Since we only do the Round-Up every 2 weeks, we want to wish you all a Happy (early) International Dance Day!

Coming up in just 2 weeks, DanceHouse closes its 15th Anniversary season on May 5 and 6 with Dada Masilo (South Africa) in The Sacrifice. With The Sacrifice, Masilo explores the minimalism and connection with nature and animals of Tswana dance through the lens of Pina Bausch’s interpretation of Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Masilo, who grew up in South Africa in a Xhosa environment, and rose to the highest heights of European ballet, explores her own origins with her trademark combination of traditional, contemporary, and classical dance. The Sacrifice is an exploration of the pain and suffering humans can inflict on each other. What must we sacrifice? How can we start again differently? Is sacrifice essential for change? On the stage, four musicians and 10 dancers form a community whose humour and rituals make cruelty bearable—just. Check out a teaser video of the work here and an interview with Masilo when she was touring in England about the inspiration for The Sacrifice here. At the Vancouver Playhouse, 8 pm. Tix

And while we are talking about DanceHouse, go check out the artists coming to Vancouver in DanceHouse 2023/24 season. The offerings are stupendous, including Compañia Rocío Molina from Spain and a new work from Vancouver based and internationally renowned Kidd Pivot. It is not too early to subscribe for the full season!

Dancers out there, check this out Dancer and Choreographer Nova Bhattacharya (Nova Dance) invites dancers for an opening invocation performance, presented alongside Svāhā! a creative development and community performance opportunity for dance lovers, in July 2023 as part of the Indian Summer Festival. With a cast of over 20 performers selected from a diversity of dance forms and cultural backgrounds, Svāhā! brings differences together in a collage of moving images, offering metaphors, recitation, pulsating rhythms and intense emotions, revelling in simplicity and embracing complexity, Svāhā! asks, how can we be better together? While this is a volunteer opportunity, you will be gifted a solo, developed with professional dancers, that you may perform in the future. All women-identifying dancers in Metro Vancouver seeking opportunities for performance and learning from/with established professional dancers are invited to apply. The auditions happened last weekend but there is still room for more dancers! If you are interested, come to the first rehearsal Sunday, April 23rd, 2 to 4pm at the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, SFU Woodwards. Contact Kiruthika Rathanaswarri Kiruthika@novadance.ca , Associate Artist with Nova Dance for more information.

Wednesday, April 26, The Falling Company will share a preview excerpt of the work titled Family Room, the full work to premiere in The Dance Centre’s 2023-24 season. Choreographed by Marissa Wong, Family Room recreates a studio apartment through a set design of furniture and home decor. This is the foundation for a series of solos to interact with the same household objects, each object representing a relationship, dynamic, and history between different family members. This excerpt will be followed by a discussion with the artists, led by mental health professional Brie-Ana Laboucane. At the Scotiabank Dance Centre, 6 pm. Tix FREE!

On Friday and Satirday April 28 and 29, Co.ERASGA’s Studio Salon Series: Spring 2023 features works in progress by four local artists, including VOLT24 (Alyssa Favero) with Justin Calvadores, Sophie Dow with Amanda Testini, Vitantonio Spinelli & Laura Reznek (Friday) and Juan Villegas and Kristen Lewis (Saturday) For more info. At What Lab, #202-1814 Pandora St 5 pm. Seating is limited, so please register.

On Saturday, April 29 it is once again International Dance Day! Initiated in 1982 by UNESCO, International Dance Day is marked annually on this day with events across Canada and around the world. The date commemorates the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), regarded as the founder of modern ballet. Here in Vancouver, the day will be full of opportunities to see and participate in dance of all types – check out a listing of activities at the Scotiabank Dance Centre, and around town.

On April 29 and 30, join Dance West Network for an evening of contemporary works by three emerging BIPOC dance artists: Sidney Chuckas,  Ana Sosa and Mohammed Rashead who will showcase recent work developed over their eight-month Dance West Network Re-Centering/Margins 4th annual creative residency. Launched in 2019, Dance West Network’s Creative Residency project provides opportuniFlamencoties and professional development for emerging dance artists of colour to create contemporary performance works. At KW Studios, Saturday 8 pm, and Sunday 2 pm. FREE! $10 donation welcome. Space is limited, so please REGISTER.

Also as part of International Dance Day, Saturday April 29 Flamenco Rosario presents Regeneration 2023. From a new generation of flamenco choreographers to a new generation of flamenco dancers…Introducing four works: Simbiosis by Cristina Hall, La Sombra by Albert Hernandez, De Extremadura a Granada by Pilar Ogalla, Variaciones con el 12 by Rosario Ancer. They are joined by singer Jafelin Helten, guitarist Peter Mole and percussionist Davide Sampaolo. At the ANNEX Theatre, 8 pm. Tix

Last conversations of the New Works Spring series of Share Dance: In Practice are April 23 and April 30. The series fosters broader conversations around teaching as creative practice and is envisioned as a space to hold our collective questions, build a community of colleagues, and activate the conversations that will carry us forward from here. This series is co-led by In Practice Facilitators Lisa Mariko Gelley and Carolina Bergonzoni, alongside guest facilitators, and includes two online conversations, and two in-person conversations. Check out the full schedule of conversations and join us! 3:15-6:15pm | In person at Q7 studios 77 E 7th Ave, Vancouver, BC Learn More & Sign Up

From the Dancer Transition Resource Centre: April 23 You’re invited to Industry Connect Vancouver! – A micro-conference event for emerging dance artists. Welcome to your dance career! Welcome to YOUR community. Guest speaker Marissa Wong, invited artists and community leaders, casual atmosphere, informal conversation. Strengthen your connections with the dance community, cultivate networking skills, build professional contacts and gain valuable career-development advice. At the Scotiabank Dance Centre, 1 – 4 pm. Registration

At Morrow during the month of May, check out the Asian Heritage Month. Expect intimate sharings of poetry, movement, music, film, visual art and interactive offerings of rest and nourishment featuring work by artists Kage, Ziyian Kwan, Alger Ji-Liang, Juolin Lee, Sauha Lee, Anjela Magpantay, Monica Ogden, Joyce Rosario, Sujit Vaidya, Anjalica Solomon, Johnny Trinh and Sarah Wong. Ahmm’s events are at once resistance and celebration, embracing the work of Asian Canadian artists who from a space of community, sing their work to shore. For more info