WHO WE ARE

For us, performance is about communication, connection and practicing the art of showing our hearts on stage

Firebelly Performance Society was founded in Vancouver, B.C. in 2000 by Artistic Director Kira Schaffer, and incorporated as a not-for-profit society in 2004. We have 7 core members and have worked with many other guest artists and collaborators over the years. We are a playful and passionate group who are excited by a challenge and inspired to explode creative boundaries.

Firebelly Mission

Our purpose is to enrich society by fostering playfulness, creativity and the expression of authentic human experience within movement and performance. We aim to build a deeper connection between audiences and performers. We approach each performance with the intent to share an experience rather than to impress — even when the movement may be, by nature impressive.

We seek to create performances that are emotionally rich, socially relevant, and express an appreciation of human diversity: our individual quirks, and beauty in its many forms. Engendering support and respect between the artists we work with is a vital part of our creative process. We approach our work with rigor, and constantly strive to improve and refine our skills to grow as artists and as people.

 

 

MEET THE FIREBELLY TEAM

Our team is made up of professionals, many of whom have their own artistic practices in addition to the work they do with Firebelly. We support each other in our respective endeavours and when we come together we create magic.
KIRA SCHAFFER
Artistic Director
DIANE GARCEAU
dance, choreography,
fire and stilts
DAVID YATES
dance, choreography,
music, fire and stilts
NEEZAR BZAR
fire and stilts,
prop development
KEELY SILLS
acrobalance, aerials
and rigging
HANNAH CARPENDALE
aerials
COLLEEN YUEN
aerials and
character work
TALLIS KIRBY
rigging consultant,
technical support
KIRA SCHAFFER
Artistic Director
DIANE GARCEAU
dance, choreography,
fire and stilts
DAVID YATES
dance, choreography,
music, fire and stilts
NEEZAR BZAR
fire and stilts,
prop development
KEELY SILLS
acrobalance, aerials
and rigging
HANNAH CARPENDALE
aerials
COLLEEN YUEN
aerials and
character work
TALLIS KIRBY
rigging consultant,
technical support

GUEST PERFORMERS & COLLABORATORS

CAARA CRIDLAND
contortion, aerials,
acrobalance
ARIEL AMARA
fire and stilts
LINDSEY SHEPEK
stilts and
character work
CARA SIU
aerials and
character work
LEAH LITWACK
aerials and
character work
DIANA LOPEZ
aerials, fire and stilts
MONICA TREJBAL 
fire, character work,
clown
KATHLEEN FORRESTER
musician
(violin, guitar)

Check out some of the many events Firebelly has been a part of!

OLYMPICS & SPORTS

2004 Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece • 2006 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremonies, Torina, Italy • 2010 Winter Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Vancouver • 2010 Olympic Athlete’s Village Entertainment • 2009 WOrld Police & Fire Games Opening Ceremony • Seawheeze Half Marathon (annual Vancouver event) • RBC Hockey Cup

PRIVATE & CORPORATE EVENTS

International Conference on Acoustics, Speech & Signal Processing 2013 • Deighton Cup • PCMA Convening Leaders Conference • Diner en Blanc (Vancouver) • Real Estate Medallion Awards • World Urban Forum 2006 • Vision Vancouver Fundraiser • World Education Congress • Richmond Hospital Foundation Fundraiser • Vancouver Aquarium Fundraiser

FESTIVALS

Nanaimo Infringing Dance Festival • Vancouver Internation Dance Festival • North Vancouver Arts Council Trolley Dances • Emily Carr University Anniversary & Graduation Party • Vancouver Opera’s Season Kick-off event • Canadian Cancer Association’s Relay for Life Events • Squamish Music Festival • Winterruption, annual Granville Island winter festival • Ships to Shore Festival, Steveston • Kelowna Life & Arts Festival • Winter Solstice Lantern Festival • Canada Day Celebrations, Fort St. John • Ladner Parade • City of Vancouver Family Day Event • Vancouver Ukulele Festival • Luminary Fest (Delta) • Vancouver International Children’s Festival • Vancouver Queer Film Festival • Jack Frost Children’s Winterfest, PEI • Surrey Canada Day Festival • Calgary Centennial • Fat Cat Children’s Festival (Kelowna) • Pacific National Exhibtion, Vancouver

Chinese Canadian Dental Association of BC • Nanak Foods Capital Commission of PEI • Clarkdale Motors • Listel Hotel Vancouver Club • Vancouver Parks and Recreation • Clean Energy Association of BC • Electronic Arts Canada • Toyota•  MMM Group • Vancouver Board of Trade • Powerex Corp. (BC Hydro) • Vancity Credit Union • Trev Dealy/Harley Davidson Dealership •  INFOR Enterprise Software • Cirque du Soleil Promotions • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers • VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation • Astral Media Radio Stations• RE/MAX • Benjamin Moore • Rolls Royce Motor Cars • Sugoi Performance Apparel • New Car Dealers Association of BC • Richmond Hospital • Red Bull • Whole Foods • City of Surrey • Vancouver Airport Authority • Tallgrass Natural Health Ltd • Endeavour Society •  Hootsuite Media Inc. • Scotiabank • TD Canada Trust•  Commonwealth Insurance Co. • Park Royal Shopping Centre • Scanline VFX • Canadian Cancer Society • TB Vets • Canuck’s Sports & Entertainment •  Lululemon Athletica Canada • Shaw Cable • VanDusen Garden T• ourism Vancouver • Sysco Vancouver • Whistler Arts Council • Vancouver Aquarium