NeoIndigena to premiere this week

Santee Smith’s first solo work NeoIndigena is set and ready to go at the Harbourfront Centre this week, making its debut May 1st.

Anyone familiar with Smith’s other works will definitely notice something new in travelling with the dancer through NeoIndigena as she takes the audience on a ceremonial journey moving through Sky World, Earth Realm, and the Under World.

Smith says that NeoIndigena is all about her perspectives on a collective indigenous spiritual philosophy “It had a big evolution, originally it wasn’t going to be a solo,” said Smith. As the work developed it evolved into her first solo production.

NeoIndigena is not your typical rehearsed dance performance. Smith says it is more performance based and is all about the energy in the space each night of the performance which has the potential to make the show very intimate for the audience as well as Smith herself.

Smith said, “It has a very ceremonial or ritual feeling to it so that aspect is really clear. It’s my personal healing ceremony that I’m going through so it has evolved in that way. I’m just trying to as the artist in that performance to be aware of the energy in the space and the energy that I’m working with and the journey. It’s more about the experience and the energy exchange.”

Original score for the show was put together with the four artists collaborating on the music; Adrian Harjo, Chris Derksen, Tanya Tagaaq, Jesse Zubad and Micheal Red.

NeoIndigena is a part of the Harborfront Centre’s NextSteps 13-14 Dance Series and will run from May 1-3, 2014. The opening night gala features a musical performance by renowned Inuk Artist Tanya Tagaaq, whose music is featured in the show. The Premiere Gala will be held Thursday, May 1, 2014 at 8pm; Enwave Theatre, Harbourfront Centre. Tickets for the Gala are $65. To purchase you can call the box office at 416-973-4000.

Related Posts