Inside Vancouver

Vancouver Dance Festivals in March 2012

by Dana Lynch in Events on February 24, 2012

Photo: Vancouver International Salsafestival

March 2012 is shaping up to be a mini “dance celebration” month in Vancouver: Not only can you see Aboriginal dance at the on-going Talking Stick Festival (which runs through March 5), there are three more dance festivals coming up next month: the Vancouver International Salsafestival, the Vancouver International Dance Festival 2012 and the Coastal First Nations Dance Festival at UBC’s Museum of Anthropology.

Vancouver International Salsafestival 2012 – March 1 – 4, 2012
Smokin’ hot and very popular (many events have already sold out), the Vancouver International Salsafestival celebrates Salsa, Cha Cha, Reggaton and Bachata with gala dance showcases, open dancing, workshops and more.

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Vancouver Dance Festivals in March 2012

World’s Most Celebrated Flamenco Artist Comes to Vancouver January 21

by Dana Lynch in Entertainment on January 6, 2012

Noche Flamenco's acclaimed Soledad Barrio. Photo: Laura Murray Public Relations

When it comes to authentic, riveting flamenco, it doesn’t get better than the world-renowned Spanish flamenco company Noche Flamenca and their star Soledad Barrio, arguably the world’s most celebrated flamenco artist. The winners of audience adoration, critical praise and multiple dance awards, including the National Dance Project (2006 & 2009), the Lucille Lortel Award for Special Theatrical Experience (2003), and annual awards from the National Endowment for the Arts since 2007, Noche Flamenca garnered a large following in Vancouver after a sold out, standing-room-only engagement during the 2009 Cultural Olympiad.

This month, Noche Flamenca and Soledad Barrio return to Vancouver by popular demand to perform at UBC’s Chan Centre, in partnership with the 2012 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, for one night only on January 21, 2012.

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World’s Most Celebrated Flamenco Artist Comes to Vancouver January 21

BC Cultural Crawl – August 1 – 31, 2011

by Dana Lynch in Entertainment on July 22, 2011

It’s a big year for Vancouver. Not only is 2011 the City of Vancouver’s 125th birthday and Parks Canada’s 100th anniversary, it’s also the 10th birthday for the BC Cultural Crawl. Launched as a B.C. Day celebration in 2001, today’s BC Culture Crawl is a huge arts festival that spans the province and the entire month of August.

The BC Cultural Crawl is a collection of arts and cultural events at 70 cities and towns throughout British Columbia, including outdoor theatre, art walks, annual festivals, and special events that demonstrate the unique “footprints” of the various B.C. communities.

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BC Cultural Crawl – August 1 – 31, 2011

Ballet BC Celebrates its 25th Anniversary April 14 – 16, 2011

by Dana Lynch in Entertainment on April 6, 2011

Ballet BC may be most famous in Vancouver for its annual production of the Christmas favourite The Nutcracker, but the company has much more to offer than just dancing mice and Sugar Plum Fairies.

Ballet BC is one of the premiere ballet troupes in British Columbia, and it’s celebrating its 25th anniversary with not-to-be-missed performances of four new works by Canadian and Ballet BC alumni—accompanied by The Turning Point Ensemble—at the majestic Queen Elizabeth Theatre April 14 – 16, 2011.

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Ballet BC Celebrates its 25th Anniversary April 14 – 16, 2011

Vancouver Dance Festivals in March, Part II: Vancouver International Salsafestival March 3 – 6, 2011

by Dana Lynch in Entertainment on February 28, 2011

Salsa dancing in Vancouver always seems a bit of an underground phenomenon to me. By which I mean, loads of people are doing it—just head to Tuesday night salsa at Boss Nightclub on Richards for a taste—people travel to Vancouver just for salsa events, and yet Vancouver’s thriving salsa scene doesn’t get much press.

For those reasons, it may surprise you that Vancouver annually plays host to the largest Latin dance festival in all of Canada: the Vancouver International Salsafestival, a four-day celebration of salsa and Latin dance that draws together 2,500 people from 18 countries and lets you dance, watch, and learn salsa, too.

Salsafestival’s main events are their famous, all-out-party Gala Nights, which combine world-class performances, live music and dancing, the Salsafestival workshops, and a learn-to-dance-in-one-day Beginner’s Bootcamp.

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Vancouver Dance Festivals in March, Part II: Vancouver International Salsafestival March 3 – 6, 2011