Things to Do in Vancouver this Weekend: November 23, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
It’s on. The sun has made itself scarce and this weekend Vancouver has begun to deploy the yearly brigade against the dark with bright lights, festive markets, holiday events, concerts, a town of candy, and arts celebrations that will continue their campaigns of cheer and festivities straight through December.
Friday November 24
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre
What: Karen Jamieson and Margaret Grenier’s intimate light breaking broken is a personal journey by two artists reconnecting with language, culture, and identity. Spooky Action at a Distance is inspired by Einstein’s famous phrase referring to particles that are so closely linked, they share the same existence. Lesley Telford’s imaginative collaboration with poet Barbara Adler blends spoken word and intricately beautiful choreography, to extend the theory to human connections in our phenomenally interconnected world.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Canyon Lights
Where: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
What: Re-capture the feeling of wonder and excitement of the holiday season and be amazed by the hundreds of thousands of lights throughout the park. The suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest and canyon are transformed into a world of festive lights and visual enchantment. See the world’s tallest living Christmas tree (153 feet !) go on a Snowy Owl Prowl, decorate gingerbread cookies and make your own Christmas card in the Winter Pavilion, and sing-along with the holiday band.
Runs until: January 28, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Peak of Christmas
Where: Grouse Mountain
What: Sleigh bells ring, choirs sing! Grouse Mountain presents a magical celebration and a multitude of festivities. Bring your family to Santa’s workshop and meet reindeer, or take a sleigh-ride through a mystical alpine forest. You can also experience the tranquil beauty of skating on an 8,000 square foot mountaintop ice skating pond, surrounded by snow-topped trees or wander through an outdoor holiday lights display.
Runs until: January 7, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius
Where: The Cultch
What: The Society for the Destitute — five lumpy, stumpy performers on the fringe of civilization — decide to put on a contemporary version of Titus Andronicus, but this is not your average night of Shakespeare. They sometimes forget their lines, say what they want to, or refuse to stay dead when they are killed. And as only clowns are able, they turn the tables on us, the audience, and present us with our own foibles in a way that is both hilarious and inevasible.
Runs until: Sunday December 3, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Christmas Queen 4- Secret Santa
Where: Vancouver Improv Centre
What: The previous three editions of Christmas Queen saw HRM (Her Royal Meanness) hilariously thwarted in her attempts to ruin Christmas. This year is no exception. Confusion and hijinks ensue when the Queen and Santa exchange bodies in a Freaky Friday-style magical sleight-of-hand. What happens to the Workshop’s Toy Factory with The Queen as Santa in charge? Will there be presents? Will everyone receive a lump of coal? How will the experience of inhabiting the Queen’s body affect Santa? Will he learn something about himself and her that will change Christmas forever?
Runs until: Thursday December 23, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Vancouver Christmas Market
Where: Jack Poole Plaza
What: Get into the holiday spirit in a new location right on the harbor front with a mix of traditional food and beverage, a selection of authentic wood carvings and toys, knitted goods, nutcrackers, pottery and other unique gifts. Stop off at the special Kid’s Market to make Christmas gifts and ride downtown Vancouver’s only Christmas carousel.
Runs until: Friday December 24, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Meet Beau Dick: Maker of Monsters
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Admirers and collectors of Pacific Northwest art are notably unanimous in their admiration of the oeuvre of Kwakwaka’wakw artist Beau Dick, who died this year far too young at the age of 61. His generous and prolific nature embodied the spirit of potlatch, the giving ceremony at the heart of Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw culture. LaTiesha Ti’si’tla Fazakas and Natalie Bolla share an intimate profile of this charismatic hereditary chief, with a particular focus on his work and his cultural-activist passion.
Runs until: Wednesday November 29, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Orpheum 90
Where: The Orpheum
What: Party like it’s 1927. Celebrating 90 years of The Orphem, an evening of celebration, silent film, and live vaudeville.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Digital Folk Strikes Back
Where: Left of Main
What: Video-games like Just Dance! and Rock Band have changed how we gather to sing, dance and tell stories. Digital Folk explores this phenomenon of being alone, together. Be involved in the space’s transformation into a playful environment that is part rumpus room from the 80’s, part visual art installation, and part secrete chamber from Zelda.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Christmas at FlyOver Canada
Where: FlyOver Canada
What: Fly with Santa and his elves on a magical flight across Canada and on to the North Pole! Join two elves as they take flight across Canada looking for their friends. You may even get a sneak peek of Santa’s workshop.
Runs until: January 7, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Almost, Maine
Where: Pacific Theatre
What: The midwinter night is cold and clear as the northern lights dance above: it’s the perfect night to fall into, or out of, love. A charming tapestry of the joys and perils of romance, set in one night in a small town in Maine.
Runs until: Saturday December 16, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Portobello West Holiday Market
Where: Creekside Community Centre
What: A market of BC artist, crafters and makers.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Record Club: Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors
Where: 524 Main Street
What: Hosted by Mandy Len Catron (authour of ‘How to Fall in Love with Anyone’), The Record Club is a storytelling night that hits repeat on some of the best personal stories inspired by this essential album of empowerment, told live. From tales of never breaking the chain to relationships going south, we’re revisiting some of our favourite true stories inspired by one of our favourite albums.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Shipment
Where: The Cultch
What: A subversive modern minstrel show about Black identity meant to wake the world to the ridiculous narratives in dominant media. Five Black actors play a roster of characters that reads like a bad b-list of Black iconography. The brazen mash-up of these stereotypes with clichés, distortions, and brilliant sleights of hand all force us to go beyond the lampoon and shift the lens through which we perceive race in order to confront our own bias.
Runs until: Saturday December 2, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Onegin
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: When Evgeni Onegin visits the Larin family estate, his romantic charms stir passions long forgotten by its residents. Poet Vladimir Lensky’s romantic ideals are challenged (a duel!) after Onegin flirts with his fiancée Olga Larin, and even the sensible Tatyana Larin falls for the handsome rogue. The hit musical moves, shakes, and wakes audiences with its sweeping score.
Runs until: Sunday December 31, 2017
Glow Christmas
Where: Langley, BC
What: Take a stroll through a musical light tunnel, where you’ll feel the warmth and wonder of the Christmas season under the glow of over 500,000 lights.
Runs until: Saturday December 30, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Tenors
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
What: For the release of their newest Christmas album, these songbirds are touring around with their own brand of classic holiday sounds.
From New York: Jeremy Pelt Quintet
Where: Frankie’s Jazz Club
What: A critically acclaimed and internationally recognized trumpeter/composer, Jeremy confidently leads the band with his distinct and “intensely focused” (New York Times) sound, instigating musical conversations that drive the music forward with intent and spirit.
Runs until: Saturday November 25, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Syd
Where: The Vogue
What: R&B singer, performer and frontwoman of The Internet, on tour to support her upcoming new solo release Always Never Home.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Disney on Ice: Follow Your Heart
Where: Pacific Coliseum
What: You know the drill – Disney mini-stories with favorite characters, but on ice skates! Kids love this stuff. I sure did.
Runs until: Sunday November 26, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
HopScotch Festival
Where: PNE Forum
What: The Grand Tasting Hall is filled with Craft and Premium Beers, Spirits from around the globe, the most delicious of Scotch and all other Whiskies, as well as a selection of wines and spectacular food. Guests usually make their way around the room, enjoying their old favourites while making new ones.
Runs until: Saturday November 25th
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
European Union Film Festival
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Now celebrating its 20th year, The Cinematheque’s annual showcase of new cinema from the European Union is proudly presented with the Vancouver consulates and the Ottawa embassies of the member states of the European Union and the Delegation of the European Union to Canada. This year’s festival features entries from 25 EU members.
Runs until: Monday December 4, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
William Black
Where: Venue
What: Techno melodic bass music.
Saturday November 25
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Family FUSE Weekend: The Action of Expression
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: A family weekend focused on kids and creativity.
Runs until: Sunday November 26, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Dance in Vancouver: Aeriosa’s Second Nature (excerpt) + Tracing Malong
Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre
What: Renowned for thrilling aerial dance works which blend art, environment and adventure, Aeriosa’s latest creation is inspired by bamboo, both as a substance and a metaphor. Co.ERASGA’s Alvin Erasga Tolentino pays homage to his Filipino roots in Tracing Malong. A traditional fabric with many uses in daily life, the malong is at the heart of this dreamlike ensemble work, which explores multi-layered themes of history, culture, identity, and the relationship between tradition and the contemporary world.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Journey of a Lifetime
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: An exhibit, and a live theatre performance by Playwright Winn Bray, bring to life the Colonist Cars, a moment in Canadian history. Come experience this journey through the eyes of the immigrants who first settled Canada’s west.
Runs until: Sunday December 3, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Jewish Book Festival
Where: Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver
What: The six days of the Festival are packed with inspiring and entertaining literary events including unique meet-the-author opportunities, readings and panel discussions, the annual book club event, writing workshops, children’s and youth authors, wellness and food subjects, interdisciplinary and multi-media events and two onsite bookstores – new and used, open throughout the week.
Runs until: Thursday November 30, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Christmas Queen Drag Race
Where: Vancouver Improv Centre
What: What happens when two queens get together? A lot of racy, outrageous hilarity and wicked wit. Join Vancouver TheatreSports’ very own Christmas Queen with her special guest co-host, drag star The Unstoppable Conni Smudge for five very naughty (but nice) late-late night holiday season shows.
Runs until: Thursday December 23, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Candy Town
Where: Yaletown
What: A free annual festival that aims to delight visitors of all ages with energetic performances, elf-approved activities and – of course – delicious food, drinks and candy.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Heritage Christmas
Where: Burnaby Village Museum
What: Stroll through the streets of the Village to see wreaths, cedar swags and vintage-themed displays will. At the bandstand, visitors can create their own magical holiday show with lights that change colours to sound.
Runs until: January 5, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Mogwai
Where: Commodore Ballroom
What: Dreamy dreary post-rock from Glasgow.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Barney Bentall and the Cariboo Express
Where: The Vogue
What: A one-of-a-kind show, hosted by Canadian music icon Barney Bentall, who blends humourous and sentimental monologues with a heartfelt set of roots and folk favourites.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Dreadnoughts
Where: The Rickshaw
What: After a seven-year hiatus, The Dreadnoughts have emerged with a new album that’s folk-punk, war chants and sea shanties.
Yiruma
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
What: Yiruma started playing piano at the age of five and studied music in London where he moved at the age of ten. His first studio album Love Scene was released in 2001. Since then, Yiruma released more than ten other albums.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Bird Walk
Where: VanDusen Gardens
What: Take a guided tour through VanDusen and learn about the native bird species that make their home in the garden.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
East Side Flea
Where: The Ellis Building
What: 50+ local vendors, makers, vintage sellers, oddity finders. Play pinball and pool. All this, with a bar!
Runs until: Sunday November 26, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Graham Clark’s Quiz Show
Where: The Fox
What: A comedy show that cherry picks the best segments of game shows and presents them all in one bizarre event. Comedians are the “contestants.” Prizes to be won, heads to be scratched.
Sunday November 26
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Where: The Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island
What: Four siblings step through a wardrobe into an enchanted land filled with mythical creatures, talking animals, quests and dangerous secrets. Featuring Sereana Malani as the White Witch and Ian Butcher as Aslan, with Tim Carlson, Chris Lam, Adele Noronha and Kaitlynn Yott as the Pevensie siblings. The first installment in C. S. Lewis’ epic Chronicles of Narnia series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is one of the best-loved books in children’s literature.
Runs until: Sunday December 31, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Romantic Rachmaninoff
Where: The Orpheum
What: Renowned Irish pianist Barry Douglas is a Vancouver favourite, and he brings a combination of power and grace to the piano that few can match. Douglas performs Rachmaninoff’s lush, Romantic Piano Concerto No. 2, quite possibly the best-loved piano work of all, with its famous melodies, dense virtuosic writing for the piano, and rich orchestral score.
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Vetta Chamber Music: Seriously Strings
Where: Pyatt Hall
What: From Mozart to Puccini, from quartet to sextet, this is a concert for those who love strings.
Ongoing
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
HopScotch Festival
Where: PNE Forum
What: The Grand Tasting Hall is filled with Craft and Premium Beers, Spirits from around the globe, the most delicious of Scotch and all other Whiskies, as well as a selection of wines and spectacular food. Guests usually make their way around the room, enjoying their old favourites while making new ones.
Runs until: Saturday November 25th
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Abstract Design Showcase
Where: Kimoto Gallery
What: This exhibition features eleven of Kimoto Gallery’s most popular abstract artists; Scott Sueme, Christine Breakell-Lee, Sara Genn, Mark Ollinger, Claire Sarfeld, Yorke Graham, Veronica Plewman, Michael Soltis, Kari Kristensen Christian Nicolay and Katsumi Kimoto. Each driven by their own authentic styles and innovative art practices, this curated exhibition showcases artwork that was inspired by modern trends in design and contemporary interiors.
Runs until: Saturday November 25, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Disney on Ice: Follow Your Heart
Where: Pacific Coliseum
What: You know the drill – Disney mini-stories with favorite characters, but on ice skates! Kids love this stuff. I sure did.
Runs until: Sunday November 26, 2017
Satellite(s)
Where: Performanceworks
What: Produced by Solo Collective Theatre, the play is inspired by Caroline Adderson’s book on Vancouver’s ever-shifting housing landscape, Vancouver Vanishes as an existential exploration of relationships and real estate.
Runs until: Sunday November 26, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Meet Beau Dick: Maker of Monsters
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Admirers and collectors of Pacific Northwest art are notably unanimous in their admiration of the oeuvre of Kwakwaka’wakw artist Beau Dick, who died this year far too young at the age of 61. His generous and prolific nature embodied the spirit of potlatch, the giving ceremony at the heart of Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw culture. LaTiesha Ti’si’tla Fazakas and Natalie Bolla share an intimate profile of this charismatic hereditary chief, with a particular focus on his work and his cultural-activist passion.
Runs until: Wednesday November 29, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Jewish Book Festival
Where: Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver
What: The six days of the Festival are packed with inspiring and entertaining literary events including unique meet-the-author opportunities, readings and panel discussions, the annual book club event, writing workshops, children’s and youth authors, wellness and food subjects, interdisciplinary and multi-media events and two onsite bookstores – new and used, open throughout the week.
Runs until: Thursday November 30, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Shipment
Where: The Cultch
What: A subversive modern minstrel show about Black identity meant to wake the world to the ridiculous narratives in dominant media. Five Black actors play a roster of characters that reads like a bad b-list of Black iconography. The brazen mash-up of these stereotypes with clichés, distortions, and brilliant sleights of hand all force us to go beyond the lampoon and shift the lens through which we perceive race in order to confront our own bias.
Runs until: Saturday December 2, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Jane
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: In the 1960s, National Geographic sent a cameraman to film Jane Goodall’s pioneering work with chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park. Goodall was a striking figure, hand-picked in her twenties by groundbreaking paleontologist Louis Leakey for her love of animals, her appetite for adventure, and her patience. Photographer and filmmaker Hugo van Lawick trained his camera on her as much as on the chimpanzees. He shot over 140 hours of 16mm footage that was stored in an archive for decades — until now.
Runs until:Saturday December 2, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth
Where: Firehall Arts Centre
What: The gripping account of the “Sixties Scoop” – a painful chapter in Canadian history in which Indigenous children were taken from their homes, their communities and their culture, and placed with non-Indigenous families, without the consent of their parents.
Runs until: Saturday December 2, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius
Where: The Cultch
What: The Society for the Destitute — five lumpy, stumpy performers on the fringe of civilization — decide to put on a contemporary version of Titus Andronicus, but this is not your average night of Shakespeare. They sometimes forget their lines, say what they want to, or refuse to stay dead when they are killed. And as only clowns are able, they turn the tables on us, the audience, and present us with our own foibles in a way that is both hilarious and inevasible.
Runs until: Sunday December 3, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Journey of a Lifetime
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: An exhibit, and a live theatre performance by Playwright Winn Bray, bring to life the Colonist Cars, a moment in Canadian history. Come experience this journey through the eyes of the immigrants who first settled Canada’s west.
Runs until: Sunday December 3, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Wilderness
Where: Studio 58, Langara College
What: A play based on the real-life stories of six troubled teens kidnapped by desperate parents and sent to a remote wilderness therapy camp as a last resort. This multimedia theatre piece weaves movement, projections and music, revealing these families’ stories – narratives that explore issues of mental health, addiction, gender and sexual identity – the complexities and extraordinary pressures of ‘coming of age’ in our time.
Runs until: Sunday December 3, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
European Union Film Festival
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Now celebrating its 20th year, The Cinematheque’s annual showcase of new cinema from the European Union is proudly presented with the Vancouver consulates and the Ottawa embassies of the member states of the European Union and the Delegation of the European Union to Canada. This year’s festival features entries from 25 EU members.
Runs until: Monday December 4, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Intangible
Where: Bill Reid Gallery
What: Contemporary Coast Salish art is embedded within a traditional cultural framework that includes community, ceremonial life, territory, history and innovation. Six artists challenge our expectations and illustrate Coast Salish art as a thriving art tradition – a dynamic one that demonstrates both continuity with the past and exploration of new ideas and technologies.
Runs until: Sunday December 10, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Bill Reid Creative Journeys
Where: The Bill Reid Gallery
What: Celebrating the many creative journeys of acclaimed master goldsmith and sculptor Bill Reid (1920–1998), this exhibition provides a comprehensive introduction to his life and work.
Runs until: Sunday December 10, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Almost, Maine
Where: Pacific Theatre
What: The midwinter night is cold and clear as the northern lights dance above: it’s the perfect night to fall into, or out of, love. A charming tapestry of the joys and perils of romance, set in one night in a small town in Maine.
Runs until: Saturday December 16, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Christmas Queen 4- Secret Santa
Where: Vancouver Improv Centre
What: The previous three editions of Christmas Queen saw HRM (Her Royal Meanness) hilariously thwarted in her attempts to ruin Christmas. This year is no exception. Confusion and hijinks ensue when the Queen and Santa exchange bodies in a Freaky Friday-style magical sleight-of-hand. What happens to the Workshop’s Toy Factory with The Queen as Santa in charge? Will there be presents? Will everyone receive a lump of coal? How will the experience of inhabiting the Queen’s body affect Santa? Will he learn something about himself and her that will change Christmas forever?
Runs until: Thursday December 23, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Christmas Queen Drag Race
Where: Vancouver Improv Centre
What: What happens when two queens get together? A lot of racy, outrageous hilarity and wicked wit. Join Vancouver TheatreSports’ very own Christmas Queen with her special guest co-host, drag star The Unstoppable Conni Smudge for five very naughty (but nice) late-late night holiday season shows.
Runs until: Thursday December 23, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Vancouver Christmas Market
Where: Jack Poole Plaza
What: Get into the holiday spirit in a new location right on the harbor front with a mix of traditional food and beverage, a selection of authentic wood carvings and toys, knitted goods, nutcrackers, pottery and other unique gifts. Stop off at the special Kid’s Market to make Christmas gifts and ride downtown Vancouver’s only Christmas carousel.
Runs until: Friday December 24, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Day Before Christmas
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: Alex is a perfectionist who is desperately holding fast to her Christmas traditions. While juggling family and work—and a movie star—she loses control of her holiday plans, and her home becomes a disaster zone. Can she save the turkey from the dog and salvage a broken-down tree? Find out in this infectious comedy that is sure to make the holidays bright.
Runs until: Sunday December 24, 2017
Glow Christmas
Where: Langley, BC
What: Take a stroll through a musical light tunnel, where you’ll feel the warmth and wonder of the Christmas season under the glow of over 500,000 lights.
Runs until: Saturday December 30, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Cirque du Soleil: Kurios
Where: Under the tents, Downtown Vancouver
What: Step into the curio cabinet of an ambitious inventor who defies the laws of time, space and dimension in order to reinvent everything around him. Suddenly, the visible becomes invisible, perspectives are transformed, and the world is literally turned upside down.
Runs until: Sunday December 31, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Onegin
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: When Evgeni Onegin visits the Larin family estate, his romantic charms stir passions long forgotten by its residents. Poet Vladimir Lensky’s romantic ideals are challenged (a duel!) after Onegin flirts with his fiancée Olga Larin, and even the sensible Tatyana Larin falls for the handsome rogue. The hit musical moves, shakes, and wakes audiences with its sweeping score.
Runs until: Sunday December 31, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Site for Still Life
Where: Contemporary Art Gallery
What: Andrew Dadson’s practice engages with the notion of boundaries in relation to space and time, primarily through investigations with materials, process and abstraction. Comprising new, ambitious large-scale paintings, film and installation, this exhibition presents a major statement by this young artist of propositions core to his practice.
Runs until: Sunday December 31, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Where: The Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island
What: Four siblings step through a wardrobe into an enchanted land filled with mythical creatures, talking animals, quests and dangerous secrets. Featuring Sereana Malani as the White Witch and Ian Butcher as Aslan, with Tim Carlson, Chris Lam, Adele Noronha and Kaitlynn Yott as the Pevensie siblings. The first installment in C. S. Lewis’ epic Chronicles of Narnia series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is one of the best-loved books in children’s literature.
Runs until: Sunday December 31, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Entangled: Two Views on Contemporary Canadian Painting
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: An insight into two distinctly different modes of painting that have come to dominate contemporary painting in this country. The origins of both can be effectively traced back to the 1970s, to a moment when the continued existence of painting was hotly debated.
Runs until: January 1, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Math Moves
Where: Science World
What: Visitors will investigate ratios and proportions, using their bodies, gestures, and words to set up, measure, describe and compare ratios and proportions. The exhibition encourages a collaborative approach to problem-solving, with open-ended activities that provide opportunities for visitors to talk about solutions to the challenges presented in the exhibition.
Runs until: Monday January 1, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Heritage Christmas
Where: Burnaby Village Museum
What: Stroll through the streets of the Village to see wreaths, cedar swags and vintage-themed displays will. At the bandstand, visitors can create their own magical holiday show with lights that change colours to sound.
Runs until: January 5, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Peak of Christmas
Where: Grouse Mountain
What: Sleigh bells ring, choirs sing! Grouse Mountain presents a magical celebration and a multitude of festivities. Bring your family to Santa’s workshop and meet reindeer, or take a sleigh-ride through a mystical alpine forest. You can also experience the tranquil beauty of skating on an 8,000 square foot mountaintop ice skating pond, surrounded by snow-topped trees or wander through an outdoor holiday lights display.
Runs until: January 7, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Christmas at FlyOver Canada
Where: FlyOver Canada
What: Fly with Santa and his elves on a magical flight across Canada and on to the North Pole! Join two elves as they take flight across Canada looking for their friends. You may even get a sneak peek of Santa’s workshop.
Runs until: January 7, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Amazonia: The Rights of Nature
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: MOA will showcase its Amazonian collections in a significant exploration of socially and environmentally-conscious notions intrinsic to indigenous South American cultures, which have recently become innovations in International Law. These are foundational to the notions of Rights of Nature, and they have been consolidating in the nine countries that share responsibilities over the Amazonian basin.
Runs until: January 28, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Canyon Lights
Where: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
What: Re-capture the feeling of wonder and excitement of the holiday season and be amazed by the hundreds of thousands of lights throughout the park. The suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest and canyon are transformed into a world of festive lights and visual enchantment. See the world’s tallest living Christmas tree (153 feet !) go on a Snowy Owl Prowl, decorate gingerbread cookies and make your own Christmas card in the Winter Pavilion, and sing-along with the holiday band.
Runs until: January 28, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
True Nordic: How Scandinavia Influenced Design in Canada
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: This ground-breaking exhibition examines the significant influence of Scandinavian craft and industrial design on the development of Canadian culture. Spanning more than seven decades, True Nordic reveals how Scandinavian design was introduced in Canada and how its aesthetics and material forms were adopted, revised and transformed.
Runs until: Sunday January 28, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Tin and Gold: A 10 Year Anniversary Show
Where: The Fall
What: Celebrate 10 years of alternative music, tattoo artistry, and multimedia events. The art show includes artists Megan Majewski, Jenn Brisson, Alison Woodward and more.
Runs until: February 1, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Portrait of the Artist
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: This exhibition brings together The Royal Collection’s paintings depicting self-portraits, portraits of artists and artists at work. Encompassing over eighty works, Portrait of the Artist is a rich survey of how artists have seen themselves and the role of the artist within society.
Runs until: February 4, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Gordon Smith: The Black Paintings
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: The exhibition features a body of work described as black paintings that Gordon Smith began producing in 1990. These densely painted, darkly abstracted paintings—punctuated with occasional colour, text and collaged elements—sometimes refer explicitly to this wartime experience. Smith was deployed with the Allied invasion at Pachino Beach, Sicily (code name Husky), in July 1943, when he was twenty-four.
Runs until: February 4, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Carol Sawyer: The Natalie Brettschneider Archive
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Sawyer’s ongoing project that reconstructs the life and work of the genre-defying, fictional singer and artist Natalie Brettschneider. The works on view will connect Brettschneider to a community of mid-twentieth century artists and musicians in British Columbia.
Runs until: February 4, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
City on the Edge: A Century of Vancouver Activism
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: A photo-based exhibition exploring how protest demonstrations have shaped Vancouver’s identity from the Vancouver Sun and The Province newspapers’ photo collection. These photographs are exceptional historical records of intense and transformative moments in the lives of Vancouverites.
Runs until: February 18, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
N. Vancouver
Where: The Polygon Gallery
What: The show in the newly-opened gallery will pay tribute to the evolution of North Vancouver and will feature commissioned works by more than 10 artists, including Andrew Dadson, Gabrielle Hill, Althea Thauberger, Stephen Waddell and Tracy Williams, paired with existing work by Stan Douglas, Greg Girard, Fred Herzog, Curt Lang, and Jeff Wall, among others.
Runs until: Spring 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Tasting History: The Traveling Tales of Tea
Where: Roedde House Museum
What: Tea is one of the most consumed liquids in the world, second only to water. But the beverage that brings much pleasure and calm to our 21st century senses is steeped in a turbulent history of politics and society. The exhibit will also feature stories from Vancouver’s modern-day tea community.
Runs until: March 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Emily Carr: Into the Forest
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Far from feeling that the forests of the West Coast were a difficult subject matter, Carr exulted in the symphonies of greens and browns found in the natural world. With oil on paper as her primary medium, Carr was free to work outdoors in close proximity to the landscape. She went into the forest to paint and saw nature in ways unlike her fellow British Columbians, who perceived it as either untamed wilderness or a plentiful source of lumber.
Runs until: March 4, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Lost Fleet Exhibit
Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: On December 7, 1941 the world was shocked when Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, launching the United States into the war. This action also resulted in the confiscation of nearly 1,200 Japanese-Canadian owned fishing boats by Canadian officials on the British Columbia coast, which were eventually sold off to canneries and other non-Japanese fishermen. The Lost Fleet looks at the world of the Japanese-Canadian fishermen in BC and how deep-seated racism played a major role in the seizure, and sale, of Japanese-Canadian property and the internment of an entire people.
Runs until: March 25, 2018
Chief Dan George: Actor and Activist
Where: North Vancouver Museum
What: An exhibition exploring the life and legacy of Tsleil-Waututh Chief Dan George (1899- 1981) and his influence as an Indigenous rights advocate and his career as an actor. The exhibition was developed in close collaboration with the George family.
Runs until: April 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
The Fabric of Our Land: Salish Weaving
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: For generations Salish peoples have been harvesting the resources of their territories, transforming them into robes of rare beauty and power. Symbols of identity, they acted as legal documents and were visible signifiers of the presence of knowledge holders and respected people. Now mostly stored away in museums these masterworks are rarely seen. They have much knowledge to share and many stories to tell. Musqueam asked the Museum to bring these weavings to inspire weavers and share part of this rich legacy with all of us.
Runs until: April 15, 2018
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Public Artwork by New Delhi-Based Artist Asim Waqif
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Inspired by environmental concerns and the pace of human consumption, Waqif will construct an immersive architectural experience from materials collected at re-purpose stores, transfer stations and landfills in the metro Vancouver area. Waqif’s architectural structure will also incorporate an interactive acoustic system using microphones, effects pedals and speakers. Visitors are encouraged to move through the installation maze allowing them to actively experience the architecture instead of passively observing it.
Runs until: April 15, 2017
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
Winter Farmers Market
Where: Nat Bailey Stadium
What: Each week you can look forward to finding locally grown vegetables and fruit, meat and seafood from local ranchers and fishermen, artisan cheese and bread, herbs and seasonal nursery items, baked goods, prepared foods and artisanal craft.
Runs until: April 21, 2018 (Saturdays)
Dance in Vancouver: Light Breaking Broken + Spooky Action at a Distance (Phase One)
In a Different Light
Where: Museum of Anthropology
What: More than 110 historical Indigenous artworks and marks the return of many important works to British Columbia. These objects are amazing artistic achievements. Yet they also transcend the idea of ‘art’ or ‘artifact’. Through the voices of contemporary First Nations artists and community members, this exhibition reflects on the roles historical artworks have today. Featuring immersive storytelling and innovative design, it explores what we can learn from these works and how they relate to Indigenous peoples’ relationships to their lands.
Runs until: Spring 2019
What are you up to this weekend? Tell me and the rest of Vancouver in the comments below or tweet me directly at @lextacular