Ground UP Dance Festival 2025:
A Season of Growth and Connection

The 2025 Ground UP Dance Festival marked an exciting chapter of expansion, growing from a one-week event into a three-week celebration of performance, creation, and community. The season featured sold-out shows at The Baby Grand Theatre, a creation residency supporting emerging and established choreographers, and a series of free classes and community events across Kingston.

Highlights included live music at The Buckle Kingston, a premiere of AFTER/ALWAYS, and two dynamic outdoor Mainstage performances at Lake Ontario Park that drew hundreds of audience members. In total, the festival welcomed over 1,300 participants and spectators, supported more than 30 professional artists from across Canada, and deepened community access to contemporary dance through accessible, inclusive programming.

Ground UP continues to grow as a vital platform for artists and audiences alike—strengthening Kingston’s arts landscape one performance at a time.


Photography by Shanique Peart (@thecandidcreative.co)