About — Evolve Arts Collective

Evolve Arts Collective (EAC) is an emerging performance and creative hub that strives to provide a capacity for artists across the Okanagan to promote and perform works that push the boundaries between art disciplines. In the creative process, we aim to create authentic and raw content in hopes that we can offer our audience members a new perspective on matters and ideas.

The EAC made its first appearance at A Taste of Fringe, a launch event to spread awareness about the Kelowna Fringe Festival. Together we showcased a brand new duet called Connect and a reworked excerpt of No. 5 as a solo, to heartfelt applause.

In September 2019, EAC made its official “fringe” debut at the inaugural Kelowna Fringe Festival where No. 5 was fully remounted and a brand new work Restrict was created specifically for the festival. This marked the collective’s first presentation to the larger general public having performed for over 200 patrons across 5 performances. Although numerous projects were postponed due to COVID-19, EAC will be making its debut at the Theatre on the Edge Festival 2021 Edition and returning to the Kelowna International Fringe Festival in the fall.

EAC Founder | Kurt Werner

Originally from Brampton, Ontario, Kurt has been a dancer with Ballet Kelowna since the summer of 2012. Prior to his move, he studied with several of Canada's top professional ballet schools including the Canada’s National Ballet School, The School of Alberta Ballet and Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, where he graduated from their Ballet Academic Program in 2011. Kurt has also travelled abroad to Austria, England, Italy, New Zealand and the US in order to further his development and knowledge of dance.

During his time with Ballet Kelowna, Kurt has performed in numerous mixed repertoire programs locally in the Okanagan Region, throughout British Columbia and Alberta as well as making company debuts in Toronto and Beijing, China. In 2015, Kurt was the first recipient of the Brian MacDonald Dance Award (established upon his passing), and participated in The Banff Centre’s prestigious Summer Dance Program.He began pursuing deeper into his choreographic exploration with his peers at Ballet Kelowna which led him to apply for his first choreographic residency. In the summer of 2016, he was invited to participate in the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance’s Choreographic Residency concurrently with his studies over the course of 10 weeks. During this time, Kurt created two new works, No. 5 and I, In My Mind featuring fellow participants of the Summer Program.

Upon establishing Evolve Arts Collective, Kurt was chosen to showcase two works at A Taste of Fringe; a launch event for the Kelowna Fringe Festival in September 2018. He created a new duet, Connect and remounted an excerpt of No. 5 as a solo with both being very well received.

Through Evolve Arts Collective, Kurt choreographed and staged an hour long program Provoke - A Fringe Show; featuring a full remount of No. 5 and a brand-new creation, Restrict, specifically for the inaugural Kelowna Fringe Festival in September 2019.

Most recently, Kurt participated in Ballet Kelowna’s response to the effects of COVID-19, the Remote Choreographic Initiative. He created on dancers in the company roster virtually through the use of Zoom and edited the filmed footage to establish the work-in-progress And after this, our exile.