The Vancouver International Dance Festival (VIDF) has been a cornerstone of our city’s cultural landscape for 26 years. From March 4–14, this year’s festival celebrates fearless voices from six continents who expand what movement can do.

 

VIDF 2026 presents contemporary dance from all forms and cultures, including street dance, Indigenous perspectives, queer imaginings and interdisciplinary experiments like the world premiere of Zab Maboungou/Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata’s [Tiohtià:ke/Montréal] latest work. In Movers, dancers, musicians and spoken word artists navigate the chaos of moving through today’s world.

 

The festival features land-based advocacy through dance. Magnum Soares [Brazil, Portugal] brings a captivating solo that traces the impact of mining in Brazil and the fragile ground we all stand on. In Jeanette Kotowich’s [MST Territories/Vancouver] BOLT, an Indigenous-led ensemble charges through fractured landscapes, uncovering unity in dysfunction that tells a story of universal interconnectedness.

A significant thread running through this year’s programming is the presence of street dance artists Compagnie KHOR/Khoudia Touré [Sénégal, France], OURO Collective [MST Territories/Vancouver] and Caroline ‘Lady C’ Fraser [Tkaronto/Toronto]. Catch this triple bill of powerful female artists March 11 and March 12, the perfect way to celebrate International Women’s Day! For those who like to dance themselves, grab a partner for Stage Crasher!, an old-time dance party with Métis fiddler Kathleen Nisbet.

 

VIDF makes dance accessible to as many people as possible through sliding scale tickets ranging from $10–$60. VIDF Artistic Director Deanna Peters, a dance artist herself, talks about how “dance is one way to connect with ourselves and ultimately with each other.” She envisions the festival as an opportunity to build bridges between people, places and ideas:

 

“You don’t hear a lot of politicians extolling the virtues of the arts. But I feel like arts and healthcare are connected. If we increased people’s access to practicing different art forms, or to experiencing the work of artists, then we would experience better health—generally, and on a societal level, I think.”

 

There’s something for everyone at VIDF 2026. Join in this March for dance that transforms, soothes, provokes and inspires: vidf.ca