Dance//Novella's Emerging Artist Program is in residence at The Polygon Gallery, to January 30
Twelve emerging dance artists choreograph and perform a group piece guided by the theme of “shifting identities”
Bryn Bridgen, one of the artists participating in Dance//Novella’s Emerging Artist Program. Photo by David Cooper
Dance//Novella’s Emerging Artist Program is in residence at The Polygon Gallery this month, with open rehearsals from January 16 to 19 and 22 to 26 from 10 am to 3 pm; a final performance takes place on January 30 at 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm
NOW IN ITS third-consecutive year, Dance//Novella’s Emerging Artist Program has begun a residency at The Polygon Gallery that will continue through the end of January.
This edition of the program will provide 12 emerging dancers with a platform to further their professional development and collaborate with peers. Guided by the theme of “shifting identities”, the artists will explore the transformative power of dance and its ability to catalyze change both internally and out in the world.
The public is invited to The Polygon Gallery to watch the dancers choreograph a large group piece at open rehearsals from January 16 to 19 and 22 to 26. Those who are interested in seeing the creative process unfold can drop into the Seaspan Pavilion, located on the gallery’s upper floor overlooking the waterfront, between the hours of 10 am to 3 pm. (Admission is by donation.)
Dance//Novella company dancer Yuha Tomita is rehearsal director of this year’s Emerging Artist Program; born and raised in Japan, she moved to Vancouver in 2018 and has since trained with Arts Umbrella, Lamondance, and Modus Operandi. Tomita recently performed in Dance//Novella’s Night is the Mother, an exploration of dreams that she helped develop during last year’s edition of the Emerging Artist Program at The Polygon Gallery.
The artists participating in this year’s residency include Bryn Bridgen, Daeva Miles, Elle Derkitt, Ellie Toop, Emily Wang, Grace Willock, Kaya Tsurumi, Madeleine Cruz, Maesie Kost, Maïa Morrison, Rachel Lui, and Margaux Chambon.
Cofounded by directors Racheal Prince and Brandon Lee Alley in 2019, Dance//Novella fosters collaboration across disciplines through projects grounded in community. Take, for example, When the Walls Come Down, a work that conveys a deaf woman’s personal experiences by integrating ASL and multimedia storytelling into the choreography. The company began its Emerging Artist Program in 2023; a residency is hosted annually at The Polygon Gallery in partnership with The Dance Centre, with funding this year from North Vancouver Recreation & Culture and the Hamber Foundation.
The Emerging Artist Program will wrap up on January 30 with a final performance that will allow the dancers to premiere their identity-focused choreography with lighting design and interactive digital media. Tickets can be purchased in advance for showings at 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm. 
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