Dancers of Damelahamid, in partnership with the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC, announce the 11thCoastal First Nations Dance Festival, an annual celebration of Indigenous stories, song and dance from Canada and abroad, February 27 – March 4, 2018 at MOA’s Great Hall. Audiences will enjoy a vibrant array of Northwest Coast Indigenous and international Indigenous artistry through ancestral and innovative performances, educational offerings, and youth workshops. Highlights include the Vancouver debut of a distinguished Gwitch’in fiddler, the festival’s first-ever Norwegian-Sami artist in their Canadian premiere, as well as works from Dancers of Damelahamid.
This year’s festival welcomes Indigenous performance groups from throughout British Columbia, the Yukon, Alaska, and Washington State as well as international guest artists. New and not-to-be-missed: Yukon’s acclaimed Boyd Benjamin, aka ‘The Flying Gwitch’in Fiddler’, who has shared the stage with such stars as Buffy Saint-Marie and Ashley MacIsaac, with guitarist Kevin Barr; and all the way from Norway, performance artist Stina Therese Lorås Hessaa, who bridges her early training in ballet at Sweden’s Gothenburg academy with Sami Indigenous traditions.
Other highlights include: Peter Espiritu, the founder and Artistic Director of Hawai‘i’s critically acclaimed contemporary dance company Tau Dance Theater is back to perform in the Pacific Islander tradition. Adorned in stunning regalia, the Haida troupe and festival favourite Rainbow Creek Dancers will share captivating masked dances. Audiences can also look forward to performances by Git Hayetsk and Git Hoan, Alaskan groups with long-standing connections to Dancers of Damelahamid; the 50-member, multigenerational Coast Salish Tsatsu Stalquayu (Coastal Wolf Pack); and Dancers of Damelahamid, who will share excerpts from their own acclaimed works: Spirit and Tradition (2010) and Interweavings (2017).
The 2018 Coastal First Nations Dance Festival comprises of the following events/offerings:
Signature Evening Performances: Ticketed gala events featuring headline performances from Dancers of Damelahamid and special guest artists.
Festival Stage Performances: Showcase presentations from visiting performers. The Festival Stage Performances take place on weekend afternoons and are included with regular admission to MOA.
School Group Performances: Weekday sessions introducing K-12 students to the rich histories and cultures of Indigenous dance, song, and storytelling.
Youth Workshops: Peter Espiritu (Hawaiian artist) and Jessica McMann (Cree hoop dancer) will lead an expanded series of workshops, a unique opportunity for mentors and youth to connect in a responsive environment that strengthens intergenerational ties and facilitates traditional learning techniques.
The 2018 Festival hosts a range of returning audience favourites, and first-time festival performers. For program details, visit: damelahamid.ca
Dancers of Damelahamid + MOA present the 11th annual Coastal First Nations Dance Festival
Dates: February 27 to March 4, 2018
Ticket Prices: School Group Performances (Feb. 27 & 28, Mar. 1): Included with MOA admission (pre-booking required, contact bookings@moa.ubc.ca or call 604-822-3825)
Youth Outreach Workshops (Feb. 27 & 28, 2:30pm) Presented in partnership with UBC FNHL. Free admission. Register by contacting info@damelahamid.ca
Signature Evening Performances (Mar. 2 & 3 at 7:30pm): Tickets: $30 for Adults; $25 for Students/Seniors/MOA Members. Taxes included. Service charges apply.
Festival Stage Performances (Mar. 3 & 4 from 12-4pm) Included with MOA admission
*Admission to MOA is free during the daytime performances for persons of Aboriginal ancestry
Address: Museum of Anthropology at UBC 6393 Northwest Marine Drive Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1
Box Office: ticketstonight.ca
Website: damelahamid.ca
Image by Chris Randle
