Chrystal Dance Prize

Announcing the 2021 Prize Winners

Since 2010, Dance Victoria has awarded more than $300,000 through its Chrystal Dance Prize – Projects to support dance artists, collectives or companies from Western Canada that are collaborating with international artists. This year, the Dance Victoria Awards Committee agreed to support two projects from a group of 18 proposals submitted to its Fall 2020 competition, committing a total of $40,000 in commissioning support.

Vancouver-based dance artist Ralph Escamillan was awarded $10,000 to develop a new dance work with Filipino dancer Raul “Buboy” Raquitico entitled Piña that will be developed over a two-year period. The first year will focus on research and development. When travel restrictions are lifted, Escamillan will travel to the Philippines to build the choreography. Escamillan is particularly interested in creating costumes with piña fabric, a traditional Filipino fiber made from pineapple leaves.

Dance Victoria has awarded $30,000 to support a collaboration between Vancouver’s OURO Collective and German-born, LA dancer RubberLegz. Their project, entitled 7y98D is focused on climate change and will have two components. First the group will work remotely with RubberLegz to develop a film to be completed in late spring 2021. In the fall of 2021, the collective will integrate the film into a planned live performance suitable for touring. The title of the work was inspired by “The Climate Clock,” a public art installation set on Manhattan’s Union Square. The clock is set to countdown the time remaining for the world to avoid climate disaster. The Collective became aware of the clock when it posted 7 years 98 days in the fall of 2019.

Read the media release for additional details about the  2020/21 CDP – Projects winners.

The prize is funded through an annual disbursement from the Chrystal Dance Fund held at the Victoria Foundation. Learn more about Dr. Chrystal “Betty” Kleiman.