about

projects

Entering its 15^th season as a producing company, plastic orchid factory collaboratively devises interdisciplinary performances that place an embodied, thinking and feeling human at the centre of the proposition. Known for creating innovative work that incorporates new technologies to create singular visual and sonic environments that push the boundaries of what dance performances can look and feel like.

plastic orchid factory has created more than 20 original works that have been presented in galleries, theatres, studios and community halls across Turtle Island and beyond. Recent highlights include presentations of: Entre Chien et Loup at The Citadel (Tkaronto/Toronto), The MAI (Tio’tia:ke/Montreal) and The Fluid Festival (Mohkínstsis/Calgary); Digital Folk at Omineca Arts Centre (Lheidli T’enneh/Prince George), Mile Zero Dance (Amiskwaciy Waskahikan/Edmonton), Swallow-a-Bicycle (Mohkínstsis/Calgary) and Crimson Coast (Snuneymuxw/Nanaimo); and The Door Project at Left of Main.

This body of work has been supported by Lake Studios (Berlin), LEÑA (Hul'qumi'num: Swiikw/Galiano Island), Opera Estate (Bassano del Grappa Italy), Circuit-Est (Tio’tia:ke/Montreal), The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts (Burnaby, land of the Halkomelem and Squamish speaking peoples), and Centre Q (Adawe/Ottawa).

presentations

As a presenting vehicle for other artists’ programming, plastic orchid factory values projects that are singular and unapologetic. The company invests in long-term relationships with creators, performers and community partners who are energetically and philosophically aligned to drive the work forward through a shared sense of responsibility and authorship.

Since 2015, plastic orchid factory has presented the remarkable work of local, national and international artists. Recent highlights include: Ivo Dimchev’s Selfie Concert, Clara Furey/Bent Hollow’s DOG RISING, Jaques Poulin-Denis/Grand Poney’s Punch Line, Melanie Demers/MAYDAY Danse’ Confession Publique, Aisha Sasha John’s DIANA ROSS DREAM, Andrea Nann/Dreamwalker Dance’s Firehorse and Shadow, and Hanako Hoshimi-Caines, Zoë Poluch and Cherokee/Muscogee artist, Elisa Harkins’ Radio III.

Left of Main

Guided by the desire to freely explore new models of production, dissemination and leadership, plastic orchid factory established Left of Main in 2017, transforming the former Park Lock Dim Sum restaurant into a vibrant artist-run performance studio in Vancouver's Historic Chinatown. Currently, Left of Main is home to a network of esteemed peer organizations including Action at a Distance, CADA/West, Electric Company Theatre, and MascallDance, and openly welcomes 4,000+ visitors annually.

					producing artists
				
artistic director | James Gnam (he/him) is a dance artist based in Vancouver and Montreal. He is the artistic director of plastic orchid factory, a founding member of Left of Main, as well as an associate artist with MAYDAY and Grand Poney. He trained at the National Ballet School of Canada and from 1998 to the present, has performed in the works of Crystal Pite, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, Jiri Kylian, Barak Marshall and collaborated in the creation of new work with Lee Su-Feh, Jacques Poulin-Denis, Melanie Demers, Vanessa Goodman, Evann Siebens, Peter Bingham and Tedd Robinson. With plastic orchid, James collaboratively devises interdisciplinary work that focuses the body as a site of social commentary. James’ research and performance have been supported by Opera Estate in Bassano Italy; Circuit-Est in Montreal; Centre Q and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa; Electric Company Theatre, The New Forms Festival, The Vancouver Art gallery, The Burrard Arts Foundation/Facade Festival, The Belkin Gallery and SFU/W in Vancouver. In 2010, the late Lola Maclaughlin nominated James and his wife Natalie for the City of Vancouver’s Mayor’s Arts Award for Dance.
artistic producer | Natalie LeFebvre Gnam (she/elle) is a dance artist, producer, teacher, curator, performance maker and mother to two energetic boys, originally from Lheidli T’enneh (colonially known as Prince George), now living on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territory (colonially, Vancouver). She studied dance at L’École supérieure de danse du Québec and Le Cégep du Vieux Montréal in Tio‘tia:ke (Montréal) and arts management at Capilano University (Lil’wat, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Shíshálh (Sechelt), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) territory). Natalie has performed with companies and artists across Turtle Island including, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Coleman Lemieux & Co., The Vancouver Opera. Since 2003, she has the privilege of co-imagining and collaborating in the projects of plastic orchid factory as artistic producer, alongside her life and art partner, James Gnam. As a producer, Natalie has worked across disciplines and language with DanceHouse, The Cultch, Théâtre la Seizième and Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret. She is currently the Managing Producer at Electric Company Theatre. In 2009, she was awarded the Isadora Award for excellence in performance and with James Gnam, was nominated by the late Lola Maclaughlin for the City of Vancouver’s Mayor’s Arts Award for Emerging Dance. Active in her community at large, Natalie is a committee member for the Indigenous Learning Program at École Secondaire Jules Verne, the chair of francophone theatre company, productions 4par4, and chaired the Training Society of Vancouver from 2009-2020. In 2017, Natalie led plastic orchid factory’s work in establishing Left of Main, a creator hub for the live arts in Vancouver’s Historic Chinatown.