Dancers of Damelahamid

The Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance company based on the Northwest Coast of British Columbia, Canada. The company describes itself as having a rich history of masked dance that inspires a compelling performance, transforming time and space through dramatic dance, captivating narrative, intricately carved masks, and elaborate regalia, bridging the customary with a living practice. It emerged in the 1960s out of an urgency to ensure that Indigenous artistic practices were not lost, following the lifting of the Potlatch Ban (1884–1951), which had outlawed dance and related cultural practices for almost 70 years. Since then, the company has established itself as a leading professional Indigenous dance company, with artistic approaches that bridge creative practices and work with innovative mediums while maintaining commitment to the integrity of their artistic legacy. The company has produced several theatre-based productions and choreographed dance works, with its most recent production, Mînowin, premiering at the National Arts Center in Ottawa, Ontario. It has produced the annual Coastal Dance Festival since 2008, presenting Indigenous dance from the Northwest Coast and hosting national and international guest artists. The festival is produced in partnership with The Anvil Centre in New Westminster and the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, and takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), q̓wainƛən (Kwantlen), and qəyqəyt (Qayqayt) people. Through continual and diligent practice, the dance form endures as non-static and relevant to current innovation, influence, and insights.

The Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance company from the Northwest Coast of British Columbia, Canada. For countless generations, Indigenous dance played an integral part in defining art and culture. The Potlatch Ban (1884–1951) outlawed dance and related cultural practices for almost 70 years. In response to the lifting of the ban, dance resurfaced and an art form was awakened. The Dancers of Damelahamid emerged in the 1960s out of an urgency to ensure that these artistic practices were not lost. The company has since established itself as a leading professional Indigenous dance company, with artistic approaches that bridge creative practices and work with innovative mediums while maintaining commitment to the integrity of their artistic legacy. It is through continual and diligent practice that this dance form endures as non-static and relevant to current innovation, influence, and insights. The company has produced several theatre-based productions and choreographed dance works, with its most recent production, Mînowin, premiering at the National Arts Center in Ottawa, Ontario. Since 2008, the company has produced the annual Coastal Dance Festival, presenting Indigenous dance from the Northwest Coast and hosting national and international guest artists. The festival is produced in partnership with The Anvil Centre in New Westminster and the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, and takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), q̓wainƛən (Kwantlen), and qəyqəyt (Qayqayt) people.

• 2008

  The company begins producing the annual Coastal Dance Festival.

• 1960

  The Dancers of Damelahamid emerge out of an urgency to ensure artistic practices were not lost.

• 1951

  Potlatch Ban is lifted, leading to the resurfacing of dance.

• 1884

  Potlatch Ban begins, outlawing dance and related cultural practices.

• Mînowin premieres at the National Arts Center in Ottawa, Ontario.

Leading professional Indigenous dance company bridging customary practice with contemporary innovation.

• Mînowin

  Most recent theatre-based production, premiered at the National Arts Center in Ottawa, ON.

• Coastal Dance Festival

  Annual festival produced since 2008, presenting Indigenous dance from the Northwest Coast with national and international guest artists.

1. 1Dancers of Damelahamid : Dancers of Damelahamiddamelahamid.ca
2. 2About - Dancers of Damelahamid : Dancers of Damelahamiddamelahamid.ca
3. 3Coastal Dance Festival : Dancers of Damelahamiddamelahamid.ca
4. 4Dancers of Damelahamidwikidata.org