With 8970 minutes of pure entertainment from 116 experiences and performances of 25 shows in 18 venues in 2019 alone, there are hundreds of reasons to visit the High Performance Rodeo.
"I love the energy of festivals; the thrill of chasing a must-see performance, the joy in catching a show that is completely unexpected; trading tips in the line-ups, and swapping stories with friends. "
– Laurel Green, Festival Producer
For three wild weeks in January, One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo, Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts, is where the action is. It’s a chance to watch touring performances from across Canada, acclaimed international shows, and new and experimental work from artists here in Calgary. The programming is bold, cutting-edge, funny, frank, and full of heart. There’s theatre, dance, music, film, free lunchtime concerts, late-night cabarets, and so much more. Shows in the basement of the Calgary Tower, at the Royal Canadian Legion, in the +15’s, a wrestling ring, an elevator, in City Hall, Eau Claire Market, the Glenbow, Central Library, Big Secret Theatre, Lunchbox, DJD, and the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
The High Performance Rodeo takes over downtown Calgary in all shapes, sizes, and sounds – defying description and tantalizing the tastes of arts and culture lovers. Audiences brave the January cold or revel in the chinook heat-wave, comb over the festival guide, and come out to play. The High Performance Rodeo is about championing creativity, building community, celebrating diverse voices, and promoting self-expression in all forms. For 33 years, the festival has been a launching pad for local artists and a spotlight onto the world’s stage. It’s a unique experience that only happens here.
The programming is multi-faceted in its diversity; renowned for being rich with progressive, wild and powerfully inventive performances. Mesmerizing contemporary dance to thought-provoking performances designed to challenge the worldviews held by the audience, international theatre hits, emerging artists and productions, immersive sensory journies, modern Indigenous art and theatre, music and more, transform the cultural landscape of Calgary and leave lasting impressions that extend beyond the city borders.