Friday, November 7 @ 2:00pm - 8:00pm
Art and Gender
Official opening of the symposium with guests from Vancouver ‘s artistic Community at the Dance Centre, 677 Davie St. Participating guest artist speakers include: Daelik Hackenbrook, Joe Laughlin, Paraskevas Terezakis, Pangaea Arts /William Lau, Heidi Specht, Chris Gatchilian and Laiwan.

Saturday, November 8 @ 1:00pm - 3:30pm
Reflection/Forward thinking
Observer and facilitator Andreas Kahre will conduct an open forum for general discussion about the Symposium's opening panel discussion from November 7th at the The Dance Centre, Faris Theatre 677 Davie St. This panel will provide critical time for reflection and forward thinking by posing questions and providing answers as a result of the many creative initiatives that will arise.

Sunday, November 9 @ 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Diversity, Duality, Body and Dance
Performances featuring diverse dance artists Peter Chin, Didik Nini Thowok, Pichet Klunchun and Alvin Erasga Tolentino at the Roundhouse Community Arts Centre.

Co.ERASGA is excited to initiate for the first time a 2-day symposium to be held in Vancouver in partnership with The Dance Centre and The Roundhouse Community Arts Centre.

This gathering is important as it is the first time a culturally diverse group of dance artists, scholars and other members of the artistic community will come together in the Pacific West Coast to critically present and discuss their art practice, dance, gender, duality and identity. The dialogue will focus on art, the dance artists themselves and the personal evaluation they will share through this dialogue. Instead of analyzing their work in reference to the mainstream, these artists will be able to engage in reflective critical dialogue among themselves.

This outreach initiative will bring together contemporary local, national and international dance artists of diverse communities to advance professional development, networking, dialogue and knowledge-sharing among established, diverse and young emerging artists with arts professionals. Critical discussions will explore the basis for the artists' work and common themes of experiences and struggles. Representation comes from Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Asian Canadian communities. Along with Canadian artists Peter Chin and William Lau, and Alvin Erasga Tolentino, this opportunity for artistic cross-pollenation strengthens and extends the networks of diverse artists across Canada and globally.

Open to the general public, we aim to bring the artistic community in dance and other disciplines to confront and share the artist stories to encourage dialogue and networking between participants and attendees.

In the two day symposium, we propose to explore topics such as:

- What is the status quo of 'gender' “dance” and 'body' practices and discourses in the cultural and contemporary arts of your (trans)regional field of expertise?

- Which themes and concepts of gender, if any and the body shape your artistic work and your personal research, and to what extent would they be relevant for transcultural dimensions? The idea of Third dimension:

- Can the body be liberated from imposed constructions of gender, where art, dance and movements free the body? Is your creative work an open vehicle to the essences of duality – spirituality,
How does it function in modern society?
What role can- does it play in art?

- What are the common themes in the personal voyages that cross differences in cultures and generations? How does that affect their perseverance and presence or not, on a regional or global scale in art politics and community engage art practice?

- Do Asian gay artists live more freely and openly through their art? How do they manoeuvre and operates to express art, sexuality and gender in this global phenomena of hyper-masculinity?

Facilitator & Observer
One of Vancouver ‘s leading multidisciplinary and critical artistic thinker Andreas Kahre has been invited to observe, write, instigate and moderate this symposium. He will act as an internal and external observer of each participant and in their creative offerings. As the official moderator, he will be engaged throughout the planning process in terms of topics to be discussed for the panel discussion. Mr. Kahre will act as a link, a bridge to provide continuity between the artists, to look for the critical elements that are relevant and that we wish to discover through this dialogue and doing such work for the broader community.