Porch View Dances (PVD), launched in 2012, was conceived by Kaeja d’Dance Co-Artistic Director Karen Kaeja and developed with Co-Artistic Director Allen Kaeja. Historically, PVD is one of our organization’s most important projects as it celebrates the stories of neighbourhood residents through dance – a core attribute to our mandate. Each year, we paired families/groups with a diverse professional choreographer who choreographs in a collaborative atmosphere with their own stories performed on their porches. For the 2023 PVD, the choreographer brings their everyday folk to perform in Seaton Village, where porches and front lawns are the stages. PVD focuses on ‘real people dancing in real spaces’.

A PWYC family-friendly event, PVD is a shared experience among performing families and participants and the audience members who attend by walking to each porch. A tour guide leads audiences on a parade through the neighbourhood to witness the porch dances and the journey culminates in a nearby park with one of Kaeja d’Dance’s signature Flock Landing experiences. The Flock Landing brings participants, audiences, and artists together in a gentle and inclusive collective dance that sees hundreds of people of all ages and abilities moving together.

As part of our new vision to adopt horizontal leadership practices that will better serve our wider community, we are inviting Co-Curator and Artistic Producer Sofi Gudiño and Co-Curator Sid Ryan Eilers onto the 2023 PVD team. These two important guest artists will mentor other guest artists, collaborate with our staff, and help us to understand the needs of marginalized communities in new and inclusive ways. Inviting these artists to lead the project will be highly important to the history of PVD so that we may continue to learn new ways to invite artists and audience members of all backgrounds and abilities to enjoy this special festival.