EDAM Performing Arts Society

### Context Profile for EDAM Performing Arts Society

1. **Organization Mission & Cause**:
   - **Mission**: EDAM Performing Arts Society is dedicated to fostering a vibrant community through the art of dance, particularly focusing on Contact Improvisation. They aim to create inclusive spaces for diverse participants, especially BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) dancers, to explore movement and creativity.
   - **Cause**: The organization emphasizes accessibility in dance, providing opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to engage in artistic expression and physical movement.

2. **Type of Activities**:
   - **Classes**: Regular classes in Contact Improvisation, with a focus on BIPOC participants. Classes are designed to be beginner-friendly and encourage exploration and creativity.
   - **Workshops**: Special events and workshops led by experienced instructors, such as Natalie Tin Yin Gan, aimed at developing skills in Contact Improvisation.
   - **Community Jams**: Open jam sessions for dancers to practice and improvise in a supportive environment.
   - **Membership**: A lifetime membership is required for participation, promoting a sense of belonging within the community.

3. **Tone of Voice**:
   - The tone is **friendly**, **inclusive**, and **supportive**, aiming to create a welcoming atmosphere for all participants. The language is approachable, encouraging, and emphasizes community and collaboration.
   - The content often uses phrases that invite participation and exploration, reflecting a nurturing and encouraging environment.

4. **Emoji Usage**:
   - The website and email communications do not prominently feature emojis. The tone remains professional and clear without the use of visual embellishments, focusing instead on straightforward communication.

5. **Key Facts**:
   - **Founding Info**: Specific founding details are not mentioned on the website, but the organization has established a strong community presence.
   - **Scale**: EDAM has conducted 8 forms and 12 email campaigns, indicating active engagement with their community.
   - **Impact Metrics**: While specific metrics are not detailed on the website, the focus on BIPOC engagement and community accessibility suggests a commitment to inclusivity and outreach.
   - **Volunteer Info**: There is no explicit mention of volunteer opportunities on the website, but the community-oriented nature of the organization may imply volunteer involvement in events and classes.

6. **Writing Guidelines**:
   - **Style**: Use clear, concise language that is accessible to a broad audience. Avoid jargon unless it is clearly defined.
   - **Inclusivity**: Always prioritize inclusive language, especially when discussing events and classes aimed at BIPOC participants.
   - **Encouragement**: Use inviting phrases that encourage participation, such as "join us," "everyone is welcome," and "explore your creativity."
   - **Structure**: Keep content organized with headings and bullet points for easy readability. Ensure that important information (dates, times, and contact details) is highlighted clearly.

This context profile serves as a guide for creating personalized and effective content for EDAM Performing Arts Society, ensuring alignment with their mission, values, and community engagement strategies.

LXCL:from 3:30 - 5PMFREE -- for those who have already attended a Talk-Through once and would like a resfresher of the score. Enter Code: REFRESH

Talk-Through - Sun, Mar 15th

LXCL:from 3:00 - 6:30PM

The Practice - Sat, Mar 21st

LXCL:To participate in classes and workshops at EDAM, you must be a member. If you are new to EDAM, please purchase a membership. EDAM Membership is a lifetime membership (one-time $5 membership fee).

EDAM Membership

<div fr-original-style="width:100%;box-sizing:inherit;line-height:1.5;" style="width:100%;box-sizing:inherit;line-height:1.5;"><div fr-original-style="line-height:1.5;" style="line-height:1.5;"><h3 fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">THE UNDERSCORE Talk-Through - Sun, Mar 15th, 3:30-5PM The Practice - Sat, Mar 21st, 3-6:30PM</h3><p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;">Registration is required. Participants must attend a talk-through prior to attending the practice.<p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;"> <p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;">Developed in the 90&rsquo;s by Nancy Stark Smith, The Underscore is a framework for practising and researching dance improvisation and Contact Improvisation. It&#39;s a spacious and engaging experience shared by the participants that can spark surprising kinesthetic and compositional improvised dance within a defined framework.&nbsp;<p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;"> talk-through &mdash; This step gives us the &quot;game-plan&quot; that the group will follow during the practice. You can think of this segment as discussing the frame or score that&#39;s set together before the practice starts⁠.⁠ articipants must attend (or have already attended) a 1-hr talk-through to attend the Underscore practice and must already have some experience in Contact Improvisation. For those who have already attended a talk-through, and would like a &ldquo;refresher&rdquo;, refreshers are FREE.⁠the practice &mdash; Where we do the dance! Approaching the space with a shared understanding of the score, we come together to dance The Underscore. The score guides dancers through a series of &ldquo;changing states&ldquo; from moving through our kinespheres to exploring different qualities of connection. This long form session - longer than a typical class or jam - often allows for a deepening of Contact Improvisation⁠ practice.⁠⁠The Underscore is generally not led by verbal cues; the idea is that people &ldquo;know&rdquo; it from the talk-through and come together to share the practice. It is generally practiced without music, and without social conversation during the practice itself; snacking and exiting/reentering to the washrooms, as needed, are part of the score!⁠<p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;"> Please email <a fr-original-style="text-decoration-color:initial;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;" href="mailto:info@edamdance.org" style="text-decoration-color:initial;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;">info@edamdance.org</a> if you have any questions about attending.<p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;"> <p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;">If you have questions about attending, please email us at: <a fr-original-style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;" href="mailto:info@edamdance.org" style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;">info@edamdance.org</a><p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;"> <p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;">About Anne: Anne Cooper has danced with EDAM since 1994, studying Contact Improvisation with Peter Bingham and performing in EDAM&#39;s work, both structured improvisations and choreography. She has researched and performed with Nancy Stark Smith through Nancy&#39;s &#39;Glimpse Performance Installations&#39; in the U.S.A. Anne has taught/facillitated CI since 2001 in Vancouver and other locales through classes, Jams and workshops. She has created and performed her own work and has danced with many Canadian companies/choreographers. Anne has trained in contemporary dance and CI; her CI teachers include Peter Bingham, Nancy Stark Smith, Jaci Metivier, Andrew Harwood, Chris Aiken, Ray Chung and others and some study with Steve Paxton (Material For the Spine) and recently, Nora Hajos (Material For the Spine). Anne is grateful to live and work in Vancouver, BC, on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsliel-Waututh First Nations.<p fr-original-style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;" style="white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0px;line-height:1.5;"> </div><hr fr-original-style="" style="clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: inherit;">Membership<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;" style="box-sizing:inherit;">To participate in jams at EDAM, you must be a member.</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;" style="box-sizing:inherit;">If you are new to EDAM, please purchase a membership below.</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;" style="box-sizing:inherit;">EDAM Membership is a lifetime membership (one-time $5 membership fee).</li></ul>Waivers<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;" style="box-sizing:inherit;">All EDAM participants (every person who attends an EDAM class, workshop or jam) must read and agree to: <a fr-original-style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;" href="https://www.edamdance.org/waiver" style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;">EDAM Waiver</a> and <a fr-original-style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;" href="https://www.edamdance.org/edam-safety-consent-inclusion-policy" style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;">EDAM Safety, Consent and Inclusion Policy</a> before coming to the studio.</li></ul>Refund &amp; Cancellation Policy<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;" style="box-sizing:inherit;">Drop-in purchases are non-refundable &mdash; we do not issue refunds for jams unless EDAM cancels the jam.</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;" style="box-sizing:inherit;">EDAM reserves the right to cancel jams for any reason. Refunds will be issued and the registered participants will be contacted.</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;" style="box-sizing:inherit;">EDAM reserves the right to change the jam host if the scheduled jam host can no longer attend.</li></ul>Accessibility &amp; Building Info<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);" style="box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a fr-original-style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;" href="https://www.edamdance.org/contact" style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;">Accessibility and building info HERE</a>.</li><li fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);" style="box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);">Please email us at: <a fr-original-style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;" href="mailto:info@edamdance.org" style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;">info@edamdance.org</a> if you have specific access requests or questions.</li></ul></div>

Hi <span 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 The Underscore with Anne Cooper at EDAM. Talk-Through - Sun, Mar 15th @ 3:30 - 5PMThe Practice - Sat, Mar 21st @ 3 - 6:30PM Your registration is inclusive of GST. What to Wear + Bring:- Comfortable clothes to move in, with layers for changing body temperature. Long sleeves and pants are best.- Water / water bottle- Knee pads (optional - we do sell them for $35/pair; cash or e-transfer at the studio) Reminders:- Please arrive about 10-15 min early so you have time to get changed and sign-in.- We are a scent-reduced space, thank you in advance for helping us keep the space odour-free.- Our studio is located on the ground floor of Western Front. The main lobby is for passing through &mdash; please come directly into EDAM where we have a space for you to store your belongings. Getting Here:- EDAM is located at 303 E 8th Ave- Entry: The front door is usually locked, buzz &ldquo;02&rdquo; to enter.- Driving: If you are arriving by car, there is free street parking in the neighbourhood along Scotia St and around Dude Chilling Park (check for hour limits and permit signs). Parking can sometimes be difficult to find, so allow yourself an extra 10-15 min.- Biking: We have a bike rack out front.- Transit: We are within a couple blocks of public transit and are closest to stops at Main/Broadway and Main/Kingsway. If you have any questions about your registration or attending, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at: <a fr-original-style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;" href="mailto:info@edamdance.org" style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit;">info@edamdance.org</a> Warm regards,Sierra Megas General Manager EDAMinfo@edamdance.org

<div><div>THE UNDERSCORE Talk-Through - Sun, Mar 15th, 3:30-5PM The Practice - Sat, Mar 21st, 3-6:30PMRegistration is required. Participants must attend a talk-through prior to attending the practice. Developed in the 90’s by Nancy Stark Smith, The Underscore is a framework for practising and researching dance improvisation and Contact Improvisation. It's a spacious and engaging experience shared by the participants that can spark surprising kinesthetic and compositional improvised dance within a defined framework.  talk-through — This step gives us the "game-plan" that the group will follow during the practice. You can think of this segment as discussing the frame or score that's set together before the practice starts⁠.⁠ articipants must attend (or have already attended) a 1-hr talk-through to attend the Underscore practice and must already have some experience in Contact Improvisation. For those who have already attended a talk-through, and would like a “refresher”, refreshers are FREE.⁠the practice — Where we do the dance! Approaching the space with a shared understanding of the score, we come together to dance The Underscore. The score guides dancers through a series of “changing states“ from moving through our kinespheres to exploring different qualities of connection. This long form session - longer than a typical class or jam - often allows for a deepening of Contact Improvisation⁠ practice.⁠⁠The Underscore is generally not led by verbal cues; the idea is that people “know” it from the talk-through and come together to share the practice. It is generally practiced without music, and without social conversation during the practice itself; snacking and exiting/reentering to the washrooms, as needed, are part of the score!⁠ Please email <a href="mailto:info@edamdance.org">info@edamdance.org</a> if you have any questions about attending. If you have questions about attending, please email us at: <a href="mailto:info@edamdance.org">info@edamdance.org</a> About Anne: Anne Cooper has danced with EDAM since 1994, studying Contact Improvisation with Peter Bingham and performing in EDAM's work, both structured improvisations and choreography. She has researched and performed with Nancy Stark Smith through Nancy's 'Glimpse Performance Installations' in the U.S.A. Anne has taught/facillitated CI since 2001 in Vancouver and other locales through classes, Jams and workshops. She has created and performed her own work and has danced with many Canadian companies/choreographers. Anne has trained in contemporary dance and CI; her CI teachers include Peter Bingham, Nancy Stark Smith, Jaci Metivier, Andrew Harwood, Chris Aiken, Ray Chung and others and some study with Steve Paxton (Material For the Spine) and recently, Nora Hajos (Material For the Spine). Anne is grateful to live and work in Vancouver, BC, on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsliel-Waututh First Nations. </div><hr />Membership<ul><li>To participate in jams at EDAM, you must be a member.</li><li>If you are new to EDAM, please purchase a membership below.</li><li>EDAM Membership is a lifetime membership (one-time $5 membership fee).</li></ul>Waivers<ul><li>All EDAM participants (every person who attends an EDAM class, workshop or jam) must read and agree to: <a href="https://www.edamdance.org/waiver">EDAM Waiver</a> and <a href="https://www.edamdance.org/edam-safety-consent-inclusion-policy">EDAM Safety, Consent and Inclusion Policy</a> before coming to the studio.</li></ul>Refund &amp; Cancellation Policy<ul><li>Drop-in purchases are non-refundable — we do not issue refunds for jams unless EDAM cancels the jam.</li><li>EDAM reserves the right to cancel jams for any reason. Refunds will be issued and the registered participants will be contacted.</li><li>EDAM reserves the right to change the jam host if the scheduled jam host can no longer attend.</li></ul>Accessibility &amp; Building Info<ul><li><a href="https://www.edamdance.org/contact">Accessibility and building info HERE</a>.</li><li>Please email us at: <a href="mailto:info@edamdance.org">info@edamdance.org</a> if you have specific access requests or questions.</li></ul></div>

EDAM Performing Arts Society

The Underscore with Anne Cooper | 2026 Equinox

303 E 8th Ave

Talk-Through - Sun, Mar 15th

$5

The Practice - Sat, Mar 21st

$25

EDAM Membership

$5

Add a donation for EDAM Performing Arts Society