Virginia Duivenvoorden

Virginia Duivenvoorden – Parkgate Community Centre

From November 17, 2021 to February 25, 2022

Artist Statement: I am fascinated by the places where artistic disciplines begin to crossover and connect. Dance and visual arts synthesize here through objects that become part of the spaces we occupy in dance and the materials they form through art making. Working in collaboration with the community gave me perspectives beyond my own vision. Learning is part of the practice and process. Thank you so much to all the participants for your creative contributions.

Hearts of Cloth

This dance piece follows an artist's journey from confinement through chaos to calm. The process takes dance and art that was created at home during the pandemic, into the studio and theatre. The resulting digital performance incorporates experimentation with video and art installation.

I took seeds of the ideas for a dance piece in July 2020 from my home to the Dance Centre as BC was reopening. While adapting the choreography for a different space, I revisited my curiosity for using visual arts lenses for dance. The string and suspended objects I have, create optical and physical differences in the dance studio. I brought fabric from my projects at home, inspired by installation pieces I had been a part of in Arnhem, Netherlands. Influenced by love for the use of fabrics in many dance forms, I am in awe of the beautiful traditions and stories that breathe life into cloth. ~ Virginia

Choreography, videography, and performance by Virginia Duivenvoorden

Directed by Kay Huang Barnes

Photography by Brooke McAllister

Silverline Community Art Project 

As dance artists, many of our activities involve gathering. In 2020, I spoke with Sarah Duggan from Local Love North Vancouver- United Way Lower Mainland about ways I could reach out with a Community Art Project that connects with the dance project. Through sharing with others about making a fabric heart ornament, we were able to reach dozens of participants online and through delivering the sewing kits.  Many of the hearts that were created have been donated back to the project. The heart collection is now being displayed at Parkgate Community Centre. The hearts are available to purchase at othe Parkgate Art Display Shop online with all proceeds going towards our upcoming project Tethered: An Installation Performance of Dance and Art coming in 2022 to the Dance Centre and Presentation House Theatre.

2021 Artists: Claudia Artiga, Virginia Duivenvoorden, Linda Edens, Kay Huang Barnes

Volunteers: Gail Mofrad, Stephanie Jones, Sarah Duggan, Shaunah Majcher, Mahshid Hejazi

Many thanks to all the community participants for their creativity and ingenuity. 

Hearts of Cloth and the Silverline Community Art Project are produced in association with Crossmaneuver, PHT Creative Hub, The Dance Centre, The United Way Lower Mainland, New Works and are supported by the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver through the Arts & Culture Grants Program of the North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission.