POW-WOW Bootcamp is back! Starts January 13th 2013!

Back by popular demand we will be kicking off the New Year again with our Pow-Wow
Bootcamp series!

Raven Spirit Dance in partnership with
The Dance Centre presents
Pow-Wow Bootcamp

Sundays January 13th – February 17th 2013
in Vancouver!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Early-Bird Price of $50 for the full
6 weeks series ends January 7th

Nyla Carpentierwill teach the history

& origins of Pow-Wow styles and intertwine it with building muscle & stamina while
meditating with the fast heartbeat of the drum.

No experience necessary. All levels welcome. Ages 16+.

Full 6 week program ~ $65

Register before Monday January 7th and pay only $50!!

Drop-in class ~ $12

We are also excited to share that in 2013 we will be offering a series of workshops
and ongoing classes in voice and dance training with a variety of amazing instructors
from Vancouver and for all levels of experience…we look forward to posting more
info in the New Year!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Photo Credit: Kahente Horn-Miller
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dates: Sundays January 13th – February 17th 2013

Time: 10:30am – 12pm *note that January 20th class will be from 12pm-1:30pm

Location: Scotiabank Dance Centre
at 677 Davie Street

Registration: Please email info@ravenspiritdance.com
or call: 604-646-0010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bio & Description
Nyla Carpentier has 25 years experience of Pow-Wow dancing and will guide each class
with a natural flow of warm up, pow-wow cardio then cool down, & will build
upon pow-wow basics, themes and history as well as the origins of different dance
styles. We will build towards the final class where all participants can dance
for at least 6 songs with no stopping, having discovered their own style of movement
and fitness through Pow-Wow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information and to register, contact us at:
Raven Spirit Dance
677 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2G6

604-646-0010

Email: info@ravenspiritdance.com

Holiday Party and AGM

You are invited…
Come join us on Sunday December 9th
for our holiday party!
As a friend and supporter of Raven Spirit Dance we would like to invite you to join us for this year’s holiday party in Vancouver! Stop by and say hello and please feel free to bring a guest as well! Prior to the festivities beginning we will also be holding our Annual General Meeting.
All members and future members are welcome.
AGM ANNOUNCEMENT
Sunday December 9, 2012 5:30pm in Vancouver
Followed by holiday party from 6pm-8pm
Raven Spirit Dance Society will hold their Annual General Meeting on
Sunday December 9, 2012 5:30pm at the Tipper Restaurant in Vancouver
2066 Kingsway (and Victoria)
Please join us at 5:30pm in the backroom at the Tipper for our AGM and then stick around and join us for appetizers and holiday cheer as we celebrate the year and the season together!

For more information contact us at: info@ravenspiritdance.com or 604-646-0010

Our Amazing Instructors

We wanted to showcase our amazing instructors that will be teaching classes, workshops and hosting professional development information sessions during our Spring Training starting tomorrow May 25th!

We would love for you to join us at the Opening Circle Friday May 25th at 9:30am (originally 9am) to welcome participants, learn about the Training, and have a few breakfast snacks!

Want to attend a class? Come anytime for $15, or take advantage of our 4-Class Card for only $25, or 2 for the price of 1 Workshops for only $40! A super deal to get you moving your body, learning new dance steps and honouring Aboriginal creative history.

Drop-in anytime during May 25th – June 2nd at The Dance Centre and keep informed by facebook or twitter.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Spring Training!

Raven Spirit Dance Society in partnership with The Dance Centre presents:
Spring Training Intensive 2012 in Contemporary & Traditional Aboriginal
Dance, Story & Song…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 24, 2012: Vancouver, BC

May 25th – June 2nd, 2012 – Raven Spirit Dance presents a 9-day intensive program bringing together an impressive roster of prominent Aboriginal artists sharing their expertise in an eclectic mix of dance, story & song in both contemporary and traditional forms.

The idea to create a weeklong training program came from “the desire to bring together artists of different backgrounds and experience to share and acknowledge the rich diversity of indigenous expression in the arts.” (Michelle Olson, Artistic Director). While there are many dance workshops offered throughout Vancouver, this program is unique as it gives artists of all backgrounds and levels of experience the opportunity to develop performance and creation skills combining both traditional and contemporary Indigenous perspectives and practices in Aboriginal dance, story & song.

For young artists who may not know what type of training is out there or the many different paths that can be taken, this training intensive is an unique opportunity to explore and try out different artistic forms that may not be available in their communities, both rural and urban. With classes ranging from Pow Wow and Traditional West Coast Dance to Hip-Hop Songwriting, Contemporary Dance and Métis jigging there is something for everyone.  Participants can choose to enroll for the full 9-day program or pick and choose their classes or workshops on a drop-in basis. There are many opportunities to network and make new contacts through an opening and closing circle, evening trips to theatre and dance events as well as a public presentation of the work explored at the Community Studio Showing on June 2nd from 1:00-4:00pm.

The faculty features established artists Michelle Olson (Artistic Director of Raven Spirit Dance), Robert Baker (Squamish Nation/Eagle Song Dancers), Geraldine Manossa (Professional Development: Bigstone Cree Nation), Russell Wallace (Voice & Song: Lil’Wat Nation), Yvonne Chartrand (Artistic Director of Compaigni V’ni Dansi), and Margaret Grenier (Executive & Artistic Director of Dancers of Damelahamid). Rounding it all out is Contemporary Dance instructor Julia Carr, Yoga Instructor & Creative Writer Quelemia Sparrow, Hip-Hop Artist CarrieLynn Victor, Pow-Wow dancer Nyla Carpentier, Theatre Technician Cass Turner, Starr Muranko (Artistic Associate of Raven Spirit Dance) and Lara Kramer, a Contemporary Choreographer from Montreal, who will be teaching Master Classes in both Creation and Technique.

Raven Spirit Dance Company was founded in 1999 by Artistic Director Michelle Olson of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation (Yukon) and is committed to the creation, development and production of Contemporary Aboriginal Dance.  Based in Vancouver, BC with both a local, national and international presence Raven Spirit’s training and mentorship activities are formulated with the intent of providing artists the opportunity to make work in the creative field, as cultural workers fully invested in communicating, creating, performing and disseminating work as broadly as possibly.  The intent is to develop training opportunities and experience for emerging artists and to foster a stronger sense of community involvement.

For more information and to register please contact Martine Kleissen (Training Coordinator)
by Phone: 604-646-0010 Email: info@ravenspiritdance.com  Website: www.ravenspiritdance.com

____________________________________________________________________________
Raven Spirit Dance 7th Floor- 677 Davie Street (Dance Centre) Vancouver, BC V6B 2G6

Pow Wow Bootcamp no. 2

Our first Pow-Wow bootcamp with Nyla so popular that we are doing it again!

Raven Spirit Dance & Nyla Carpentier presents:
Pow-Wow Bootcamp no. 2
Sundays April 1 – May 13, 2012 from 11am-1pm
at the Dance Centre in Vancouver!

Photo credit: Kahente Horn-Miller

Work up a sweat, build stamina & muscles dancing to the fast
heartbeat of the drum…

As part of our ongoing training and artist development workshops we are pleased to present again, Traditional Pow-Wow Dancer, Nyla Carpentier for this active, fun, dance filled bootcamp!

Basic steps and formations will be shown as well as the history & origins of dance styles. Please dress in comfortable clothing & be ready to work up a sweat while dancing to the rhythm of the drum. No experience necessary. Ages 16+.

Rates:
Full 7 week program ~ $65
Early-Bird Rate* $50 if registered & paid before March 30th
Drop-in class ~ $15
*pre-registration or pay at door
FREE class on April 29th in celebration of International Dance Week!

Fancy Dancer Nyla Carpentier
Dates: Sundays April 1 – May 13th, 2012
Time: 11am-1pm
Location: Scotiabank Dance Centre at 677 Davie Street
Registration: Please email martine@ravenspiritdance.com

Bio & Description
Nyla Carpentier has 25 years experience of Pow-Wow dancing and will guide each class with a natural flow of warm up, pow-wow cardio then cool down, & will build upon pow-wow basics, themes and history as well as the origins of different dance styles. We will build towards the final class where all participants can dance for at least 6 songs with no stopping, having discovered their own style of movement and fitness through Pow-Wow.
For more information and to register, contact us at:
Raven Spirit Dance
677 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2G6
604-646-0010
Email: martine@ravenspiritdance.com
Website: www.ravenspiritdance.com

On the Cusp at the Talking Stick Festival

On The Cusp At The Talking Stick Festival: March 1St And 2Nd, 2012 At The Vancity Cultch Lab In Vancouver

 

 

Join us for 2 distinct evenings of Contemporary Aboriginal Dance featuring the work of choreographers from across Canada and the United States who will be joined by Vancouver’s talented local artists for two evenings of thought-provoking new dance as we push the boundaries, perceptions and possibilities of our contemporary Indigenous dance practice.

 

 

 

 

 

Curated by Raven Spirit Dance in partnership with the 2012 Talking Stick Festivaland complimented by a series of artist talks, panels, dance workshops and professional development opportunities.

Click here for a link to the Talking Stick Festival.

“The moment of an impulse is the collision of inherited world-views, traditional and urban cosmologies, and personal and collective histories. From this place, one dances and creates and it is how one arrives at an expression that is a distinct reflection and response to our cultural selves.” – Raven Spirit Dance Society

Curatorial Statement:
What is it to be “On the Cusp” of something? Something that is new, something that pushes the edge of what is comfortable, challenges the notion of what you thought you knew something to be? The artists have been selected as part of the first Contemporary Aboriginal Dance showcase at this year’s Talking Stick Festival as the questions of who am I? where am I? what am I? In quiet contemplative ways, in still ways, in loud, erratic, provocative and challenging ways. In ways that search for an answer that is sometimes found amongst a vast northern landscape or in abstracted digital urban-scapes, in high mountain deserts that thirst for water or in the depths of our own dark inner caverns sometimes slipping just out of grasp. These moments in time allow you, the audience, to dig deeper with us as artists as we find a new place, a new edge and a new understanding of what is possible together as we push the boundaries and perceptions of our Contemporary Indigenous dance practice. We hope you enjoy the journey with us.

Raven Spirit Dance
Curators of ‘On the Cusp’
Contemporary Aboriginal Dance Showcase
Talking Stick Festival 2012

On the Cusp: Program 1
Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Vancity Cultch Lab
Doors, 7pm, show 7:30 pm

Featured choreographers: Margaret Grenier (Dancers of Damelahamid), Michelle Olson &
Floyd Favel (Raven Spirit Dance), Starr Muranko (Starrwind Dance Projects) and Rulan
Tangen (Dancing Earth)
Post-show artist talk

On the Cusp: Program 2
Friday March 2nd 2012
Vancity Cultch Lab
Doors 7pm, show 7:30pm
Featured choreographers: Daina Ashbee, Waawaate Fobister, Jesse McMann-Sparvier &
Elijah Sweetgrass and Brian Solomon
Post-show artist talk

 

Tickets can be purchase online at: www.thecultch.com or phone Box Office at:
604-251-1363

Workshops, Artist Talks & Professional Development opportunities during the festival
include: (all events below by donation)

Saturday Feb 25th – 1pm – 3pm: Master Dance Class, The Scotia Dance Centre with
Rulan Tangen (Dancing Earth)

Sunday Feb 26th – 10am – 12noon: Community Dance Workshop, The Dance Centre with
Rulan Tangen

Wednesday Feb 29th 7:30pm – Screening of Video and Artist Talk (Sharing
Perspectives: The Paths We’ve Travelled) The Vancity Culture Lab with Rulan Tangen

Saturday Mar 3rd 10:30-11am – Meet the DTRC (Dancers Transition Resource Centre),
The Dance Centre

Saturday Mar 3rd 11am – 12:30 pm Aboriginal Choreographers Panel , The Dance Centre

Saturday March 3rd 2pm-4pm Raven Spirit Dance Training Sampler (Pow-Wow, Westcoast
Traditional, Contemporary) with Margaret Grenier, Nyla Carpentier and Michelle Olson
at The Dance Centre

Sunday March 4th 1-2:30pm – Traditional Hoop Dancing workshop with Jesse
McMann-Sparvier at The Dance Centre

Pow Wow Bootcamp with Nyla Carpentier

Raven Spirit Dance & Nyla Carpentier presents:
Pow-Wow Bootcamp
Sundays Jan 15th – Feb 19th from 11am-1pm
at the Dance Centre in Vancouver!

Photo credit: Kahente Horn-Miller

Work up a sweat, build stamina & muscles dancing to the fast
heartbeat of the drum…

As part of our ongoing training and artist development workshops we are excited to welcome Traditional Pow-Wow Dancer, Nyla Carpentier for this active, fun, dance filled bootcamp!

Basic steps and formations will be shown as well as the history & origins of dance styles. Please dress in comfortable clothing & be ready to work up a sweat while dancing to the rhythm of the drum. No experience necessary. Ages 16+.

Rates:
Full 6 week program ~ $65
Early-Bird Rate* $50 if registered & paid before Dec 31, 2011
Drop-in class ~ $15
*pre-registration or pay at door

Fancy Dancer Nyla Carpentier
Dates: Sundays Jan 15th – Feb 19th
Time: 11am-1pm
Location: Scotiabank Dance Centre at 677 Davie Street
Registration: Please email martine@ravenspiritdance.com

Bio & Description
Nyla Carpentier has 25 years experience of Pow-Wow dancing and will guide each class with a natural flow of warm up, pow-wow cardio then cool down, & will build upon pow-wow basics, themes and history as well as the origins of different dance styles. We will build towards the final class where all participants can dance for at least 6 songs with no stopping, having discovered their own style of movement and fitness through Pow-Wow.
For more information and to register, contact us at:
Raven Spirit Dance
677 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2G6
604-646-0010
Email: martine@ravenspiritdance.com
Website: www.ravenspiritdance.com

Winter Wonderland

My blog post title for today is a little misleading because as I sit here and write this from the 7th floor of the Dance Centre it is more soggy wonderland than winter. It is Vancouver, so it does rain a bit.

It is hard to believe that it is almost December and after a busy month of grant writing in November and two performances of Frost Exploding Trees Moon we are busy with our plans for the upcoming year and beyond.

I would first like to take this opportunity to introduce you to, Martine Kleissen. Martine has joined Raven Spirit on a part-time basis as our new training coordinator. Martine is already busy at work promoting our program that takes place here at the Dance Centre from May 25th to June 2, 2012. We have many returning instructors who participated in our 2010 program as well as expanding our program to include more classes and development workshops. We are busy finalizing the schedule but you can see the prices for the training by visiting the training section of our site.

Currently it is Dance in Vancouver this weekend and it always an excellent opportunity to meet other dance professionals from the community and elsewhere. There are panels to attend, workshops, studio showings and presentations of some fabulous local dance. It is always inspiring to see other work, to hear what others are doing and to just be with your community and fellow artists. Or for me, fellow administrators!

We will back soon with more information on what is up and coming for Raven Spirit Dance and especially about our Spring Fling Fundraiser in the New Year. We will also be offering a Pow Wow class over 6 weeks starting in January to help work off the holiday extras. So go ahead, and enjoy yourself.

Cheers
Janice Beley
General Manager, Raven Spirit Dance

Hoop Dancing Workshop

Join Raven Spirit Dance & Traditional Hoop Dancer
Jesse McMann-Sparvier for a Hoop Dancing Workshop
on Monday May 30th from 4-7pm at the Scotiabank Dance Centre in Vancouver!

As part of our ongoing training and artist development workshops we are excited to welcome Traditional Hoop Dancer, Jesse McMann-Sparvier, from Winnepeg to the Vancouver area this May! Join us for a unique opportunity to have Jesse share her beautiful dances and knowledge through this interactive workshop about First Nations Hoop Dancing (all ages and experience welcome!)

Basic steps and formations will be shown as well as the history and personal importance of the hoop dance. Please dress in comfortable clothing and wear either moccasins or bare feet.

Cost is by donation: Sliding Scale of $5-$15 (cheque or cash)
* pre-registration or pay at door

Date: Monday May 30th 2011
Time: 4-7pm
Location: Scotiabank Dance Centre at 677 Davie Street (Birmingham Studio)

Bio:
Jesse McMann-Sparvier is a multi-disciplinary artist currently residing in Winnipeg, Mb. She is currently working on creating a body of work that focuses on the body as a source for creation and relation to the earth. She has taught with Wandering Spirit Native Awareness and Little Dancing Buffalo. She has also taught many workshops in storytelling, powwow, beading and dance in Rural Alberta and Manitoba. She learns from all cultures and integrates theory, knowledge, practice and ideologies into her dance yet never loses the root of traditional powwow forms and traditional practices. Jesse started dancing 9 years ago, and has been performing powwow for 7 years.
For more information and to register, contact us at:

Raven Spirit Dance
677 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2G6
604-646-0010
Email:info@ravenspiritdance.com
Website:www.ravenspiritdance.com

Raven Spirit AGM

Please join us at our Annual General Meeting.
Sunday, March 27th.
Dance Centre
677 Davie Street
6th Floor

11am to 12pm

Thanks!
Raven Spirit Dance

Next Page »