Photo: Doug Wortley
Maamawi (ᒫᒪᐏ): Together Through The Fire
You’re invited into our vision of the future. The world has been transformed through fire, revived through water, and humankind has been gifted the ability to experience Life through the Lessons of the Heart. Maamawi (ᒫᒪᐏ): Together Through The Fire braids the dreams of past, present, and future into a post-apocalyptic landscape. An expression of the Anishinaabe Seven Fire Prophecies, as shared by Anishinaabe Elder, Gloria May Eshkibok, Maamawi (ᒫᒪᐏ) imbues us with heart-light, stewarded by the Original Ones. We are held in trust with Love and Respect for all that is, all that was, and all that will be as we move steadily toward our destiny.
Maamawi: Together Through the Fire (ᒫᒪᐏ) is a full-length augmented realtiy stage performance in Contemporary Indigenous dance choreographerd by Olivia C. Davies with dancers Sophie Dow and Daisy Thompson for live audiences to enter into a fictional, futuristic world following the revelation of the Anishinaabe Seven Fire Prophecies. Using motion-capture techniques, the movements of the duet of dancers are captured in real-time and used to drive animated avatars and visual imagery conceived of and designed by Anishinaabe artist, Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley. Narration by Gloria May Eshkibok and Olivia C. Davies is woven through the score created by Canadian composer, Michael Red. Maamawi (ᒫᒪᐏ) is best suited for proscenium stages.
Presenters Note: a separate 25min virtual reality experience for (8) in-person audience members & up to (25) remote viewers is also available. We provide VR goggles for in-person live performance and server for remote viewers. Please contact Olivia to learn more.
Photo: Doug Wortley
Project Created by: O.Dela Arts
Key Artistic Collaborators:
Producers: O.Dela Arts & Pepper’s Ghost New Media Collective
Co-creator, Choreographer, Director: Olivia C. Davies
Co-creator, Digital Interaction Design: Athomas Goldberg
Co-creator, Visual Design: Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley
Co-creator, Composer: Michael Red
Cultural Consultant: Gloria May Eshkibok
Dance Artists: Sophie Dow, Daisy Thompson
Storyteller: Olivia C. Davies
Audiovisual Playback System Support Team: Chimerik 似不像
Lighting & Technical Director: Jonathan Kim
Costume Designer: Raven John
Rehearsal Director: Kelly McInnes
Performance type: This work is built for theatre
How do you define this work: Dance/Theate, Augmented Reality, Indigenous Futurism, Contemporary Dance
Length of performance: 50 minutes
Audience type: General Audience
General Technical Requirements: The Presenter will provide:
A sprung stage surface that is at least 30'-0" deep x 35'-0" wide, with black Marley dance floor.PA System with 2 onstage monitors.
Lighting System (ETC Family: Ion/Eos/Element/Gio), DMX-controlled, with minimum 80 lighting instruments/circuits or a house hang.
2 projectors: 1 on cyc, 1 on floor (top down projection)
HDMI/SDI cables from projectors to show computers
An overhead grid with positions for hanging lights and the 2 projectors.
A white cyc at the back of the stage that extends the width of the stage.
1 Hazer (optimal, not required)
Very strong and fast wired internet connection.
Sufficient power for all of our computer equipment.
1 Dressing room for 3 performers.
The Company will provide:
1 computer for MoCap Suits, set up backstage - requires wired internet
1 monitor
1 keyboard
1 computer for projection, set up in booth - requires wired internet
1 monitor
1 keyboard
1 laptop computer running sound and projection, set up in booth - requires wired internet
Required amount of time for tech set up: (2) days of technical rehearsal, first performance can be scheduled on 2nd day of rehearsal
Number of Performers on tour (including choreographer): 3
Number of Support Staff on Tour: 2
Availabilities: 2025 Spring season, 2025/26 Season, and 2026/27 Season
O.Dela Arts
The mandate of O.Dela Arts Society is to support the creation and production of contemporary Indigenous choreography by women through community-engaged projects, creative collaboration across discipline and generation, new project commissions, and Matriarchs Uprising.
O.Dela Arts values creativity, integrity, and kinship.
O.Dela Arts is committed to undertaking projects that support the research and creation of Managing Artistic Director, Olivia C. Davies and the company’s artistic associates, Samantha Sutherland and Sophie Dow, and supports the development of production and touring of O.Dela Arts’ creations and collaborations. O.Dela Arts supports the development of educational workshops, community-engaged and interdisciplinary projects offered by its artists with a view towards sharing open-access knowledge and lived experience. Guided by Anishinaabe cultural teachings based on the principle of mutual respect, the company prioritizes a working environment that encourages collaboration and courageous creative expression.
Creativity. At the heart of all we do is the pursuit of creative storytelling through movement that carries out an honoring of individual expression and collective co creation.
Integrity. We strive to engage in reciprocal exchanges that are rooted in an honoring of our diverse natures while expanding the possibility for excellence.
Kinship. Our work is grounded in a passionate desire to uphold meaningful connections, nurture trust and offer mutual respect.
Our vision encompasses a future where dance can flourish in the arts ecology and live performance can take new paths to reaching a widening circle of witnesses.
O.Dela Arts takes us beyond arts and into the heart-shaped space of our spirit. (Olivia C. Davies)
Performance History & Upcoming Performances
Maamwi: Together Through the Fire full-length augmented reality stage show premiered at Matriarchs Uprising Festival 2023, at The Dance Centre, in Vancouver, BC.
Earlier Versions:
July 2022, Dancing on the Edge Festival, Firehall Arts Centre, Vancouver BC (work in progress)
August 2022, World Stage Design @ Scenofest 2022, University of Calgary, Calgary AB (work in progress)
November 2022, Performance PXR, Online (virtual reality live performance)
Most recent presentation:
July 2024, InFrinGing Dance Festival, Crimson Coast Dance Society, Port Theatre, Nanaimo, BC ( (1) stage show & (3) VR experiences )
Project Details
Outreach Activities
Our dance artists and choreographer can offer a community-level movement workshop, or Masterclass for professional-level dancers - to be scheduled when possible during technical rehearsal times.
Co-creators Athomas and Olivia can share a talk about the creative process of Maamawi - to be scheduled outside of technical rehearsal times.
We are open to participating in pre-show and post-show artist talkbacks.
Fees to be negotiated with Presenter.