The Dancing on the Edge Festival: Dreaming of Koi. Dumb Instrument Dance

Tickets

Cost: $15.00
Find tickets: here

Dreaming of Koi is a faux-pastoral urban romance, a declaration of wonder for the flora and fauna that exists within and without. Set in the botanical maze of Dr. Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, a performance of sonic energy and kinetic glow brings art and imagining into relationship with an urban oasis. Here, where inside and outside are poetically merged as one, Dreaming of Koi traverses textures of whimsy and play.

With their performance ticket, audiences will also be able to see Rivers Have Mouths, a new exhibit in the gallery of Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, that aims to highlight and honour the stories of Chinese -Indigenous relations and connections to land both past and present.

Creators | Performers: Collaboratively Created and Performed by Ziyian Kwan, Rianne Svelnis, Kage, Juolin Lee, Junjie Wang
Creative and Production Assistance: Juolin Lee & Junjie Wang
Costumes repurposed from past creations: Flower Monster by Sauha Lee / Lily Bear by Diane Park

Ziyian Kwan
Ziyian Kwan has worked as a dance artist on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh and səlilwətaɬ First Nations since 1988. As an interprète, she has performed close to 100 original creations by an eclectic range of choreographers on international stages, and is recipient of The Dance Centre’s Isadora Award for excellence in performance. As Artistic Director of Dumb Instrument Dance, Ziyian’s creations abstract lived experience to form collages of imagery, movement and language. Recently, Dumb Instrument opened a creative space in Vancouver called Morrow, where artists from across genres practice and share their work. Ziyian’s artistry is inspired by collaboration with luminaries in the fields of dance, music, film, theatre, literature and visual art.
‘ I am my heart’s dumb instrument ’ www.dumbinstrumentdance.com

Rianne Svelnis:
Rianne Svelnis is a queer dance artist and settler of Lithuanian and Belgian/Irish/English descent, born, raised and living in colonially occupied so-called ‘Vancouver’, on the lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh and səlilwətaɬ people. In dance, she creates, performs, teaches and facilitates dialogue. She works in dance as a practice in exalt and disruption, and as a way to learn about the complexities of being together. Current and upcoming projects include Daisy Thompson’s new work Hug, outdoor dances with All Bodies Dance Project, collaboration with visual and landscape artist Sauha Lee, and choreographic assistance with Justin Neal’s new play So Damn Proud. Alongside the performing arts, Rianne is a grateful participant in community action.

Kage
Kage is primarily a Taiko musician and performer. Born in Japan growing up in Canada, they embraced the art of Taiko as a way to express them selves as a mixed race queer youth. Since the 1980’s they co-founded several taiko/music groups touring parts of Europe and North America. They continue to create utilizing the Taiko, pushing the boundaries of the form, and collaborating with other artists. Their on-going projects include studying the ceremonial roots of Taiko and performing/composing with Onibana Taiko. They live, thrive and work on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.
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