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“Flamenco has kept me invested and interested because it is constantly challenging, and this is what drives me to continue. It’s a lifelong pursuit,” says Maria Avila. A Vancouver-based flamenco dancer, Avila is currently offering online courses to further people’s passion for this dance form amidst the pandemic. Avila started dancing as a young child…
Lennie Gallant and Patricia Richard tap deep into their Acadian roots, as their music balances a sincere concern for global and environmental issues with the spirit of modern upbeat Acadian music. Maillardville’s annual Festival du Bois (Apr. 16–30) goes virtual this year holding host to a wide range of Canadian and Francophone musical performances. One…
After spending two years in Glasgow to complete her Master of Music Degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Jocelyn Pettit is back home in Squamish again. She will be sharing her joyful Celtic music with the Canadian audience at Coquitlam’s Festival Du Bois this year. For over 30 years, Festival du Bois has been…
Festival du Bois is the largest celebration of French Canadian and francophone music and culture in B.C. Traditionally held in Coquitlam, this vibrant festival brings together music lovers to appreciate the diverse music styles in our society. This year, musicians all across Canada will be bringing their unique songs to the free online festival held…
A child going the opposite direction of their parents is not a new theme in storytelling, and Quebec filmmaker Miryam Bouchard draws from her own life experience with her debut film My Very Own Circus (Mon Cirque à Moi). My Very Own Circus, a French-language film with English subtitles, is one of many Canadian films…
Sandra Laronde wanted to make a difference in Canada. She created the Toronto-based Red Sky Performance with Indigenous art and stories for the stage, rejuvenating a community as a result of their performances. “[There was] somewhat of a vacuum of Indigenous performance in Canada at the time as it relates to interdisciplinary or dance works,”…
“As the Chinese government puts more measures and efforts into silencing its people in Hong Kong or elsewhere, we over here have the privilege to speak up and with this privilege we have a responsibility to keep the story alive,” says Derek Chan, writer and director of yellow objects, a play inspired by the pro-democracy movement…
It has been more than 25 years since Iranian-Canadian artist Farahnaz Samari began painting. She has showcased her art in more than 80 solo and group exhibitions in both Iran and Canada. Having participated in several ‘art battles’ alongside other artists, she won the ‘Battle of the Brush’ position at two of such art competitions.…
The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC will present an emotional audio-visual performance Home Within by Syrian composer and clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and Syrian-Armenian visual artist Kevork Mourad as a tribute to the Syrian tragedy as part of the Spring 2021 Dot Com Series. Home Within is a reflection of the duo’s feelings during different moments…
Hidden in her whimsical and colourful digital illustrations, artist Ejiwa “Edge” Ebenebe’s goal is simple: for Black people to feel seen, beautiful and loved just as they are. Edge, a Nigerian-Canadian illustrator, is passionate about uplifting Black people in her artwork. In her most recent project, Edge collaborated with Coquitlam Heritage to create a workbook…
Carr Sappier, SFU School for the Contemporary Arts (SCA) film grad, says the Skoden Film Festival revolves around the Truth and Reconciliation Act but that there are also a variety of themes beyond that. “What is special about the Indigenous cinema is that there is no boundary, there is no such thing as genre; it…
Violation is a suspenseful revenge film that never strays too far from its emotional core and centers around how difficult it can be to talk with those who you are supposed to be the most intimate, be it siblings or life partners. Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli’s debut feature film has been available to watch…
Plastic orchid factory is a place for artists to support each other and advocate for art works that are “pluralistic in practice and in form,” says dance artist James Gnam. Gnam and dance artist Natalie LeFebvre Gnam, who have been collaborating since 2003, established plastic orchid factory (PoF) in 2008, as a non-profit society. The…
