Dancer launches first production through new company.When she was born, Denise Lonewalker's mother gave her a Mi'kmaq name, Nishka-Na-Wee--Wia-the spirit that dances. In the years since, LoneWalker has lived up to that name. Her list of accomplishments in the world of dance is impressive. She was the first Indigenous woman to graduate with honors from the National Ballet School The National Ballet School of Canada is located in Toronto, Ontario. The National provides a full-time program which combines classical ballet training with academic education from Grades 6 through 12 at its boarding school. . She's performed with the National Ballet Company Noun 1. ballet company - a company that produces ballets troupe, company - organization of performers and associated personnel (especially theatrical); "the traveling company all stayed at the same hotel" , the New York City Ballet New York City Ballet, one of the foremost American dance companies of the 20th cent. It was founded by Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine as the Ballet Society in 1946. , Toronto Dance Theatre, the Paula Ross Dance. Company, Kokoro Dance Kokoro Dance is one of Canada's leading butoh dance troupes. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, it was founded in 1986 by artistic directors Barbara Bourget and Japanese Canadian Jay Hirabayashi. They have performed across Canada, in the United States, and abroad. , and Karen Jamieson Dance Company. She's also choreographed several solo works, and has choreographed and acted in a number of plays, including Age of Iron, Fireweed fireweed, any of several plants that spring up in fire-swept regions, especially the great willow herb Epilobium, which is classified in the family Onagraceae (evening primrose family). , and Dry Lips Oughta Move to-Kapaskasing. The decision to form Still, In Motion was made, Lonewalker. explained, after her performance at the Dancing on the Edge festival-in Vancouver in 1999, when many people who'd watched her performance encouraged her to do her own show. Add to that list now the founding of her own dance company, the Still, In Motion Dance Society. "So I thought I'd take it one step further and form my own company. The name of the dance company, Still, In Motion, came to Lonewalker in a dream. "I had this dream of a dancer friend of mine, Erin... and she put her hand on my shoulder, and said, 'Denise, you are still, in motion.' In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , standing absolutely still inside motion," she said. '"The Still, In Motion Dance Society is a vehicle to strengthen, and share my heritage within the First Nations community, through creation and performance Lonewalker said. "I'm Mi'kmaq, Hopi and Apache, and I feel it's imperative to reach out and tap into Native communities in order for. me to grow as a First Nations artist." Artistically, the main objective of the company is to develop new forms of storytelling based upon contemporary dance and the traditions of Native storytelling. Lonewalker also hopes to be able to offer children's workshops in dance and other performance arts through the company. At the time of this interview, however, Lonewalker's attentions and energies were focused on Dreamscape dream·scape n. A dreamlike scene or picture having surreal qualities. [dream + (land)scape.] , the first production mounted by Still, In Motion. Dreamscape premiered Sept. 26 at the Firehall Arts Centre An art center or arts centre is distinct from an art gallery or art museum. An arts centre is a functional community centre with a specific remit to encourage arts practice and to provide facilities such as theatre space, gallery space, venues for musical performance, in Vancouver, launching the centre's new season. Joining Lonewalker in the production were the three other members of Still, In Motion: fellow dancers Anne Cooper, Michelle Olson and Janna-Jo Scheunhage. Lonewalker has danced with Cooper in the past, in the Karen Jamieson. Dance Company, but this is the first time she has worked with Olson, who is from Han Nation in the Yukon, and Scheunhage, a. Metis Metis (mē`tĭs), in astronomy, one of the 39 known moons, or natural satellites, of Jupiter. Metis goddess of caution and discretion. [Rom. Myth.: Wheeler, 242] See : Prudence dancer from Grand Prairie Grand Prairie, city (1990 pop. 99,616), Dallas and Tarrant counties, N Tex., halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth; inc. 1909. Located in a highly urbanized and rapidly growing area, the city's boom caused its population to double between 1970 and 1990. , Alta. Lonewalker describes Dreamscape as "a spiritual journey of healing." "The audience is taken through a collage-like dream, which reveals the connectiveness of all things, and the never-ending circle of life and death. They'll be taken through this journey, and they maybe able to identify with it, because Dreamscape is the story of all our ancestors," Lonewalker said. Lonewalker said she has always told stories in her works. And she finds infusing the worlds of contemporary dance and traditional Native storytelling to be a natural process, "because dance is part of our own culture. "We danced to celebrate, mourn, and share different life experiences with each other. We danced to honor all life-givers--animals, Plants, women,birth, little people, and our Elders.' |
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