Bob Baker (Squamish Ancestral name is S7aplek, Hawaiian name is Lanakila) is co-founder and Spokesperson for Spakwus Slolem (Eagle Song) the most reputable Dance Group of the Squamish Nation.

Born and Raised Squamish, Bob has been exercising his Culture through Singing, Dances, and various presentations, for over 35 years . Accomplishments range from revival of Sea-going Canoes and traditions, to Cultural projects such as the 27 ft. Grandmother Welcome Figure, at Ambleside Beach Park, to dance presentations in Taiwan, Hawaii, Japan, Switzerland, (Montreaux Jazz Festival), and opening Ceremonies for Western Canada Summer games, Nation Aboriginal Hockey Championships, International U18 Lacrosse Championships, and recently, opening ceremony for the Canada Aboriginal Music Awards. To Blessing Ceremonies for B.C. Ferries, in Flensburg, Germany and the Tallships flotilla Blessing Ceremony here at English bay, Vancouver. On-going performances and projects continue through-out the Lower Mainland, Vancouver, Squamish-Whistler and Vancouver Island.

In the warmer months Bob can be found training in the traditional dug-out war canoes, as well as the Great Sea-going Canoes, and as a steersman for Tribal Journeys, and the Pulling Together Journey, visiting Villages along our beautiful coasts of British Columbia and,Washington State.

Cole Alvis (she\her) is a Turtle Mountain Michif (Métis) artist based in Tkarón:to with Chippewa, Irish & English ancestors. She is one of the leaders of lemonTree creations, manidoons collective, and AdHoc Assembly, and is on the board of the Dancers Of Damelahamid. Cole has performed, directed and toured both queer and Indigenous performance across Turtle Island (North America)

Originally from Treaty 4 territory Saskatchewan, Jeanette Kotowich creates work that reflects Nêhiyaw/Métis cosmology within the context of Indigenous performance, Indigenous futurism and contemporary dance. Her creations have been presented at theatres and festivals across so-called Canada, including Kwê at Matriarchs Uprising and The Dance Centre’s Dance In Vancouver. During the pandemic, Jeanette’s been creating a series of short experimental dance films and has been artist-in-residence at Raven Spirit Dance, NAC Indigenous Theatre, and The Dance Centre. In the summer of 2020, she conducted land-based research in her home province of Saskatchewan, fusing interdisciplinary collaboration, de-colonial practices and embodied research towards the creation and premiere of Kisiskâciwan, which is now Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto: movementhealing.ca

Nyla Carpentier (Tahltan, Kaska, French and Scottish) is a multifaceted performing artist currently residing in North Vancouver, BC. Since the age of three, Nyla has been powwow dancing. Over the last 35 years she traveled cross Turtle Island dancing at various powwows and festivals. She also teaches the various powwow styles, sharing the dance steps and the history. Since 2011, in partnership with Raven Spirit Dance Company, Nyla started the popular Powwow Bootcamp class which runs during the winter for 6 weeks at the Dance Centre in Vancouver. Nyla is also an actor, writer and new mom.

Tasha Faye Evans is a member of Vancouverʼs innovative and multi-disciplinary theatre community. Tasha Fayeʼs work includes critically acclaimed productions of Radix Theatreʼs Box, and Bewildered, Boca Del Lupoʼs The Beginners, and her own one-woman play, She Stands Still. Recently dancing Starr Murrankoʼs Spine of the Mother at Vancouverʼs Dancing on the Edge Festival Tasha is thrilled to bridge her theatre practice with her love of dance. A teacher, theatre performer, and dancer Tasha extends her gratefulness to her Coast Salish Territory that runs strong through her blood and sings magic into her art.

Troy is Blackfoot from the Kainai Nation. He has worked as an actor, dancer, choreographer, director, dramaturg and instructor. He has most recently worked with Quest Theatre; Into The Light for the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity; Niitahtaastsi for Juper Theatre; Lilies for Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Why Not Theatre and Lemon Tree Creations; Sal Capone, The Lamentable Tragedy of… for the National Arts Centre; Iniskim for the Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry/NAC. He has recently worked for Toronto Dance Theatre and Raven Spirit Dance. He was asked to be part of Older and Reckless 20/50 project in progress presented by Moonhorse Dance Theatre. He was featured in Julia Aplin’s film For You. Troy has also published and worked as a curator. He was instrumental in setting up programs with the Centre for Indigenous Theatre and the University of Lethbridge. His work with Quest Theatre entitled We Are All Treaty People was nominated for a Dora Award in the Young Peoples Theatre division. He was curator and programmer for “The Bannock Bumms and Buddies Variety Cabaret Show Spectacular! Spectacular! as part of Springboard Performance’s Fluid Festival at the Grand Theatre This past October. 

Carlos Rivera is a director, choreographer, and a performer, originally from Mexico City. He

graduated from the National Theatre School in 2018; and recently graduated from the MFA in

Directing for Theatre at the University of Ottawa. Carlos has worked and collaborated with

several companies across Canada, including Red Sky Performance (Toronto), Globe Theatre

(Regina), Raven Spirit Dance (Vancouver), MT Space (Kitchener), Puente Theatre (Victoria),

and Ondinnok (Montreal). Currently, he is developing his first play, The Little Rooster, through

an artistic residency with the support of Necessary Angel in collaboration with Aluna Theatre.

He is continuously working on numerous artistic projects as a performer and director.

Carlos Rivera Biografia

Carlos Rivera es director, coreógrafo e intérprete, originario de la Ciudad de México. Se graduó

de la Escuela Nacional de Teatro en 2018, y recientemente de la Maestría en Dirección de Teatro

en la Universidad de Ottawa. Carlos ha trabajado y colaborado con varias compañías en todo

Canadá, incluyendo Red Sky Performance (Toronto), Globe Theatre (Regina), Raven Spirit

Dance (Vancouver), MT Space (Kitchener), Puente Theatre (Victoria) y Ondinnok (Montreal).

Actualmente, está desarrollando su primera obra de teatro, El Gallito, a través de una residencia

artística con el apoyo de Necessary Angel en colaboración con Aluna Theatre. A su vez, trabaja

continuamente en numerosos proyectos artísticos como intérprete y director.

Edgardo Moreno is a Canadian- Chilean composer that has been commissioned for projects in Canada,

Venezuela, Mexico, Sweden, Argentina, Colombia,England and USA. He has worked extensively with

indigenous contemporary dance choreographers and artists including Penny Couchie, Justin Manyfingers,

Alejandro Ronceria, Olga Barrios, Norma Araiza, Rulan Tangen, Starr Muranko ,Tasha Faye Evans, Jeanette

Kotowich, Carlos Rivera, Sara Roque. He is presently working in creating video and live sound pieces that are

part of his Fireflyproject. w ww.musicamoreno.com www.fireflyproject.ca

Yvonne Chartrand is a choreographer and dancer as well as a national award-winning master Métis jigger. Her ancestors come from the Métis community of St. Laurent, Manitoba. In 2000, she co-founded V’ni Dansi (“come and dance” in Michif) where she continues to act as Artistic Director. Yvonne’s Métis dance work was passed to her through many Métis Elders such as Maria Campbell and John Arcand; she is one of the only people in Canada who holds this traditional knowledge. As a cultural keeper, Yvonne is dedicated to preserving traditional Métis dance in Canada.

Her contemporary works are always informed by her Métis identity. As a contemporary dance choreographer she has conceptualized and co-choreographed company group works: A Poet and Prophet 2003, Gabriel‘s Crossing 2004, and The Crossing in 2006 (a dance trilogy inspired by these earlier works) written and directed by Maria Campbell. Her first full-length dance-theatre work Cooking It Up Métis created for young audiences has toured extensively to schools throughout B.C.

Yvonne’s solo Marguerite in 2000 was inspired by the lives of the Métis Women who endured the Red River and NorthWest Resistances, Stories from St. Laurent was inspired by stories gathered from six Elders in her ancestral community of St. Laurent, Manitoba. Her mentor Robin Poitras created the commissioned solo Sara Riel: The Long Journey with Edward Poitras, which Yvonne performed at New Dance Horizons, Regina in 2014 and toured to Edmonton and Winnipeg in 2016. Her solo Eagle Spirit premiered in Vancouver at V’ni Dansi’s annual Louis Riel Day Celebration 2016. She is currently developing a new solo work Rou Garou inspired by the Métis trickster figure. In 2022, her collaboration with Indigenous choreographer and dancer Rulan Tangen of Santa Fe’s Dancing Earth, Li Mitchin di Mitchif, will premiere in Vancouver for National Indigenous Peoples Day 2022.

Yvonne was awarded a 2011 Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award from the Canada Council for the Arts.