IndigeDIV 2019

IndigeDIV is a dance and conversation series held on Indigenous Creative Territory. Hosted by Raven Spirit Dance congruent with the Dance Centre’s biennial Dance in Vancouver (DIV), the series brings artists, presenters and audiences together to discuss, share and witness how Indigenous artistic expression is a vital part of our community and it’s deeply rooted values are the foundation that can hold us all up. There is a circle under all that colonization built, RSD invites you to sit in these circles to listen and share. Visit: https://thedancecentre.ca/event/div-opening-events/ for more information and tickets

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Keynote: Sierra Tasi Baker
November 20th, 6 – 640 PM – Scotiabank Dance Centre

Sierra Tasi Baker, MSc, BEnvD, is an award-winning Squamish Nation, Musqueam, Kwakwaka’wakw, Tlingit, Haida & Hungarian designer, consultant, entrepreneur, artist, storyteller and choreographer. She will discuss her work focusing on furthering Indigenous design and contemporary expression whilst focusing on daylighting hidden histories and reconciliatory narratives.

Circle Conversation: Building Meaningful Relationships
November 21st, 430 – 545 PM – Scotiabank Dance Centre
How are meaningful relationships built between presenters and Indigenous artists? What is the depth of these relationships? How can a true power shift influence the infrastructures we work in as we build new frameworks for our organizations that is responsive and responsible to Indigenous artistic community. Three presenters, Jessica Schneider (Anvil Center/Massey Theatre), Kim Selody (Presentation House Theatre), and Miriam Colvin (Bulkley Valley Concert Association) will share their experiences of bringing Indigenous Artists into their organizations and how they responded to situations where their venue or process needed to shift to meet Indigenous artists. Respondents Michelle Olson and Sierra Tasi Baker will offer their reflections.

Circle Conversation: Carrying Indigenous Artistic Process
November 22nd, 1 – 2 PM – KW Studios
What values do our bodies carry into our art, what processes do we employ to create and in what frameworks do we present our work? The artists from the works in development will be sharing their insight on these questions and offering suggestions of how presenters can support them in bringing their process and work into venues and organizations.

Artists: Tasha Faye Evans, Kristy Janvier, Jessica McMann and Starr Muranko

Sharing: Works in Development with Jessica McMann, Tasha Faye Evans, Kristy Janvier and Starr Muranko
November 22nd, 1130 – 1230 PM – KW Theatre

ihksiisiinatsiistostiimao Nipaitapiitsiin (excerpt)
Iihksiisiinatsiistostiimao Nipaitapiitsiin an exploration into adoption, displacement, connection with the land, and disconnection with land interwoven with current realities of lived experience as an Indigenous Woman. The work was developped as part of an MFA Thesis and through additional land-based exploration, Iihksiisiinatsiistostiimao Nipaitapiitsiin has now developed further with Indigenous creation methods and philosophy.

Artistic Collaborators:
Choreographer: Jessica McMann
Composer: Jessica McMann
Videography: Jessica McMann
Film Editing: Kit Chun Lee
Outside Eye/Development: Starr Muranko, Rob Kitsos
Elder: Molly Wells
Photos: Erik Zennstrom

Cedar Woman (excerpt)
At the core of me, is you. The first seed that planted and grew, and grew and grew. I am your prayers. I am all of your dreams wrapped into me. I am your every fall and rise and fall and rise again. When I fight and lose and fight and lose again and again it is your voice that sings and then mine and my daughter’s after me. We are a legacy. Coast Salish women. Cedar Women.

Artists: Tasha Faye Evans in collaboration with carver Ocean Hyland

Chapter 21 (excerpt)
What happens when a vibrant, active artist comes face to face with a crippling collision of events?
She hunkers down. She gets through it by taking one step at a time, allowing her heart to open and shedding what she needs to shed.
And when the worst has passed…..she turns it all into art.
Chapter 21 is a reflection on the days that have come to pass and the art of becoming.
A new baby boy. Chromosome 21. The big ‘C’ diagnosis. 21 days between treatments. 21 days to re-pattern beliefs. Courage. Faith. Resilience.

Join Starr Muranko in this studio showing as she grapples with the edges of healing and art making, the reverent and irreverent aspects of our human experiences, questioning how we share and honour each other’s journey.

Credits:
Choreographed and performed by Starr Muranko
Dramaturge/Mentor: Alvin Tolentino, Michelle Olson and Yvette Nolan
Composer: Edgardo Moreno
Photo: Yasu Okada

what we don’t see/site of a sacrifice (excerpt)
It’s often we don’t see what one has given up when making decisions. A sacrifice can be made for another, an idea, something of value for ourselves or greater good of all or survival. At times all we have left is what we can hold onto.

Choreographer & performer/video & editing: Kristy Janvier

image: photos from MiBC Creative Residency Showing, July 26 2019
Photographer (c) Sophia Mai Wolfe, 2019