We are thrilled to be celebrating our 10th anniversary. The festival has come far from its inception in 1998 when 650 patrons filled the University of Guelph’s Inner Stage! We have had tremendous faith, support and backing from many, many people and organizations in our community. Hats off to all of you who have believed in the rich expression and means of communication found
in contemporary dance and for making the landscape of Guelph more
diverse and artistically ripe.
This year’s festival will be showcasing many local dance artists in all of our series. We are dedicated to fostering and celebrating all of the talent that lives and thrives in our community, from the elegance and brilliance of Dancetheatre David Earle (Mainstage Series A) through the delights of the Chrysalis Project (Mainstage Series B), which combines both youth and adult dancers, to the talent of prolific dance artist Karen Kaeja, who will create a choreography using Guelph dancers (Site-Specific Series). At our Off-Site series this year (April 26 & 27), Karen Rose used Guelph dancers to articulate her vision in Helen, a moving testament to women of war.
In keeping with our mandate to be intensely local and yet also reflective of larger currents in the field of contemporary dance, this year’s 10th anniversary will dazzle our audiences with stellar artists from across the nation, bringing you works of humour, history, and beauty, all interwoven with the vital thread of humanity that links us all. And we will have Michael Crabb, the CBC and National Post arts critic, with us, hosting our Friday night Talkback Session and helping us interpret broader national and international trends in contemporary dance. He’ll field your questions and comments and help us all appreciate what we have seen and will see. Afterward, please join us for a Gala celebration with a toast of champagne and a nibble or two on the River Run’s candle-lit terrace where live music will be carried on the warm spring breezes.
Lastly, please enjoy the celebrations at Exhibition Park through our famously funky Site-Specific Series, where we further celebrate our 10 years with festive popcorn and tattoos. This is an artistic, fun and truly accessible festival event in Guelph’s beautifully treed park.
Thanks for helping so much in the past 10 years. It has made a huge difference to us, to our community and to contemporary dance.
Janet Johnson and Catrina von Radecki, Co-Artistic Directors
