Copyright OUROFEST by OURO Collective 2023-2024

OURO Collective (OURO) creates and produces new dance works on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations and the City of Vancouver. We wish to express our gratitude to the Indigenous people who have ties to this territory and acknowledge that we are guests on this land we work, play and live in as artists and settlers. We acknowledge and recognize that street dance culture was created by predominantly Afro-descendant communities in the United States. Through this festival, we aim to continue the education of street dance to deter cultural appropriation and contribute to the growth of the community.

Founded in 2014 by Cristina Bucci, Rina Pellerin, Maiko Miyauchi, Dean Placzek, and Mark Siller, OURO implements hip hop, waacking, breaking, popping, house, and contemporary dance to create a collective movement aesthetic. Each street dancer has trained with the original founders and pioneers of their respective dance styles and brings specific knowledge to the group.

Mandate: OURO was created to support and promote street dance artists/culture. As individual artists coming from diverse cultural and dance backgrounds, OURO sees collaboration as a catalyst for dialogue, creative innovation, and community building. United around the common goal of pushing the boundaries of how street dance-based works are created and presented, OURO is dedicated to creating performances that explore the full range of possibilities and identities the group represents. OURO Collective advances the public’s appreciation of street dance culture through dance classes, events/workshops, with a focus on youth engagement activities in smaller communities in BC and through creation of high-quality dance work for public presentation.

Mission: We create artistically innovative, socially accessible and community-minded performances through our unique amalgamation of street and contemporary dance techniques. We are committed to producing content that extends beyond our immediate social circles or individual dance communities. We envision breaking down the separation, not just between the disparate arts communities, but between the audience and the performers as well. We honour the true spirit of street dance as an art form that brings people together regardless of their background or dance experience.

Tegvaran Sooch will be premiering his first solo work. He is a versatile artist from Surrey, BC, training in styles like Hip-Hop and KRUMP. Representing the “illest illusionz” crew, Teg has had 

the opportunity to compete in various local and out-of-town street dance tournaments, spanning cities such as Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, and Seattle. For Teg, dance is a way of storytelling and emotional expression. 

He draws inspiration from the energy of the people around him, movie characters, and anime. His artistic approach involves the fusion of experimental concepts with foundational elements in unconventional ways, resulting in distinctive and captivating movement.