Dancers of Damelahamid
At outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage: Jul 26 - Jul 27
Event Dates
About
Dancers of Damelahamid
July 26-27, 2024
From West Vancouver, BC, Canada | Pillow Debut
Performance Times: Fri 6pm | Sat 6pm
The Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance company from the Northwest Coast of British Columbia with a rich history of masked dance. Through dramatic dance, captivating narrative, intricately carved masks, and elaborate regalia, the company finds innovative ways to bring all audiences into the art, history, language, and traditions of Indigenous culture.
Through “breathtaking” (Vancouver Arts Review) performances, the company offers a deep appreciation of the richness of Indigenous dance in the Pacific Northwest. After many decades of suppression from the illegalization of the potlatch (gift-giving feasts) by the Canadian government from 1885 to 1951, the Dancers of Damelahamid emerged in the 1960s out of an urgency to ensure that these artistic practices were not lost.
Founded upon generations of dance revitalization, the company’s performances are relevant to current innovation, influence, and insights. Dancers of Damelahamid’s “amazing” (Artsfile) performances—full of story dance and song—and their annual Coastal Dance Festival of international Indigenous artists (founded in 2008) honor a legacy while offering new pathways between communities and cultures.
