April 13, 2020

Hello Dancers and Dance Teachers,

We hope this email finds you well. Thank you for your patience as we work through this uncertain time. With the transition to online learning platforms underway, we wanted to allow time for both teachers and students to settle in before giving any official updates on the status of the Big Ideas Dance Showcase.

In compliance with the provincial mandate for social distancing, our Big Ideas Dance Showcase is now cancelled. However, we are emailing you today was we would like to offer an online alternative. We have been gathering as much information and assessing the situation closely and are inspired by the many online adaptations that dance artists have already been exploring over the past few weeks.

After spending time reading through your ideas in your artist statements, we recognize that a considerable amount of heart and work has already been poured into your Big Ideas Dance pieces. By opening up an online alternative to the show, we hope that this will encourage you to continue your creations.

The Big Ideas Dance Showcase will now be online! If you are still interested, we would like to re-invite you to participate! Below are a few points to know:

• To participate, dancers must submit their dances as a digital video by May 21, 2020 (more information on how and where to do this will follow).
• This year's Big Ideas Show Theme "Exploring stories helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and the world" still applies. It is probably more relevant now more than ever!
• Dancers may stay true to their original ideas in the artist statement OR change it completely. We are open to your work evolving and responding due to our current circumstances.
• All grade 12 students hoping to submit for the $1000 Dance Capstone Scholarship may still do so! The scholarship panel will gather online to view these entries and select a scholarship winner.
• Video edits, costumes, subtitles/text and props are all welcome and encouraged.
• Invitations to participate in this online show format will be reopened to all BC Dance Teachers and students again as we can now accommodate far more entries in this new online show format.
• The Surrey District arts helping teachers are currently working on HOW these dances will be shown in a digital public space (ie. YouTube or Instagram TV). We are working on how to keep our students protected while still being able to publish these videos for the public to see and appreciate. More information on media consent forms are to follow as well.

While there are still several details that need to be ironed out, we thought it would be best to let you know of our intentions to move forward. As dancers and artists, we are incredibly resilient and resourceful. In these uncertain times, we intend to live out the "show must go on" mantra that we all are so familiar with.

We hope this email re-inspires you and reassures you that not all is lost. You can expect an email from us in the up coming weeks with a revised "Big Ideas Online Show Package" with all the links and information you will need.

Please reply back to let us know if you are still interested in participating and if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions for us.

Wishing you and your families health, happiness and some dance-making fun!

Sincerely,

Ms. Menelaine Valencia and the Big Ideas Team