The Georgia Straight proudly sponsors the Dance Series at the 12th annual Chutzpah! Festival

Artists gather at the Norman and Annette Rothstein Theatre (950 West 41st Avenue) and select Metro Vancouver venues from February 11 to March 4 for the Chutzpah! Festival. The 12th annual event celebrates music, theatre, and dance with performances by internationally acclaimed troupes such as L.A.’s Body Traffic and Holland’s Noords Nederlandse Dans, and artists including Israel’s Hadag Nahash and New York’s The Sway Machinery.

The festival kicks off with A Blessing on the Moon, The Colour of Poison Berries, featuring the Warsaw Village Band. This world premiere based on Joseph Skibell’s novel, A Blessing on the Moon, blends music and theatre in the search for peace and wisdom in the afterlife. Meanwhile, fans of South African-born Warren Kimmel’s theatrical career won’t want to miss Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You: A Musical Journey of Life in the Theatre starring Warren Kimmel. This cabaret-style show is directed by Wendy Bross Stuart and features vocalist Tess Neff, percussionist Phil Belanger, and bassist Alison Dalton.

On the dance program is the double bill Monger and Thank You, You’re Not Welcome. Nine dancers from Body Traffic will perform the Canadian premiere of Monger, a piece by one of Israel’s most celebrated choreographers Barak Marshall. Following Monger, Vancouver’s Noam Gagnon from Holy Body Tattoo, will perform his newest full-length work, Thank You, You’re Not Welcome, based on the Brothers Grimm. In another performance, fourteen dancers from Noord Nederlandse Dans will dance new work by Stephen shropshire and Israeli choreographer Emanuel Gat.

Tickets range from $16 to $40 and can be purchased online, by phone at 604-684-2787 or 604-257-5145, or in-person at the Chutzpah! Festival box office at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver (950 West 41st Avenue).