DanceWorks Presents MINOWIN, A New Multimedia Work By Dancers Of Damelahamid

DanceWorks presents Mînowin, a stunning new multimedia work by Dancers of Damelahamid, a celebrated Indigenous dance company from the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. Choreographed by Margaret Grenier, this original production will be presented at Harbourfront Centre Theatre, October 18-19, 2019.

"The crust of the earth was soft, the light was twilight and there was no running water. A hand reached down and picked up some clay, breath took the clay to the four corners and wherever it landed we awakened." - The Dancers of Damelahamid

Mînowin integrates narrative, movement, song, performance, and multimedia design, connecting to landscapes from contemporary perspectives of customary Indigenous dance forms. Mînowin describes how we clarify direction as we recover and reinterpret the teachings that define and redefine who we are, accessed through story, dance and song.

Dancers of Damelahamid draws from origin stories and explores ways to translate these perspectives through a contemporary lens. Using new mediums, including 3D motion graphics and interactive technologies, Mînowin will engage with the complexities surrounding conventional performance space. The production will balance the space by adding contemporary reflections of Indigenous identity through multimedia elements, in order to immerse the audience in a narrative that illustrates moments of connection, understanding, and renewal.

Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance company from the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. Their rich history of masked dance inspires a compelling performance, celebrating the diversity and time-depth of the many beautiful Indigenous cultures across Canada. Through dramatic dance, captivating narrative, intricately carved masks, and elaborate regalia, the Dancers of Damelahamid transform time and space, and bridge the ancient with a living tradition.

Margaret Grenier (Choreographer) is the Executive and Artistic Director of Dancers of Damelahamid. She choreographed Setting the Path (2004) and Sharing the Spirit (2007), which toured internationally to New Zealand in 2008 and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China. Additional select credits include Dancing Our Stories (2010), Spirit Transforming (2012), and Flicker (2016). Margaret Grenier has directed and produced the Coastal First Nations Dance Festival since 2008 and serves on the Board of The Dance Centre as well as the Canadian Dance Assembly.

Tickets range from $36 - $42, with group rates, senior/CADA, students, and arts industry discounts available. To purchase tickets, please visit danceworks.ca/tickets/ or Harbourfront Centre Box Office