THEATRE PREVIEW

SEPTEMBER 2026 | Volume 267

 

Montreal dance company Tentacle Tribe returns to The Cultch with Dirt

The Cultch is pleased to have celebrated contemporary/hip hop group Tentacle Tribe back at the Historic Theatre, Nov 04–08, 2026. Showcasing their latest work, Dirt, the Montreal-based dance company brings their unique, signature blend of styles to an enthusiastic west coast audience. Tentacle Tribe's last two shows at The Cultch sold out! Elon Höglund, choreographer and co-artistic director of Tentacle Tribe, returns with a new piece following the success of Prism (2024) and Ghost (2020). Dirt is a profound meditation on our ancestral connection with the Earth.

While previous performances involved complex set designs and props, Höglund wanted Dirt to reflect the beginnings of Tentacle Tribe, where pushing the boundaries of physical movement was the focus. Using five performers, the show mixes dance and puppetry in an unexpected hip hop fusion. Key influences include breaking, popping, and martial arts. The symbiotic relationships portrayed in Dirt are amplified by non-verbal storytelling. Rhythm, sensation, and breath all contribute to the rawness of critiquing humanity's conquering relationship with the planet.

Now 14 years in, Tentacle Tribe's work has reached worldwide renown in the dance and circus communities, making them one of Canada's most sought-after touring companies. Aside from their touring work, Tentacle Tribe is expanding on its outreach efforts with the Coro Casse Festival. Launched in 2025, Coro Casse is the first street dance festival in Québec. The project provides a professional platform for up and coming hip hop performers. With Coro Casse and the continued development of their own original pieces like Dirt, Tentacle Tribe strives to consistently challenge the status quo of street dance and the impact it can have on audiences around the world.

"Truly new, exciting and above all, meaningful" —La Presse

"Physical skill in combination with beautiful poetry creates fantastic art" —Allo La Danse

Artistic Director and Choreographer: Elon Höglund
Dancers: Elon Höglund, Mecdy Jean-Pierre, Rahime Gay-Labbé, Amara Barner, Silvia Sanchez
Original score: E. Höglund
Light Design: Benoit Larivière
Puppets: Anna Höglund & Annika Arnell
Poem & Sunflower: Amara Barner
Production Manager and Outside Eye: Emmanuelle Lê Phan

WHEN: NOV 04–08, 2026

EVENING PERFORMANCES, 7:30 PM
Wed, Nov 04— Opening
Thurs, Nov 05 — Talkback
Fri, Nov 06
Sat, Nov 07

MATINEE PERFORMANCES, 2:00 PM
Sat, Nov 07
Sun, Nov 08

WHERE: Historic Theatre, 1895 Venables St., Vancouver, BC

TICKETS: Tickets from $39. Tickets on sale now through The Cultch's Box Office: 604-251-1363 or https://thecultch.com/event/dirt/  

ABOUT TENTACLE TRIBE:
Approaching choreography through a wide variety of movement philosophies, Montreal-based Tentacle Tribe concocts uncommon dance works with a contemporary approach. Drawing from their wide scope of dance experience, co–founders Emmanuelle Lê Phan and Elon Höglund create conceptual hip–hop with a contemporary twist, while intermingling organic influences from earthly creatures. This Canadian-Swedish creative alliance experiments with intricate partnering, refined musicality and a saturated dose of physical choreography. Tentacle Tribe combines movement techniques that transcend style boundaries and create works that express the embodiment of music beyond technique.     

ABOUT THE CULTCH:
Since 1973, The Cultch (formally the Vancouver East Cultural Centre) has been one of Vancouver's most diverse and innovative arts and cultural hubs. The organization operates three theatrical venues, a gallery, and various ancillary spaces in the heart of East Vancouver. Offering dynamic contemporary works in theatre, dance, music, and the visual arts, The Cultch brings world-class presentations to thousands of citizens each year through its own programming and rental opportunities for community users. The non-profit's purpose is to provide a venue for performance, serving a diverse and engaged public, creating space for artistic experimentation and development, and building an audience for cutting-edge local, national, and international work.

 

 

 

 

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