If you love contemporary dance, or even just a great show, the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre has a production coming you won’t want to miss.
Described as one of the world’s leading Indigenous dance, theatre, music and media companies, Red Sky Performance will be bringing their newest production titled Trace to Duncan on Sunday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
“Being able to confirm a date on this award-winning company’s North American Tour and to present it to our audience in Cowichan is very exciting for us,” said Kirsten Schrader, CVRD Arts & Culture Division manager. “Red Sky’s mission is to create experiences of contemporary Indigenous arts and I believe that the Cowichan region is ready and eager to attend shows of this artistic calibre and passionate spirit.”
So what can audiences expect to see?
“Trace is a highly kinetic contemporary dance work inspired by Indigenous (Anishinaabe) sky and star stories, offering a glimpse into our origins as well as our future evolution,” says a press release for the show.
“We are traceable to the very beginnings of the universe, our ancestral origins stretching across the Milky Way to the atoms burning inside of us in the ‘here and now’ on earth,” explains Red Sky Performance.
Powerful imagery, storytelling and music are the hallmark of each Red Sky presentation, the release says. Sandra Laronde, executive and artistic director has been described as “a force of nature to be reckoned with” by Dance International.
“Her vision comes through in each exceptional new work and program. It elevates the artistic ecology of contemporary Indigenous artistry and contributes to building vibrant Indigenous communities across Canada and worldwide,” said the release.
“Laronde’s concept of performance explores the relationship between movement, live music, theatricality, and image,” the release says. “Her engagement in these disciplines involves collaborations with dancers, musicians, composers, choreographers, visual artists, actors, writers, designers, researchers, and culture keepers are integral to Red Sky Performance’s distinct productions.”
Red Sky Performance has certainly found success following this vision. They have delivered more than 2,755 performance across Canada, have performed internationally in 17 countries, including for both the Beijing and Vancouver Olympics. They company has received 16 Dora Mavor Moore awards and nominations, two Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, three International Youth Drama Awards and the Smithsonian Expressive Award.
Vaccine passports will be required to get into the venue, and masks are also required for everyone five years of age and older.
Get tickets by calling the Cowichan Ticket Centre at 250-746-2722 or go to cowichanpac.ca