The Body in conversation with its environment

Generative Systems

Sonic and Physical Performance-Based Artworks

Action at a Distance Dance Society is a contemporary dance company located on ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō, səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. The company is directed by choreographer Vanessa Goodman, a woman and mother who shares her experiences through physical, visual and sonic practices. Focusing on creating experiential generative systems to build immersive environments. The company’s work is driven by questions surrounding intimacy through performance-based practices. Since Goodman became Artistic Director, the company's work has been presented locally, nationally and internationally in Canada, The USA, Europe, the UK and South America.

The company is inspired by artistic collaboration across multiple disciplines, with a mission to create environments and facilitate engrossing experiences for those who engage with the work. An inclusive dialogue is fostered with the community as part of each project through open studio showings, workshops, and discussions surrounding the work. Performance is made possible by those who witness it, and the company views the audience as the final collaborator in each project.

Collaboration is a critical core value and creative tool. Incorporating an array of voices within each project illuminates different perspectives. The company deeply values community and views dance as a way to build relationships and strengthen human connections. Action at a Distance strives to create welcoming performative environments, inviting audiences and participants to have unique, nuanced experiences, whether responding purely to the aesthetics or parsing deeper underlying themes.

The company’s work has been presented in Vancouver by DanceHouse, SFU Woodwards, Music on Main, The Firehall Arts Centre, The Dance Centre, The Chutzpah! Festival and The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. Presentations further afield include the Tanz Bremen (Germany), Third Angle (Portland), Brain Webb Dance (Edmonton) Fluid Festival (Calgary), Kinetic Studio (Halifax), The Dance Made in Canada Festival (Toronto), On the Boards (Seattle), Risk/Reward Festival (Portland), Offset Dance Fest (Brooklyn), Switch Lab (Bucharest), L1 Festival (Budapest), Estorgenuis (New York), BioFriction/ FACTT (Lisbon), Tanzmesse (Düsseldorf), CINARS (Montreal) and The Bienal Internacional de Dança Do Ceará (Brazil). Vanessa has been artist-in-residence at Cutivamos Cultura/BioFriction (Portugal), The Dance Centre, Dance Victoria, Harbourfront Centre, The Shadbolt Centre and The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, where she was also on faculty. Recently, Vanessa presented work and was a facilitator for Trinity Laban's 2020 Co-Lab Project (London). Commissions include works for Alexis Fletcher, Springboard Dansé Montréal, Votive Dance, Lamon Dance, Modus Operandi and The SFU rep class. This past season the company premiered two new works, "Core/Us" and "Tuning". Upcoming touring includes "Graveyards and Gardens" with Caroline Shaw in Canada, the USA and Europe.

Action at a Distance is a non-for-profit registered charity, all donations made are tax deductible. 

DONATE & SPONSOR

If you are interested in supporting the company, please connect with us through our contact form to further discuss making a one-time, monthly or in-kind donation.

Registered charitable number: 872374897BC0001

FOR BOOKINGS:

Please contact Belsher Arts Management

FUNDERS AND PARTNERS

Action at a Distance gratefully acknowledges the support from the funders and organizations that help to make the company’s work possible. 

The Canada Council for the Arts, The British Columbia Arts Council, John Robinson, The Province of British Columbia, The Scotiabank Dance Centre, The Chutzpah! Festival, The City of Vancouver, The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, SFUW and plastic orchid factory/Left of Main.