Odd Meridian Arts presents a mandala of movement and music in Piece Lily, July 2 to 7

At cultural space Morrow, Marisa Gold and Ziyian Kwan devise a dance duet to cellist Peggy Lee’s musical score

Ziyian Kwan (left) and Marisa Gold in *Piece Lily.* Photo by Emily Welz

Odd Meridian Arts presents Piece Lily at Morrow from July 2 to 7 at 7 pm

LIVE CELLO MUSIC, improvised movement, and spoken-word musings are on offer at Odd Meridian Arts as it unveils its latest creation, Piece Lily.

Two dancers, Marisa Gold and Odd Meridian Arts artistic director Ziyian Kwan, will engage in a duet guided and influenced by the peaceful energy of a mandala. Cellist Peggy Lee will play a rich musical score for the show, which is being presented with the support of creation and production assistant Allie Lang. Jessica Han will take care of the work’s calming lighting design.

Gold has been a co-creator and performer with Odd Meridian Arts since 2020. Last July, she choreographed a contemporary-dance duo with Juolin Lee (a fellow Odd Meridian Arts collaborator) for The Queen of Carthage, a modern-Baroque opera that had its world premiere at Early Music Vancouver’s Summer Festival.

Performances of Piece Lily will take place at Morrow, a cozy cultural space run by Odd Meridian Arts. Located at 910 Richards Street, the creative hub sets a serene stage for dancers and viewers alike. Sunlight shines through north-facing, tree-lined windows onto a main performance space, emphasizing the relaxing tone underscoring the work.

Odd Meridian Arts was originally known as Dumb Instrument Dance, a nonprofit founded in 2015 by Kwan. In early 2024, the arts society underwent a name change to better fit the decidedly interdisciplinary nature of its programming.

Marisa Gold (left) and Ziyian Kwan in *Piece Lily.* Photo by Emily Welz

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Emily Lyth

Stir editorial assistant Emily Lyth is a Vancouver-based writer and editor who graduated from Langara College’s Journalism program. Her decade of dance training and passion for all things food-related are the foundation of her love for telling arts, culture, and community stories.

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