Ziyian Kwan and Alvin Erasga Tolentino win top B.C. dance artist prizes
The Dance Centre announces Lola Award and Isadora Award for Vancouver choreographers
Alvin Erasga Tolentino. Photo by Yasuhiro Okada
Ziyian Kwan. Photo by Luciana Photography
THE DANCE CENTRE has just announced Odd Meridian Arts artistic director Ziyian Kwan as the recipient of the biennial Lola Award, while Co.ERASGA artistic director Alvin Erasga Tolentino receives the annual Isadora Award.
The biennial Lola Award encourages the work of a mid-career or senior choreographer in B.C. and carries a $10,000 prize, supported by the Lola McLaughlin Endowment Fund with the Vancouver Foundation. Past winners have included Crystal Pite, Justine A. Chambers, and Company 605.
Establishin her name as a magnetic dancer for companies as diverse as Kokoro Dance and plastic orchid factory, Hong Kong–born Kwan went on to begin choreographing in 2013 and has created 14 full-length and many shorter works. She often draws on striking set pieces and props, exploring themes ranging from identity and feminism to immigration. Recent pieces have included Crone and Rebel Grace, created under her company’s former name Dumb Instrument Dance. Odd Meridian Arts has hosted residencies for more than 30 artists as well as three month-long festivals celebrating Asian artistry. In July 2020, Ziyian spearheaded Morrow, Odd Meridian’s cultural space.
The annual Isadora Award recognizes the achievements of B.C.’s dance professionals, honouring the recipient with a specially-designed award created by renowned glass sculptor Mary Filer, studio or theatre space up to a value of $4000, and $1,000 in cash. Previous recipients have included Pite, Wen Wei Wang, and Gabrielle Martin and Jeremiah Hughes of Corporeal Imago.
Filipino-Canadian choreographer Erasga Tolentino has also been a prominent figure in Vancouver’s contemporary dance, as well as making his mark interationally. He founded Co.ERASGA in 2000 and has since created 21 full-length works, including SOLA, Bato/Stone, Paradise/Paradis, Accumulation, Colonial, Unwrapping Culture, and Eternal Gestures; his Undivided Colours returns to the Dance Centre from May 14 to 15. Often drawing on artful set pieces and costumes, Erasga Tolentino’s practice has long explored identity, gender, migration, and cross-cultural collaboration, touring to countries from the Philippines to France and Uruguay.
Both were chosen by a jury of their peers. 
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