contemporary dance

I make no secret of the fact that I am a huge fan of Ballet BC. I was delighted to discover Vancouver’s resident contemporary dance company when I moved here from England three years ago. Even within that short time they have grown in stature, exuding a quiet confidence in all they do. They have become highly respected by audiences, critics, and choreographers alike. The success of the company is, in large part, down to director, Emily Molnar, who skilfully broadened the appeal of Ballet BC without compromising an ounce of its artistic integrity. She has continued to push the...

photo by Cindi Wicklund

At the start of the show we are welcomed by Ian Ferrier, the storyteller and musician in Bear Dreams. He tells us that this company is from Montreal and that on their tour they have sought out a member of the literary community in each city to join them and share their art at the start of the show.  He introduced us to BC Poet Hillary Peach.  Hillary shared her poem about snakes and took the audience on an enjoyable emotional ride, asking what you would do if you woke up with a rattlesnake on...

An audience of six huddles around the open door of Pandora Park’s Fieldhouse, fluorescent light burning a rectangle in the darkness, a moth flutters into our faces (not part of the show) as two girls inside a closet fight with balloons. Well, maybe fight isn’t the right word. And they aren’t really balloons. Two girls inside a closet roll their bodies against the thin squeaky skin of two clear plastic garbage bags puffed up with air and tied tightly like empty pillows. They wear matching pajamas - a black and white pattern that...