At Matriarchs Uprising, Indigenous women dance stories of transformation, February 17 to 22
Annual festival presented by O.Dela Arts and The Dance Centre features world premieres from Raven Spirit Dance and Māori choreographer Bella Waru
SPONSORED POST BY O.Dela Arts
Christine Friday of Friday Creeations. Photo by Gerry Gooderham
O.Dela Arts is presenting the seventh edition of Matriarchs Uprising, a celebration of contemporary dance by Indigenous women artists, in partnership with The Dance Centre from February 17 to 22. Four unique live-performance programs at the Scotiabank Dance Centre are on offer, along with artist-led conversations, masterclasses, community workshops, and the Indigi-Dance on-demand film series.
Curated by Olivia C. Davies, the 2025 lineup features dance works which adhere to the theme Celebrating Our Strength. The women artists at the festival draw upon the Anishinaabe Seven Grandfather Teachings: those who live in love; have courage; are humble; show respect; are truthful; are honest; and are wise.
Gorgeous Tongue. Photo by Mathieu Verreault
The festival’s live performances open on February 19 at 7 pm with the premiere of Tracing Bones, Raven Spirit Dance’s latest creation. The work offers reflections on how memories can be held onto, tucked away, forgotten, or transformed over time. Directly afterwards, Friday Creeations presents the Western Canada premiere of Bawaajgun: Visions IN Dreams, created in collaboration with champion hoop dancer Beany John and Christine Friday. The piece combines traditional and contemporary styles, drawing on the transformative spirit of dance in connection to ancestors, dreams, blood memory, and the land.
On February 20 at 7 pm, O.Dela Arts’s artistic associates share a program of new works, including Samantha Sutherland’s ensemble piece naⱡa and all roads lead home 3.0 by Sophie Dow. Lara Kramer returns to Vancouver on February 21 at 8 pm with Gorgeous Tongue, an embodiment of stories, dreams, and songs performed by Nêhiyaw and Métis dance artist Jeanette Kotowich.
(From left) Bella Waru, Fallon Te Paa, and Kaycee Merito in TOA III. Photo by Sol Fernandez
The festival closing event on February 22 features the world premiere of TOA III by Māori choreographer Bella Waru (supported by Creative Australia and CultureLAB at Arts House), followed by a reception with live music from Tsimka Martin and Michael Red. In TOA III, three Māori artists and practitioners of Mau Rākau—Māori martial arts—draw on embodied knowledge in a fight to carry legacy.
An additional performance program, Gathering Hope Residency: Public Sharing, takes place at Morrow on February 21 at 2 pm with the support of Odd Meridian Arts.
Matriarchs Uprising tickets and more information about this year’s lineup can be found here.
Post sponsored by O.Dela Arts.
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