Kids tune into their culture

Dennis Whitford is hoping to provide both a "spiritual (and) physical type of growth" to the 20 or so youngsters who take traditional dance instruction from him.

The boys and girls in his class range in age from five to 15 years old and meet once a week in McLennan, located about 30 km northwest of High Prairie.

Said Whitford, who learned the moves from Treaty 7 people around Calgary, "Dancing is a very rewarding, enriching experience for myself and I'd like to have the children have the opportunity to have that experience."

Meeting in the local Catholic school in town, Whitford uses videos to teach. He also calls upon the expertise of the Elders form nearby settlements to teach the jingle, fancy and grass dances as well as the men's and women's traditional dances.

"I try to end every class with a round dance," said Whitford.

To make the experience a complete one, he likes to have an Elder begin the class with a smudging ceremony and a prayer.

For most of these children it's the first time they've embraced their part of their culture.

"One of the reasons we dance is to make ourselves better people," Whitford told his students. "When we dance, we dance on Mother Earth and we should be respectful. We should remember all these things when we dance."

Whitford wants his class to be a holistic experience.

"I want to convey the spiritual significance of dancing ? things like respect and spirituality ? along with it being a physical activity."

As the music sounds from the speakers, he tells the students, "The important thing is to really hear the drum beat. The drum is like the amplifier that carries our prayers up to the Creator."

Dance lessons began in mid-March and Whitford would like to continue until powwow season starts in mid-June.

He would like to put together the McLennan Northern Style Traditional Dance Group to perform at exhibitions, including the local school's Native Cultural Daze.