Shared by Genevieve Kustiak
Tri- Community Dance Club proudly presents: The Circle Unites Us
Working with multiple partners, both within the community and beyond, TCDC co-developed a project that we called the ‘Circle Unites Us’. The initial part of the project was a 4-day workshop featuring African Dance, Hip-Hop, and Indigenous Hoop dance. The workshop was held at JRMCC from August 15-18, 2022. Workshop participants attended hip-hop and hoop dance sessions and then worked with both instructors on the final day to create a fusion of the two dance forms. Brandon White of @b/w Photo was engaged to document the children’s experiences throughout the week and work with TCDC to develop a film which highlighted the learning process of the participants.
The film that follows: The Circle Unites Us, is the culmination of this project. Through this project we provided an opportunity for the children of the tri-community to take part in an exploratory and educational experience. Dance forms, in all parts of the world, have a history and teachings to be shared. Dance forms have evolved through time as they connected with new cultures and as individuals expressed themselves. This evolution was prohibited for a period of time. As we strive to live our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and our mission of sharing the spirit, practices and values of dance, TCDC looks for ways to offer opportunities for children to explore the cultural elements of a variety of dance forms and revive dance within our community. This workshop provided this learning opportunity but also provided space for the children to express who they are and infuse themselves into these two dance forms.
We were humbled by this experience and are grateful to all those who participated in this project, both the facilitators and the participants. A huge thank you to SK Arts, The Town of La Ronge, Dance Saskatchewan and JRMCC who sponsored this project. Thank you for coming together to create a meaningful and deep impact which was felt by all those involved. We are honoured to share this film and we hope you enjoy watching it. Feel free to leave us a comment about what resonated with you. Thank you/tiniki for watching.
Huge thank you’s to all those involved in this project and especially our instructors Chancz Perry, Lawrence A. Roy Jr., Sarah Hoag, the artists, b/w PhotoBrandon White, Art by AnnalisaAnnalisa Heppner and Dennis Roberts (photography assistant) and @New Dawn Drum Group Aleisha Charles, our partners and sponsors, SK Arts, Dance Saskatchewan, Town of la Ronge, JRMCC SPORTS & RECREATION DEPT., and all of those who volunteered, participated and spoke to our camera team and of course, the children- our future and our reason.
Feel free to also visit our website for more information (special projects tab).