Here are five performances not to miss at this year’s PuSh festival.
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The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year from Jan. 23 to Feb. 9.
The annual mix of dance, theatre, multimedia and music presentations began in 2003 as a performance series co-founded by Norman Armour of Rumble Productions and Touchstone Theatre’s Katrina Dunn. Eventually established as a registered charitable organization and festival in 2005, the inaugural event boasted nine shows that honed in on the talents of the Vancouver theatre community as well as two U.K. groups and one from Alberta.
Highlights over the years included appearances from some of the most-influential performing artists to come out of Canada and the international scene working in a diverse range of genres. Presentations ranged from the concert Nunavut with singer Tanya Tagaq and Kronos Quartet in 2006 to Australia’s acclaimed Circa and a memorable debut by MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Taylor Mac and many, many more.
The festival grew in scope and variety over the decades becoming one of the marquee arts and cultural productions in Canada.
The director of programming for the anniversary event is Gabrielle Martin, who continues a long tradition of bringing some of the finest performance art on the local, national and international level to town for audiences to enjoy.
The 2025 edition features 25-plus productions, five cabaret and party events and a pair of films and artist residencies. Works hail from 13 countries, including eight Canadian and three world premieres.
All That Remains
When: Jan. 23-24, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 W. Hastings St., Vancouver
About the show: From Mirko Guido, this Denmark/Italy choreographic work takes place in a world strewn with debris and organic matter that the dancers move through and interact with along with an installation and sound performance.
Club Push
When: Jan. 29, 9 p.m.
Where: Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main St., Vancouver
About the show: Presented with the Frank Theatre Co., this is where PuSh hosts its annual party. This year is a celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ artists working in dance, drag and musical genres. Come and enjoy what is billed as “an explosion of queer brilliance you won’t want to miss.”
Dances For a Small Stage
When: Feb. 4-5, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Please! Beverage Co., 222 West 5th Ave., Vancouver
About the show: Vancouver’s Julie-anne Saroyan of Small Stage and PuSh bring back this well-loved dance series of works of all sorts. This collection of a dozen original pieces ranges from the contemporary to performance art, touching on areas as diverse as flamenco and musical theatre all presented on the company’s signature 12-by-10-foot stage. Running five to seven minutes long, this intimate dance experience is always a delightful surprise.
Dune Wars Kiki Ball
When: Feb. 2, 3 p.m.
Where: The Birdhouse, 44 West 4th Ave., Vancouver
About the show: Van Vogue Jam and PuSh present a ballroom event hosted by Kiki Legendary Overall Mother Post Gvasalia. A celebration of the club culture founded by Black, Hispanic, queer and trans communities in Harlem in the late 1960s, ballroom competitions are highlighted by original costumes, innovative dances and frequently satiric subtext. With a through-line around Dune and Star Wars, this is sure to be lots of fun.
Habitat
When: Jan. 28-29, 7 p.m. Online Jan. 29-Feb. 9
Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie St., Vancouver
About the show: Inner Fish, Latincouver and PuSh present Petrikor Danse, a company hailing from Uruguay/Tiohtià: Ke, Moonniyang unceded territories guarded by the Kanien’kéhaga people, which draws inspiration from hermit crabs and their self-contained homes.
Utilizing biotechnologies in its distinctive costuming and set design, the piece from Uruguayan-born, Montreal based artist Bettina Szabo features one-of-a-kind interactive illuminations that recall the bioluminescence of deepsea dwellers.