Dancers of Damelahamid brings its most ambitious production to date to the Victoria audience and engages youth in a separate workshop.
Dancers of Damelahamid has played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting the Indigenous dance traditions of the Northwest Coast that were suppressed for nearly 70 years by the Potlatch Ban. The group came together out of an urgency to preserve the artistic practices integral to defining Indigenous culture and identity. Dancers of Damelahamid has since established itself as a leading professional Indigenous dance company with a unique ability to bridge traditional forms with innovative approaches.
Dancers of Damelahamid returns to the McPherson Playhouse on Jan. 24 to present Raven Mother. Co-commissioned and presented by Dance Victoria, the work pays homage to company co-founder and late Elder Margaret Harris (1931–2020) a champion for the revitalization of Indigenous dance and cultural practices on the Northwest Coast.
In addition to honouring Harris’ dedication to Indigenous dance revitalization, Raven Mother calls attention to women’s and mothers’ essential role in keeping and passing down cultural knowledge to younger generations. The work showcases striking handcrafted traditional masks, movement, song, regalia, sculpture and design interwoven with the embodied narrative. The resulting performance is the culmination of generations of artistic and cultural work.
Since its Vancouver premiere on Oct. 9, Dancers of Damelahamid has been on tour presenting Raven Mother to sold-out venues nationwide.
While in Victoria, Dancers of Damelahamid will share an educational workshop at Quadra Elementary as part of Dance Victoria’s Community Engagement programs.
Get tickets to the Jan. 24 performance online at dancevictoria.com.
