Celebrating 25 years of supporting local and independent dance artists as well as showcasing contemporary dance from across Canada and around the world, Dancing on the Edge will run from July 4 to 13 at the Firehall Arts Centre and other venues around Vancouver.
The festival is a platform for dance artists to show new works or preview works in progress, and it has become a very important event for the local dance scene. Alvin Erasga Tolentino, Artistic Director of Co.Erasga Dance, has been a part of the festival for over 20 years. “I’ve missed maybe four or five festivals in that time,” said Tolentino. “I’ve had such great opportunities to develop works and even become part of the Firehall Season.”
As a young artist arriving in Vancouver from Winnipeg, Tolentino was thankful for this festival. “It was how I got involved in the community and networked.” Being such an inclusive festival that is open to all kinds of contemporary dance, from site specific to experimental, to works still in development, Dancing on the Edge (DOTE) allows artists to take advantage of this annual festival no matter their artistic style.
One of the longest running festivals of its kind in Canada, DOTE has survived while other festivals across the country have struggled to continue. “I think the festival’s resilience is that it’s adaptable to the journey of artists and the community . . . when there’s a lack of funding it’s malleable and can respond to the situation; I think that’s a key to it’s resilience,” explained Tolentino.
Another major key to the festival’s success is the continuity of its producer, Donna Spencer. “She is the figure running it,” said Tolentino. “I’m really pleased the festival has survived despite all the funding cuts . . . it’s an inspiration,” he continued. “It’s very significant, and it has become a platform for young artists as well as established artists.”
For this year’s festival, Tolentino’s company, Co.Erasga Dance is performing the site specific 25 Gestures by the steam clock in Gastown. The work is a duet with company member Alison Denham, and it’s a free show that will be performed daily at noon, lasting 25 minutes. “It’s an homage to the festival, to its legacy,” said Tolentino describing the work as ritualistic and a way to mark the idea of time and space: “Every minute is a legacy passing.”
One unique feature of the festival is the “Edge” programs that allow audiences to see a few short works in one sitting. Tolentino adds, “It works because you’re able to taste works being produced in our city and elsewhere and see the diversity and dynamic kinds of work.”
The rest of the lineup for this year looks equally exciting, including the site specific Dusk Dances at Portside Park, Bamboozled by Machinoisy at The Dance Centre, and of good moral character by Lara Kramer Dance at the Firehall Arts Centre.
