·
Pooneh Alizadeh has been chosen as one of the ambassadors for this year`s Culture Days and will be teaching a dance workshop as her Culture Days activity. BC Culture Days run from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. Alizadeh has been engaged in dance since she was five years old and since then, her passion for…
The Nahualli Folklore Society will be one of many groups performing at the Richmond World Festival to showcase Mexican culture. Lily Cazares is one of the founders of the non-profit organization. She says that the society started after she met several other dancers who wanted to create a group to perform dances from the more…
With the upcoming National Aboriginal Day on June 21, Quelemia Sparrow’s solo performance, O’Wet/Lost Lagoon, sheds light on issues that Aboriginals still face through a theatrical interpretation of her personal experiences. O’Wet (pronounced as oh-wee) denotes propelling a canoe. The word is also connected to a shaman’s canoe ride to the land of the dead…
When you think of martial arts, you may think of karate or taekwondo but you may not have heard of Systema. As a holistic martial art, Systema does not focus on teaching specific skills or techniques but is comprised of principles and concepts to strengthen the spirit as well as the body. Systema is a…
Embracing each day despite health challenges is the premise for Zoya Jiwa’s website, As We Are Style. While navigating her own health conditions and inspired by the need for self-expression, she launched As We Are as a platform to share stories of how individuals with different physical and mental conditions cope through fashion. Jiwa enjoys…
Now in their 15th year, Some Assembly Theatre Company is bringing their newest play, Missing From Me, to the stage. In coordination with the Roundhouse Youth Theatre Action Group project (RYTAG), the play features youth thespians from various cultures who hope to raise awareness about issues that youth face, through theatre. Valerie Methot, co-founder, executive…
Most of us have never given a second thought to wood waste but one organization is working to improve that. Uproot a zero-waste, wood-salvaging social venture was founded last year with the goal of making what is known as a “circular economy” more accessible, starting with re-purposing wood waste. What is the circular economy? Kevin…
Every year, the flowering cherry blossoms signify the arrival of spring, their beauty captivating many. Now in its 10th year, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival has helped spread interest in cherry blossoms and facilitated community education on the trees. Before the festival officially begins, David Tracey, a community ecologist, leads a group through Oppenheimer Park.…
Neworld Theatre founder Camyar Chai will be returning to the stage this month to co-direct Doost (Friend). As part of its’ 20th anniversary celebration, Neworld Theatre will be showcasing three presentations at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre (The Cultch). Doost explores the mystical traditions of Sufism through music, poetry and dance. Chai explains that Sufism…
Pushing outside the usual boundaries to find true creativity inspires Kim Sato and the street dance collective, Project Soul, as they showcase excerpts from Into the Tao at the 16th annual Vancouver International Dance Festival. The dance festival takes place Feb. 28–Mar. 19 at various venues. Project Soul aims to inspire as many souls as…
Although Canada has a multicultural policy, not all perspectives are represented equally in literature. Annette Henry, a professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), has launched a speaker series highlighting Canadian black scholars to provide viewpoints from a black perspective. The series aims to change conversations about the presence of black people. Addressing issues…
What will the future look like? The 21st century has been a time of much technological advancement, so it is not difficult to imagine a technological nirvana in the future. Canadian author Hal Niedzviecki’s Trees on Mars: Our Obsession with the Future explores people’s understanding of the future and how people have embraced technology in…
A group of photographers, known simply as the Group of Five, will be exhibiting their photos at the Yaletown Roundhouse (Oct. 20–29). The “Melody of Light and Colour” exhibition explores the interplay of light in photography. All originally from Hong Kong, the group is comprised of older adults and members: Jonathan Lau, Ben Chan, Yui…
