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

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