If you have ever been lucky enough to catch The Smoke Show, you know that Jen Oleksiuk does not simply direct a performance; she ignites one. She is the heartbeat behind Vancouver’s most electric cabaret, a creator who fuses dance, theatre, and pure attitude into something that hits you right in the soul. Jen does not just choreograph movement, she commands it, shaping bodies and beats into stories that shimmer with power, sensuality, and wit.
Offstage, she is every bit as magnetic. Fearless, playful, and fully alive, she brings that same energy to everything she does, from directing film and television to nurturing new artists in her orbit.
What I love most about Jen is that she leads with heart and heat. She makes art that celebrates being human in all its beautiful, messy, unapologetic forms. In a world that often asks us to tone it down, Jen turns it all the way up and invites everyone else to do the same.
-Written by Alexandra Pony, friend
Beside a stereo and along the perimeter inside a dance studio, watching with all my might. Nothing else exists in these moments for me but what is happening in that room, and oh, how I love it so. Time disappears, and I am fully engaged in the class I’m teaching, rehearsal I’m running, or choreography I’m creating. Fun fact, this is also my “watching sports” face. I got it from my dad, contemplative focus.I have quite a nostalgic soft spot and preference for “homemade” props in a show. I think I group up with really talented, cool art teachers in my schools that made our school shows look way cooler than they were. I am often pulling my resources for talented friends to help make something for one of my live shows, or I, myself, am in my living room, on the ground, making some sort of stage piece or prop to add a sense of play to my work. This is one such piece in the making.Watching my cast take their bow each night of The Smoke Show. Past and present cast members will forever impress me, every single night. There is nothing on film that can give the feeling a live show can give, it’s just so different and real and flawed and perfect. We take on a 360-degree live interactive show, and not a night goes by where we don’t have to deal with something new. I am beyond proud of the entire team that was and is The Smoke Show.Food is like music to me. I love to cook even when I loathe it. I love to be told there is nothing in the house to cook and then prove that wrong. Having friends over and serving delicious food is by far the best way to share.Weekly weekend visits to Vancouver’s local Farmers Market. It’s my reset, my way of connecting with the community outside of my artist world and a perfect start to a Saturday with my partner Mark. Also, it’s the best produce one can get. Again, food, my love language.This man. My love, my support, my everything helper. He brings me so much joy to my life and assistance in everything I do. I’m grateful, honoured and shocked at how much he continues to give to help bring my work to life.Find me like this on any show night- crouched in heels and all dressed up but lifting furniture, fixing set decoration, hand sewing a surprise hole in a curtain, makeshifting a new greenroom after a surprise flood, or creating a new costume because something was lost, forgotten or ruined. Self-producing for me is often being a fixer.Nature is a must. I live in such a beautiful province. I like to put my feet in water no matter the time of year. If I’m unable to go to a river or the ocean during my week, I’ll walk barefoot on some grass (rain or shine) to ground myself. It helps remind me of a world much larger than myself and my stress.
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Which ’hood are you in?
Vancouver
What do you do?
I am a choreographer, movement director, live show producer, creator, event facilitator, coordinator, and award-winning storyteller with a long background in dance and entertainment production. I work in Film and TV, theatre, and live events, and I create experiences that connect audiences through movement, character, and humour. I am also the creator and director of The Smoke Show, a high-energy cabaret-style dance production known for its humour, artistry, and cult following.
What are you currently working on?
I recently brought the newest run of The Smoke Show to The Waldorf, one of Vancouver’s most iconic cultural spaces. The production ran every Thursday night for five weeks leading up to December 4, during which I created new choreography and shaped fresh moments celebrating the city’s creative energy. This season was all about giving Vancouver audiences a high-quality, high-impact night out that blended dance, humour, and the unmistakable spirit of the local arts scene.
Where can we find your work?
Audiences recently experienced my work on stage in The Smoke Show at the Waldorf, a favourite venue for Vancouver’s high-energy, dance-driven entertainment. I also produce creative events around the city through Stonefoxx Productions and Cameo Disco. Beyond Vancouver, you can see my choreography and performance work in film and television, including DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Get Shorty, Siren, and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Check my Instagram for updates.
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