Aboriginal dance comes to contemporary world

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Dancer and choreographer Jerry Longboat is forming a bridge with his work, linking past with present, bringing traditional Aboriginal movement and intent into a contemporary world.

Longboat is Turtle Clan from the Mohawk and Cayuga Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, Six Nations of the Grand River in Southern Ontario, and now lives in Vancouver.

Longboat was in Edmonton recently, performing his latest solo work Raven's Shadow to a receptive audience during the Feats Festival, organized by Alberta Dance Alliance.

Longboat spoke of the origins of his work.

"Well, it's something that is coming about as I work . . . I am working from an Aboriginal root. I am working with the original intentions of different dance forms, the original purpose, their role within the community, and the process that they bring to a community, and then I guess placing that in a contemporary world, which is the world we're in now, the present world. So I'm not trying to fuse modern movement with traditional movement. That's not what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to create contemporary Aboriginal dance," Longboat said.

So many of the dances have been lost and forgotten, because for a time it was against the law to do spiritual dances, he said. He sees it as his job to try and reconnect with those dances.

"So for me as a dancer, I'm looking for a process to recover those places of dance, and then give them contemporary form, form for today. For me, it's a journey," Longboat said.

In addition to examining cultural history, Longboat brings his own history to his dance, drawing from his past work in storytelling and theatre to infuse his performances with strong visuals and drama.

"I came to dance through theatre. I have a bachelor of fine arts degree and then I started doing some storytelling. And then through storytelling, I got into theatre, and then through about six or seven years of theatre and physical training, I went into dance. So I've gone full circle."

Longboat says his community is very supportive of his work

"I don't mind being kind of showcased against ballet or modern dance, or any kind of dance, because I feel really quite strong and rooted in what I'm doing, and coming from that place of integrity . . . that's what I feel is kind of most important in my work, coming from a place of integrity of the culture."

Up to this point, Longboat has been concentrating on doing choreography for his own performances, but is now beginning to choreograph other dancers.

Next on the agenda for Longboat is a month-long choreographic apprenticeship in Banff in June, during which he will learn about the process of choreography with a senior choreographer.

He's also working on his next piece, called Paths Towards a Clearing.