Welcome to the Friday Round-Up, a place for the Vancouver community of dancers and dance lovers to come together and share what is going on in the local dance community. In this new world in which we find ourselves, it is now more important than ever to find ways to connect and share all the many new and innovative ways in which we create, communicate and relate in the world of dance. So if you have something you would like to share with the Friday Round-Up, please send it to debora@dancehouse.ca. We look forward to hearing from you!

Don’t let the rain get to you this weekend – just watch some dance!

You have until March 23 (link available for 7 days) to enjoy the DanceHouse presentation of Joe, a pivotal work by the late Jean-Pierre Perreault. Joe presents an image of the human condition that is so accurate and so moving that it remains forever imprinted in the memories of those who have seen it. To the sound of 32 pairs of work boots obsessively pounding the floor, 32 dancers dressed in long coats and hats, move in a compact mass from which individuals occasionally attempt to free themselves to escape a foreordained destiny. Check out the review in Stir online, and also this beautiful piece where Vancouver based dance artist Serge Bennathan speaks to the influence and significance of Perreault’s Joe still today.

This video recording of the piece Joe, not only pays tribute to one of Canada’s greatest choreographers but also allows the public to discover or rediscover an absolutely breathtaking performance that has had a profound impact on contemporary dance. Joe is a masterpiece, a landmark work not only in Jean-Pierre Perreault’s oeuvre but in Canadian contemporary dance. Enjoy this archival video in its vintage resolution, which is already 26 years old. The technology may have aged a little, but Joe hasn’t! Check out a video preview of the work here. After the performance, there will be a 25-minute documentary contextualizing the creation. But tickets for yourself, or for the whole family, here.

Thursday March 18 – Tuesday March 23 (online) following four live performances that were live-streamed in high-definition to audiences around the world, Music on Main shares Vanessa Goodman and Caroline Shaw’s work Graveyards and Gardens On Demand. Through this immersive, multi-camera, 4K high-definition broadcast, experience Caroline’s joyous, fresh melodies and body-swaying beats alongside found sounds, old recordings, and the energizing rush of Vanessa’s vivid and ethereal movement. Whether you experience the performance again or for the very first time, this on-demand performance gives you access to a private link for six full days: you can watch and listen at your leisure. Plus, you’ll receive complimentary access to the full artist talkback. Recorded January 28, this video chat between Caroline, Vanessa, and Peter Dickinson gives an insider’s perspective on the artists’ intent and creative process. Tix

Tonight, March 19, check out on YouTube Containment, a work created by Okams Racer. This short film profiles the three stories of Okams Racer collective members Ana Sosa, Jenna Berlyn and Sam Krystal during the pandemic. “We are all affected in one way or another by Covid-19. Whether it is loss of a loved one, stress over online school, or having your career on hold, all these issues cause us to feel the sadness, desperation, and frustration that come with containment. Dance unites us during these hard times, and we find solace in dancing together, while apart.” Check out a preview of the work. For tix and more info

Also tonight (who said there is nothing to do in a pandemic!), March 19, the Chan Centre DOT com series presents, Parāśakti—the Mother Goddess, the Absolute Divinity—plays a timeless, archetypal role across geographic and socio-cultural barriers in Hindu traditions, acting as a reflection on the human condition and presenting paths for attaining enlightenment. This brand new production explores the Goddess’ many narratives and iconographies through sublime classical Indian music and dance. Joining directors Arno Kamolika (dance) and Akhil Jobanputra (vocal) are BC-based musicians Shrividhya Sairam (Carnatic vocals), Curtis Andrews (Mridangham), Sharanjeet Singh Mand (Sitar) and Satpreet Singh (Dilruba). Tix

Next weekend, March 26 and 27, Flamenco Rosario is excited to present BUENA MEZCLA!, an eclectic mix of Flamenco dance performances by incredible artists Mucha Muchacha (Spain), Anastassiia Alexander (Calgary) and our own Flamenco Rosario (Vancouver). Each piece is a recorded performance and you will have 1 week to access the links at your convenience starting 7pm Friday 26 March. For more info and tix. FREE!