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Secret Gardens Tour
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Jeanette Kotowich: Steppin'

Steppin' is an energetic, knee slapping, toe tapping contemporary Métis jig solo. Musically driven by the fiddle's undeniable force, the impulse for movement is sparked like a flint that ignites fire. With electricity of the jig and fancy steps that rebound off the earth - for a moment in time, milliseconds before you return to earth you are propelled in the direction of Spirit, like a horse running in the open wild. It is a celebration of the joy of movement, the healing in dance, the significance of heritage, and the love of Métis culture.  
Steppin' moves through time weaving between histories; mirroring Métis Cultural traditions against contemporary dance influences, I search to harmonize with a sense of belonging while referencing my identity as a contemporary Indigenous person. 
Steppin’ is created and conceived by Jeanette Kotowich with sound design by Wayne Lavallee and guest Métis fiddler JJ Lavallee.

About Jeanette Kotowich

Jeanette Kotowich is a Vancouver based professional contemporary Aboriginal dance and performing artist. She holds her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University, BC. Jeanette is a seasonal dancer with Dancers of Damelahamid, Raven Spirit Dance, V’ni Dansi, and creates her own work as an independent artist. Jeanette is the Artistic Associate for the annual Coastal First Nations Dance Festival, a member of the Full Circle First Nations Performing Arts Ensemble, the Indigenous Performing Art Alliance & a founding board member/secretary for Savage Society. She works in arts administration in areas of marketing, social media design, out-reach coordination, as well as, stage management & production. As her latest endeavour, she recently established a performance collective of dancers & musicians under the name of Métis Massive. Honouring her Cree Métis heritage (originally from Saskatchewan) as a source of inspiration and reference point in her work, Jeanette is passionate about investigating a blend of contemporary and Indigenous practices.

DATES & TIMES:
Saturday, July 15   11:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 16   2:30 & 3:00 p.m.
VENUES
Free Site #2 The Chapel (John Paul II Centre, 2200 25th Avenue) (Saturday)
​Garden #2 (Sunday)
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Dancer: Jeanette Kotowich. Photo by Julie Geremia

Carleigh MacDonald & Natasha Molnar-Fluter: Our Mandalas

Our Mandalas, created by Connie Moker Wernikowski is a duet to music by Neko Case whose exquisite lyrics are at once delicate and harsh, joyful and sorrowful. The dancers, Carleigh Macdonald and Natasha Molnar-Fluter, move within a restricted space of two–five foot circles. In four contrasting movements, the dancers explore the lived landscape of young women: their mandalas.  

Choreography: Connie Moker Wernikowski
Dancers: Carleigh Macdonald, Natasha Molnar-Fluter
Music: Neko Case, with thanks to Garry Wasyliw for additional sound design
Set: Bob Fluter
Costumes: Connie Moker Wernikowski with thanks to Robin Poitras, Colleen Molnar, and Janet Buettner
Special thanks to Dance Saskatchewan/ Sask Lotteries for financial support. A Big Sky Dance Collective Project.

About Natasha Molnar-Fluter 
Natasha has performed in Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan 2016; the Secret Garden Tour (New Dance Horizons) 2015 and 2016; the Stream of Dance Festival: New Works Regina (New Dance Horizons) 2016; The Blanket Folding Project 2016; Rael’s Journey (Shumiatcher Sandbox, Globe Theater) 2015; Sixty/Forty: Recent Works by Connie Moker Wernikowski (New Dance Horizons) 2014. She is a former member of the Youth Ballet Company of Saskatchewan, which provided the opportunity to perform throughout Saskatchewan, Edmonton, and Scotland (Aberdeen International Youth Festival). Additionally, Natasha has apprenticed with SQx Dance, an international contemporary dance company in British Colombia. Her upcoming works for the fall will be with Connie Moker Wernikowski and with Carleigh Macdonald and the Youth Ballet Company of Saskatchewan. Natasha is a mathematics major at the University of Regina. 
​

About Carleigh Macdonald 
While  a  member of the Youth Ballet Company of Saskatchewan, Carleigh performed  in Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, and  Aberdeen, Scotland. Since graduating from the school, Carleigh has participated in  projects with local artists including Connie Moker Wernikowski’s New Dance Horizons show, Sixty Forty; Johanna Bundon’s Globe Theatre Sandbox Series production of Rael’s Journey; as well as works by Caitlin Coflin, Johanna Bundon, and Bee Pallomina. She performed in Connie Moker Wernikowski’s Our Mandalas in last year’s NDH’s Stream of Dance Festival as well  as part of Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan’s For the Love of Dance. Upcoming works include collaborations with Connie Moker Wernikowski, Toronto’s Karen Rose, and the Youth Ballet Company of Saskatchewan. Carleigh is currently an English major at the University of Regina, as well as an instructor of ballet and modern dance at Youth Ballet and Contemporary Dance of Saskatchewan.

DATES: Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16
TIMES: 11:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m.
VENUE: Free Site #2 The Chapel (John Paul II Centre, 2200 25th Avenue)
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Dancers: Carleigh McDonald & Natasha Molnar-Fluter. Photo: Daniel Paquet
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Dancers: Carleigh McDonald & Natasha Molnar-Fluter. Photo: Daniel Paquet

Robin Poitras & Krista Solheim: Silk Dance

Fluttering silks become an extension of the dancers’ bodies: they soar, spiral and create breezes, which are magnified by the heft of the garment and become a tornado. The silk dance is, as Rob King writes, “an ethereal art in which the human form, the imagination and spirit of the dancer extends out through the silk. And the silk returns the favour. Movement creates force that creates movement. The dancer forms spirals of fabric that stir the air and in turn play upon each present and future movement of the material. With movement comes a sound only heard on the sea, on the wide prairie, or in a dream.”
(Timothy Long)
Dancers: Robin Poitras and Krista Solheim
Cellist: Cameron Lowe

About Robin Poitras
Robin Poitras is the recipient of the 2016 Lieutenant Governor’s Lifetime Achievement award Poitras is one of Saskatchewan’s most prolific dance and performance creators. For many years Poitras has traversed the formal worlds of dance and performance art and has presented across Canada, in Spain, France, Germany, Mongolia and Mexico.

About Krista Solheim
Krista Solheim is an independent dance artist and movement teacher based in Regina, SK. She completed a BFA in Contemporary Dance from Concordia University in 1998 and has taught a variety of movement classes across Canada over the past 20 years. Since her graduation, Krista has worked with a range of choreographers as performer; and as choreographer, she has worked to develop her voice as a soloist.

DATES & TIMES:
Saturday, July 15   12:00, 1:20, 2:00 & 2:40 p.m.
Sunday, July 16   1:40 & 2:40 p.m.
VENUES:
Garden #2 (Saturday)
Free Site #2 The Chapel (John Paul II Centre, 2200 25th Avenue) (Sunday)
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Dancer: Robin Poitras. Photo: Don Hall

Linda Yablonski: Tribal Style Belly Dance

Tribal Style Belly Dance answers the modern day longing to be part of a tribe of women, encouraging, uplifting, supporting and celebrating life together. Each performance is alive and unique with the leader using head, hand and body cues to signal her followers. Join us in our garden celebration!!

DATES & TIMES:
Friday, July 14 7:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 15 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. (intermittent performances)
Sunday, July 16 1:15 - 3:00 p.m. (intermittent performances)
VENUES:
Garden #6 (Friday night)
Garden #2 (Saturday)
Free Site #2 The Chapel (John Paul II Centre) (Sunday)

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Linda Yablonski (Tribal Style Belly Dance)

Kathryn Ricketts: Remington

​Remington is Kathryn Ricketts’ latest character embodying the odd juxtaposition of a full length fur coat and a rubber pigeon hood. Remington is an anthropomorphized bird who inhabits an austere prairie landscape with soundscapes and video. Working with the iconography of the prairies, this work harnesses the unique, complex and profoundly beautiful features of the land and calls into question our habituated ways of occupying it.

About Kathryn Ricketts
Kathryn Ricketts is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education in the University of Regina as the chair of the Dance area and runs The Listening Lab, a visual and performing arts incubator that presents exhibitions and performances and explores new experimental languages in education. She has been working for the past 30 years in the field of dance and visual arts, presenting throughout Europe, South America, Africa and Canada. Her work in universities, schools, galleries and community centres focuses on social /political issues with dance, creative writing, and visual art as the mobilizing ‘voice.’ Her ongoing research furthers this interest into areas of literacy, embodiment and cultural studies towards inclusive education with a method she coins “Embodied Poetic Narrative.”

DATE: Sunday, July 16
TIMES: 11:20 a.m. & 12:20 p.m.
VENUE: Free Site #2 The Chapel (John Paul II Centre, 2200 25th Avenue)
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Kathryn Ricketts. Photo by Valerie Triggs and Michele Sorensen

Paula Skotnitsky & Larissa Shasko: 3 works

Purgatory of the Heart (Solo)
Choreography – Paula Skotnitsky and Larissa Shasko
Dancer – Larissa Shasko
Caught between what was and what could have been… this pushes me to make a decision and take a new path.

Hidden Within (Solo)
Choreographer and dancer – Paula Skotnitsky
Hidden spaces within me… forever spiralling in memory

Twin Hearts (Duet)
Choreographers and dancers – Paula Skotnitsky and Larissa Shasko
Two Spiralling spheres of energy… reflecting and connecting

Sprit Tree Dance  is the creation company of Paula Skotnitsky.

About Paula Skotnitsky
Paula Skotnitsky is an emerging contemporary dance artist. She has trained in Yorkton SK, Victoria Arts Collaborative BC, and Regina SK. Dance teacher for 19 years and Arts Ed Teacher for 3 years. Independent work presented at WIP (Saskatoon), Stream of Dance (Regina), SGT (Regina).

About Larissa Shasko
Larissa Shasko is an emerging contemporary dance artist from Regina SK. She trained in both in modern dance and ballet and is an instructor at the Conservatory of Performing Arts. She is a dedicated environmental activist and mother of two young girls.

DATE: Saturday, July 15
TIMES: 2:00 & 3:00 p.m.
VENUE: Free Site #2 The Chapel (John Paul II Centre, 2200 25th Avenue)
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Paula Skotnitsky

Jaime Williams & Ashley Johnson

This short work created for two dancers was inspired by the nature poetry of Emily Dickinson. Using small, gestural movements, this piece seeks introspection, highlighting a juxtaposition between private spaces and natural habitats. 
Music: "Gotham Lullaby" by Meredith Monk
Dancers: Ashley Johnson and Jaime Williams
Concept & Choreography: Jaime Williams  

About Jaime Williams
Jaime  Williams  is  an  artist  and  scholar,  currently  employed  as  an  Assistant Professor   in   the   Department   of   Psychology,   University   of   Regina.   She completed  her  Ph.D.  in  Clinical  Psychology  at  the  University  of  Regina,  her MFA in Interdisciplinary Art at Simon Fraser University, and her BFA in painting at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. In addition to this formal training, she has greatly benefited from working with dance artists and physical training teachers  in  both  Canada  and  Israel.
Jaime  is  influenced  by  improvisation (painting   and   movement)   and   its   effect   on   genuine   and   empathetic communication in both conscious and unconscious ways with other people and with  spaces.  She  hopes  to  bring  the  learning  that  she  has  acquired  in  art, physical  movement,  and psychology  together  to  expand  the  borders  of  each discipline.

About Ashley Johnson
Ashley is interested in investigating the body in motion. 
In an intentional exploration, she investigates a three-pronged approach to movement as an educator, artist and somatic practitioner. She brings a sensitivity regarding alignment, healthy bodies and regulated systems that carries into all her elements of practice.She believes that the creation and production of new and original work derives from the landscape in which we inhabit. Her work as a dance artist focuses on site-specific creation in a variety of unusual settings.  She believes dance happens everywhere. 

DATE: Sunday, July 16
TIMES: 11:40 a.m. & 12:40 p.m.
VENUE: Free Site #2 The Chapel (John Paul II Centre, 2200 25th Avenue)
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Jaime Williams
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photo by Jaime Williams
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Ashley Johnson. Photo by Daniel Paquet

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