Theatre Replacement And Company 605 Present HOLD ON LET GO At The Russian Hall

Theatre Replacement and Company 605 have announced their annual PushOFF program has been renamed HOLD ON LET GO. 

“The name comes from the saying ‘hold on tightly, let go lightly,' and signifies our desire to embrace change, continue evolving and learning, and to hold on to the things that matter, while letting go where we can,” says Theatre Replacement's Artistic Director Maiko Yamamoto. “It's the juxtaposition of two ideas that for us, encapsulates this moment and our hopes and dreams for the future.”

Taking place in two parts – January 23-27 and January 30-February 2, 2024 – in East Vancouver at The Russian Hall, HOLD ON LET GO is an annual, independently produced festival showcasing contemporary performance work by Vancouver and Canadian artists.

Produced by Theatre Replacement in partnership with Company 605, and celebrating its 14th season, HOLD ON LET GO (previously named PushOFF) has solidified its place as a vital space for artists and audiences to come together in the sharing of new, experimental works that look to challenge what performance is and can be. HOLD ON LET GO is co-curated by Lisa Mariko Gelley, Josh Martin, and Maiko Yamamoto.

Part I of this year's program, taking place January 23-27, is the most ambitious yet, including incredible new works by some of Vancouver and Canada's most inventive experimental artists. Mainstage performances include Hong Kong Exile's latest work, Heaven FM; whereverever by duo Mardon + Mitsuhashi, Through My Lens by artist and access advocate, Amy Amantea, Them Voices by choreographer and dancer Lara Kramer (Montreal), and SmartSmart by creator and crafter, Adrienne Wong (Victoria). In development projects include The Chains by Public Recordings (Toronto) and Secret Ingredients by Keely O'Brien. 

Part II of the HOLD ON LET GO program, taking place January 30 to February 2, will feature a double bill of new works by Company 605 and Theatre Replacement. Adds Yamamoto, “In order to celebrate the exciting evolution, we're sharing an in development excerpt from 605's new upcoming ensemble work, lossy (excerpts), and a presentation of Theatre Replacement's latest work, Best Life.”

In addition to these performances, HOLD ON LET GO will be host to artist talks and engaging mixers at The Russian Hall. This year's Emerging Artist series is curated by Amanda Sum with events geared for the next generation of artists. Industry colleagues, media, and patrons of the arts are also invited to gather at the festival's Town Hall on Saturday, January 27 at 12:00pm for a collective talk about what we're doing our best to hold on to, and what we're ready to let go of.

Festival Passes for HOLD ON LET GO range in price from $25 to $45 and are available online as of today at www.holdonletgo.ca/tickets. 

Theatre Replacement exists to create new, experimental and intercultural works of performance, led by Artistic Director Maiko Yamamoto, in collaboration with resident, associate and collaborating artists. The company's work is known for its love of formal inventiveness and conceptual play, often drawing from autobiography and biography in making work that searches for playful, immediate, and authentic ways of bringing audiences and performances together. The company also supports the practice of making and sharing new work through our public programs — opportunities for mentorship, residency, professional development, and networking. theatrereplacement.org

Led by artistic co-directors Lisa Mariko Gelley and Josh Martin, Company 605 is an arts organization based in Vancouver, on the traditional, unceded  territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. Producing various dance projects and performances through shared creative process, the artists place emphasis on rigorous choreographic propositions and movement exploration — juxtaposing raw with precision, and highlighting effort, risk, and interconnection. 605 is an ongoing exchange between separate people, bodies and ideas, with each project seeking and celebrating their own unique forms of togetherness. Valuing collaboration as a critical path for new directions in dance, Company 605 continues to transform and build on an ever-evolving aesthetic, with multiple choreographic voices in pursuit of an embodied art form derived from the human experience. company605.ca 

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