Dancers of Damelahamid’s latest production, Mînowin, is visually stunning and deeply meditative.
For context, it’s important to know that Canada’s potlatch ban lasted from 1885 to 1951 – many people continued to practice their dances and hold potlatches in secret, but there was still a powerful fear that these traditions might become lost. This dance group was founded in the 1960s to ensure that Gitxsan dance traditions would continue, to celebrate the fact that the dances could be taught and presented openly again. Today the company is run by Margaret Grenier, daughter of the founders, and is a highly respected dance group that performs all over the world.
In Mînowin, the group celebrates both Gitxsan and Cree traditions through a variety of short pieces, closing with a contemporary dance focusing on resilience. Powerful singing and dancing comes together with a truly brilliant set, projection and lighting design that gives each piece a unique sense of place, transforming The Cultch into an ocean with swimming orcas, then a herd of horses galloping through prairie grass, then a forest fire that’s gradually subsiding, allowing new life to begin. In some of the later pieces, the lighting is integrated directly into the dance, creating echoes of dancers steps or the sweeping motion of a cedar bough. Throughout, the overall lighting scheme is somewhat dark, adding drama to the lighting effects and the motions of the dancers.
My one quibble in all this is that I didn’t always know what was going on. Some pieces are introduced in an indigenous language followed by English, some in an indigenous language only, and some had no introduction at all. It feels peevish to complain about this. Did indigenous people in Canada ever have to deal with situations where they didn’t speak the language and didn’t know why things were happening? Duh. Even so I’d say if it’s going to bother you a lot when there’s clearly a story being told and you don’t know quite what the story is, then don’t go.
If you’re ready to appreciate the beauty of the performance and to just let go during the parts when the meaning isn’t handed to you, then absolutely go. I’m finding there was a dreamlike quality to Mînowin that has me appreciating it even more the next day. The production is on for only a short run at The Cultch to November 24th. To grab tickets, visit The Cultch.
By Contributing Writer: Tiva Quinn
In case you haven’t heard, the The Vancouver Fringe Festival kicked off another year on September 5th. There’s a great line of experimental local theatre happening around town. Our contributing writer, Tiva Quinn, went to check our My Name is Sumiko on now at What Lab, 1814 Pandora Street. Here’s what she had to say about this production:
I didn’t make it when Children of God was in Vancouver last year partly because the idea of making a musical about child abuse and cultural genocide seemed a bit implausible, I wasn’t sure it could really work. In fact, it works brilliantly. The script does a fantastic job of including some humour and even some redemption amidst the pain without shying away from the worst things that happened at residential schools.
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Contributing writer, Tiva Quinn, checked out a few shows being featured as part of the 
funniest moments and also the most painful, heart-tugging moments come from the difference between what the characters say and what’s going on in their minds. It also means that we get to see the process in motion both when they try to protect themselves and when they try to reveal themselves. All four actresses do a terrific job here, and the set deserves honorable mention as well.
Map of the Land, Map of the Stars by Gwaandak Theatre achieves the unusual feat of being very educational and raising provocative questions, while at the same time presenting a dreamlike quality as theatre, dance and projected images blend to present a variety of “story beads” about life in the Yukon over the centuries for indigenous people and the various other peoples who came to the country and interacted with them.
The Cultch, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Saga Collectif and Zee Zee Theatre bring you an inspiring production, 
Contributing writer, Tiva Quinn, steps outside of East Van to review an important production that just completed a short run at Performance Works on Granville Island. Although it’s completed, we wish to feature it as it provides valuable information and insight for survivors of sexual abuse.
You are invited on one man’s journey through the extremes of body building and health fitness. Feasting on Famine explores the symmetry between the human body and excess of capitalism in a world where one man consumed the daily caloric intake of a family of five. Shay Kuebler takes you from the beginning stages of training at local gyms and fitness centers to an obsession with what foods and supplements help the body function at peak performance. His journey has made him question “the ethics and morality of health and fitness as a business (a very big business) and, furthermore, examine how the industry is misrepresenting and framing – staging – our expectations of what health and fitness should look like.” We all want a healthy body, but the definition of what is healthy is defined different by individuals, health professionals and big business trying to sell you health in a bottle. So who do you believe? Experience one man’s journey trying to figure it all out. Feasting on Famine hits the stage at the Firehall Arts Centre this Wednesday, September 27th and runs till September 30th. Tickets are available online from 
Have you heard that clowns are in town? Mump & Smoot, a famed Canadian clown duo from Toronto have landed in Vancouver. They bring their latest show, Mump & Smoot In Anything to The York Theatre for a short run. Their show brings a rather twisted world straight from their imagination. We sent our new contributing writer, Tiva Quinn, to check out Mump & Smoot. 
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