Lesley Telford: Borrowed Time
1.30-2pm Studio Showing INVERSO PRODUCTIONS/ Performance Research Project: Works in progress
2-2.45pm Performance Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY: SALT & Lost Touch
3-4pm Open Session Claire French/Restless Productions: re:group
3-3.30pm Studio Showing Idan Cohen/Ne.Sans Opera & Dance: About Time
3.30-4pm Studio Showing Kay Huang/Crossmaneuver: Crossing + 安/Peace
4-5pm Sharing + Dance Party MascallDance: The A.I.R. Experiment
4.30-5pm Studio Showing soma anima arts (evolving from Kinesis Dance somatheatro): Bright Shadow