Description
Raven Spirit Dance, Vanguardia Dance Projects and Aanmitaagzi share the stage at The Dance Centre in Vancouver on December 4 and 5, 2026 for a double-bill evening of contemporary dance. The program traces stories, memories and connection across landscapes and generations, linking North and South America through breath, ritual, movement and ancestral memory.
Spine of the Mother by Raven Spirit Dance
Choreographed by Starr Muranko, Spine of the Mother treats the body as landscape. Indigenous Elders in South America call the Andean mountain range the "Spine of Mother Earth," a chain that runs from its base in Argentina up through the Americas to the tip of Alaska, joining North and South, the Eagle and the Condor. Performed by Tasha Faye Evans and Marisa Gold, the piece follows the inner terrain of women's bodies through breath, impulse and memory, building a ritual that connects dancers and audience across that shared mountain spine.
Conversations: Hidden Stories by Vanguardia Dance Projects and Aanmitaagzi
Directed and choreographed by Colombian-Canadian artist Olga Barrios, Conversations: Hidden Stories grew out of her research into "body and territory" and the many voices seeking connection with histories that have been erased. Artists from Vanguardia and Aanmitaagzi began working together in 2023 to explore the land, people, culture and stories that connect them. Using soil, fabric, land and water, the work moves through displacement and erasure toward a reaffirmed, sovereign right to ancestral memory, connection and future.
Event Details
- Dates: Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5, 2026
- Time: 7:30 pm
- Venue: The Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC
- Running time: 105 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission
- Tickets: $38 regular; $29 for under 30, students and seniors (plus a $1 facility fee)
- Artist talkback: after the show on Saturday, December 5
Part of the Global Dance Connections Series
This double bill is part of The Dance Centre's 2026-2027 Global Dance Connections series, which presents dance works by artists from Canada and around the world. Series subscribers can save up to 30% on regular single ticket prices with a 3-show or 5-show pack, and get free exchanges to another night of the same show, subject to availability.
Creative Team
Spine of the Mother: Choreography by Starr Muranko, in collaboration with and performed by Tasha Faye Evans and Marisa Gold. Past performers and artistic lineage: Andrea Patriau, Olivia Shaffer and Sarah Formosa. Original sound composition by Edgardo Moreno ("Gracias a la Vida" sung by Daniela Andrade). Lighting design by Jonathan Kim; video and media design by Sammy Chien. Dramaturge and mentor Alvin Tolentino, mentor Michelle Olson, cultural advisor Jhaimy Alvarez-Acosta (Peru) and additional dramaturgy by Alejandro Ronceria.
Conversations: Hidden Stories: Dancers and creators Norma Araiza, Olga Barrios, Animikiikwe Couchie, Penny Couchie and Lilia León. Direction and choreography by Olga Barrios; composition and sound design by Edgardo Moreno; projection designs by Alejandra Higuera and Olga Barrios; costumes by Jennifer Kelly; lighting design by Trevor Schwellnus; stage management by Kelsey Rulh.
