Ordway Center for the Performing Arts to Welcome Native and Indigenous Artists for Week-Long Residency

ST. PAUL, Minn. (Feb. 20, 2017) — As part of its 2016-17 season focus on the artistry and culture of Native communities, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is excited to welcome several renowned Native American, Indigenous and First Nations artists for a week-long residency. The residency is part of Oyate Okodakiciyapi: A Unique Celebration of Native Music and Dance, an Ordway community engagement series guided by community coordinator Christal Moose and an advisory council of Native and Indigenous community leaders, in collaboration with Rosy Simas of Rosy Simas Danse.

The residency, which consists of public performances, in-school visits, workshops, community discussions and exhibitions, will take place Feb. 26-March 5. Community events are produced in partnership with All My Relations Arts, Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI), Two Rivers Gallery and The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts. This work builds on the ongoing efforts of Taking Our Place Centerstage, an initiative through which the Ordway and SoulTouch Productions work in collaboration with communities of color.

A Survey of Native Contemporary Dance

• Sunday, Feb. 26
• 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• at The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts

Presented by The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts in partnership with Rosy Simas Danse and Ordway. This public talk highlights the incredible diversity of Native people who live and dance in the Twin Cities. Guest speakers include Kate Beane, Athena Cloud, Lumhe Sampson, Rosy Simas, Winona Tahdooahnippah, Sandy WhiteHawk and Larry Yazzie. Opening prayer led by Janice Bad Moccasin. Optional travel to and from the event on a Storytelling Bus featuring “Coffee Shop” Al Gross from Powwow Grounds is also available.

Indigenous Contemporary Dance Workshop with Rulan Tangen

• Tuesday, Feb. 28
• 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
• at Two Rivers Gallery

In partnership with Rosy Simas Danse and Two Rivers Gallery. This workshop is led by Rulan Tangen, founding director and choreographer of Dancing Earth, an internationally recognized company of intertribal contemporary dancers. Rooted in respect for Native worldview and cultural wisdom as shared by her elders and mentors, Tangen invites class participants to experience a journey into indigenous embodiment. The workshop is free, but registration is required. RSVP at 651.282.3060 or tsar@ordway.org.

Welcome Gathering

• Tuesday, Feb. 28
• 6:00 p.m.
• at Two Rivers Gallery

In partnership with Rosy Simas Danse, All My Relations Arts, NACDI and Two Rivers Gallery. Come together with artists and community members to welcome several visiting renowned Native contemporary dancers and artists. The opening blessing will be done by Nancy Bordeaux. Catering by Gatherings Café will be provided. On display in the Two Rivers Gallery will be Gathering of Contemporary Indigenous Artists, an exhibition curated by Gordon Coons (Ojibwa/Ottawa).

Powwow Boot Camp with Santee Smith

• Wednesday, March 1
• 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
• at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

This high-energy Powwow/dance training class will be led by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s artistic director, Santee Smith. This intensive and fun boot camp style workout is for anyone interested in maximizing their physical fitness. Participants will practice skills in the Indigenous dance forms of Powwow and Onkehon:we (Iroquois) social dances. The class is free, but registration is required. RSVP at 651.282.3060 or tsar@ordway.org.

Tanya Lukin Linklater Exhibition

• Friday, March 3
• 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (opening reception)
• at All My Relations Gallery

Presented by All My Relations Arts in partnership with Rosy Simas Danse and Ordway. Tanya Lukin Linklater’s performance collaborations, videos, photographs and installations have been exhibited nationally and internationally. She is compelled by relationships between bodies, histories, poetry, pedagogy, Indigenous conceptual spaces (languages) and institutions. The visual art installation will be on view March 3–April 7.

A Night with NACDI: Indigenous Foods and Arts

• Saturday, March 4
• 3:00 p.m.
• at All Nations Church

Presented by NACDI in partnership with Ordway. Enjoy dinner by The Sioux Chef while engaging in a talk about the Indigenous food movement. Hosted by Robert Lilligren, president and CEO of NACDI. The event is free, but registration is required. RSVP at tpayer@nacdi.org or 612.284.1102.

At 5:30 p.m., free transportation to and from Oyate Okodakiciyapi: An Evening of Native Contemporary Dance at the Ordway will be provided. The Storytelling Bus will feature “Coffee Shop” Al Gross from Powwow Grounds.

Oyate Okodakiciyapi: An Evening of Native Contemporary Dance

• Saturday, March 4
• 7:30 p.m.
• at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Co-curated with local choreographer Rosy Simas, Ordway presents a showcase of Native contemporary dance companies called Oyate Okodakiciyapi, which means “people coming together” in the Dakota language. This thrilling evening of dance will feature solo works by native Hawaiian Christopher K. Morgan and Santee Smith from the Mohawk Nation, as well as a new work by Dancing Earth, an indigenous, intertribal dance ensemble. Tickets are available at www.ordway.org. This performance is part of the Ordway’s World Music & Dance Series.

Arrive early for a pre-show Ordway Extra at 6:30 p.m. to hear Zoë Klein, artistic director/performer at Paradizo Dance in San Francisco, and Tanya Lukin Linklater, a multi-media artist from Ontario, explore defining culture in contemporary terms in a discussion moderated by Rosy Simas.

On display in the lobby will be Gathering of Contemporary Indigenous Artists, a visual art exhibition curated by Gordon Coons (Ojibwa/Ottawa). Themes explored through the art will connect with Native American and Indigenous identity. The exhibition is free to those attending Ordway performances March 2-4, April 20-21 and May 30-June 4. Featured artists include Camille A. Lacapa (Hopi-Tewa/Ojibway), Cole Jacobson (Lakota), Chholing Taha (Cree), Gordon Coons (Ojibwa/Ottawa), Gwen Westerman (Lakota) and Joseph Allen (Lakota).

Round Table Discussion: An artist to artist talk with Indigenous choreographers from Turtle Island

• Sunday, March 5
• 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
• at The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts

In partnership with Rosy Simas Danse, The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts and All My Relations Arts. Featuring conversation with Tanya Lukin Linklater, Christopher K. Morgan, Maura Garcia, Rulan Tangen, Zoë Klein, Sam Mitchell and Rosy Simas. The discussion will touch on current work, aesthetics, challenges, methods, audiences, community engagement and plans for the future.

All events associated with the residency are free, with the exception of the March 4 showcase performance, which is a ticketed event. More information about the events listed above can be found at www.ordway.org/oyate-okodakiciyapi. The Ordway’s World Music & Dance Series is sponsored by Target.

ABOUT THE ORDWAY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

The Ordway is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading nonprofit performing arts centers and Saint Paul’s most elegant and inviting performance space. The Ordway’s Music Theater and Concert Hall attract diverse audiences with an array of productions showcasing the finest in American musical theater, world music, dance and vocal performance. Education and community engagement are integral to the Ordway’s mission, with major initiatives including the annual Flint Hills International Children’s Festival and Ordway Education programs that serve more than 50,000 students annually. Together with Minnesota Opera, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and The Schubert Club, the Ordway is a member of the Arts Partnership and serves as the principal venue for their performances. For more information, visit www.ordway.org.