Native ballet planning national tour

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The Native ballet In The Land of Spirits will tour Canada this fall as part of the country's 125th anniversary celebrations.

The tour, co-produced by the National Arts Centre, premieres at the centre Sept. 18. It then moves to the Manitoba Centennial Centre in Winnipeg on Sept. 23; Vancouver at the Queen Elizabeth II Theatre on Oct. 1 and to Toronto's O'Keefe Centre on Oct. 14 and 15.

In The Land of Spirits is a pragmatic work based upon the creation story of the Ojibway, The Legend of Winona. Co-creators Miklos Massey and John Kim Bell

devised a story where the Creator descends to the Earth at the beginning of time and marries Winona, the first human. Later, Winona travels through time and meets one whom she believes to be the Creator, who has fallen prey to alcoholism. When Winona

is kidnapped to the evil spirit world, The Land of Spirits, the man overcomes his disease and enters the evil realm to battle for his and her survival. Through love and courage he saves Winona and returns to the Earth a restored man.

Bell, the producer of the tour, said the production will feature professionally trained Native ballet and modern dancers from across North America as well as traditional dancers. Mark Lopez, an Apache currently a principal with the Los Angeles Ballet, will be the featured principal dancer.

"The tour is a significant breakthrough for Native people in Canada as it is the largest Native dance production ever undertaken by a Native organization," said Bell.

"It is highly appropriate in this important year of 1992 that Native people are

given the access to opportunity. Spirits is a highly entrepreneurial undertaking reflecting the values of Native self-determination and Canada's business community. It will serve

as an occasion in which all Canadians can derive great pride," said Bell.

To introduce Native youth to cultural initiatives, the CNAF will hold a free Native children's matinee for 2,000 to 3,000 Native youths in each city.