Dance that responds to this moment — and invites you inside it
Here&Now is an annual three-day festival celebrating bold and urgent choreography in Hamilton.
It’s an experience designed for you — the audience — to witness, question, feel, and connect.
You won’t just watch dance here.
You’ll experience it up close.
You meet artists.
You move.
You transform.
Festival At-A-Glance
Here&Now is vibrant, welcoming and intentional. Whether you’re a longtime dance lover or stepping into a theater for the first time,
this festival creates room for curiousity, conversation and community.
Come for the performances. Stay for the exchange. Be part of what’s happening now.
Each event includes space for conversation — an opportunity to hear directly from the artists, ask questions,
and engage in meaningful dialong about the creative process and the ideas shaping the work
Mainstage features bold, dynamic performances from the unique artistic voices shaping the future of dance in Canada.
Presenting:
Aikā – a contemporary look at traditional Kathak rhythms in an experimental duet by Priyanka Tope (Hamilton) and Tanveer Alam (Toronto)
Digging – a new solo taking poetic liberties from Shakespearean text and imagery by Lina Cruz (Montreal, Francophone)
hommage – a new contemporary solo exploring trauma, memory, and healing by Sylvie Bouchard (Toronto, Francophone)
Prospects offers an exciting platform for local, emerging choreographers to share their evolving creations and receive valuable audience feedback in a collaborative, supportive environment.
Here&Now Workshop invites movement-curious folks ages 16+ to move and groove in community, and guided by a featured choreographer from the Mainstage series.
here&now dance festival
here&now dance festival
JUNE 5-7 2026
JUNE 5-7 2026
past performances
Here&Now Festival 2025
Apr 25 - 27, 2025
It’s back and better than ever. Presented by Aeris Körper, Here&Now Festival is a three-day festival celebrating the vibrancy and substance of the dance community in Hamilton and beyond. Join us for fresh performances, behind-the-scenes insights on the creative process, and interactive workshops, all set in a welcoming, laid-back atmosphere where artists and audiences can connect.
Produced by Aeris Korper.
Photo by Jeremy Mimnagh
Here&Now Festival 2024
Mar 20 - 22, 2024
Here&Now Festival premiered March 20-22nd 2024 at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. A culmination of years of performance series, Here&Now is primarily a presentation platform for finish short length works from choreographers across the country. As one of the only live professional performance platforms, Aeris Körper aspires to showcase diverse stories the reflect the here and now.
Produced by Aeris Korper.
PROSPECTS
2018 - 2023
PROSPECTS was our initial presentation series which evolved into Here&Now festival in 2024. PROSPECTS showcased works-in-progress, bringing together local enthusiasts of art and dance with choreographers from the local, regional and international dance community to cultivate creative community dialogue. Audience members witnessed dance works whose themes provide the foundation for the evening's dialogue. Each work was followed by a Q&A.
Produced by Aeris Korper