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Dancers of Damelahamid Flicker January 19, 2018 • 7:30 pm • McPherson Playhouse Running time: 75 minutes (no intermission)
About the Work Choreographer: Margaret Grenier Composer: Andrew Grenier Gitxsan Translations: Elder Betsy Lomax Cree Song: Lawrence Trottier Multi-media Production and Design: Andy Moro Graphics Design: Shaun Kingerlee Coastal Designs/Masks: Andrew Grenier Sound Designer and some music: Ted Hamilton Dramaturg: Charles Koroneho Regalia and Costume Design: Rebecca Baker Performers: Margaret Grenier, Nigel Grenier, Raven Grenier, Rebecca Baker, Jeanette Kotowich The Vancouver East Cultural Centre commissioned Flicker where it premiered in May 2016. It was co-produced by the Canada Dance Festival, with an eastern premiere at the National Arts Centre, June 2016, and supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, and the Vancouver Foundation. Flicker is an innovative multi-media dance piece that combines graphic design with vividly rich imagery that represents the mystical realm portrayed through coastal masked dance. Just as light shimmers, Flicker represents the moments through which one can cross space and time, as the masked dancers journey in and out of the ‘spirit world’ of their ancestors. The flicker, as embodied in the main character in this piece, represents our duality. This dichotomy illustrates how we access our true self; one’s self without limitations. The journey is a learning process by which one acquires the ability
to attain their ancestral gifts and strengthens their capacity to create change. It is through continual and diligent practice that Indigenous dance endures as non-static and relevant to current innovation, influence, and insights. Flicker bridges artistic practices, including coastal, powwow, and contemporary Indigenous dance. Through these intersections, Flicker explores the diversity of dance and reflects the complexity of contemporary Indigenous identities. Flicker tells the story of a young man who discovers his potential. He sets out on a journey to hunt mountain goats. However, when he finds the goats it becomes evident that there is something extraordinary about them. He decides to spare the goats and in return they save him when he becomes stuck on a rock ledge. He continues his journey and becomes entranced by a song emanating from the forest. He follows the song deep into the forest and becomes lost. Fortunately, help comes in the form of a flicker, which guides him to the shores of a river. He follows the river to its mouth, where he finds a large ceremonial house. He goes inside and finds that the people there are in the middle of a feast. He joins them and feasts through the night, enjoying the food, dance, and celebration. In the morning he leaves and joins an old chief who invites him into a canoe. The old chief directs him to a huge whirlpool that sucks their entire canoe underwater. There the old chief transforms into a sea lion and carries the young man across space and time to safety. The young man awakens on a beach close to home. The flicker comes and gives his cloak to the young man. With this cloak, the young man can access his full potential. The young man expresses his gratitude to the flicker and flies away.
Artistic Statement The flicker in the story is meaningful on several levels. The literal flicker, the woodpecker, is significant within Northwest coast design. The split-u design, which is one of the primary components of Northwest coast art, comes from the tail feathers of a flicker. As a core element of Northwest coast art, the split-u design can be used in an endless variety of ways as a building block for complex and beautiful designs. Similarly, flicker uses the elemental forms of Northwest coast art and dance to tell a unique story. Flicker as a metaphor represents the flickering of light. Just like a small flame needs to be nurtured to grow strong, so do the artistic practices of song and dance need constant care and diligent effort to grow and strengthen. There are moments
when a flame grows and flourishes and there are moments when it burns low. For Indigenous arts, there are moments when the practices are strong and vibrant, and there are moments where the art is not visibly present. As Indigenous artists, we hold on to and celebrate the moments where our art is strong and we are uplifted. We also care for our art on the quiet days, as there is so much work that goes into creating dance that is not visible to the audience. There is also an illusive quality to flame, for it does not have a concrete form or structure, it relies on light and movement to be seen. Similarly, dance gives form to the intangible, using movement to express story and metaphor.
About Dancers of Damelahamid The Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance company for the Northwest coast of Canada. The company is founded on over four decades of extensive work of song restoration; having emerged in the 1960s out of an urgency to ensure that the artistic practices of their ancestors was not lost. The current direction of the Dancers of Damelahamid is to redefine and characterize their practice in order that the dances may continue to be tangible and accessible for the next generation.
The company has produced the annual Coastal First Nations Dance Festival since 2008. The company’s full-length dance works have reached national and international audiences and include Setting the Path (2004), Sharing the Spirit (2007), Visitors Who Never Left (2009), Dancing Our Stories (2010), Spirit Transforming (2012), and In Abundance (2013).
Margaret Grenier, Choreographer, Lead dancer Margaret is the Executive and Artistic Director for the Dancers of Damelahamid. She choreographed the full-length works 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. Her other works include Visitors Who Never Left as a site specific work in 2009, Dancing our Stories (2010), Spirit Transforming (2012), In Abundance (2014), and Flicker (2016). Margaret has directed and produced the Coastal First Nations Dance Festival since 2008. Margaret holds a Masters of Arts in Arts Education at Simon Fraser University. She was a sessional instructor at Simon Fraser University for Foundations in Aboriginal Education, Language and Culture in 2007. Margaret was a
Jeanette Kotowich, Margaret Grenier & Raven Grenier in Flicker. Photo by Derek Dix.
Biographies
Biographies (cont’d) faculty member for the Banff Centre Indigenous Dance Residency 2013. Margaret presented at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education in Australia 2008, Peru 2011, and Hawaii 2015. She serves on the Board for The Dance Centre as well as the Canadian Dance Assembly.
Andrew Grenier, Composer, Lead singer Andrew spent 15 years training under Elders Ken and Margaret Harris and has danced with the company since 2004. Andrew has been a lead singer since 2007 with the Sharing the Spirit production. He is also a visual artist working with cedar and textiles, creating the sets and regalia for all of the Dancers of Damelahamid productions since 2004 and for the annual Coastal First Nations Dance Festival. Andrew oversees all the technical and set requirements for the Dancers of Damelahamid and is the Production Manager for the Coastal First Nations Dance Festival. Andrew has a BSc from McGill University and Masters in Environmental Education from Simon Fraser University.
Nigel Grenier, Lead dancer Nigel’s role as a lead dancer for the company has been since Sharing the Spirit (2007), and includes Visitors Who Never Left (2009), Dancing Our Stories (2010), and Spirit and Tradition (2010). Nigel’s ability to bridge ancient and current knowledge and training has played a vital role in the creation of the main character for the contemporary dance work Spirit Transforming (2012). As a young storyteller he placed first in the 2008 National Aboriginal Writing Challenge. Nigel holds a BA in the History Honours program from the University of British Columbia and is currently completing Juris Doctor (J.D.) at the University of British Columbia.
Raven Grenier, Dancer Raven was trained from a young age by her grandparents Elders Kenneth and Margaret Harris. She performed in the productions Setting the Path in 2004 and Sharing the Spirit in 2007 and toured with the company to New Zealand in 2008 and to the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China. She also performed in the productions Visitors Who Never Left (2009), Dancing our Stories (2010), Spirit Transforming in 2012 and 2015, and Flicker (2016). Raven is an accomplished championship level dancer with the Nora Pickett Irish Dance Academy. Raven is currently completing her Bachelor of Science at the University of British Columbia.
Rebecca Baker, Dancer Rebecca Baker is of Squamish and Kwakiutl ancestry. She is an accomplished Fancy dancer with over twelve years of experience and has danced across North America. She has taught and presented pow wow workshops throughout the greater Vancouver area. She has performed with the Dancers of Damelahamid in the recent productions of Spirit Transforming in 2014 and 2015, In Abundance in 2014, and Flicker (2016). Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Arts in the First Nations and Indigenous Studies Program from the University of British Columbia.
Jeanette Kotowich, Dancer Jeanette Kotowich is a Vancouver based professional contemporary Indigenous dance and performing artist. She holds her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University, BC. Jeanette is a seasonal dancer with Dancers of Damelahamid, Raven Spirit Dance, and Compaigni V’ni Dansi. Honoring her Cree Métis heritage (originally from Saskatchewan) as a source of inspiration and reference point in her work, Jeanette is passionate about investigating a blend of contemporary and Indigenous practices.
Andy Moro, Multi-media production and design Andy is a mixed blood Mushkegowuk Cree /European Toronto-based designer. He has toured extensively, implementing and operating his own designs since 1990. He has become a core member of the creative team at the Banff Centre’s Indigenous Dance Residency. He co-founded and is the former Executive Director of the multi-disciplinary arts organization Red Pepper Spectacle Arts and he co-founded the Production Mentorship Program at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre. Andy has designed and/or toured with companies including Native Earth Performing Arts, New Harlem Productions, Young People’s Theatre, Video Cabaret International, Red Sky Contemporary Dance, Debajehmugig Theatre Group, Actor’s Repertory Company, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Sky Gilbert’s Cabaret Theatre, dada kamera, Halfbreed Productions, Western Canada Theatre, Young People’s Theatre, Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, Signal Theatre, the Centre for Indigenous Theatre and more. He is a multi-award winner and nominee and has twice been named among Toronto’s top-10 theatre artists.
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