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The Scotiabank Dance Centre presents its Annual Open House, this year celebrating 10 years!

Regarded as Canada’s flagship dance facility, Scotiabank Dance Centre opened in Vancouver’s downtown core in September 2001. The venue is a stunning state-of-the-art project designed by Architectura in collaboration with renowned architect Arthur Erickson. It was designed to be a purpose-built, shared use facility that would provide a diverse dance community with a home of its own. Spearheaded and operated by the not-for-profit resource organization The Dance Centre, the facility has six studios and a fully equipped production/presentation space, hosting rehearsals, classes, workshops, performances and events, and has seen an estimated 500,000+ visits over the last ten years.

[Kinesis Dance: Cai and Thoenn Glover. Photo credit: Chris Randle]

This September will feature a special extended edition of its popular annual Open House. Highlights include a performance both inside the building and on the outside wall by Vancouver aerial dance company Aeriosa. There will also be two days of free open classes, workshops, and special events offering the public an opportunity to experience a host of dance styles.

According to Mirna Zagar, Executive Director of The Dance Centre, “It has been immensely rewarding to see how Scotiabank Dance Centre, which began as a dream so many years ago, has contributed to the growth of our diverse and multitalented dance community. It provides high quality studio space for dance artists, which is sorely needed, but more than that I believe we have been able to nurture a stimulating environment supportive of the creative potential of dance artists, contributing to a new synergy within the arts sector in Canada. This building has become a focal reference point for the art of dance in British Columbia, contributing to its visibility with local audiences and in national and international contexts.”

[Aeriosa]

Here’s a breakdown of what’s on offer:
 
Performance: Aeriosa: Being
Thursday to Saturday, September 15-17, 8.30 pm
Aeriosa’s spectacular aerial dance events combine the athleticism of rock climbing with the grace and artistry of dance. Choreographer Julia Taffe’s Being unfolds inside the performance space, and then takes the audience outside to watch the company dance down the seven-storey exterior wall in cascading duets, trios, and quartets. Being is created in collaboration with animator Michael Mann, projection designer Tim Matheson and composer Jordan Nobles, with costumes by Kate Burrows and lighting by Jason Dubois.
 
Classes, workshops, studio showings and events:
Saturday and Sunday, September 17 and 18, 10 am-6 pm
From ballet, contemporary and salsa to Bollywood, Flamenco, Nia and classical East Indian dance, there will be opportunities to take part in open classes and watch both studio showings and events. Participating artists and companies include Ballet BC, Dance 4U, Flamenco Rosario, Kinesis Dance, Mandala Arts and Culture, Modus Operandi, Raven Spirit Dance, Shiamak’s Bollywood Jazz, the 10x10x10 Project, and more.

[Shivani Sami. Photo credit: Sudesh Lakhani]

Venue: Scotiabank Dance Centre
677 Davie Street (at Granville), Vancouver

Dates: Thursday to Sunday, September 15-18, 2011
Times: Aeriosa performances Sept 15-17, 8:30 pm: tickets $10 online via Tickets Tonight
Free open classes, workshops and events Sept 17-18, 10 am-6 pm

For more information, either call the Centre at 604.606.6400 or visit the website.

The open house 10th anniversary celebration is presented with the support of Scotiabank.