Check out all the dance at the upcoming festivals – enjoy!

Don’t miss, February 23 and 24, the DanceHouse and The Dancers of Damelahamid co-presentation of choreographer Elle Sofe Sara with her beautiful work Vástádus eana – The answer is land. For centuries, the Sámi people ranged in territory that stretched from Norway to Russia, until policies of enforced assimilation stripped them of their traditional culture. Subjected to almost total cultural obliteration, with residential schools, language suppression, and religious conversion, the path back to a place of pride and identity has come through art. Undoing this kind of erasure is Vástádus eana – The answer is land. “For this piece, it’s more like it comes from a place of love. I feel that what I tried to do here is find some sort of calmness between all of us people.” Elle Sofe Sara.

Taking inspiration from a poem that foregrounds the relationship between the Sámi people and their homeland, choreographer Elle Sofe Sara fashions a critically important message about the foundational attachment arising from community and culture. Check out this recent interview with Ella Sofe Sara in Stir. At the Vancouver Playhouse, 8 pm. Tix

Friday and Saturday, February 17 and 18, check out Chalk it Up! 2024 Chalk it Up! is a platform for emerging choreographers to showcase finished or developing works. It gives them the opportunity to experiment with new ideas in front of an audience. At 910 Richards St, Vancouver, 2 pm and 7 pm. Tix

From Monday – Sunday February 19-25, the 6th edition of Matriarchs Uprising Festival, curated by Olivia C. Davies, features an exciting program of new contemporary Indigenous dance works from Louise Pōtiki Bryant, Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo, Raven Spirit Dance, Sandra Lamouche, Tin Gamboa, Samantha Sutherland, Sophie Dow, Patti Shaughnessy, Kelly Nash, Raven Grenier, Lindsay Delaronde, Erynne Gilpin, Yvonne Chartrand, & more! The week also includes Masterclasses, Community Workshops, Dance on Screen and Talking Truths Conversations. This year’s theme is Noojimo’idizo – she cures herself. We dance to strengthen our being, to uplift our spirit and celebrate this life. Our world is awakening to the power within us to transform pain and suffering and find our way forward to harmony. In this edition of Matriarchs Uprising, you are invited to witness Noojimo’idizo—she cures herself—of disconnection, dispossession and dis-ease through dance. For the full schedule and tix

On February 22, as part of Matriarchs Uprising Festival, Raven Spirit Dance presents Confluence, a dance work that weaves our perspectives, our histories and our bodies to create somatic tapestry that speaks to the resilience of Indigenous women. We embody the space between land and sky through play, prayer, grief and gratitude and are the living testament to the legacy that has been offered to us. Aligning our lives with the direction of the water in a river or geese in migration, we acknowledge we are always in process, shaping and carving through landscapes, creating rhythms and discovering our stories. At Scotiabank Dance Centre, 7 pm.

Running February 28 – March, the 24th annual Vancouver International Dance Festival features performances, workshops and events with local, national and international artists at various Vancouver venues. The lineup includes: Montréal’s Compagnie Virginie Brunelle, Spain’s Israel Galván Company, Montréal’s Catherine Gaudet, Japan’s Conan Amok, Hungary’s Ferenc Fehér with Disco Boys, and Vancouver’s Jennifer McLeish-Lewis with New Skin, FakeKnot, Modus Operandi, and more. Check out the full schedule here!

Thursday February 29, The Dance Centre presents the Discover Dance! series with Voirelia Dance Hub in De/Formed Revival. Choreographed by Alina Sotskova, De/Formed Revival is inspired by Renaissance art and sculpture. Three expressive, finely honed dancers (Hana Rutka, Ben DeFaria, and Will Jessup) trace a journey of transformation, using the metaphor of sculptures coming to life to explore how we can release the past and embrace change. At the Scotiabank Dance Centre, noon. Tix