MISSION

The Falling Company leads with sustainability and broadening art making in the community. Our works and artistic process expand inquiry where collaboration intersects varied ideas, specialization, communities, and interdisciplinary practices. The Falling Company decolonizes arts making by providing equity, equality, and balance of power to all participants. Enriched practices are shared through accessible education where the dance art form is varied.

MANDATE

The Falling Company’s mandate is to produce and present the contemporary dance works of Marissa Wong in Vancouver, BC; serve underrepresented and intersecting artists; empower the lives of artists through art generating, sharing, and opportunities; encourage accessible storytelling and interdisciplinary collaborations; foster movement education to youth, emerging artists and community at large through community-level classes, and mentorship.

VALUES

Empowerment, Growth, Care, Inclusivity, Sustainability, Joy

HISTORY

The Falling Company is a nonprofit contemporary dance company led by Marissa Wong.

Originally founded in 2008 as the response. by Amber Funk Barton, the company produced several notable works including RISK, Scenes and Portraits of Female Creatures, The Art of Stealing, and VAST. Amber also made a significant impact in the community through initiatives like the Apprentice Program and the #dancehappy series, offering free open-level classes to individuals of all ages.

In 2021, Amber stepped down as Artistic Director, passing the company to Marissa Wong, the founder of TWObigsteps Collective. Under Marissa’s leadership, the company was renamed The Falling Company. The current repertoire includes Marissa's previous works created with TWObigsteps Collective, as well as new creations developed through The Falling Company.

Marissa Wong, an established voice in Vancouver’s dance community, has consistently demonstrated her ability to produce, perform, and present innovative works. Since founding TWObigsteps Collective in 2015, her choreographic works have been presented internationally, including Family Room at The Dance Centre (2024), Departure at Nextfest (2022) and The Dance Centre (2021), and Veils at TEDxSoma (San Francisco, 2019). Marissa has been hosted for choreographic residencies at Banff Centre for the Arts, Dance Victoria, The Dance Centre, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, BC Movement Arts Society, Left of Main, LEÑA Residency, DORSALEDanse, and others. She has participated in international arts exchange at internationale tanzmesse nrw (Dusseldorf, Germany) and the International Choreographers Retreat (Montréal, QC).

Marissa’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent and community engagement is evident through the company's programs like PLUNGE Mentorship Project, a paid mentorship program supporting emerging and early-career artists in creation and performance. She has served as a mentor and panelist for the Dancer Transition Resource Centre, and conducted workshops at institutions like the LINES Ballet Training Program and Gulf Island School of Performing Arts.