The new piece from Shelby Richardson’s Prince George-based company Method Dance asks, ‘How do we practice in this evolving landscape, this evolving conditions in which we live, as a physical practice?’
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Dancing on the Edge
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When: June 4-13
Where: Firehall Arts Centre, 280 E Cordova St.; SFU Woodward’s 149 W Hastings St.; The Dance Centre, 677 Davie St., Vancouver
Tickets: From $25-$50 per performance; $95 for four-pack pass at dancingontheedge.org
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Shelby Richardson recalls a period when major highways out of Prince George were closed because of wildfire activity.
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“We were not able to go anywhere,” the dancer-choreographer said. “If there was a fire closer to home, it would be very hard to evacuate.”
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Sun Spots
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The broader Prince George region has been heavily affected by wildfire activity and smoke over the past few years, especially during the 2023 and 2024 B.C. wildfire seasons. Prince George itself was repeatedly impacted by smoke and air-quality concerns, while surrounding northern communities dealt with evacuations, alerts and massive fires.
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“We were doing a workshop, and we couldn’t have the doors open, and we couldn’t have the doors closed because it was so hot, but there was so much smoke outside at the same time,” Richardson said. “As a dance artist, you have to kind of figure out how to navigate in terms of your performance ability and what you’re able to do physically.”
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That became a central question behind Char, a new piece from Richardson’s Prince George-based company Method Dance.
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“How do we practice in this evolving landscape, this evolving conditions in which we live, as a physical practice?”
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Char will have its world premiere at this year’s Dancing on the Edge. The 38th edition of Canada’s longest-running contemporary dance festival will feature two other world premieres, including a new piece from Vancouver’s Vidya Kotamraju, which will share a bill with Char, and KIN & DOVES from Vancouver’s Belle Spirale Dance Projects with Ballet B.C. dancer Sid Chuckas. Another full-length piece, Lukas Malkowski’s Microphone Controller, is a reimagining of the rock concert experience for both deaf and hearing audiences. It premiered in Berlin in 2024.
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The festival also includes four mixed programs, featuring work by Starr Muranko/Co.ERASGA, All Bodies Dance, and Daina Ashbee, among others.
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Richardson developed Char in collaboration with Vancouver sound designer Nancy Tam and the five dancers in the piece.
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“We wanted to create something that speaks directly to our concerns as artists in northern communities with the ongoing wildfire concerns,” Richardson said.
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Richardson founded Method Dance in 2019. The idea was to give northern artists a way to continue their careers without relocating.
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“There’s a strong desire for artists to have families, be close to their families, be close to their community. Creating Method was an opportunity for dance artists to do that and to create work for their home community, which I think is something that we need to value more.”
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The creation process for Char began outdoors, through field research in post-fire environments.
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“We spent a lot of time in these environments at different stages of fire regrowth,” Richardson said.
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Prince George photographer Keli Watson guided Richardson and Tam through several sites. Tam built the show’s soundscape from field recordings gathered during those visits. Charcoal and paper figure prominently, visually and sonically.
