Two venues, more dance at upcoming festival

The Dancers of Damelahamid will present the 18th annual Coastal Dance Festival honouring Indigenous stories, songs and dance to an even larger audience this year as it expands to two locations March 4 to March 6.

This year’s performers will take the stage at the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), as well as at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster, B.C.

“I think because there’s a fairly big distance between both venues, like UBC, they will be reaching a different community than the Anvil Centre in New Westminster,” said Margaret Grenier, festival director and artistic director.

“We’re going to have afternoon shows… but the artists who will be sharing at each venue will be different.”

Performers are traveling from Australia, New Zealand and across Canada to take part in the festival.

The event showcases Indigenous spirit and tradition on a modern stage.

“It is a celebration of Indigenous dance. We have primarily dance artists that are traditional Indigenous dancers from the Northwest Coast, but we also host dancers from across the country and internationally,” said Grenier.

The Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance company based in West Vancouver and was founded more than five decades ago by Grenier’s parents and grandmother. The group launched the Coastal Dance Festival in 2008.

The program for this year includes a series of all-ages matinees and evening performances.

It will include the return of an artist sharing series, Dancers of Damelahamid performance and a special collaboration between Raven Spirit’s Starr Muranko and Jo Clancy of Australia’s Wagana.

Additionally this year, there will be a family group song and dance group from various First Nations called Xwelmexw Shxwexwo:s (Salish Thunderbird). The group includes individuals from the communities of Stó:lō, Musqueam, Sts:ailes, Snuneymuxw, Nuu-chah-nulth, Squamish and others.

A more adult-focused program is included in the evening performances from Wagana. It will include a performance from dancer and educator Laura Grizzlypaws (St’át’imc), as well as  Squamish-based Spakwus Slolem (Skwxwu7mesh), who will share their canoe and cedar longhouse culture.

The Dancers of Damelahamid will perform a site-specific excerpt, adapted from its Raven Mother piece, that features Raven sculptures, masks, regalia, and dance.

“We're also doing something very different this year that we haven't done before,” said Grenier. “One of our artists, whose name is Charles Koroneho, is coming from New Zealand and he's going to create an installation which is also going to be shared as a performance.”

The live digital performance installation will explore the concepts of digital artifacts and Indigenous futurism at MOA’s Haida House each day of the festival.

One of the signature performances at the Anvil Centre will feature the festival debut of dancer and local theatre artist Nyla Bedard.

“She does a lot of engagement with teaching dance, specifically powwow,” said Grenier. “She is going to be part of our youth programming in particular, because of just the real strong connection that she’s able to make with young people in introducing and understanding her dance practice.”

Bedard’s family originates from northern B.C, however she was raised in Ottawa and rather than learning coastal dance she grew up attending powwows and learning those traditional dances.

“I want to showcase the evolution of the fancy shawl dance as I’ve been taught,” said Bedard, adding she will also have a few games to show the audience.

The shawl she will wear for her performance she handmade during the pandemic, and her dress was made by a close friend.

“For me, being someone who is of a B.C. Nation but growing up closer to powwow culture… It’s like one of those weird, interesting relationships,” she said.

Bedard has been participating in powwow since she was two years old.

The now 42-year-old tells the story of how she was attending a powwow with her parents as a “tiny-tot” and demanded that she have her own regalia.

Her parents acted quickly and purchased a pair of moccasins from a vendor and one of their friends had extra beadwork that they draped over her.

“And then I like kind of ran off and danced… until I fell asleep,” she said. “The next year they got me my own first regalia and I’ve been dancing ever since.”

Throughout her life she has participated in many powwow and special events, including a showcase on the  Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.

She’s looking forward to being a part of the Coastal Dance Festival and showcasing her style of dance for the audience.

“I’m excited to be a part of it because I’ve had cousins and family and family friends be part of this festival, so I look forward to sharing the stage with some amazing dance groups and dancers and different Indigenous dance styles,” Bedard said.

For more information on the Coastal Dance Festival performances and showtimes visit Coastal Dance Festival : Dancers of Damelahamid

Local Journalism Initiative Reporters are supported by a financial contribution made by the Government of Canada.