princess productions presents the 8th biennial dance: made in canada / fait au canada (d:mic/fac) Festival 2025, and the programming has been announced. The festival takes over two venues in Toronto from August 14 to 17, and again from August 21 to 24.
Programming includes cutting edge artists in performance and more across three programming concepts: the Mainstage, the What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) series, and Arts Encounters.
“Every edition of the festival reflects where we are, as artists, as people, and this year feels especially raw and real. The works in d:mic/fac 2025 are bold, heartfelt, and deeply human. They speak to who we are right now, and who we’re becoming,” says Yvonne Ng, d:mic/fac Artistic Director, in a statement.
Festival At A Glance
The Mainstage program has been co-curated by guest curators Jera Wolfe and dance legend Louise Lecavalier alongside Artistic Director Yvonne Ng. This program features works that respond to the times we’re living in, and revolve around contemporary themes like media influence, identity, inclusion, and transformation through a lens that offers resistance and celebration.
Highlights include:
- BESIDE by Marie Béland looks at how media influences our beliefs, and the way we connect with others.
- What Belongs to Us / Ce qui nous appartient by Suzanne Miller takes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and translates it into movement in a work about freedom, belonging, and safety.
- Works by Tanveer Alam and Cristina Bucci reimagine traditional dance forms in modern contexts.
The Mainstage program, for the first time, includes a full-length work in what has been dubbed the Haute Couture presentation. Still Life by Marie Lambin-Gagnon, a 2023 WYSIWYG alum, in a co-presentation with SummerWorks and Citadel + Compagnie.
Still Life is an invitation to slow down and truly observe textures, time, and the stories carried by our bodies, and challenges the ways in which women’s bodies have traditionally been depicted in art. It’s a work that builds quietly but powerfully.
The What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG)
The WYSIWYG program is a place for spontaneity and accessibility. Artists are chosen via a lottery process that creates a mix of artists and styles. It’s a place to see both emerging and established artists sharing the stage.
The series includes works by Dr. Yeonji Hong, Reequal Smith, Ryan Lee, Vania Dodoo-Beals & Carleen Zouboules, and Lydia Zimmer.
Arts Encounters
Arts Encounters are interactive experiences led by dance artists. They’re designed to spark dialogue and enlarge on the usual audience engagement as a complement to the live performances.
The lineup includes workshops, videos, podcasts, site-specific flamenco, Botanical Readings, and more.
Screendance
The Screendance programming offers dance on video and film, available either in-person or online.
The in-person screening on August 23 at the Carlton Cinema offers five dance films.
The online screenings offer three dates: August 21, 22 and 23. Registration is required.
- More information [HERE].
Performance Details
August 14–17, 2025
The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance
304 Parliament Street, Toronto, ON
August 21–24, 2025 (as part of SummerWorks)
Betty Oliphant Theatre
404 Jarvis Street, Toronto, ON
Pricing: Tickets for Haute Couture, Mainstage, WYSIWYG performances and dance film screenings are PWYC, starting at $15.
- More information, tickets, and accessibility details [HERE].
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