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Volume 40 / Issue 3

Dance Central A Dance Centre Publication

Content A new vision for VIDF Page 4

From ethereal to experiential: How Eric Cheung’s multidisciplinary dance practice grasps at the everlasting

Page 12

Editor's Note Dance Central, Volume 40, Issue 3

As I am compiling this issue, it dawned on me that this marks my 20th issue as editor. Working with The Dance Centre has given me the privilege of engaging with artists whose work continues to shift the way we think about dance in British Columbia and beyond. Reaching this milestone reminds me how much the field has transformed since 2020 and how valuable this platform, initiated in 1986, continues to be as a place where conversations around dance can unfold. This issue brings together two perspectives on contemporary dance in Vancouver that show how artists and practitioners are reshaping practice across the city. Our seasoned writers, Tessa Perkins Deneault and Rachel Silver Maddock, offer vivid portraits of individuals who expand the field while staying rooted in their communities. They remind us that dance moves forward through risk and collaboration, and that documenting these shifts is both a responsibility and a joy. Maddock’s conversation with Deanna Peters, Artistic Director of the Vancouver International Dance Festival, examines a period of leadership transformation since they stepped into the role of Co-Director in 2024. This year, they became Artistic Director. The interview offers a close view of a festival shaped by an artist-led ethos and strengthened by renewed commitments to champion underrepresented dance forms. This feature holds personal meaning for me because I interviewed Barbara Bourget and her dancers at Kokoro Dance, including Peters, Salome Nieto, and Molly McDermott, for my first issue of Dance Central in 2020. Witnessing the baton passed from Bourget to Peters is a powerful reminder of how leadership can open new pathways for community and practice. Perkins Deneault’s profile of Eric Cheung follows a multidisciplinary artist committed to exploration and movement as a site of curiosity. Cheung is a member of Ouro Collective, known for its inventive blend of street dance, experimental practice, and theatrical performance since 2014. Ouro will present its new work ECHOES at VIDF 2026. Be sure to explore the newly released VIDF 2026 program and get your tickets at vidf.ca. We thank all the artists who have contributed, and we welcome new writing and project ideas at any time—keeping Dance Central a vital link to the community. Please send materials by email to editor@ thedancecentre.ca. We look forward to many more conversations. Shanny Rann Editor

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Contra rehearsal with performers Eric Cheung and Kinui Oiwa © Aidan Chin

D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

A New Vision for VIDF By Rachel Silver Maddock

It was a historic year for Vancouver International Dance Festival (VIDF), marking the change of leadership from co-founders Barbara Bourget and Jay Hirabayashi to Deanna Peters/Mutable Subject and Victor Tran. The new directors blazed a new trail, presenting work that was “raw, kinetic, and experimental,” in a seismic shift that widened the scope of viewership. On a warm evening in October, I sat down with Peters—a longtime friend and mentor—to discuss her moving into the role of Artistic Director (in August, Tran stepped down as co-director). Over coffee and snacks, we reflected on the 2025 festival and discussed the upcoming one.

Rachel Silver Maddock: The 2025 VIDF festival had new leadership, a new format, and a new flavour—and from where I'm sitting, it was a huge success! Every show that I went to seemed to be packed. There was a lot of enthusiasm and energy around the shows, and in the community. Do you want to reflect on how it went?

produce a festival isn't the longest amount of time, and so we needed to be efficient. RSM: Previously did Jay and Barbara not do an open call? DP: I think maybe as an anomaly during the pandemic. But that was the only time. So, I think it was the first time in the organization's

Deanna Peters/Mutable Subject: I think it went

history that there was. It was a unique

wonderfully. I think we did a really good job.

opportunity to make the call accessible to

You know, it was a real privilege to be able to

all dance artists in Canada, and we had a

enact a larger vision than doing a lot of DIY indie projects. We definitely felt the abundance of coming into an organization that had a longstanding history, operating funding and a larger budget than we had ever seen before. My first impression was just like, wow, look at what we

really great response. We had Michelle Olson join us as a guest artist on the selection committee. And we programmed the festival with people we knew, people we had never met before, and we had never heard of before. It was really exciting to encounter people through their work.

can do for the dance community. And leaning into things that were really familiar to me, like

RSM: Yes, I love that. Many of the institutional

an open call to artists. Because six months to

resources in the dance community have

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We All Fall Down © Jared David D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

Dance Central Volume 40 / Issue 3 — December 2025 The Dance Centre Scotiabank Dance Centre Level 6, 677 Davie Street Vancouver BC V6B 2G6

T 604.606.6400 info@thedancecentre.ca www.thedancecentre.ca

Dance Central is published quarterly by The Dance Centre for its members and for the community. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent Dance Central or The Dance Centre. The editor reserves the right to edit for clarity or length, or to meet house requirements.

Editor, Art Director & Layout Shanny Rann

Dance Foundation Board Members:

Copy Editor

Shaadi Faris, Samantha Luo,

Kaia Shukin

Dallas McMurtrie

Design Layout

Chair Linda Blankstein Vice-Chair Andrea Benzel Secretary Anndraya Luui Treasurer Janice Wells

Becky Wu

Contributors to this issue: Rachel Silver Maddock, Deanna Peters/Mutable Subject, Tessa Perkins Deneault, Eric Cheung

Dance Centre Staff: Executive Director Mirna Zagar

Photo credits

Associate Programming Director

Front Cover: Contra with performers

Raquel Alvaro

Tegvaran Sooch, Eric Cheung, and

Associate Producer

Kinui Oiwa © Aidan Chin

Linda Blankstein

Back Cover: VIDF-Mile Zero

Director of Marketing

Dance [Tia-Kushniruk] © Luciana

Heather Bray

D’Anunciação

Digital Marketing Coordinator Lindsay Curtis

Dance Centre Board Members: Chair

Development Manager

Linda Gordon

Membership Coordinator

Vice-Chair

Kaia Shukin

Selim Hasan

Outreach Coordinator

Treasurer

Yurie Kaneko

Mark Weston

Comptroller

Directors

Elyn Dobbs

Yvonne Chartrand, Mique'l Dangeli,

Venue and Services Manager

Mirjana Galovich, Anndraya Luui,

Christopher David Gauthier

Catherine Butler

Sujit Vaidya, Wen Wei Wang

historically gone towards concert dance and more western canonical forms—whereas experimental dance and street dance have been historically underfunded, underrepresented, overlooked and underserved. DP: Those are all the words that we use! RSM: I thought it was wonderful that you want to support those artists who have been working hard behind the scenes and not always recognized on the front lines. I’m curious, for you, what is the relationship between street dance and concert dance? How do they support each other or learn from each other? DP: I guess I don't see them as separate in the sense that there are street dancers who are working for the stage—I see it as situational. We are a traditional festival in the sense that we are in theatre venues, primarily. But, also, as an artist-led festival, we're bringing a DIY grassroots ethos to a major international event. One thing I learned during the first year was VIDF's relevance to the dance community locally, nationally, and globally: we are actually the largest festival dedicated to dance in the country.

Established in 1986 as a resource centre for dance in British Columbia, The Dance Centre is a multifaceted organization offering a range of activities which is unparalleled in Canadian dance. We present performances and events, building audiences and nurturing public awareness; invest in programs, resources and support for hundreds of dance professionals working in all genres; operate Scotiabank Dance Centre, a cultural hub and one of Canada’s flagship dance facilities which welcomes tens of thousands of visitors annually; and work to promote BC dance. Through programs, outreach and education, The Dance Centre is committed to sustaining a strong and vibrant community through dance.

RSM: Largest in terms of budget or shows? DP: In the number of shows, and the number of artists that we're supporting. There are larger festivals, but they're broader performing arts festivals. We are the largest festival dedicated to dance.

D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

RSM: I did not know that!

DP: The format is pretty similar to before because there are long-standing venue

DP: And with that, we carry the historic

partners with the Roundhouse and the

underserving of dance as well. It's not

Vancouver Civic Theatres. So, all of those

necessarily a competition of who is the most

venues were available and booked years

underserved, but, you know, when we look

in advance. That kind of stability was there.

at the greater arts landscape, dance is usually

And there's always been the free show at

pretty low down in terms of the resources that

the Roundhouse as well as a show in the

we have to work with. But also, as practicing

performance centre and then the Annex. We

artists, we are empathetic to the situation of

did change the times, and put two artists in

many artists who are working underground,

each venue per week, rather than one. So, we

independently, and outside of the dominant

adopted more of a festival format as opposed

structures. So, I think our programming values

to a stand-alone presentation format. And also,

were really strong.

duration—the call was for 25 minutes and up. So, we're creating the opportunity for people

We had these words that we were putting

to see three shows in one night by featuring

the works up to, which was raw, kinetic, and

shorter, smaller-scale works. But it was really

experimental. And not all of the works had to

out of a vision that the festival is a celebration

be all of those things, but in general those are

of dance. There is no lack of amazing dance

the values for the festival. And works rooted in

artists out there to program; so, it is really

lived experience were also very important to

about that abundance.

us. So that's why we came up with the battle as a way to bridge the audiences and spaces where dance is happening. RSM: The festival was such a great mix of venues and styles. I appreciated the condensed timeline of shows (two weeks) and three shows per day. I actually found it quite fun to traipse from one venue to the next and have conversations with people along the way. It created this hub—this very energetic, short incubator where you run into the same people at different shows, and the networking felt very strong. Did you make any changes to the structure or the format of the festival?

There is no lack of amazing dance artists out there to program; so, it is really about that abundance. Paper Dress © David Cooper D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

RSM: It did feel like that. It felt like there was

the hierarchy that this venue is the opener,

an abundance of talent, an abundance of

this is the main stage, that kind of thing. We

generosity, and an abundance of community. I

made it about what venue does a specific

particularly loved sitting in the round tables at

work need, and ticketed all the shows at an

the Roundhouse and every time sitting down,

equal level. So, a local artist or visiting artist

meeting someone new.

would be seen to represent the same value.

DP: One thing we did change was that all of

RSM: That's super important. Was there

the shows were ticketed. When we were

anything else that worked well or surprised you?

starting out, we asked people: what's your experience of VIDF in the past? And we

DP: We tried a repertory format, which

learned about how it was perceived and how

means that we were doing a show

local artists were feeling they were being

Wednesday-Friday, and a show Thursday-

presented. And so, we decided to get rid of

Saturday. And that is a bit more stressful on

VIDF-Lorin Sookool © Luciana D’Anunciação

D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

the budget and on the tech, but also creates

Dance, and they did this giant installation in

that opportunity for visiting artists to come for

the exhibition hall. And so that idea of the

a full week and see other shows. So, I think

disruptor is carrying through into the next

that repertory format had an added value

year; the second week needs disruption. And

that really surpassed the extra cost that we

it allows for other works that might not be

would put in for the hotels etc.

as conventional, to help serve artists that are working outside the box.

One thing that surprised me was that the first week of the festival was so amazing and going

RSM: That was a particularly memorable show.

so well, and when week two came, it started

And it gave a certain vibrancy to the festival as

to feel like Groundhog Day, just a teensy bit.

well—I could hear people talking about it while

And thankfully we had a disruptor that came

I was at other shows. Let’s touch on changes:

in—one work that was way beyond the usual

can you talk about the team and how it’s going

programming capacity, which was Mile Zero

to shape up this year? DP: I'm so proud of what Victor and I achieved by coming in and doing this giant push to put the festival on. Then when the dust was settling, it was like, how are we going to make this sustainable? Now I'm the Artistic Director and it does feel quite exposed; there was something really comfortable about being able to represent the community as two people, and that's the way I'm used to working. Because I can't do it all and it's not appropriate for me to be doing everything— we need multiple voices to represent the community. And so, we have different programs and people taking on different roles and different aspects of the festival. I also wanted to acknowledge that I'm in a really deep period of learning. After the push to put on the festival last year, we’re kind of doing things in reverse, organizing

D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

the operations, getting on top of the day-to-

last year. And it falls outside of our core budget,

day and thinking about long-term strategy...

and so we’re trying hard to apply for project

identifying roles, standard operating procedures,

funding to support these new community

and all those things, but still keeping that DIY

engagement activities. The plan is to formalize

ethos. Currently, I’m fortunate to be learning

it more through having a budget so we're not

from six mentors—I'm learning something one

asking folks to write in exchange for tickets.

day and putting it into action the very next. It's super exciting to feel more confident in the role.

But going back a little bit, I do think that there's a lack of critical discourse

RSM: Earlier this year, I had the privilege

everywhere. And also, because we are

of participating in Living Room, which is a

presenting underrepresented forms, those

new creative venue for response on VIDF’s

forms are also underrepresented in terms

website. Many people have expressed that we

of dance writing. So, with the DIY ethos,

have a lack of critical discourse in Vancouver:

we need to talk about doing it ourselves.

sometimes it feels like a show happens and all

Otherwise, I find that a lot of dance gets

these resources have been poured into it, and

minimized and infantilized in media. And I

then there's just nothing. And especially as

feel very protective of that. It’s a resource

an artist, it is so valuable to have something

for dance artists, and VIDF is reaching into

to hang on to and receive and be nourished

communities beyond Vancouver because

by as well, to know that your piece landed

these artists are taking these artifacts back

somewhere. What’s the plan for that this year?

into their communities and using them to represent their work. So, I’m really looking

DP: Yes, Living Room is going to be produced

forward to seeing what Ileanna is going to

by Ileanna Cheladyn, who was a big part of it

do with it.

Because I can't do it all and it's not appropriate for me to be doing everything—we need multiple voices to represent the community. 10

D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

RSM: Me too! It feels like an opportunity

really great to acknowledge and celebrate those

taken. The last thing is just to ask what

projects, as well as the street dance on the

can we expect for 2026? Anything you're

stage and on the concrete, and a lot of dance

particularly excited about?

productions that feature original and/or live music.

DP: I am so damn excited—this year we're

RSM: Awesome. Last year, I remember being

presenting 12 artist groups from five continents.

at BRKFST’s show STORMCLUTTER, and you

A mix of local, national, and international

know, I don't think I've ever experienced

artists. Some collaborations are happening

so much infectious energy as an audience

across great distances. There's a mini festival

member. We took that straight into dancing

in the middle of VIDF this year, with a battle

all night on the Annex stage with the DJ. It

and street dance triple bill. And we're bringing

was pretty special to be a part of. Needless

back a lot of our programs to make the festival

to say, I’m looking forward to round 2!

accessible to people of all sorts of economic brackets. Last year we had a really successful

DP: Totally. Hooray!

pay-it-forward program—we increased our audience and attendance a great deal and actually increased our box office numbers while also lowering ticket prices. RSM: That’s a pretty amazing accomplishment.

Based on unceded Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Territories, Deanna Peters/

DP: A lot of that had to do with setting up a

Mutable Subject creates, performs and produces

sliding scale—because as many people paid

for the stage, club, gallery, web and print.

$25 for a ticket as paid $60 for a ticket. We

Deanna uses the name ‘Mutable Subject’ because

learned that to provide that range, we can

they’re always evolving in their 22 year career. As

really increase the accessibility for the festival.

a creator of “eye-popping” and “deeply moving”

So, we're actually lowering our ticket prices

dance works, Deanna’s known for pushing the

even more this year. And hopefully people will

boundaries of the form. A member of Gold Saucer

feel like they can buy a pass and come see

Studio, DP focusses on supporting indie artists.

multiple shows in a day or in a week.

From 2012–2022, Deanna worked at CADA/West,

We are keeping our themes: one of them is

advocating for fairness in dance. From 2016–2024,

International Women's Day. It always falls in

they produced interplay_, which pivoted online

the middle of the festival because it's on March

in 2021. In 2024, Deanna was appointed Co-

8th every year. Featuring women-led projects

Director of the Vancouver International Dance

is important and also a natural step for us. It’s

Festival and in 2025 they became Artistic Director. D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

From Ethereal to Experiential: How Eric Cheung’s multidisciplinary dance practice grasps at the everlasting By Tessa Perkins Deneault

From dance battles to artistic installations, Eric Cheung’s creative practice is varied and grounded in a multidisciplinary, collaborative ethos. Speaking to me from his car between rehearsals, Cheung shared his journey from leaving business school to joining a street dance collective, choreographing his own works, and receiving both the Chrystal Dance Prize from Dance Victoria and the Iris Garland Emerging Choreographer Award from The Dance Centre.

I first saw Cheung perform with Ouro Collective

concepts to see how we can use technology

in 2021 during an outdoor performance at the

in a vague way to help tell the story but not

Firehall Arts Centre as part of the Dancing on

overtake the story.” Through the research

the Edge Festival. It was the first in-person

process of creating the piece, the technology

performance I attended as the pandemic was

changed from projections and projection

waning, and it was magical to see dance live

mapping to working with lasers. There is also

on stage and to see the innovative and intricate

a large bowl of water on stage that reacts

choreography of Ouro.

and vibrates in relation to the movements. Thematically, Contra aims to portray a

Cheung’s hard work and dedication to dance is

journey of self-actualization by depicting

paying off. He is a 2025-2026 Artist in Residence

opposing extremes of one identity.

at Dance Victoria and begins a new chapter with his first full-length work, Contra, presented

Eight years ago, Cheung was a business

through The Dance Centre’s Iris Garland Emerging

student in Calgary, but he fell in love with

Choreographer Award, that premiered at

street dance, specifically popping. “I wasn't

Scotiabank Dance Centre in November 2025.

aiming to become a dancer at any point, in

Cheung performs in the piece with Kinui Oiwa

any way, shape or form,” says Cheung. “I was

(also a member of Ouro) and Tegvaran Sooch.

in business school, but I was still dancing every day and training. I just loved it.” He

His interest in integrating technology in his

battled at the 2017 Vancouver Street Dance

work is evident in Contra which involves

Festival and says he wasn’t expecting to make

laser projections. “I’m trying to build these

it past the first round. He won the battle,

D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

Contra night centre stage with performers Kinui Oiwa, Tegvaran Sooch, and Eric Cheung © Aidan Chin D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

which was a turning point for him. He decided

that Cheung’s goal was to be an international

to pursue his passion full-time. “It was just

street dance battler, but that has changed since

a validation. I feel like with anything in life,

he’s joined Ouro and been integrated into the

people just need to be validated at least once

theatrical dance world. He credits Ouro and

to believe in themselves.”

specifically Cristina Bucci and Maiko Miyauchi, with teaching him how to be a professional

In 2018, Cheung moved to Vancouver to join

dancer. His tweet at 18 years old, “My dream is

Ouro Collective, first as an apprentice and

to dance in a theatre” has been manifested.

then as a member. Cheung has built on his movement foundation of popping with self-

It was during a residency with the Dance

directed exploration of many other styles and

West Network that Cheung began to further

during dance battles in Calgary, Vancouver,

develop his choreographic practice with some

and internationally. It was years before he

short solo pieces, and he choreographed his

took a formal dance class. There was a time

first group piece for Modus Operandi. Another

D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

turning point came during the COVID-19

teaching gig. This November he taught a

pandemic. He was preparing to travel around

few ‘Working Classes’ for The Training

the world to compete at dance battles, but

Society of Vancouver. He has been invited

when that was no longer possible, he had to

as a guest teacher in dance classes at the

rethink his plans. “That forced me to either quit

School for the Contemporary Arts, and Ouro

or think about how I can change my practice

Collective was a guest choreographer for the

in another direction.” During COVID-19,

SCA’s Fall 2025 Repertory Dance Show, The

Cheung worked on some film projects and an

Living Room. The first year of Ouro Fest in

interactive digital experience. Through these

2024 was held at the SFU Goldcorp Centre

projects, he was exposed to new opportunities

for the Arts, marking the collective’s 10th

and expanded his artistic network.

anniversary and providing a platform to showcase the many styles of street dance.

Along with a busy creation and rehearsal

The 2025 festival was held at Massey Theatre

schedule, Cheung takes on the occasional

in New Westminster, and unlike the first year, didn’t include any battles. “There's always this debate about how to put street dance authentically into the theatre or on stage,” says Cheung. “Ouro Collective is big on bringing street dance more to the stage and thinking about how to honour the styles that you are doing on stage.” Despite Cheung’s focus on theatrical creation, he still battles when he can. He participated in the street dance battle during the 2025 Vancouver International Dance Festival (VIDF). At VIDF 2026, Cheung will perform ECHOES with Ouro Collective, which he describes as a montage of some of their previous works. Cheung’s self-directed dance practice has led him to collaborate with artists from other disciplines, which opened his mind to other mediums and how they might support his work. “It takes your brain outside of what D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

It takes your brain outside of what dance can be, where it can take you, or how you can approach it in a different way.

dance can be, where it can take you, or how

as an art gallery and has presented installation

you can approach it in a different way,” he says.

work at the Polygon Gallery and VIVO Media Arts Centre. “I'm really interested in making

Aside from creating works to be shown in

work that may have a life without you

a theatre, Cheung is interested in dance on

physically dancing,” he says. “How can you

film and art installations. He has created

create the ethereal experience of dance into

five dance films and is working with a new

something physical? Obviously, it will never be

multidisciplinary collective, Interim, that

the same as watching live dance, but if you can

includes artists from diverse backgrounds

get kind of close to it with something that lives

in photography, design, film, visual art, and

forever, I think that’s a very fun thing to do.”

sound. The group presented a sound and laser installation as part of the Lumière Festival at the Vancouver Art Gallery. “We are looking to create things that are not one discipline but can be multiple things,” says Cheung. “That’s something I’m really interested in, to keep pushing the envelope.” For example, explains Cheung, programming a laser projection can be seen as programming movement and it can be approached with his specific experience and background. He’s interested in how a dancer’s mind can approach work in different artistic realms such 16

D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

The Iris Garland Emerging Choreographer Award was founded in memory of the pioneering educator who developed Simon Fraser University’s dance program. The award supports and promotes innovative emerging choreographers in British Columbia. Established in 2002 by Iris Garland's husband, James Felter, with the support of The Dance Centre, this biennial award continues to honour her significant contribution to the development of contemporary dance.

Eric Cheung is a street dance and interdisciplinary artist based in so-called Vancouver, on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/ Selilwitulh Nations. Eric has cultivated a singular approach to movement with his base and specialization in Popping, incorporating outside influences and other dance styles recognised nationally and internationally. Eric is a company member of Ouro Collective, a street dance contemporary company, partaking in the creation process of HAKO, SOTTO51, Fire06, and 7y98D (Stage / Film) in collaboration with RubberLegZ.

Eric explores different mediums to further expand the boundaries of street dance in film, theatre, new media, fashion, and Virtual Reality (VR). Projects include E_GO, I(n)finite, Re:1974, iye, iyeism, ALT, Diverge, Liminal, and Null. Eric has been featured on numerous platforms and festivals, such as Nowness, Booooooom, Vimeo Staff Pick, and AestheticaFestival. Eric has collaborated with Acronym, Ouro Collective ASUS, Montecristo Mag, Destroyers, Hermitude, CBC Arts, Spencer Badu, Lulu Lemon, Company 605, and RubberLegZ.

D a n c e C e n t r a l Vo l u m e 4 0 / I s s u e 3

Dance Central Volume 40 / Issue 3