Top 5 “Must See” Cultural Olympiad Events

Leading up to and during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, some of the world’s top artists will be in Vancouver showcasing their talents and making the city a hub for arts and entertainment.

The Cultural Olympiad features genre-bending theatre, dance, music and visual and digital art displays. The celebration runs from January 22 to March 21, 2010 and includes both free and ticketed events.

For a full schedule of Cultural Olympiad Events, click here.

Vancouver.com’s top picks for the Cultural Olympiad are:

1. Dance Marathon

Dance Marathon is a participatory dance show that will get your feet moving. It features a dance contest where you, the audience, can interact with the performers. It’s based on the American dance marathons of the 1930s. For those who don’t dance, there’s also the option to sit back and enjoy the show. Tickets are available here.

Venue: Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver

Dates: February 9 to 11 at 7 p.m. February 12 at 9 p.m. February 13 at 7 p.m.

2. Feist with Special Guest Gonzales “Piano Talk Show”

Canadian songstress Feist first performed for the Olympics at the age of 12, as an Opening Ceremony dancer at the Calgary 1988 Winter Games. Now, she’s one of Canada’s top female singer-songwriters. She took home a Juno in 2008 for Album of the Year (The Reminder) and gained instant fame when her hit “1234” was used to promote the popular iPod Nano. This promises to be a wonderful all ages event. Tickets are available here.

Venue: The Orpheum Theatre, Smithe Street at Seymour Street, Vancouver

Date: February 17 at 8 p.m.

3. Talking Stick Festival

The annual Talking Stick Festival has become a place to honour Aboriginal tradition in contemporary forms. This Festival gives voice to the Aboriginal experience across Canada and features both emerging and established artists who use theatre, storytelling, music, dance, performance and visual arts to explore ancient stories and share the Aboriginal culture. Visit the website for more information.

Venues:
Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver Britannia Community Centre Theatre, 1661 Napier Street, Vancouver Museum of Anthropology, 6393 N.W. Marine Drive, Vancouver

Dates: February 21 to 28 

4. Robert Le Page: The Blue Dragon

The Blue Dragon is the highly anticipated sequel to Canadian theatre legend Robert Lepage’s The Dragon’s Trilogy. The new play picks up again with the central figure, an artist, who resurfaces in Shanghai 20 years later. Set in the effervescent paradox that is modern China, his encounters with a former art school classmate and a young Chinese artist open unexpected doors and bring about fundamental changes for each of them. Tickets and information are available here.

Venue: The Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre at SFU Woodward's development in downtown Vancouver, 149 West Hastings Street, Vancouver

Dates: February 2 to 22

5. In Situ

The Aeriosa Dance Society creates dance in non-traditional environments, exploring aerial choreography and revealing dance in the vertical realm to new audiences. The company combines contemporary dance technique with safe rope rigging systems to create three-dimensional performances.

This performance, at Library Square, features suspended dancers and original special music. The performance moves indoors as it progresses, unfolding in the seven-storey concourse and guiding audiences throughout the building. More information at aeriosa.com. This is a free event.

Venue: Library Square, Vancouver Public Library, Central Library, 300 West Georgia, Vancouver

Dates: March 17 to 18 at 10 p.m. March 19 to 20 at 8 p.m.