PlayDates presented by POP! x Downtown Van is back this July!
Curated by Laura Barron, Playdates is a FREE interactive arts workshop series. Drop-ins are welcome, registration not required. Join for a few minutes or participate for the full two hours!
Time: 12-2 PM
Location: Robson Square Plaza
Dates:
Wednesday July 3 – Street Dance Workshop with Natasha Gorrie & Diamonds in the Rough
Join Natasha Gorrie & Diamonds in the Rough for an exhilarating journey into the world of hip hop dance! Perfect for beginners, this class is designed to teach you the fundamentals of hip hop moves, grooves, and party dances. Learn how to bounce, rock, and groove while having an absolute blast.
Wednesday, July 24 – Urban and Portrait Sketching with Nishant Jain, the Sneaky Artist
In this drawing pop-up, passersby will be invited to spend a couple of minutes drawing with Nishant. Nishant will speak about his sneaky art practice and offer tips and ideas to draw fun portraits and urban landscapes. Participants will be supplied with a pen and paper, and take home their masterpieces afterwards!
Friday, Aug 2 – Interactive Puppetry and Improv Theatre with Maggie Winston
Anna’s hummingbird is Vancouver’s official city bird. This character will be cross pollinating with people as they pass by Robson Square during their lunch hour, inspiring interactions with poetry and seed sharing. Try to catch her as she flits around from flower to flower and person to person. Maggie Winston has created a roving character in which she is dressed as a giant eucalyptus flower. She will manipulate an oversized hummingbird puppet that flies and flicks its tongue. She will be talking to people about their own travels and interactions while giving out small gifts in the form of pollinator seed packets adorned with thought-provoking haikus to stimulate conversation.
Wednesday Aug 14 – Samba Drumming with Bloco Energia
This workshop will provide several samba percussion instruments for multiple participants to play, as they learn to groove to a beat together. An experienced facilitator will demonstrate simple but effective rhythms that will engage participants to learn how to keep time and jam with one another. Members of Bloco Energia will also offer brief performances to inspire participants’ playing, allowing everyone to have fun, using little to no communication, as the expression of freedom come throughs the music. All ages welcome.