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Performances & Events


A Hydra Journal of a Plague Year

  • Location:Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
  • Time: August 2 - 17 2024

Co-created by Anju Singh, Derek Chan, and Valerie Sing Turner.
Original 2021 English-language premiere online production conceived and directed by Colleen Lanki.
Produced by Visceral Visions and presented by Powell Street Festival Society and
Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art,
in association with Tomoe Arts Society and Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre.




Fifteen Years of Dream:

The Legacy of Tomoe Arts in Theatre, Music, and Dance

January 20, 2024

  • Location: Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre
  • Time: 2:00pm PST

Collaborators and artist from our 15 years of creation come together to celebrate the artistry and legacy of TomoeArts under the direction of Colleen Lanki Fujima Sayu




The Appearance of Dance - A Documentary

  • Location:TBD
  • Time: 2024

Premiering soon, our documentary which celebrates the rich history of Japanese Dance in the Lower Mainland

More Information Coming Soon






Lady M - a live performance at Nitobe Garden - September 25, 2021

  • Location:Nitobe Memorial Garden
  • Time: from 4:30pm PST

An intimate solo dance performance. Part 2 of the Lady M project...

click HERE for more information.






A Journal of the Plague Year - online play reading - June 26, 2021

  • Location: Zoom (register to join)
  • Time: from 8:00pm PST

When a mysterious plague hits a nameless town, what madness ensues?

click HERE for more information.






(Digital) Lady M - Power - February 26, 2021

  • Location: TomoeArts Youtube Channel
  • Time: from 6:00pm PST

A video exploration of a woman grasping for power....

click HERE for more information.





Yūko-kai 2021 - a personal journey - Sunday, January 10, 2021

  • Location: Scotiabank Dance Centre - LIVESTREAMED on Facebook and YouTube
  • Time: 4:00pm PST and available until January 18

A presentation honouring the life of master dancer Fujima Yūko. Fujima Sayū shares her journey in nihon buyoh through photos and dance.

click HERE for more information.






Redefining the Contemporary Symposium - December 5, 2020

  • Location: Zoom Seminar + Streaming on Youtube
  • Time: 5:00pm PST

A public discussion of the "traditional" and "contemporary" in the world of dance.

click HERE for more information.





Discover Dance! - from November 26, 2020

  • Location: The Dance Centre YouTube channel
  • Time: from noon (PST)

TomoeArts joins forces with Satsuki-kai for concert introducing the variety in Japanese dance.

click HERE for more information.




Yūko-kai 2019 - Jiuta-mai and Tea - February 10, 2019

  • Location: SaBi Tea Arts
  • Time: 1pm and 3pm (two performances)

A presentation honouring the life of master dancer Fujima Yūko. A fully immersive event of jiuta-mai style of dance and tea ceremony

click HERE for more information.






Yūko-kai - a concert of Japanese dance - May 12, 2018

  • Location: Scotiabank Dance Centre
  • Time: May 12 - 8pm
  • Featuring Guest artists from Japan: Fujima Shōgo and Fujima Minako
  • With: Fujima Sayū (Colleen Lanki) and Ryan Caron

A concert of dance honouring the work of dancer Fujima Yūko featuring reconstructions of her choreographies. Also workshops, displays and talks.

click HERE for more information.




Kayoi Komachi/Komachi Visited - WORLD PREMIERE - October 26-28, 2017

  • Location: The Cultch Historic Theatre
  • Time: October 26/27//28 - 8pm
  • Composed by: Farshid Samandari
  • Starring: Heather Pawsey & Yamai Tsunao

The world premiere of a new chamber opera weaving together Japanese noh theatre and western classical music.

click HERE for more information.



Yūko-kai 2017 - Learning from Fujima Shōgo - February 26, 2017

  • Location: Carousel Theatre Studio, Granville Island
  • Time: 2:00-3:00pm
  • Featuring: Colleen Lanki and Ryan Caron

An intimate concert of classical Japanese dance honouring the life of master dance Fujima Yūko. Featuring pieces learned from master dancer, Fujima Shōgo.

click HERE for more information.




Kayoi Komachi - a noh chamber opera - PREVIEW showing - January 23, 2016

  • Location: Vancouver Opera O'Brian Centre
  • Time: Saturday January 23 - 2pm
  • Composed by: Farshid Samandari
  • Featuring: Heather Pawsey & Yamai Tsunao

A new chamber opera based on the noh play Kayoi Komachi (Komachi and the 100 Nights) featuring master noh actor Yamai Tsunao and soprano Heather Pawsey. A work-in-progress showing....

click HERE for more information.



Weaver Woman - July 3-5, 2015

  • TomoeArts and Dancing on the Edge
  • Featuring: Lan Tung, Matthew Romantini, Maki Yi and Colleen Lanki
  • Location: Scotiabank Dance Centre

A new dance-theatre piece based on a short story by Korean author O-Chonghui. A woman in a window and a man crossing a river . . .

click HERE for more information.




Continuity & Connection (a concert of noh & jazz piano) - February 28, 2015

  • Location: Koerner Concert Hall / Vancouver Academy of Music
  • Time: 7:30 pm
  • Presented by: The Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver and TomoeArts

A concert of traditional and innovative Japanese noh performance and jazz piano featuring master noh actor YAMAI Tsunao and pianist KIHARA Kentarō, with an ensemble of professional noh actors and musicians.

click HERE for more information.





Yūko-kai 2015 - student dances - January 25, 2015

  • Featuring: Colleen Lanki and TomoeArts Buyoh Students
  • Location : Carousel Theatre Studio, Granville Island

An intimate concert of classical Japanese dance honouring the life of master dancer Fujima Yūko

click HERE for more information.






Fragments of a Weaver Woman - July 17, 2014

  • Enchanted Evening Series 2014
  • Featuring: Matthew Romantini, Maki Yi and Colleen Lanki
  • Location: Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden

A concert of music, dance and text from Weaver Woman featuring music by members of the Orchid Ensemble with special guest cellist Peggy Lee. New compositions by Lan Tung.

click HERE for more information.




Hagoromo (The Feathered Robe) - April 12, 2014

  • Location: The Fei & Milton Wong Theatre / Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
  • Time: 7:00 pm
  • Presented by: The Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver and TomoeArts

A production of the full noh play by the Komparu School of noh.

click HERE for more information.



Yūko-kai - the early dances - February 22, 2014

  • Featuring: Colleen Lanki and Ryan Caron
  • Location: Anne Macdonald Hall, North Vancouver

An intimate concert of classical Japanese dance honouring the life of master dance Fujima Yūko

click HERE for more information.





EN3: Community Circles - July 5 & 6, 2013

  • Dancing on the Edge Festival 2013
  • Featuring: Eien Hunter-Ishikawa and Colleen Lanki
  • Location : Vancouver Chinatown Night Market

A site specific performance with taiko drumming, dance and photos of the night market community projected on our favourite white umbrellas!

click HERE for more information and images.



Shamisen & Odori: The Music and Dance of Kabuki - May 12 & 13, 2012

  • TomoeArts and SFU Cultural Programs
  • Featuring: TOKIWAZU Mozibei V and FUJIMA Shōgo, with FUJIMA Sayū and Maiko Behr
  • Location : Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (SFU Woodward's)

An intimate experience with kabuki music and dance featuring live Tokiwazu-style music and male-form dancing.

click HERE for more information and images.



Voices of Hiroshima - January 27, 2012

  • TomoeArts and the UBC Museum of Anthropology
  • Featuring: Eien Hunter-Ishikawa, Colleen Lanki and Alcvin Ryūzen Ramos
  • Location : The UBC Museum of Anthropology Great Hall

A concert of music and text about Hiroshima and the atomic bomb.
Created in conjunction with the MOA exhibit hiroshima by Ishiuchi Miyako

click HERE for more information and images.




Buyoh & Bharata Natyam - September 18, 2011

  • TomoeArts and Shakti Dance
  • Featuring: Colleen Lanki and Anusha Fernando
  • Location : The Roundhouse Arts and Recreation Centre
  • Produced by: New Works as part of their Dance Allsorts Series

A concert of solo classical dances of Japan and India.

click HERE for more information and images.




EN: a raincity street dance - July 7-9, 2011

  • Featuring work from: Hope in Shadows community photographers
  • Choreographed by : Colleen Lanki
  • Music Composed by : Eien Hunter-Ishikawa with Alcvn Ryūzen Ramos
  • Designed by : Craig Alfredson (sets/projections) and Yulia Shtern (costumes)
  • Dancers : Matthew Romantini, Hideaki Kanamaru and Colleen Lanki
  • Location : The courtyard of the Firehall Arts Centre
  • Produced by: The Dancing on the Edge Festival

A full-length version of our March 2010 EN (circle/fate) exploring community, relationships and the rain that makes us all common.

click HERE for more information and images.


Summer Odori - Japanese Dances of the Season - July 18, 2010

  • Featuring: TomoeArts and the Otowa-ryu Japanese Dance
  • With special guests: Alcvin Ryūzen Ramos and Eien Hunter-Ishikawa
  • Location : Ron Basford Park Granville Island (near PerformanceWorks)
  • Produced by: NewWorks as part of their All Over the Map Series

TomoeArts teams up with the Otowa-ryu Japanese Dance Group to do a fun, outdoor concert of many kinds of Japanese traditional dance. Also featuring taiko by Eien Hunter-Ishikawa and yokobue (flute) with Alcvin Ryūzen Ramos.

click HERE for more information and images.




Odori: The World of Kabuki Dance - April 10-11, 2010

  • Featuring Master Dancer: Fujima Shōgo
  • With master dancers : Izumi Tokuho and Fujma Monyo
  • Location : The Frederic Wood Theatre, UBC
  • Produced by: TomoeArts in Association with Theatre at UBC and Pangaea Arts

Odori: The World of Kabuki Dance showcases odori, the dance of the kabuki theatre, performed by master dancer-actors from Japan and local dancers in full costume and make-up. Also workshops, lecture-demos and displays...

click HERE for more information and images.




EN (circle/fate) - The Procession of Performing Circles - March 7, 2010

  • Directed/Choreographed by : Colleen Lanki
  • Music Composed and performed by : Eien Hunter-Ishikawa
  • Costumes and Projections Designed by : Yulia Shtern
  • Dancers : Maki Komori and Tami Mukai
  • Procession of Performing Circles curated by: Glenn Lewis of LIVE

EN is part of The Procession of Performing Circles a performance event in BRIGHT-LIGHT. Six groups perform in procession through the downtown eastside using circles and lights as their main motifs. EN is TomoeArts' contribution to this public art event.

click HERE for more information and images.




Ten Nights of Dream - May 21-23, 2009

  • Choreography and performance: Colleen Lanki
  • Composition and performance: Alcvin Ryūzen Ramos
  • Projection design: Craig Alfredson, David Kim, Yulia Shtern, and Ana Luisa Espinoza Vaca
  • Direction: Matthew Romantini
  • Produced by: Tomoe Arts and Centre A

Ten Nights of Dream combines solo choreographies, original music composition, and visual projected images, based on the writings of Japanese novelist Natsume Sôseki...

click HERE for more information and images.