Dancing on the Edge 2018

July 5 - 14, 2018

The Dancing on the Edge Festival Returns for its 30th Anniversary

Vancouver, BC –The Dancing on the Edge Festival is Canada’s longest running festival of contemporary dance, taking place July 5 -14, 2018 at various venues in Vancouver.

With nearly 30 performances from more than 20 companies and choreographers from across Canada, in full and mixed programs as well as site-specific works and the return of the popular Dusk Dances outdoor series, the 30th annual Dancing on the Edge Festival is bringing dance in all shapes and forms to Vancouver audiences.

The Dancing on the Edge Festival Society strives to stimulate the development of high quality contemporary Canadian dance artists and choreography through the presentation of work from emerging and established local, regional, national and international dance artists and companies. Each year the Festival provides a catalyst for discussion about dance, either through forums, roundtable discussions, or talkbacks. The Festival also acts as a facilitator for new dance creations, through commissions, residencies, and co-productions.

30 Years of Dance in Canada

The Festival has a lot to celebrate. Not only does this anniversary serve as a platform to generate greater awareness of our festival’s values, but it will serve as a powerful reminder of the contributions of dance, as an art-form and demonstrates how 30 years of artistic pursuit can continue to pave the way for the future. The festival has accumulated 30 stories of the past 30 years of artists who have been presented by Dancing on the Edge Festival. Stories are shared here.

Significance of the Festival

Many of BC’s eminent choreographers have been presenting by Dancing on the Edge Festival including: Crystal Pite, Emily Molnar, Serge Bennathan, Wen Wei, Aeriosa Dance. In addition to national companies such as Compagnie Marie Chouinard, Brian Webb Dance Company, Paul Andre Fortier, plus thousands of performing dance artists from across Canada. It’s important to note, with many festivals, such as the Canada Dance Festival and Northern Lights Festival, closing up shop, it is significant that Dancing on the Edge Festival continues its work for the Canadian arts + culture community, not only artists, but even more importantly for our audiences.

2018 Festival

This year’s lineup includes – Montreal’s Paul Andre Fortier performs his final solo creation, Liz Kinoshita from Belgium shares her work, and Montreal’s Lara Kramer Danse. BC choreographers include, Wen Wei Dance, Company 605, Lesley Telford, CoErasga , Kokoro Dance, Mascall Dance, Noam Gagnon’s Vision Impure, and more – with over 30 performances including site specific work at Granville Island and LINK Dance Foundation’s Intersections II.

More details to be released soon.

2017 Performances

Full Programs

Oath-Midnight Rain
Beijing Modern Dance Company
Firehall Arts Centre

NO FUN
Helen Simard
Firehall Arts Centre

EDGE Off 1
ENTRAP | Kinesis Dance somatheatro/Paras Terezakis

Brooks Corning (380 West 2nd Ave. #200)

EDGE Off 2
Metamorphose | Carnegie Dance Troupe & Karen Jamieson Dance
Djavad Mowafaghian World Art Centre | Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (SFU Woodward’s)

EDGE Off 3
Unwrapping Culture | Co.ERASGA and Pichet Klunchun Dance Company
KW Production Studio, Woodward’s Heritage Building, #10 -111 W. Hastings

Mixed Programs

EDGE 1
Logarian Rhapsody | Alexandra Elliott Dance/Choreography by Tedd Robinson
Weave…part one | Yvonne Ng/tiger princess dance projects
Phasmida & Scorpiones | Chick Snipper
Firehall Arts Centre

EDGE 2
Blessed Unrest | Monica Shah/Choreography by Natasha Bakht
Zhōng Xīn | Yvonne Ng/tiger princess dance projects
Quartet | MascallDance/Jennifer Mascall
Firehall Arts Centre

EDGE 3
Messages to an Audience | Naomi Brand
It Was/Wasn't All Worth It: This Piece Contains Violence | It Burns Hot & Fast/Diego Romero & Ileanna Cheladyn

Firehall Arts Centre

EDGE 4
SQUIN | Ralph Escamillan/FakeKnot
The Poets | Cori Caulfield/coriograph theatre
Compass | Olivia C. Davies
Firehall Arts Centre

EDGE 5
Self Portrait | Julianne Chapple
Sara does a Solo | Sara Porter
Firehall Arts Centre

EDGE 6
…but some of us are looking at the stars | Daelik
"solo" | Deanna Peters/Mutable Subject

Firehall Arts Centre

EDGE 7
Untitled Distance | Emmalena Fredriksson/Arash Khakpour
Contes Cruels (Cruel Tales) | Les Productions Figlio/Serge Bennathan
Firehall Arts Centre

Site Work

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
LINK Dance Foundation
Intersections (various locations)

In Sights
All Bodies Dance Project/Naomi Brand

RV There Yet?
Mile Zero Dance/Gerry Morita |
Tue July 11th @ 10pm - 280 E Cordova Street | Wed July 12th @ 9pm - Spanish Banks | Thur July 13th @ 3pm - Parker Street Studios | Fri July 14th @ 8pm - Firehall Arts Centre

Thunderbird Sharing Ceremony: A community celebration of Coast Salish Culture
Aeriosa Dance/Spakwus Slulem
Stanley Park