The Dance Centre presents the 24th annual
Scotiabank Dance Centre Open House
Saturday September 13, 2025 | 12 noon-5pm
Free admission
4pm Performance: Krakow Dance Theatre Tickets on a sliding scale $0/$15/$25
Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street (at Granville), Vancouver
Information and tickets: thedancecentre.ca
From AfroBeats and Bharata Natyam to contemporary and Hawaiian Hula, the annual Scotiabank Dance Centre Open House is a chance to sample a range of exciting dance styles in an afternoon of open classes and workshops. Participating companies and artists include Co.ERASGA, Claire French/Restless Productions, Vidya Kotamraju, soma anima arts, Chichaklar Dance Company, and more. This edition also features a performance by special guests Krakow Dance Theatre.
Schedule of Events
Events are drop-in, and suitable for all levels, including beginners.
12 noon-1pm Class: Azerbaijani folk dances with Asal Ahadi, Chichaklar Dance Company.
An introduction to Azerbaijan’s rich culture through dance.
12 noon-1pm Class: Dance Fitness with Jared Byrne, Pop Queen Cardio.
This energizing class will get feet moving and hearts pumping, combining fun and easy-to-follow steps with upbeat pop music.
12-1:30pm Workshop: The Body Speaks with Vidya Kotamraju.
An introduction to expressive storytelling and how gesture, gaze, and movement can tell powerful stories, rooted in the classical Indian dance tradition of Bharata Natyam. This workshop will guide participants through gentle movement exercises, foundational hand gestures, and basic eye and facial expressions.
1-2pm Studio Showing: Sketches for A with Claire French/Restless Productions.
Choreographer/performer Claire French and composer James Maxwell share work in progress from a new solo which explores the loss of youth, gaining of wisdom, shedding of obligations, and the joy of acceptance.
1-2pm Class: Introduction to Hawaiian Hula with Wailele Wai Wai.
This class will teach basic Hula steps, hand motions and expressions for both classic and modern styles.
2-3pm Class: AfroBeats with Isaac Gasangwa, AfroBeats Van.
A high-energy fusion of African and hip hop dance.
2-4pm Workshop: Moving is Meeting: Inner Dramaturgies and the City with choreographer Claire French/Restless Productions and philosopher Dr. Hanne De Jaegher.
This all-ages, open-level workshop will explore how we make sense of ourselves and others and examine the dynamics of social interaction through structured improvisations, observation, and reflection.
3-4pm Studio Showing: Co.ERASGA’s Eternal Gestures.
Performer Alvin Erasga Tolentino and choreographer Starr Muranko share a studio excerpt from Eternal Gestures, set to premiere October 9 & 10. Followed by an artist chat.
3-4pm Workshop: Flowing Verse: Dance, Breath & Poetry with Rachel Helten, soma anima arts.
An exploration of the wisdom of the body through breath, poetry, and guided movement. Drawing from poetry and imagery to ignite creative expression, participants will explore improvisational movement that reflects inner landscapes and present-moment truth. All welcome: bring a pen and paper/journal.
4-5pm Performance: Krakow Dance Theatre’s Shakespearia.
Fusing dance, drama and design, Krakow Dance Theatre has become a major force in European dance since its founding in 2008.Shakespearia is a bold re-imagining of the inner worlds of Ophelia, Lady Macbeth, and Juliet – iconic Shakespearean female characters often associated with madness and instability. Performed by two virtuosic dancers, the work is a richly visual, shifting collage of movement, images and sound. Followed by an artist talkback.
Tickets on a sliding scale: $0/$15/$25
Project co-financed by the City of Krakow, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland from the Culture Promotion Fund, and the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Vancouver.
One of Canada’s leading dance facilities, Scotiabank Dance Centre opened in 2001 and has become a hub for dance activity, housing rehearsals, performances, classes and events all year round. “Our annual Open House is an opportunity to celebrate a wonderful building, which has become a home for dance of all kinds, and also to experience the excitement and diversity of the dance scene,” said Mirna Zagar, Executive Director of The Dance Centre, the organization which spearheaded the development of the building.
About The Dance Centre
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. It presents performances and events, building audiences and nurturing public awareness; invests in programs, resources and support for hundreds of dance professionals working in all genres; operates Scotiabank Dance Centre, a cultural hub and one of Canada’s flagship dance facilities which welcomes tens of thousands of visitors annually; and works to promote BC dance. Through programs, outreach and education, The Dance Centre is committed to sustaining a strong and vibrant community through dance.
The Dance Centre is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy’əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl’ílwəta?/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Featured image: Krakow Dance Theatre photo Toro Attila