Vancouver Island Youth Dance Theatre Association

**Context Profile for Vancouver Island Youth Dance Theatre Association**

**1. Organization Mission & Cause:**
The Vancouver Island Youth Dance Theatre Association, operating under the name Dancestreams, is dedicated to fostering the development of young dancers by providing high-quality dance education and performance opportunities. Their mission is to inspire and nurture the next generation of dancers through innovative programs and collaborations with professional artists. They aim to cultivate a love for dance and support the artistic growth of youth in the Vancouver Island region.

**2. Type of Activities:**
- **Masterclasses and Workshops:** They host events such as the "Dancestreams Odyssey Masterclasses," which offer intensive training sessions for young dancers aged 10-19, focusing on contemporary dance techniques and creative processes.
- **Performances and Repertoire:** Dancestreams provides opportunities for young dancers to perform and learn from established repertoires, such as "Soft Animals" by Dance//Novella.
- **Collaborations with Professional Artists:** The organization collaborates with guest artists like Bryn Bridgen and Sophie Dow, who bring diverse dance styles and expertise to the youth.
- **Community Engagement:** They engage the community through performances and educational outreach, aiming to make dance accessible and inspiring to a broader audience.

**3. Tone of Voice:**
The tone of voice used by Dancestreams is professional yet approachable, with an emphasis on inspiration and creativity. Their communications are informative and supportive, encouraging participation and engagement from young dancers and the community.

**4. Emoji Usage:**
The organization does not prominently use emojis in their communications. Their style is more formal and focused on clear, detailed information about their programs and events.

**5. Key Facts:**
- **Founding Information:** The organization is a registered charity, emphasizing its commitment to supporting youth through dance.
- **Scale and Impact:** They operate primarily on Vancouver Island, offering specialized programs that reach young dancers across the region.
- **Volunteer and Artist Involvement:** The organization collaborates with professional dancers and artists, providing mentorship and training opportunities for youth.

**6. Writing Guidelines:**
- **Clarity and Detail:** Provide clear, detailed information about events, schedules, and participation requirements.
- **Inspirational Language:** Use language that inspires and motivates young dancers to participate and explore their creativity.
- **Professional Tone:** Maintain a professional tone that reflects the organization's commitment to high-quality dance education.
- **Focus on Community and Collaboration:** Highlight the collaborative nature of their programs and the community impact of their activities.

This context profile will assist AI assistants in generating content that aligns with the Vancouver Island Youth Dance Theatre Association's mission, activities, and communication style, ensuring that all generated content is relevant and engaging for their audience.

LXCL:*Tax IncludedOpen Level with Sophie Dow This full day intensive is designed to be a deep dive into contemporary dance techniques where Sophie will help dancers grow into more bold and captivating performers. WHAT YOU'LL EXPLORE:<ul class="lxcl-ul"><li value="1" class="lxcl-listItem" style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr">Contemporary dance techniques</li><li value="2" class="lxcl-listItem" style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr">Tools for developing versatility</li><li value="3" class="lxcl-listItem" style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr">Your unique voice as an artist</li><li value="4" class="lxcl-listItem" style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr">Improvisation and creative expression</li><li value="5" class="lxcl-listItem" style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr">Building confidence to bring onto the stage</li></ul>

Sunday 11:00am - 5:30pm

LXCL:*Tax included Advanced+ Technique and Repertoire Class with Bryn Bridgen - 10:45am-12:30pm This class is for the dancer looking for a challenge. For the dancer wanting to improve their technique and their ability to make choreography their own.

Saturday 10:45am - 12:30pm

LXCL:*Tax Included Open Level Contemporary Floorwork and Repertoire Class with Bryn Bridgen

Saturday 1:00pm - 2:45pm

LXCL:*Tax Included Open Level Technique and Performance Skills Class with Sophie Dow - 2:00pm-4:00pm This class is for the dancer wanting to challenge their artistry and performance skills. For the dancer who wants to feel more confident.

Saturday 2:00pm - 4:00pm

LXCL:*Tax Included Open Level Improvisation and Repertoire Class with Bryn Bridgen - 3:00pm-4:45pm This class is for the dancer who wants to feel more comfortable improvising and wants to develop their own unique artistic voice.

Saturday 3:00pm - 4:45pm

LXCL:*Tax Included Open Level Technique and Performance Skills Class with Sophie Dow 4:00pm-6:00pm This class is for the dancer wanting to challenge their artistry and performance skills. For the dancer who wants to feel more confident.

Saturday 4:00pm - 6:00pm

Dancestreams&nbsp;Odyssey Masterclasses Saturday February 7, 2026 and Sunday February 8, 2026Location: Harbour Dance Studios, 139 Bastion St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 3A2.Hosted by: Dancestreams Youth Dance Company. *Note: If you are performing in Odyssey, please check with your studio tech time to ensure the classes you are registering for do not conflict.&nbsp; Dancestreams is a registered charity. Any additional donations are eligible to receive a charitable giving tax receipt. About the Masterclasses: Any dancers ages 10+ are welcome to attend the open level classes. The Advanced level class is recommended for dancers ages 15+ looking to challenge their contemporary technique. *Note: Each Saturday class will include a 15 minute Q&amp;A with the artist at the end.&nbsp; DANCESTREAMS FULL-DAY INTENSIVE Sunday, February 8th | Harbour Dance Studios, Nanaimo | Cost $125 | Led by Sophie Dow. This full day intensive is designed to be a deep dive into contemporary dance techniques where Sophie will help dancers grow into more bold and captivating performers. WHAT YOU&#39;LL EXPLORE:&nbsp;- Contemporary dance techniques&nbsp;- Tools for developing versatility&nbsp;&nbsp;- Your unique voice as an artist&nbsp;- Improvisation and creative expression&nbsp;- Building confidence to bring onto the stage <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1768335681/wysiwyg/u88tbpwlwzivg9xh7pf1.jpg" style="width: 315px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; position: relative; max-width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 315px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> ODYSSEY SATURDAY MASTERCLASSES Saturday February 7 | &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Harbour Dance Studios, Nanaimo | $30 each class | Led by Sophie Dow and Bryn Bridgen. WHICH MASTERCLASSES WILL HELP YOU REACH YOUR GOALS AS A DANCER?&nbsp; &nbsp;Advanced+ Technique and Repertoire Class with Bryn Bridgen - 10:45am-12:30pmThis class is for the dancer looking for a challenge. For the dancer wanting to improve their technique and their ability to make choreography their own.&nbsp; Open Level Technique and Performance Skills Class with Sophie Dow - 2:00pm-4:00pm &amp; 4:00pm-6:00pm &nbsp;This class is for the dancer wanting to challenge their artistry and performance skills. For the dancer who wants to feel more confident.&nbsp; Open Level Improvisation and Repertoire Class with Bryn Bridgen - 3:00pm-4:45pm This class is for the dancer who wants to feel more comfortable improvising and wants to develop their own unique artistic voice.&nbsp; About the Guest Artists:&nbsp; Bryn BridgenBryn Bridgen is an Indigenous contemporary dancer based in Vancouver, Canada. She is a graduate of the GibneyPRO Professional Certificate Program (2022&ndash;2024), where she trained under the direction of Alexandra Wells, Bret Yamanaka, and Gilbert T. Small II, and performed new works by Adam Barruch, Peter Chu, Laja Field, and Lea Ved. From 2021&ndash;2023, Bryn trained with Dance//Novella as an apprentice through opportunities supported by the First Peoples&rsquo; Cultural Council. Bryn works closely with Racheal Prince and Brandon Lee Alley through their project-based company Dance//Novella, performing in residencies and presentations at The Polygon Gallery, The Dance Centre, SoundOFF Edmonton, and the Banff Centre. As a freelance artist, she has collaborated with Maiko Miyauchi and Majella Bess Loughran, performed at the JUNO Awards Canada and Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, and created her own choreographic works. Her additional training includes Springboard Danse 2025, Ballet BC 44 (2025), Out/Innerspace&rsquo;s Jermaine Spivey/Yi-Chun Liu Intensive, and the Modus Operandi Link Program. Bryn has recently joined Ballet Vancouver under the direction of Joshua Beamish and continues to pursue performance and creation through collaborative, research-driven practices. Sophie DowTreaty 1-born Sophie Dow is a multidisciplinary creator, inspired by dance, music, film, collaboration and Michif/Assiniboine roots. An avid adventurer, Sophie exudes passions for busking, yoga and traveling on top of holding a BFA specialized honours in Dance Performance and Choreography from York University. Highlights of Sophie&rsquo;s Turtle Island touring journeys include choreographing and performing at Burning Man and opening ceremonies of Shambhala Music Festival, presenting digital installations at imagineNATIVE Film &amp; New Media Festival, and sharing workshops in many rural and urban school contexts throughout the mountains and prairies. Sophie&rsquo;s unique reservoir of experience has deeply impacted her personal creative process, namely inspired by working with some of the country&rsquo;s wonderful dance innovators: Olivia C Davies, Santee Smith/Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, The Chimera Project, Kaeja d&rsquo;Dance, Carol Anderson, Yvonne Chartrand, Beany John, Jeanette Kotowich and more. Sophie presently fulfills roles as: artistic associate of O.Dela Arts, Chimera Dance Theatre &amp; V&rsquo;ni Dansi/The Louis Riel M&eacute;tis Dancers, residency coordinator at Dance West Network, fire spinner with Ember Arts Fire Society, creative director of PEC&rsquo;s Flight Festival, a licensed practitioner of Traditional Thai Massage, a trained facilitator &amp; student of BreathWave, a freelance dancer/choreographer/sound designer and a puddle jumping trickster. Photo by Dayna Szyndrowski featuring the 2024/25 Dancestreams Artists. Refund policy: masterclasses are non-refundable.&nbsp;

Hi <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, Thank you for registering for Odyssey 2026 Masterclasses. We look forward to dancing with you! Class Information&nbsp;Date: Saturday February 7, 2026 and Sunday February 8, 2026.Location: Harbour Dance Studios, 139 Bastion St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 3A2.Hosted by: Dancestreams Youth Dance Company *Note: If you are performing in Odyssey, please check with your studio tech time to ensure the classes you are registering do not conflict.&nbsp; About the Masterclasses:&nbsp;Any dancers ages 10-19 are welcome to attend the open level classes. The Advanced level class is recommended for dancers ages 15+ looking to challenge their contemporary technique.&nbsp; *Note: Each Saturday class will include a 15 minute Q&amp;A with the artist at the end.&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1765915616/wysiwyg/t6dbpceaygnhfl7zlmdv.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Kiera ShawArtistic Director&nbsp;Dancestreamscontact@dancestreamsbc.ca

Dancestreams Odyssey Masterclasses Saturday February 7, 2026 and Sunday February 8, 2026Location: Harbour Dance Studios, 139 Bastion St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 3A2.Hosted by: Dancestreams Youth Dance Company. *Note: If you are performing in Odyssey, please check with your studio tech time to ensure the classes you are registering for do not conflict.  Dancestreams is a registered charity. Any additional donations are eligible to receive a charitable giving tax receipt. About the Masterclasses: Any dancers ages 10+ are welcome to attend the open level classes. The Advanced level class is recommended for dancers ages 15+ looking to challenge their contemporary technique. *Note: Each Saturday class will include a 15 minute Q&amp;A with the artist at the end.  DANCESTREAMS FULL-DAY INTENSIVE Sunday, February 8th | Harbour Dance Studios, Nanaimo | Cost $125 | Led by Sophie Dow. This full day intensive is designed to be a deep dive into contemporary dance techniques where Sophie will help dancers grow into more bold and captivating performers. WHAT YOU'LL EXPLORE: - Contemporary dance techniques - Tools for developing versatility  - Your unique voice as an artist - Improvisation and creative expression - Building confidence to bring onto the stage <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1768335681/wysiwyg/u88tbpwlwzivg9xh7pf1.jpg" style="width:315px;display:block;vertical-align:top;margin:5px auto;text-align:center;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;position:relative;box-sizing:inherit;max-width:100%" /> ODYSSEY SATURDAY MASTERCLASSES Saturday February 7 |                                 Harbour Dance Studios, Nanaimo | $30 each class | Led by Sophie Dow and Bryn Bridgen. WHICH MASTERCLASSES WILL HELP YOU REACH YOUR GOALS AS A DANCER?   Advanced+ Technique and Repertoire Class with Bryn Bridgen - 10:45am-12:30pmThis class is for the dancer looking for a challenge. For the dancer wanting to improve their technique and their ability to make choreography their own.  Open Level Technique and Performance Skills Class with Sophie Dow - 2:00pm-4:00pm &amp; 4:00pm-6:00pm  This class is for the dancer wanting to challenge their artistry and performance skills. For the dancer who wants to feel more confident.  Open Level Improvisation and Repertoire Class with Bryn Bridgen - 3:00pm-4:45pm This class is for the dancer who wants to feel more comfortable improvising and wants to develop their own unique artistic voice.  About the Guest Artists:  Bryn BridgenBryn Bridgen is an Indigenous contemporary dancer based in Vancouver, Canada. She is a graduate of the GibneyPRO Professional Certificate Program (2022–2024), where she trained under the direction of Alexandra Wells, Bret Yamanaka, and Gilbert T. Small II, and performed new works by Adam Barruch, Peter Chu, Laja Field, and Lea Ved. From 2021–2023, Bryn trained with Dance//Novella as an apprentice through opportunities supported by the First Peoples’ Cultural Council. Bryn works closely with Racheal Prince and Brandon Lee Alley through their project-based company Dance//Novella, performing in residencies and presentations at The Polygon Gallery, The Dance Centre, SoundOFF Edmonton, and the Banff Centre. As a freelance artist, she has collaborated with Maiko Miyauchi and Majella Bess Loughran, performed at the JUNO Awards Canada and Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, and created her own choreographic works. Her additional training includes Springboard Danse 2025, Ballet BC 44 (2025), Out/Innerspace’s Jermaine Spivey/Yi-Chun Liu Intensive, and the Modus Operandi Link Program. Bryn has recently joined Ballet Vancouver under the direction of Joshua Beamish and continues to pursue performance and creation through collaborative, research-driven practices. Sophie DowTreaty 1-born Sophie Dow is a multidisciplinary creator, inspired by dance, music, film, collaboration and Michif/Assiniboine roots. An avid adventurer, Sophie exudes passions for busking, yoga and traveling on top of holding a BFA specialized honours in Dance Performance and Choreography from York University. Highlights of Sophie’s Turtle Island touring journeys include choreographing and performing at Burning Man and opening ceremonies of Shambhala Music Festival, presenting digital installations at imagineNATIVE Film &amp; New Media Festival, and sharing workshops in many rural and urban school contexts throughout the mountains and prairies. Sophie’s unique reservoir of experience has deeply impacted her personal creative process, namely inspired by working with some of the country’s wonderful dance innovators: Olivia C Davies, Santee Smith/Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, The Chimera Project, Kaeja d’Dance, Carol Anderson, Yvonne Chartrand, Beany John, Jeanette Kotowich and more. Sophie presently fulfills roles as: artistic associate of O.Dela Arts, Chimera Dance Theatre &amp; V’ni Dansi/The Louis Riel Métis Dancers, residency coordinator at Dance West Network, fire spinner with Ember Arts Fire Society, creative director of PEC’s Flight Festival, a licensed practitioner of Traditional Thai Massage, a trained facilitator &amp; student of BreathWave, a freelance dancer/choreographer/sound designer and a puddle jumping trickster. Photo by Dayna Szyndrowski featuring the 2024/25 Dancestreams Artists. Refund policy: masterclasses are non-refundable.

Vancouver Island Youth Dance Theatre Association

Dancestreams Odyssey 2026 Masterclasses

139 Bastion St