The Search Party’s must-see production of Dance Nation comes to The Cultch’s York Theatre from April 23 to May 11.
Called “blazingly original” by the New York Times and a “brave, visceral, excitingly off-kilter barbaric yawp of a play” by Vulture, Dance Nation chronicles a preteen competitive dance team fighting to win a national championship. With every step, these young dancers catapult towards finding themselves and unleashing their power.
Dance Nation embraces the ferocity of adolescence — blurring reality and fantasy, dreams and nightmares. Fusing high-energy dance numbers with wild humour, personal and poignant moments, and bursts of surrealism, Dance Nation stands as one of the most groundbreaking theatrical works of the past five years.
Written by Clare Barron, it was awarded the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
“I wanted to write this play because I wanted to present a different picture of teenage girls onstage. One where trauma wasn’t the central narrative. One where being the best was,” says Barron.
This Vancouver premiere is being produced by The Search Party, an innovative theatre company celebrated for its staging of plays from the contemporary canon, including Fairview, Stupid F*cking Bird and Bunny.
Dance Nation is directed by Mindy Parfitt and choreographed by Amber Barton, and features an ensemble cast of many of Vancouver’s finest actors. Don’t miss what promises to be a raucous theatrical experience!
One lucky Tyee reader will win two tickets to Dance Nation at The Cultch’s York Theatre and a $100 gift certificate for Caffè La Tana, an authentic Italian eatery on Commercial Drive.
Enter to win below, and visit The Cultch’s website to see showtimes and purchase tickets.
About The Cultch + Caffè La Tana
The Cultch is Vancouver’s most diverse and innovative arts and cultural hub — presenting contemporary theatre, dance, circus, music, visual art and innovative livestreams.

Caffè La Tana is an intimate affair, offering a menu of plates and pasta to share and an all-Italian wine list and cocktails, grappa and amari to start, finish and make the most of the evening.

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