Dance International

Dance International was a Canadian nonprofit arts magazine published by the Vancouver Ballet Society. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the publication developed from a community-oriented periodical into one of Canada's longest-running dance magazines, documenting ballet, contemporary dance, dance education, artists, companies, performances and the wider international dance field. It was initially known as Vandance and was renamed Dance International in 1993 as its editorial scope became increasingly global. The magazine's regular editorial mix included feature articles, performance news, obituaries, interviews and reviews of dance productions, books, films and DVDs. Although it maintained an international perspective, the publication placed particular emphasis on Canadian artists, companies, photographers and writers. This combination gave it a dual role: it served contemporary readers interested in dance activity worldwide while also creating a substantial record of Canadian dance history and criticism. Dance International was published quarterly in print for many years. The Vancouver Ballet Society identified it as a flagship program beginning in 1977, while reference material also describes the title as having existed since 1976. Its first editor was Ruth McLoughlin, followed by Leland Windreich and, briefly, John Warren. Maureen Riches became managing editor in 1985 and held that position until 2013. During her tenure, the magazine grew from a relatively small black-and-white community publication into a more professionally edited and visually developed magazine with colour content, international reporting and advertising support. Kaija Pepper succeeded Riches as managing editor in 2013. A dance writer, critic and historian, Pepper shaped the magazine's later editorial direction and supported a diverse range of contributors and subjects. The publication's long-running network of writers produced features, reviews and reports that became an important reference resource for dance audiences and researchers. Print publication ended at the end of 2019. The Vancouver Ballet Society subsequently continued the title as an electronic magazine presented through the Dance International website from January 2020. In 2020, the society announced that it would cease this digital publication because of the difficult economic conditions facing publishing. The Dance International website itself closed at the end of January 2024, with readers directed to the Vancouver Ballet Society website, where the magazine's digital material was archived. The brand is therefore no longer an active periodical, although its historical content remains available through the publisher's archive.

Dance International emerged from Vancouver's dance community under the publishing auspices of the Vancouver Ballet Society. The title was originally called Vandance and began as a locally oriented publication serving dance readers and practitioners. Reference material places its origins in 1976, while the Vancouver Ballet Society describes the quarterly magazine as a flagship program established in 1977. It subsequently became the longest continuously published dance title in Canada. The early publication was modest in scale, consisting of relatively few black-and-white pages and reflecting its community-based origins. Ruth McLoughlin served as the first editor, followed by Leland Windreich and, for a short period, John Warren. As the magazine developed, its editorial coverage expanded beyond local activity to include Canadian and international ballet and contemporary dance. A major change came in 1985, when Maureen Riches became managing editor. Riches remained in the role until 2013 and oversaw a substantial professionalization of the publication. During this period, Dance International developed into a richly illustrated, colour magazine with a broader international reporting network, more formal editorial production and support from advertisers. The publication continued to give special attention to Canadian artists, companies, photographers and writers while reporting on dance developments outside Canada. In 1993, the title was renamed Dance International. The new name reflected the magazine's widening editorial remit and its interest in dance activity beyond Vancouver and Canada. Its content included features, news, performance reviews, obituaries and reviews of related books, films and DVDs. Across its long run, many writers contributed articles and criticism, creating a body of material that also functions as a historical record of dance. Kaija Pepper became managing editor in 2013 after Riches retired. Pepper, who was known as a dance writer, critic and historian, selected varied material and mentored new writers. Her tenure helped maintain the magazine's editorial identity as the publishing environment changed. After the final print issues appeared at the end of 2019, the Vancouver Ballet Society maintained an electronic version on the Dance International website beginning in January 2020. The digital continuation was short-lived. The society later announced that it would end the electronic magazine because of the difficult economic climate for publishing. At the end of January 2024, the dedicated Dance International website was closed. The Vancouver Ballet Society directed readers to its own website, where the magazine's digital material was fully archived. Dance International consequently survives primarily as an archived publication and historical brand rather than as an ongoing magazine.

1. 2024Dedicated website closes

   The Dance International website closed at the end of January, with digital content redirected to the Vancouver Ballet Society archive.

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2. 2020Digital edition discontinued

   The Vancouver Ballet Society ended the electronic magazine hosted on the Dance International website because of publishing-sector economic pressures.

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3. 2019Print publication ends

   Print issues ceased at the end of 2019.

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4. 2013Kaija Pepper becomes managing editor

   Kaija Pepper succeeded Maureen Riches and guided the magazine's later editorial work.

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5. 1993Vandance renamed Dance International

   The magazine adopted the Dance International name to reflect its increasingly global editorial coverage.

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6. 1985Maureen Riches begins long editorial tenure

   Maureen Riches became managing editor and led the publication through a major period of editorial and visual development.

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7. 1977Quarterly magazine established

   The Vancouver Ballet Society identifies the quarterly print magazine as a flagship program established in 1977.

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8. 1976Origins of the publication

   Reference material dates the beginnings of the Canadian dance title to 1976.

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A nonprofit, editorially independent-leaning dance publication combining international ballet and contemporary dance coverage with sustained attention to Canadian artists, companies and dance culture.

• Dance International print magazinePrint magazine1977

  The core quarterly publication, covering international ballet and contemporary dance through features, news, criticism, obituaries and reviews. It was especially attentive to Canadian artists, companies, photographers and writers and developed from a small community publication into a professionally produced colour magazine.

• Dance International electronic magazineDigital magazine2020

  A digital continuation presented through the Dance International website after print publication ended. The electronic edition began in January 2020 but was later discontinued by the Vancouver Ballet Society because of adverse economic conditions in publishing.

• Dance International digital archivePublication archive2024

  An archived body of Dance International digital material made available through the Vancouver Ballet Society after the dedicated Dance International website closed. It preserves the publication's accumulated reporting, criticism and historical reference content.

• 2024Close the dedicated website and preserve the archiveOther

  The publication had already ended both print and electronic issues, leaving its website primarily as a repository of past material.

  What changed. The dedicated website was closed at the end of January, and readers were directed to the Vancouver Ballet Society website.

  Aftermath. Dance International's digital content was retained in an archive managed through the Vancouver Ballet Society.

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• 2020Terminate the electronic editionStrategy

  The publisher described the economic climate for publishing as the reason for ending the electronic magazine.

  What changed. The Vancouver Ballet Society ceased publication of the electronic magazine hosted on the Dance International website.

  Aftermath. Dance International ceased operating as a regularly issued magazine, although its digital material remained associated with the publisher.

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• 2019End print publicationStrategy

  After decades as a quarterly print magazine, the publication faced the broader structural pressures affecting periodical publishing.

  What changed. Print issues were stopped at the end of 2019.

  Aftermath. The Vancouver Ballet Society attempted to continue the publication digitally from January 2020.

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• 1993Rename the magazine to Dance InternationalStrategy

  The original Vandance name no longer fully represented the publication's expanding coverage of dance beyond its local origins.

  What changed. The publisher adopted the Dance International title to signal a broader international editorial scope.

  Aftermath. The renamed magazine continued to combine international reporting with a strong focus on Canadian dance.

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• 2024Dance International website closes and content moves to publisher archive

  The Dance International website closed at the end of January 2024, with readers directed to the Vancouver Ballet Society website for archived digital material.

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• 2020Electronic edition discontinued

  The Vancouver Ballet Society ended the electronic magazine published through the Dance International website, citing the difficult economic climate for publishing.

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• 2019Dance International ends print publication

  The magazine stopped publishing print issues at the end of 2019 after more than four decades of quarterly publication.

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1. Dance International
2. Vancouver Ballet Society