Dora Award-winning Indigenous dance theatre production recaptures impacts of a tragic historical event that made headlines around the world.

January 12, 2023 – OTTAWA (Canada) – NAC Indigenous Theatre is proud to welcome the visually stunning Sky Dancers in the Babs Asper Theatre from January 19 to 21, 2023.

Sky Dancers explores the impacts of the Quebec Bridge disaster of 1907. The bridge that was to span 1,000 metres on the St. Lawrence River collapsed while under construction, killing 75 men including 33 Mohawk ironworkers from the community of Kahnawake. It’s a personal story for choreographer Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo whose great-grandfather lost his life that day, and a universal story that touches on family, community, resilience and building bridges between people and generations.

The production, supported by the NAC’s National Creation Fund, premièred in Montreal, and was presented in Halifax in 2021. It went on to win a prestigious Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Touring Production of the Year in 2022 in conjunction with its presenter in Toronto, the Harbourfront Centre.

Artistic Director and Choreographer of A’nó:wara Dance Theatre, Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo, is a multi-award-winning dancer and choreographer who was notably named performer of the year of the Grand Prix de la danse de Montréal in 2021.

Using both contemporary and traditional practices, Diabo brings the past to the present in a way that will enthrall and resonate with audiences while deepening understanding of Indigenous people’s history.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Sky Dancers

Choreography and Direction by Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo.

Featuring: Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo, Simik Komaksiutiksak, Victoria May, Katie Couchie, Falciony Patino, Sebastian “Bash” Hirtenstein, Emmanuelle Martin, and Oliver Koomsatira.

Music Direction by Michael Tekaronianeken Diabo; Set and Video Design by Andy Moro; Lighting Direction by Aurora Torok; Costume Design by Jeff Chief; Video Direction by Samuel Boucher; Co-produced by Gregg Parks; Production Coordination by Claire Bourdin.

PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION

For more information and showtimes, please visit: https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/31522

To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster online or call 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS).
As we have in past seasons, Indigenous Theatre will continue to offer community engaged activity, learning opportunities and corollary programming in and around the work presented on stage. We are honoured to be able to continue to offer $15 All My Relations tickets to the Indigenous community in the upcoming season. It extends to most of the programming from all disciplines at the NAC.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS

Indigenous Theatre and Programming at Canada’s National Arts Centre is made possible through the generous support of individuals and corporations from across the country. The National Arts Centre Foundation wishes to acknowledge the leadership support of Mohammed A. Faris, Kenneth and Margaret Torrance Endowment for Indigenous Theatre and an Anonymous Donor. Thank you to Indigenous Theatre Season Sponsor BMO Financial Group, Official Hotel Partner Embassy Hotel & Suites, and Official Rail Partner VIA Rail. Thank you also to TD Bank Group and the Slaight Family Foundation, Major Sponsors of Indigenous Programming at the National Arts Centre, and Presenting Partner of #ReconcileThis Meta. We also express our sincere gratitude to the Government of Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts for their longstanding support of the NAC and the arts in Canada. 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE 

The National Arts Centre is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams — the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre in collaboration with Black Theatre Workshop, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety — and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

Ian Hobson
Communications Strategist, Indigenous Theatre
National Arts Centre
343-588-0742
Ian.Hobson@NAC-CNA.ca