Can’t you just feel those days getting longer…have a great week!

February 28 & 29, DanceHouse is excited to bring back to Vancouver for the third time, Grupo Corpo (Brazil) in two works, Dança Sinfônica & Gira. The Brazilian juggernaut Grupo Corpo channels the metaphysical with their new work Gira, whereChoreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras has infused his style with movement idioms inspired by Afro-Brazilian rituals. The company’s deep research into the cosmology and rites of Umbanda (the most widespread Brazilian-born religion) creates a new kind of performance aesthetic, possessed by a ripe sensuality and cathartic power. With music from São Paulo band Méta Méta, the dancers invoke a state of near-transcendental ecstasy, opening up a pathway from one plane of existence to the next. The corporeal world melds with the divine in a transformative journey of rare exaltation. Check out a video of the two works here. “To watch the piece felt a bit like being privileged to observe secret, sacred rituals and ancient rites anonymously, as if through a peephole… irreverent, electrifying, sometimes aggressive, otherworldly and, when done right, something that can transport you (even if only emotionally or sensually) to a place of purity and transcendence…” – Broadway World At the Vancouver Playhouse, 8 pm. Tix

You still have time until Saturday February 8 to catch the Dance Centre’s Global Dance Series join the PuSh Festival in presenting Montreal based dancer Dana Michel in her latest creation, CUTLASS SPRING. Michel’saudacious and original works have earned her international attention and numerous awards, including the Jardin d’Europe Award at ImPulsTanz (Vienna), and the Silver Lion for Innovation in Dance at the Venice Biennale. Michel breaks through conventions with her daring choreographies, rejecting stereotypical physicality and identity, and creating a liberated world of shape-shifting metamorphosis, incorporating elements ranging from sculpture and comedy, to psychology and social commentary. CUTLASS SPRING, delves into the mystery of the sexual self, exploring how cultural repression and her life as a performer, a mother, and a lover have shaped her sexual identity.  Check out Michel’s work here. At the ScotiaBank Dance Centre, 8 pm. Post show talk back, February 7. Tix

Tuesday February 11, the Dance Centre invites you to Open Stage Edition #1. From contemporary and flamenco to tap and Irish dance, Open Stage features five dance works spanning a varied range of styles and approaches by Adelynne Addington, Ana Sosa, Anouk Froidevaux, Jhoely Triana Flamenco, and Tomoyo Yamada/Clala Dance Project. At the Scotia Bank Dance Centre, 8 pm. Tix

Wednesday-Saturday, February 12-15, The Cultch and New Works present Tentacle Tribe in Ghost. Six of Montréal’s best street dancers immerse themselves in the mysterious mechanics of breathing, and interpret its life-giving rhythm. Combining elements of contemporary dance, hip hop, and martial arts in a physical score that echoes the subtle pulse of respiration, Tentacle Tribe approaches the body as a musical instrument with infinite possibilities. Inhalations and exhalations sculpt the group’s gestures, movement, and rhythm as interconnected bodies form striking human structures that shift, alter, and evolve in synergy with the music. Check out a video here. At the Cultch, 7:30 pm. Tix

And on Monday, February 10 New Works partners with The Cultch and SFU School for the Contemporary Arts to present a unique masterclass with Emmanuelle Lê Phan and Elon Höglund, artistic directors and co-founders of Tentacle Tribe. Emmanuelle and Elon have drawn from their experiences as professional dancers (Cirque Du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, Rubberbandance, Bboyizm) to develop a method that fuses various movement philosophies and techniques. 6:30 – 9:00 p.m SFU School of Contemporary Arts, 149 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver. Register at tentacle-tribe.eventbrite.ca

The Friday Round Up is here for you, a place to share anything that is happening in the dance world in Vancouver – performances, workshops, conferences, festivals…all of it!   If you have something you would like to announce on The Friday Round Up, please send it to debora@dancehouse.ca We look forward to hearing from you!