Métis leader Louis Riel envisioned bringing together the people of Canada. A Taste of Metis will attempt to make this vision a reality by the art of storytelling through dance.
The Feb. 27 performance at the Roundhouse Community Centre is a collaboration of different cultural Metis performances and workshops. Compaigni V’ni Dansi, a group of Louis Riel Métis Dancers, will perform traditional Métis dance: a unique blend of European reels and jigs with the dances of our First Nations heritage.
Yvonne Chartrand, artistic director for Compaigni V’ni Dansi, has created and led the choreography since 2001, passionately describes what this dance means for her.
“The Metis dance is meant to be healing to our community. We have been through a lot within the past 100 years and the dance has always been there to bring a healing power to us,” says Chartrand. “It is just like a prayer, where we share an energy of joy, laughter and gratitude.”
Chartrand is not just a contemporary choreographer and dancer, but a national award-winning master Métis jigger. Her ancestors come from the Métis community of St. Laurent, Manitoba. She began performing with a traditional Métis dance group called The Gabriel Dumont Dancers in Winnipeg in 1986.
Photo by Chris Randle
Passion of dance
Compaigni V’ni Dansi, translated from Michif as “Come and Dance”, was founded in 2000 by Chartrand and Mariko Kage. It is a Vancouver-based traditional Métis and contemporary dance company dedicated to sharing the dances, stories and culture of the Métis.
Dancers perform traditional Métis dance under the name of the Louis Riel Métis Dancers and contemporary works as Compaigni V’ni Dansi. The company has performed for events locally, nationally and internationally: such as Vancouver’s International Children’s Festival and Heart of the City Festival.
“[There is a] passion to dance [and] to tell a story [in this group],”says Chartrand.
She adds that Metis dance differs from other forms of contemporary dance.
“[The] fact that each dance carries a story of the Metis people, which was passed on by the elders in the community, and the art of storytelling in each dance make every performance unique, ” says Chartrand. “There is also the presence of dancers wearing different traditional clothing pieces, which has been thoughtfully selected for the performance.”
Elders’ knowledge of the past
OMaddy and Yvonne, Metis dancers. | Photo by Chris Randle
Prior to designing each dance, Chartrand takes the time to interview and research many elder Metis members in the community as well as all over Canada.
“I’m still learning from them and they are always happy to share that knowledge, since the art of storytelling is how our legends [are] passed on from generation after generation,” says Chartrand.
Chartrand wants the audience to be united with the dancers and enjoy the performance.
“The dance is to bring people together: to share the joy, healing energy, and make new friends –
It is about bringing people together just like how the great Métis leader Louis Riel wanted to bring people of Canada together,” says Chartrand. “In other words, the performance is about enjoying the compassion and joy of an upbeat performance together – whether you are one of the dancers or one in the audience.”
There will be workshops to demonstrate “how to make Metis sash”: where the audience can learn traditional Métis crafts, which have been handed down from generation to generation; and create items that combine utilitarian function with aesthetic beauty. There is also an all-skill level workshop on playing a fiddle tune.
The 14th Annual Full Circle: Talking Stick Festival presentation of A Taste of Metis opens on Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. with the performance starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Roundhouse Community Centre.
For more information please visit: www.vnidansi.ca
