Margaret Grenier on Dancers of Damelahamid, “Mînowin,” and the relationship between Indigenous Art and Indigenous Identity

Dancers of Damelahamid are back on the Vancouver stage with their newest offering, “Mînowin.” The brand new show explores the process of recovering and re-interpreting Indigenous teachings over multiple generations, through story, dance, and music. The show’s choreographer, and Executive and Artistic Director of the dance company, Margaret Grenier, is also performing in this production.

In addition to her work with Dancers of Damelahamid, Margaret has also produced and directed the annual Coastal First Nations Dance Festival since 2008. She is a graduate of the Masters of Arts in Arts Education program at Simon Fraser University (SFU), has been a sessional instructor at the University, and has also been a faculty member for the Banff Centre Indigenous Dance Residency. In addition to all these roles, Margaret serves on the Board for The Dance Centre and the Canadian Dance Assembly.

Margaret’s Gitksan and Cree ancestry forms an integral aspect of her art and in “Mînowin” she examines her heritage under the specific lens of moving forward towards the future. We chatted with Margaret to find out more about “Mînowin,” the evolution of Dancers of Damelahamid, and the diversity and power of Indigenous dance forms.

Source: The Vancouver Arts Review