09/30/2026
Today, on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Vancouver Ballet Society honours the Survivors of residential schools, remembers the children who never returned home, and recognizes the families and communities who continue to carry the impacts of the residential school system.
The artwork created for this year’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation offers a powerful reflection on connection—between land and water, communities and generations. Its beadwork-inspired patterns also speak to the importance of passing art, culture and traditions from one generation to the next.
As an organization devoted to dance, this holds particular meaning for us. Dance, too, can carry culture, history, identity and stories across generations. Indigenous peoples have danced, gathered, created and shared knowledge on these lands for thousands of years, even as colonial policies deliberately sought to restrict Indigenous ceremonies, gatherings, dance and other forms of cultural expression.
This history asks us to think more deeply about what it means to gather freely to dance, teach, learn and celebrate artistic expression today.
It also reminds us that reconciliation is an ongoing process. For Vancouver Ballet Society, that means continuing to learn and listen, building meaningful relationships with Indigenous artists and communities, creating opportunities for dialogue and learning, and considering how what we learn should influence our programs and practices.
Today, we remember. We reflect. And we recognize that the work of reconciliation extends far beyond September 30.
