Inside Aeris Körper's Here&Now festival

The Here&Now festival is set to return for its second year, bringing celebration and talent to McMaster’s L.R. Wilson Hall

From April 25 to 27, 2025, the Aeris Körper dance company will be bringing a dynamic celebration of contemporary dance to McMaster. The festival will highlight choreographic innovation, collaboration and community engagement, allowing the university community to come together and celebrate the art of dance.

The festival was designed to reflect on the here and now, exploring themes that resonate with a contemporary audience.

“We are really interested in ideas and endeavours related to this moment and place,” said Mayumi Lashbrook, the artistic director of Aeris Körper.

Aeris Körper hopes to create a festival that allows choreographers to explore relevant social, political and economic themes through dance.

“We are interested in ideas that are compelling in storytelling . . . The arts have the capacity to shift our social perspective,” said Lashbrook.

Aeris Körper emphasizes supporting local talent. While the festival welcomes choreographers from across Canada, an open call was made specifically for choreographers from Hamilton.

“We are deeply invested in creating opportunities for local artists and ensuring that they have the tools they need to progress in their choreographic endeavours,” said Lashbrook.

The festival is set to consist of three main components: a main stage performance, which will feature three short-length choreographic works; a work-in-progress series; and a movement workshop. The work-in-progress series is a unique opportunity for six choreographers to present an unfinished work to the audience.

“You will watch a piece, have a moment to consider it and then you can give feedback. It’s a really great moment to dialogue with an artist to understand a little bit more about their process,” said Lashbrook.

The movement workshop, led by an out-of-town choreographer from Montreal, invites participants to explore movement and dance in an inclusive and accessible way.

“We are really trying to support everyone in their expression of movement,” said Lashbrook.

Aeris Körper strives to create a festival that is not just engaging but also inclusive for all.

Additionally, the organization aims to make the festival accessible by offering different pricing options.

“There is a sliding scale, three different tiers for every activity that we have, and that really is a way of showing the audience what the true cost of the production is as well as supporting what the average household is able to afford,” said Lashbrook.

The Here&Now festival is set to bring a weekend of dynamic and inclusive celebration to McMaster. Aeris Körper aims to create a space where dance can be used as a tool to connect and learn. Tickets are currently available for purchase on the Showpass website.