Croquis - A Performance by FakeKnot

Registrations have closed.

Croquis – A Performance by FakeKnot

Croquis – A Performance by Ralph Escamillan

Presented in partnership with Sunk City Festival
Friday, May 15, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Mellow Drama Studio & Theatre

Croquis is a durational performance that explores the idea of a “croquis”—a quick, expressive sketch of a garment, often the first step towards bringing an idea into tangible reality. Within the context of this work, the pencil is the body and the paper a modular canvas—dissecting the desire to imprint and archive oneself into physical space.

This solo pulls inspiration from choreographer Ralph Escamillan’s personal memories, his ongoing fascination with codes of fashion, and his appreciation for the act of crafting and constructing objects and materials by hand.

Central to this work is a garment constructed entirely out of paper. The physicality of this solo is entirely reactionary to this garment, inspired by the silhouette of the historic ball gown skirt, the duality of which has been synonymous with ideas of celebration, femininity and pomp, while also representing a type of confinement and mourning.

Croquis is produced by FakeKnot and with Francesca Piscopo

FakeKnot gratefully acknowledges the support of the City of Vancouver.
A special thanks to the Vancouver Art Gallery for their support during its creation.

🎉 Presented by Crimson Coast Dance as part of Sunk City Festival

This performance is presented as part of Sunk City, a multi-venue festival in downtown Nanaimo celebrating music, art, and underground culture.

The best ticket options are the Festival Passes Or Festival Day Pass

Only Crimson Coast Dance Members have access to individual tickets for this show.
Membership $15, Performance $20

Crimson Coast Members click here to order tickets (password required)

Not a Crimson Coast Member? Join Now for only $15 and receive the password to order tickets for this event.

🎯 Why Attend

Experience a unique, visually compelling live performance
See fashion and movement intersect in unexpected ways
Engage with themes of identity, presence, and transformation
Discover a dance contemporary performance as part of Sunk City Festival

👥 Who This Is For

This event is open to:

people interested in visual art, fashion, and performance
audiences curious about contemporary dance and live art
festival-goers looking for something different and memorable
anyone who enjoys visually driven experiences

👉 No prior knowledge required

🎬 What to Expect

A solo performance by Ralph Escamillan
Movement shaped by a sculptural garment made entirely of paper
A visually immersive and atmospheric experience
A focused, intimate performance setting

🧵 The Garment

The central garment is constructed entirely from paper using folding, pleating, and hand-crafted chord techniques.

No glue or tape used
Minimum 8 hours of paper preparation
Multi-layered structure to create volume and form

👤 About the Artist

Ralph Escamillan is an award winning queer, Canadian-Filipinx performance artist, teacher and community leader based on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh Nations – on so called Vancouver, BC.

As the artistic director of FakeKnot, he develops collaborative performance works that have been presented both nationally and internationally – with a current focus on textile and clothing as choreographic narrative. Drawing from Ralph’s multiplicity of dance cultures and his identity as a second-generation Philippine-Canadian, his work hopes to remember the bridges woven between cultures and communities, while also knotting new ones with care. The exploration of how culture is created through the accumulation of ideas and concepts is at the center of his work. He has found the body to be a powerful vessel through which these ideas can be investigated, embodied and proliferated.