DANCES AT THE BAY
Dances at the Bay will run July 18 - 20, 2025, 6:30 PM each day at Bayfront Park in Hamilton, ON.
After a monumental first year, Dances at the Bay continues to honour our deep commitment to the community - an event for Hamilton, by Hamilton!
Dances at the Bay is a vibrant and free summer celebration ensuring all are welcome to enjoy the festivities.
Under the visionary direction of artistic director Vitek Wincza, Dances at the Bay will bring fresh energy and creativity to the dance festival, making it a true reflection of Hamilton’s spirit. Celebrate the power of dance in a way that unites and uplifts our community!
While not required, a $10 donation is encouraged, to support Dances at the Bay costs and keep the event free for all!
Support Dances at the Bay with a donation today.
Can't wait to see you there!
EVENT DETAILS
July 18, 19, 20 - 2025 - Bayfront Park, Hamilton ON.
4:00 PM WORKSHOPS
Latin Rhythms - Family Drumming Circles Workshop Taught by Rodrigo Chavez
This is a practical and interactive “hands-on” drumming workshop directed and adapted to participants of all ages, adapted to their ability and musical capacity. The workshops are designed to give you a basic knowledge on the congas, bongos, bass drums, maracas, guiro and cowbells through a selection of many Latin American rhythms. It is an inclusive workshop where all players are invited to participate in a safe environment of drumming appealing to all religious, cultural and gender orientation. No musical background is required. Respect, attention, focus and memory are encouraged since Latin rhythms are complex and they are based on oral tradition. Singing and dancing are also part of the workshop since it is a multidisciplinary project aiming to develop all senses, body and memory. This is an integral part of learning about the culture and music of Latin America.
Rueda de Casino - Salsa Dance Workshop Taught by Vladimir Aranda of SalsaSoul Productions
Learn the basics of rueda de casino in this fun and inclusive Cuban salsa workshop! Casino is a popular dance which was developed in the mid-50s in Cuba. It is a beautiful, smooth and elegant style of dancing that is full of musicality skills and flair. The basic casino steps will allow you to dance not only in pairs, but also in a "rueda” (wheel/circle formation led by a caller) which is always an exciting and joyful experience! No partner or experience needed.
Frog in Hand is thrilled to share excerpts of our full-length show, "Noir," with Hamilton audiences for the very first time, thanks to the Dances at the Bay team. This dance-theatre piece brings film noir to life by exploring the classic archetypes of femme fatale, detective, cop and criminal, and by combining music and vocal samples for a unique soundtrack. Choreography by Frog in Hand's Artistic Director, Colleen Snell, puts a supernatural spin on a timeless classic.
Inner City Sirens Part 2 Presented by Julia Aplin Dance
Inspired by fish, dolphins, ducks and Olympic World Champions of synchronized swimming, this award winning dance work splashes with enthusiasm for small pools on hot summer days. Since, 1998, the piece has been performed for audiences across the country from Canada Day on Parliament Hill to Stanley Park in Vancouver, B.C.. Cheer on this next generation of Canadian dance athletes as they display magnificent feats of water inspired teamwork accompanied by a live musical score. Inner City Sirens Part 2 is the second installation of Julia Aplin’s series of dances with water. The piece was commissioned by Dusk Dance and originally performed by Julia Aplin and Wilson Blakely, Debashis Sinha and Chris Wilson. Other artists who have performed and contributed to the development of the work over the years are Jessie Baird, Val Callum, Mairead Filgate, Blake Howard, Molly Johnson, Alison Keery, Andy Luck, Micheal Sean Marye, Neil Sochasky, Brodie Stevenson, Recebba Van der Post, Laura West, Carey West, Jeff Wilson, Garnet Willis and Brendan Wyatt. Inner City Sirens toured with Dusk Dances for many summers and won the Dusk Dances Audience Choice Award in 2014. Julia is extremely pleased to be bringing this piece back to Hamilton audiences with this fabulous new cast.
Tales of the Goddess and the Painter Presented by Little Pear Garden Dance Co.
Step into the luminous grandeur of ancient China in Tales of Goddesses and a Painter — a spellbinding dance-theatre experience that fuses myth, movement, and magic. Set in the flourishing Tang Dynasty, this visually stunning production follows a noble-hearted emperor who, haunted by a vision of a devastating drought, turns to the heavens for guidance. The gods answer with a mysterious task: find a painter of unparalleled talent, and send him on a sacred journey along the Silk Road to capture the spirit of divine goddesses. Through breathtaking choreography, the story unfolds as the chosen painter ventures across vast deserts and glittering mountains, forging unexpected friendships and collecting stories etched in the dust of ancient provinces. His journey leads him to a hidden grotto — a place of mystic beauty — where he begins to paint the celestial beings. Exhausted, he collapses into slumber... only to dream of goddesses rising from his brushstrokes, dancing into life and bringing rain to a withering land. Infused with classical Chinese aesthetics, mesmerizing contemporary dance, and dreamlike visuals, Tales of Goddesses and a Painter is a tribute to art’s power to transcend time and transform the world. Join us on this unforgettable odyssey where the spirit of creation holds the key to salvation.
Caribbean Sweet Performed by the Community, Choreographed by Michael Mortley
Mongolian & Dun Huang Performed by the Community, Choreographed by Little Pear Garden Dance Co.
Learn more about the Fear No Dance! Initiative which brings dance and cultural exchange to YOU, the community, through free dance lessons. Make friends and build community through Fear No Dance.
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