Peter Alan Bingham passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by loved ones on February 9, 2026. Peter will be deeply missed by all whose lives he has forever graced with his humor, imagination, and kind heart. His passing marks the end of an era. Peter's impact remains etched into the fabric of his family, friends, artists, and the contemporary dance community in Vancouver and beyond. 

Peter first learned to dance as a child waltzing with his elegant grandmother Nora in the living room. Two decades later, in 1975, his friend Bruce Fraser spontaneously took him to a dance class led by Linda Rubin at the Western Front. In that same studio, Peter would go on to dedicate the rest of his life to dance as the longtime Artistic Director of EDAM (Experimental Dance and Music).

Peter’s practice was defined by profound curiosity. He performed in countless improvised works with international artists including fellow dance pioneers Steve Paxton and Nancy Stark Smith. He was celebrated for a particularly open presence that allowed him to move with uncanny virtuosity and casual ease. As a choreographer, Peter’s foundational contributions to Contact Improvisation evolved the form into a sophisticated choreographic language of physics and collaboration. He was a master of the "aesthetics of athletics," balancing the rugged with the graceful. Peter’s art captured the beauty of a body navigating gravity.

Among Peter’s most enduring legacies is his work as a teacher and mentor. For decades, he held daily Contact Improvisation Morning Class at EDAM. He trained generations of dancers, as well as actors, clowns, and performance artists to inhabit their bodies with curiosity and grace, move into the unknown with agility, and listen through the point of contact with unending sensitivity. Notoriously observant and poetic, Peter’s teachings articulated deeper lessons that moved beyond dance into artists’ everyday lives. Peter created a community of dedicated practice where people felt safely held under his careful observation.

Outside the studio, Peter was a man who carefully tended to all that he loved. He was known for supporting his community, attending countless performances of students and colleagues. Those who knew him loved his riddles, poker face, quick wit, sly smile, and respectful manner. And how he cried when he felt moved during a talkback at EDAM, and how he loved hugs so much. Peter was happiest on a motorcycle, walking with his dog Jesse along Spanish Banks, sharing a meal at Jericho Sailing Club, visiting family on Quadra, attending the Folk Festival, playing guitar, relaxing at home with family and friends—and, of course, watching football. 

In late 2025, Peter shared with characteristic candor that he had chosen to access MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) due to the progression of his Parkinson’s disease. He continued to share his generous spirit with the dance community in his final months, directing and presenting his final work cuddle of dreams, teaching Morning Class, and spending time with dancers in the studio. In lieu of a memorial service, Peter hosted an "Open House" and a “Living Memorial” to wish farewell to friends and colleagues in his five-decade home in the EDAM studio at the Western Front. His courageous and open public sharing regarding his journey with MAID offered one more profound lesson in artful presence and clarity.

Peter is preceded in death by his parents Montague Marshall Bingham and Etelka Bingham [née Stewart], and his brother John Bingham. Peter is survived by his wife Raïna von Waldenburg, step-son Mauro Fernandez von Waldenburg, brothers Bruce Bingham and Danny Bingham, and nieces: Jenny McPhee, Cali Melnechenko, Tessa Bingham, Nora Bingham, Carla Robb, and Sonya McLaren.

Peter’s family wishes to thank the community for their immense support during his final months. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Peter Bingham Legacy Fund at EDAM.

“I loved and I danced.”
--PB