Experience A Date Night in Paradise with Dairakudakan at VIDF

Comments 83 by Rebecca Bollwitt Tuesday, February 28th, 2017 — 11:56am PST

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Following their Canadian premiere at the Vancouver International Dance Festival (“VIDF”) in 2015, Japan-based ensemble, Dairakudakan, returns with their newest work – Paradise – at the Vancouver Playhouse. Proudly presented as part of VIDF 2017, the visual tour-de-force drives audiences on an absurd, haunting hunt for the elusive concept of paradise.

Dairakudakan’s Paradise at VIDF

Dairakudakan’s Paradise by Hiroyuki Kawashima

VIDF 2017 Presents Dairakudakan: Paradise
Where: Vancouver Playhouse (600 Hamilton St, Vancouver)
When: March 10 & 11, 2017 at 8:00pm
Tickets: Adults: $60, Seniors/Students: $50 call (604) 662-4966 or book online

Paradise begins on a white, geometric, and deceptively bare set. From this empty space, the 21 members of the company depart on a surreal and haunting journey – filled with provocative, dreamlike imagery. Amidst visions of jungle locales, ghoulishly cheerful roller-skating gangs, and chained-and- bound masses, the work ultimately asks whether paradise is something that can only exist in the mind – and must therefore be found by tunneling within.

Dairakudakan’s Paradise by Hiroyuki Kawashima

Founded in 1972, Dairakudakan is Japan’s longest-standing butoh ensemble, globally recognized for spectacular and theatrically explosive performances. The company’s appearance at VIDF 2017 is held in celebration of award-winning Choreographer, Director Akaji Maro’s 45th anniversary with the butoh- theatre company.

Characterized by the dancers’ whitened bodies, shaved heads, and fragmented movements, butoh was first performed in post-World War II Japan in 1959. Born as a reaction to western dance styles of ballet and modern, butoh emerged in Japan in the 1960’s before swiftly migrating to other countries around the globe where it continues to thrive, influence, and evolve.

Win a Date Night

I have the opportunity to give away an amazing date night that includes:

A $100 gift card for dinner for two at Hapa Izakaya, a modern Japanese restaurant located in Coal Harbour (909 W Cordova) along with two tickets to see Japan-based ensemble Dairakudakan’s Paradise on Friday, March 10 at 8:00pm at the Vancouver Playhouse.

Here’s how you can enter to win:

Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Click below to post an entry on Twitter

[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win a Date Night in Paradise with #Dairakudakan at @VIDF #VIDF2017 http://owl.li/KY3s309rWU2″ quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 4:00pm on Monday, March 6, 2017. Prize/tickets must be used for the performance on March 10th. Follow VIDF on Facebook and Twitter for more information about the festival.

Vancouver International Dance Festival (“VIDF”) kicks off its 17th year of connecting Vancouver audiences with the power and breadth of contemporary dance in a four-week line-up that showcases world-renowned artists from the United States, Japan, and Denmark alongside seasoned and emerging Canadian artists from Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto.

From March 1-25, 2017, at various Vancouver venues, VIDF will present 14 captivating companies, including anticipated performances by San Francisco’s internationally-lauded troupe Alonzo King LINES Ballet; a Canadian premiere from Japan’s Dairakudakan and Denmark’s Kitt Johnson; west coast premieres from Toronto’s Kaeja d’Dance and Montreal’s Compagnie Virginie Brunelle; world premieres from Vancouver’s-own Kinesis Dance, Karen Jamieson & Margaret Grenier, Rob Kitsos/JaneOsborne/Kim Stevenson, among many others.

Update: The winner is Olivia!