“Powerful, life-affirming” - The List
Sat 23 May - Sat 6 June
Caithness | Inverness | Findhorn | Glasgow
RISE is Dance North’s annual festival of contemporary dance and performance — celebrating bold ideas, inclusive practice and artists shaping the future of movement.
From Sat 23 May to Sat 6 June 2026, our RISE programme will honour global Indigenous artists whose work connects land, story and movement worldwide.
Guided by cultural respect, environmental consciousness and care, RISE 2026 offers a welcoming gathering of global Indigenous creativity, offering moments to witness, reflect and come together. Join us.
RISE 2026 Artists
-
![Lara Kramer]()
Lara Kramer
Lara Kramer is a performer, choreographer, and multidisciplinary artist of mixed Oji-cree and settler heritage, raised in London, Ontario. She lives and works in Tiohtià:ke/Mooniyang/Montreal.
-
![A middle-aged person with short, gray hair, glasses, and earrings. Wearing a black top with layered necklaces, standing against a dark background.]()
Gary Lang
Artistic Director, choreographer and senior Larrakia man, Gary Lang has extended family relationships that extend across to Yirrkala, Northern Territory (Australia).
-
![A young woman with long brown hair and light makeup looking at the camera, outdoors with a blurred background.]()
Daina Ashbee
Recognised as one of the most prolific choreographers of her generation, Daina Ashbee’s award-winning work has been presented at The Venice Biennale, Oktoberdans, the Munich Dance Biennale and Montpellier Danse.
-
![A person with a bald head wearing a worn sleeveless shirt in a dark setting with a bright light illuminating part of their face and arm.]()
Jacob Boehme
Jacob Boehme is a Narungga/Kaurna artist, director, choreographer and cultural leader whose practice spans contemporary performance, large-scale public ceremony, cultural exchange and community-centred creation.
-
![A woman with long black hair wearing a black sleeveless top and colorful beaded earrings against a plain background.]()
Barbara Diabo
Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo is a member of the Kanien’keha:ka (Mohawk) nation of Kahnawake on Turtle Island. She now resides in Montreal, where she is the artistic director and choreographer for A’nó:wara Dance Theatre.
-
![A woman dressed in beige, standing barefoot on a stage with scattered pieces of wood around her, against a dark background.]()
Martha Hincapié Charry
Martha Hincapié Charry is a BIPoC Colombian artist, decolonial curator, choreographer, performer and researcher based in Berlin.
-
![A woman with brown hair, wearing an olive green sweater, sitting and smiling near a microphone, holding a pen and some papers, in a well-lit room with large windows.]()
Paige Shand Haami
Paige Shand Haami (Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi) is an Aotearoa (New Zealand)–born dancer, choreographer, and creative producer, deeply grounded in her Māori heritage.
Performances
-
![Two performers on stage, with the standing performer holding the other on their shoulders in a dance pose, illuminated by stage lights, with shadows cast on the floor and brick wall background.]()
The Other Side of Me
The Other Side of Me by Gary Lang shares the tragedy of Stolen Generations through the heartbreaking story of one man stranded between two families, continents and cultures.
Sat 23 May | 7.30-8.30pm | Wick High School, Caithness
Wed 27 May | 7.00 – 8.00pm | One Touch Theatre, Eden Court
-
![Gorgeous Tongue - Lara Kramer]()
Gorgeous Tongue
In Gorgeous Tongue, Lara Kramer embodies Anishinaabe stories and dreams, inviting audiences into the intimacy of her offering, honouring Indigenous transmission, transformation, and futurity.
Fri 29 May | 7.30 – 8.40pm | Universal Hall, The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | Included in RISE Festival Weekend pass or £15 if bought separately
Wed 3 June | 7.30-8.40pm | Tramway, Glasgow
-
![Nude woman lying face down with tattoos on her back, on a reflective black surface with a dark background.]()
Serpentine
An installation performance created by Daina Ashbee, one of the most prolific choreographers of her generation.
Sat 30 May | 7.30pm – 8.45pm | Universal Hall, Findhorn | Included in RISE Festival Weekend pass or £15 if bought separately.
Saturday, 6 June 2026 | 2.00-4.00pm | Tramway, Glasgow
-
![A group of diverse performers practicing a choreographed movement with sticks on an outdoor stage at night, with darkness and some trees in the background.]()
GUURANDA X RISE
GUURANDA X is a shared performance experience for all ages, led by Narungga artists and guided by Country. Reimagined for Findhorn by Jacob Boehme.
Sunday 31 May | 2.00 - 4.00pm & 7.00 - 9.00pm | The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | Included in RISE Festival Weekend pass or £20 if bought separately
-
![A person with curly hair lies on the ground, apparently fallen, in front of a large crowd sitting on chairs and standing outside a yellow building with the number 745. The scene suggests a public event or performance on a city street.]()
This is the Place Where We Pray
Lara Kramer’s This is the Place Where We Pray is a durational, site-specific exploration that delves into silence and stillness.
Sat 30 May | 2.30 – 4.30pm | The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | Included in RISE Festival Weekend pass or £15 if bought separately
Workshops, Talks and Gatherings
-
![A woman performing in a dance or theatrical production, kneeling amidst several large branches and sand on a stage, with a dark background and an audience watching.]()
We Are the Land - A’nowarà:ke & AbyaYala perspectives
Fri 29 May | 3.30 – 5.30pm | Universal Hall, The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | Included in RISE Festival Weekend pass or £10 if bought separately
-
![A panel discussion with two women and one man seated in a cozy room with large plants, sunlight, and an audience.]()
Dance North Conversations... hosted by Paige Shand Haami
RISE Festival Weekend (Fri 29-Sun 31 May) | Sunshine Room, The Park Ecovillage Findhorn | Included in RISE Festival Weekend Pass or £5 each if bought separately
-
![People gathered outdoors under a string banner with green and blue decorative cutouts that spell 'rise', with trees and greenery in the background.]()
Workshop: Living Landscapes - with Lara Kramer
Sun 31 May | 10.00 – 12noon | Sunshine Room, The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | Included in RISE Weekend Festival pass or £10 if bought separately
-
![Close-up of a person sewing or repairing a piece of white fabric, possibly fur or leather, with a needle and thread, while another person assists or observes.]()
Workshop: GUURANDA X RISE Cloakmaking
Wed 20 - Thur 28 May* | 10.00am - 5.00pm | Phoenix Cafe or Outside Universal Hall, The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | Drop In / FREE | *Not Sat, Sun, Mon
-
![A woman with dark hair tied back, wearing a beige shawl over a beige top, standing in a dark environment with a serious expression.]()
Workshop: Earth Bodies
Workshop with Martha Hincapié Charry | Thu 4 June | 11am – tbc | Tramway, Glasgow
-
![]()
Social: Gathering from across the Territories
Sun 31 May | 9.00 – 9.45pm | Wilkies Woodland Shelter, The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | FREE
-
![A group of people sitting outdoors on a deck listening to a man speaking. The speaker is sitting on a chair, gesturing with his hands, and has gray hair and glasses. The audience includes women and a person in a hat, with some seated on chairs and one on the grass. The background features a wooden wall and greenery.]()
Social: Regional Artists Network Gathering
Fri 29 May | 2.30-3.00pm | Sunshine Room, The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | Invitation only for members of the Dance North Regional Artists Network
-
![People dancing and enjoying music at a party with DJ equipment and string lights indoors.]()
Social: RISE Festival Opening Night Party
Fri 29 May | 8.30pm to midnight | Phoenix Café, The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | Included in RISE Festival Weekend pass or £10 if bought separately
-
![A flag with the words 'DANCE' and 'dancenorth scotland' printed in white, situated among a crowd of people outdoors during the daytime, with trees and sunlight in the background.]()
Social: RISE Family Friendly Picnic
Sun 31 May | 12noon - 2.00pm | At Phoenix Café Marquee, The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn | BYO / Free
RISE Festival Weekend
Fri 29 - Sun 31 May
Nested within our two week programme, a three-day celebration of global Indigenous dance and performance taking place over one weekend at The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn.
Featuring performances, workshops, talks, gatherings and more - all on the stunning Moray coast.