Photo Credits (L to R): Louise Pōtiki Bryant photo by Jinki Cambronero // Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo photo by Sylvie-Ann Paré
In partnership with Matriarchs Uprising Festival
Matriarchs Uprising Festival runs February 19-25, see full festival schedule here.
Class Description:
February 21 - Louise Pōtiki Bryant:
Pūheke (to flow) is a workshop led by Louise Pōtiki Bryant offering breathing, somatic and dance improvisation exercises inspired by the movement of water and atua wāhine (female deities / ancestors) from Te Ao Māori.
Everyone is welcome to attend!
February 23 - Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo:
Drawing from perspectives and movements from her Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and powwow communities, Barbara Diabo will lead people through a dance journey inspired by environment and evolution.
Everyone is welcome to attend!
Louise Pōtiki Bryant is a choreographer, dancer, video artist, film-maker and New Zealand Arts Laureate. She is dedicated to creating works which inspire the care, protection and regeneration of the whenua (land), moana (ocean), and waterways, and with her practice she aims to honour mana wāhine (intrinsic spiritual power of wāhine), and mātauraka Māori (Māori knowledge). Her work weaves the art-forms of video, installation, animation, painting, illustration, film and performance. Louise is a founding member and choreographer for Atamira Dance Company and has choreographed for companies such as The New Zealand Dance Company, Black Grace Dance Company, and Ōrotokare, Art, Story, Motion.
She also has a body of solo, hybrid and collaborative works, including Kiri, a highly acclaimed collaboration with clay artist Paerau Corneal. A major influence on her practice has been her collaboration with Prof Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal during which they developed new dance works inspired by his research into whare tapere (pā-based / community houses of storytelling, dance, music, puppetry and games). Her video art practice includes video installations, dance films, and video-design for theatre, music, and contemporary dance productions.
https://vimeo.com/louisepotikibryant
Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo is Kanien’keha:ka (Mohawk), originally from Kahnawake. She now lives in Montreal, where she is the artistic director and choreographer for A’nó:wara Dance Theatre. Award-winning choreographer and performer for over 30 years, she creates dance pieces to bring Indigenous themes, stories, and perspectives to light. She takes pride in sharing her culture and performs across Canada and internationally. Her show, Sky Dancers, won Outstanding Touring Production in the Dora Mavor Awards 2022 and her piece My Urban Nature won Choreography of an Outdoor Show in Festival Quartiers Danses in 2019.
She was also the winner of the Prix de la danse de Montréal, DANCER category in 2021. She has been featured on several TV shows, including Revolution (TVA) and Pulse (APTN). Barbara also collaborates with several organizations with whom she helps educate populations, create “safe spaces” and support Indigenous artists around the world. As her Indigenous culture taught her, Barbara performs and creates for generations to come, to honor, for her ancestors, for a sense of community, for those who cannot dance, to inspire, to communicate, to encourage cultural pride, and to uplift spirits.