creating new stages for everyone. everyday and anywhere.
small stage is a platform to share and connect people through dance and music.
we bring artists and audiences together through dance and music works that everyone can enjoy and appreciate.
we engage and encourage innovative works that strive for artistic excellence.
we mix music and technology with dance and movement at its foundation.
Established in 2001, Movement Enterprise Society is a charitable, non-profit society dance production, creation and presentation platform, in Vancouver, BC. The Society is dedicated to producing innovative and accessible new works in non-traditional spaces that support the next generation of artists including; dancers, musicians, technologists and practitioners.
We blend live and digital strategies to create powerful experiences designed to reach wide audiences, reduce barriers and are accessible to a wide demographic.
Movement Enterprises Society is incorporated under the Society Act of British Columbia and is a Registered Charitable Society in Canada.
Dances for a Small Stage premiered in May 2002 at the Royal Pub on Granville Street in Vancouver.
Since then, Small Stage has produced over 40+ instalments in Vancouver and appeared 3X at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre (2006 Canada Dance Festival, 2009 BC Scene and 2015 Magnetic North Festival + Canada Dance Festival). Our partners have included Quebec City, Canada ~ La Petite Scene and Adelaide, Australia ~Dances for a Small Stage: Australia.
Our other projects include The Love Bubble Project, The Winter Series, the Summer Series, Community Stages, Secret Stage and point 5.
Each Small Stage show is held on ridiculously small stages, in unconventional venues and spaces and showcases a wide variety of styles, genres and cultures chosen to reflect the depth and breadth of Vancouver’s unique artistic community. This includes contemporary to classical, traditional to cultural forms and everything in between.
Dance ~ Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Vogue, House, Bharatanatyam, Odessi, Flamenco, Métis Jig, Chinese Contemporary and Classical, Japanese Contemporary + Classical, Bhaṅgṛā and Scottish Highland, Burlesque, amongst others.
Music ~ Jazz, Classical, New Music, Contemporary, Motown and many more.
Since our inception in 2001, Small Stage has reached over 200, 000+ live and 6 million digital audience members.
Over the years Small Stage has presented over 450+ local, national and international dancers and musicians. Our alumni list includes Crystal Pite, Emily Molnar, Margie Gillis, John Oswald, Holly Small, Vanessa Goodman, Burgundy Brixx, Dayna Szyndrowski, Lola Dance, Joe Ink, Wen Wei Wang, Scheherazaad Cooper, Cheng-Xin Wei, Lorita Leung Chinese Dance Company, Chengxin Wei, Hardeep Singh Sahota, House of La Douche, Jeanette Kotowich, Jennifer Aioki, Krystle Dos Santos, Farnaz Ohadi, Kassandra Flamenco and The Company Dancers of Ballet BC amongst many others.
Small Stage believes in the power of art + community.
We are a platform to share with and connect people through dance and music.
We combine live and digital dance to create innovative experiences designed for everyone to enjoy and appreciate.
We engage and encourage innovative works that strive for artistic excellence.
We mix technology to create innovative works.
Our vision at Small Stage is to contribute to our city and create a future that connects dance and music to the general public in new and interesting ways.
Our approach is threefold-
Bringing together a dynamic mix of artists that represent a range of ages, experiences, cultures, styles, and traditions living within our community.
Bust down theatre walls and creating outdoor shows in public places making art accessible to all ages, income groups and abilities.
Break down barriers and reach audiences that are wide-ranging, youthful, diverse and representative of a public not frequently engaged in the arts.
Be creative and curious
Inspire others
Connect people to spaces
Be energized
Making a difference
Creating a sense of belonging
Be representative of the community
Small Stage has been a long-standing innovator in both creating new opportunities for artists and audiences. Our approach has been essential in developing capacity within the sector and giving artists space to experiment and hone their skills.
We encourage risk-taking, collaboration and experimentation while creating a space where artists and audiences can connect.
In the last 3 years, Small Stage has focused on the development of new audiences by reducing barriers with live and digital formats. We have been going to communities- public plazas and parks to present work. Since 2018, our live audience has grown over 600% while our on-line audience has reached over 3.5 million.
Small Stage is a nimble organization that has been constantly producing work and creating opportunities for performing artists and support workers throughout the pandemic. We have deep rooted networks and a proven track record for creating flexible opportunities for diverse performing arts disciplines and communities.
In 2021, paid 85+ artists, 25+ practitioners, held 85+ outdoor activations/presentations and reached over 68,000+ live and 1.2 million digital audience members.
Small Stage a women-led organization with deep roots in supporting and promoting the work of female artists and practitioners. We accomplish this by recruiting a talented and diverse team that consists of people from different worldviews, ethnicities, backgrounds and abilities.
