Dancers of Damelahamid
Raven Mother
Raven Mother, Human Frog. Photo: Eric Sanderson
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.
Dancers of Damelahamid cultivate and uphold relationships with the Indigenous communities upon whose territories their artistic practice takes place. The company primarily creates, presents, and produces Indigenous dance on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), and the Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
Raven Mother
Raven Mother is a multimedia dance work in honour of the late Elder Margaret Harris (1931 – 2020)—illustrating the vast impact she had on the revitalization of song and dance along the Northwest Coast, and the resiliency of Indigenous cultural practices despite colonial efforts to erase them. This work illuminates the significance of this resurgence, and the essential role of our mothers in holding cultural knowledge, and the force and influence of this awakening.
Performance History
Raven Mother will premiere in Spring 2024
History:
Ottawa - National Arts Centre Indeigenous Theatre - Sept 26-28, 2019 (Premiere, Minowin)
St. Catharines - FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre - Oct 30, 2019
Happy Valley-Goose Bay - Lawrence O’Brien Arts Centre - Oct 5, 2019
St. John’s - The LSPU Hall - Oct 8, 2019
Mexico - Main Theater - Oct 14 & 15, 2019
Toronto - Harbourfront Centre Theatre - Oct 18 & 19, 2019
Vancouver - The Cultch - Nov 20, 21, 22, 23 & 24, 2019
Kelowna - Rotary Centre for the Arts - Oct 8, 2022
Duncan - Cowichan Arts Centre - Oct 22, 2022
Oliver - Venables Theatre - Nov 12, 2022
Revelstoke - Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre - Nov 26, 2022
Project Details
Project created by: Dancers of Damelahamid
Key Collaborators:
Margaret Grenier, Executive and Artistic Director, Choreographer, Dance Artist
Andrew Grenier, Production Manager, Set and Design
Rebecca Baker-Grenier, Dance Artist and Regalia Design and Creation
Raven Grenier, Dance Artist, Vocalist and Composer
Betsy Lomax, Elder, Traditional Knowledge Keeper
David Boxley, Traditional Knowledge Keeper, Master Carver
Charles Koroneho, Collaborating Director
Jeff Harrison, Lighting Designer
Andy Moro, Projection Designer
Performers: TBA
Audience: General Audience
Length in minutes: 70 minutes - Full length work
Space required: STAGE: Approximately 11.28m wide x 8.53m deep measured from the main curtain (plaster line) to the back wall and between leg curtains. Additional side and backstage space is required. FLOOR: The stage surface should be sprung. The company will not perform on concrete.
General technical requirements: LIGHTING: The venue must be equipped with a full lighting grid with positions over the stage as well as in the FOH.
Availability: March and April of 2023, available during the 2023/24 season except in January and limited in February and March, and generally available during the 2024/25 season.
Number of performers on tour including choreographer: TBA
Number of support staff on tour: 3 crew and 1 company manager
Community Engagement Activities
Advanced prep for communities online is possible.
Dancers of Damelahamid are available for a number of outreach and audience engagement activities such as lecture-demonstrations, workshops, masterclasses and artist talks. Activities include interactive dance movement as well as an overview of Indigenous history and dance practices.
The Dancers of Damelahamid facilitate a movement-based workshop series centred on the contemporary Coastal Indigenous dance form. Through basic dance instruction, exploratory work, partnered improvisation, as well as sourcing through song and narrative, participants will engage in the shared experience of dance. Workshops will be tailored to the level of experience of participants.
Contact: Dancers of Damelahamid, jonathan@damelahamid.ca
Agent/Manager: Sabine Rouques, sabine@damelahamid.ca
Website: Damelahamid.ca
Facebook: Damelahamid
Raven Mother, Lullaby Mask Photo: Eric Sanderson