Photo: Chris Randle
Louis Riel Métis Dancer's Traditional Showcase and Red River Special
Compaigni V'ni Dansi showcases the Louis Riel Métis Dancers at our Annual Louis Riel Day Celebration which includes traditional and contemporary Métis dances accompanied by a live band. In-between our performances we provide historical and traditional knowledge about Métis culture and dance. Our live band showcases a variety of Métis fiddle and dance music. Eight dancers garbed with exquisite and historical Métis traditional clothing jaunt onto stage showing off their fancy steps, bouncing their beadwork, and taking pride in their culture. The audience is invited to stomp and clap along with the performers, creating a cheerful kitchen party vibe. After we've wooed our audience, the band plays a short traditional set or we have an intermission.
Our second act opens with the Louis Riel Métis Dancers stepping back onto stage in beautiful burgundy satin, gorgeous gold ribbon, sequins, fringe and our Métis tap shoes or "clickers". The Red River Special is a full blown prairie experience complete with an entry, square-dance, Red River Jig, and Orange Blossom Special finale. Totaling 12+ straight minutes of increasingly quicker jigging, our audiences are stunned that we keep up that pace! We bounce, jig, and swing each other as we light up the stage with our steps.
V'ni Dansi is dedicated to preserving and innovating Métis traditional and contemporary dance. The Red River Special is a showcase for that exact purpose. After our finale, we invite all audience members to dance, jig, and participate in the joyful celebration of Métis culture.
Photo: Chris Randle
Project Created by: Yvonne Chartrand - Choreographer
Key Artistic Collaborators:
Louis Riel Métis Dancers - Eloi Homier, André Bessette, Adam McKenna, Olivia McKenna, Perelandra Waddle, Jeannette Kotowich, Sophie Dow, Lyric Tsuji (We have several other dancers that perform for us)
Choreographer and Cultural Knowledge Keeper - Yvonne Chartrand
Musicians - Kathleen Nisbet, Wesley Hardisty, Abigail Wiebe, Fagen Furlong (We have several other musicians that may perform)
Traditional and Contemporary Ensemble Designer - Evan Ducharme
Traditional Beader - Lisa Shepherd
Performance type: This work is built for out-doors or alternate venues/spaces.
How do you define this work: Traditional Métis Dance. Indigenous Dance. Contemporary Métis Dance.
Length of performance: 55-90 minutes
Audience type: General Audience, Children/Family
General Technical Requirements: Minimum space of 10 metres x 7.5 metres., No concrete or carpet. Gym, stage, or stage flooring preferred. Outdoor venues on a case-by-case basis, Métis clickers (tap shoes) are required in performances.
Lighting is ideal, but not required.
Sound accessible for a 3-4 piece band of musicians for live performances
2 microphones. 1 wireless for dancers and 1 wired for musicians.
Required amount of time for tech set up: 2-8 hours of set up which includes a sound check, lighting, and dress rehearsal
Alternative Venues: The Louis Riel Métis Dancers have performed on all surfaces as long as they are safe for the performers. We have the ability to adapt to challenging spaces as we have performed across the country at small community events and sizable stage audiences.
The most ideal flooring is solid, flat, and has some bounce to it that allows us to use our Métis tap shoes. We prefer not to dance on concrete, however we have the ability to adjust. We have the ability to change our shows from moccasins, Métis tap shoes, or running shoes depending on the surface.
Number of Performers on tour (including choreographer): 1 choreographer, 2-8 dancers, 2-4 musicians
Number of Support Staff on Tour: 1 tour coordinator (if required)
Availabilities: 2025 Spring season, 2025/26 Season, and 2026/27 Season
Louis Riel Métis Dancers of V'ni Dansi
V’ni Dansi is a Vancouver-based traditional Métis and contemporary dance company dedicated to sharing the dances, stories and culture of the Métis. Led by Artistic Director Yvonne Chartrand, the company is dedicated to preservation and innovation.
The Louis Riel Métis Dancers are composed of Métis and First Nations dancers. We include both professional dancers as well as community trained dancers bringing together everyone with a passion and love for Métis dance.
V’ni Dansi holds the distinction of being the only company in Canada to teach and perform both Métis and contemporary dance. Meaning “Come and Dance” in Michif, V’ni Dansi is thrilled to share the Métis people’s joyful culture with audiences of all nations.
Performance History & Upcoming Performances
The Louis Riel Métis Dancers have performed across BC, Turtle Island, and Internationally.
In the past year we have celebrated Métis dance across notable events such as the
Métis National Council AGM (2023),
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Prince Rupert and Terrace (2024),
Annual Vancouver Island Métis Rendezvous (2022-24),
and we’re showcased at the Annual Louis Riel Day Celebration by Compaigni V’ni Dansi in November 2024.
The Louis Riel Day Celebration has been running for almost 20 years!
As well, Compaigni V’ni Dansi is touring Yvonne Chartrand’s contemporary dance piece La Mitchin de Michif in Fall 2024.
Project Details
Community Engagement
Our Louis Riel Métis Dancers will provide a brief history and overview of Métis culture and will perform both traditional and contemporary Métis dance styles. Audience members will be invited to stand and learn the Red River Jig! Performances will feature a minimum of two dancers and two musicians.
If you want the true Louis Riel Métis Dancers experience, then book our Red River Special Showcase which brings together a flurry of feet from eight dancers accompanied by four musicians. We’ll impress you with our 12-minute Red River Special including an entry, square-dance, Red River Jig, and Orange Blossom Special.
Our workshops are appropriate for audiences of all ages and include an introduction to Métis history and culture and a participatory tutorial on traditional Métis jigging and traditional community dances. Accompanied by a fiddle player, our instructors have extensive experience teaching children of all ages and skill levels. Workshops are usually led by one dance facilitator and one fiddle player.
Our Louis Riel Métis Dancers can also provide more intricate choreography such as Métis square-dancing, reels, and community dances. If your organization would like to learn more about Métis dance and come away with the ability to dance more than the Red River Jig then consider hiring us for a longer workshop with two dance facilitators. We'll have you jiggin’ and spinnin’ by the end of the day!
Outreach Activities
We provide workshops and performances for school boards, Métis communities, and cultural events across BC, Turtle Island, and Internationally. Yvonne Chartrand and various Louis Riel Métis Dancers have taught dance at Métis nights at the Vancouver Friendship Centre for 20 plus years. Yvonne Chartrand regularly donates her time to community events to provide workshops, performances, and cultural knowledge.
Our workshops are appropriate for audiences of all ages and include an introduction to Métis history and culture and a participatory tutorial on traditional Métis jigging. Accompanied by a fiddle player, our instructors have extensive experience teaching children of all ages and skill levels. Workshops are led by 1 dance facilitator & 1 fiddle player.
Traditional Métis jigging preserves the historical dances of generations ago. Such dances include: The Red River Jig (up to 100 steps), La Danse du Canard, La Danse du Crochet, Métis square dance and reels with calls (usually 8 people). These dances are traditionally done with a poised upper body, feet do not come higher than the ankle bone, and the rhythms mimic the sound of a running horse. These traditions stem from First Nations dances while also embodying the elegance of the European historical dance influence. This fusion ultimately became the unique style of Métis dance. This traditional form was passed on to Artistic Director, Yvonne Chartrand, through mentorships with Métis Elders and knowledge keepers making her knowledge of the old ways a valuable cultural legacy that must be preserved. Check out our jigs for yourself!