Andy Everson is a member of the K’omoks First Nation and is descended from the Kwagu’ł, Na̱mg̱is and Tlingit peoples. He carries the ancestral name Ḵ̓wa̱mxa̱laga̱lis, or “Avalanching-Around-the-World”, and has been initiated into the Hamatsa Dance Society with the name Tanis, or “Cannibal-Dancer”. Obtaining his first dance through ceremony at the age of 10, Andy has been dancing ever since. He joined his first traditional dance group—the Oh-Toh-Kin Dancers—as a teenager in the late 1980s and started making his own regalia at that time. Andy later joined the Le-La-La Dancers as one of their head dancers since 1992 and has been with them ever since. This has enabled Andy to travel the world, sharing his culture through song and dance. Twenty years ago, Andy founded the Kumugwe Dancers in his home village of K’omoks and has acted as leader of the dance group during that time. Passing on his knowledge of traditional dance and contemporary performance, Andy has guided both young and old alike to learn the dances of their ancestors. Outside of dance, Andy is a culture keeper and researcher with a Masters degree in Anthropology. Andy is a renowned full time professional visual artist who typically meshes his ancestral art forms with contemporary popular culture.

Camilla Therese Karlsen grew up in a time and place where it was a great shame to show or say that you are Sámi. She is part of the Sámi Seatribe and saw her mother wear the traditional Gákti in public to stand up against the shame and hatred. Ever since, she has been inspired by her mother’s courage. She now makes performing arts productions with a focus on Sámi art, culture and the political situation, to honor her ancestors, her beautiful culture, and to show Sámi pride. Camilla is an acrobat and aerialist, a trained dancer, a DJ, poet, and a playwriter.

Chesha7 iy lha mens translates as “the mothers and daughters,” which represents this group as they are a family of grandmothers, mothers, and daughters. They continue their journey to learn their culture through songs and stories and to become confident in speaking their language. Their cultural ties are woven between Skwxwu7mesh, Sto:Lo, Tsimsian, Hawaiian, and Swiss peoples.  Chesha7 iy lha mens represent and share their cultural songs and dances in the best way to teach and revitalize their culture for the generations to come.

The Chinook Song Catchers are an Indigenous dance group that descends from the Squamish and Nisga’a nations. This dynamic dance group has been representing their heritage at major venues in Vancouver for over fourteen years. Performing at multi-cultural festivals and art celebrations; and conducting welcoming ceremonies for international guests to Vancouver. The Chinook Song Catchers have traveled to international events as ambassadors of our respected nations, traveling to Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland, Italy, and Turkey

The Dakhká Khwáan Dancers are a National Award-winning Inland Tlingit dance group based out of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. They focus on reclaiming their languages and traditional values through their inherent art form of singing, drumming, dancing, and storytelling. The Dakhká Khwaán Dancers strive to present their performance with the outmost respect to cultural protocol and with the highest form of artistic integrity. Since forming in the community of Carcross in 2007, they have grown significantly and with the addition of a children’s group, the Dakhká Khwaán Jrs. Together, they have danced across Canada, the US, New Zealand, Taiwan, the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and the Pam Am Games in 2015. The group received the 2014 National Aboriginal Cultural-Tourism Award.

The Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance company from the Northwest Coast of British Columbia with a rich history of masked dance that inspires a compelling performance.  The Dancers of Damelahamid has produced the annual Coastal Dance Festival since 2008. Their full-length works include Setting the Path (2004), Sharing the Spirit (2007) and Visitors Who Never Left (2009). Newly created works include Spirit Transforming (2012), In Abundance (2014), Flicker (2016), and Mînowin (2019).

Led in partnership by Mike and Mique’l Dangeli, Git Hayetsk are an internationally renowned Indigenous mask-dancing group. Git Hayetsk means the people of the copper shield in the Sm’algyax language, which is spoken by the Nisga’a, Tsimshian, and Gitxsan Nations. Their dancers are bonded by common ancestry to the Sm’algyax speaking peoples with distinctions in their family ties to the Haida, Haisla, Tahltan, Tlingit, Lil’wat, and Musqueam Nations. Their home villages and ancestral lands are located in Southeast Alaska, Vancouver BC and along the coastline of the Terrace-Prince Rupert. Since 2003, the Git Hayetsk have shared their songs and dances at ceremonial and public events in urban and rural communities throughout Canada, the US, Austria, Malaysia, Germany, and Japan. The Git Hayetsk both sing the songs of their ancestors and create new songs, dances, drums, rattles, masks, and regalia to reflect and record their experiences as Indigenous people today.

Git-Hoan (People of the Salmon) was founded in 1996 by David Boxley, internationally recognized Alaskan Tsimshian Artist and Culture bearer. The group is comprised of family and close friends from the Tsimshian, Tlingit, and Haida nations. The songs and dances are presented with an energetic and proud style that, while different than most contemporary dance groups, is based on ancient traditions that belongs to all coastal tribes. The Git Hoan Dancers showcase the magnificence of Tsimshian art, resurrect the practice of the culture, and educate the world that Native culture is diverse and a “living” art and culture. The Git Hoan performance is through song and dance sharing legends of the ancestors.

Himikalas is an established artist and fashion designer of Squamish, Musqamaqw Dzawada’enuxw, Kwaguilth, Tlingit, and Haida ancestry.  Many years ago, she began a lifelong search to provide Indigenous people a stage to showcase their culture and mentor indigenous youth and work with her Squamish community. Himikalas studied at Otis College of Art and Design where she obtained her degree in Fashion Design and completed the FIND program at The Wilson School of Design at KPU, which enabled her the skills to design a future honoring her ancestors.  Baker started creating her own unique fashion and jewelry with her ancestral designs. She has been showcasing her one-of-a-kind pieces since 1988, as well as coordinating fashion shows and models since then. Himikalas was also selected as one of the top 3 designers in Canada to design for the 2010 Olympics Fashion show and designed regalia for Squamish representatives for the opening ceremonies.  Pam has also owned T.O.C.N.T.I fashion school, Copperknot Jewelry, and Touch of Culture since 1988 and is now collaborating with Roz Stanton in designing metal art.

The Kwhlii Gibaygum Nisga’a dancers are a dynamic, high energetic group of performers who incorporate the stories, songs, and dances of their ancestors into contemporary performance. Every dance member can trace their ancestry to the Nisga’a people of the Nass River valley. An interpretation of the term Kwhlii Gibaykw is “flying around”. This term describes the group because, while they share their songs and dances every member is always in movement, therefore, Kwhlii Gibaygum Nisg̱a’a – Nisg̱a’a Always in Movement. Wal-aks (Keane M.T. Tait), his mother Adiiyoox (Emily Tait), and brother Anmogam Dilx (Zachary Tait) founded the Kwhlii Gibaygum Nisga’a Dancers in the summer of 2007. Keane and Emily also founded and led the Gitlaxdax Nisga’a Dancers of Terrace, BC in the winter of 1996. The Gitlaxdax are still active and have remained a vibrant dance group in Terrace.

Liv Aira is a native Swedish dancer, choreographer, artistic director, from Sápmi, Jokkmokk. She often reflects on her sami heritage in her arts. Liv produces and creates dance shows for different ages, creates screendance, arranges the screendance festival Låvda through her company Invisible People Contemporary Dance Company. Liv Airas art is described as powerful, spiritual, imaginative in her animalistic movements. She graduated from Institute of The Arts Barcelona 2018 with a Master degree in dance and choreography. 2014-2017 she studied BA (Hons) in Dance and studied physiotherapy education in Sweden. Liv is currently touring “Ájttega – the ancestors” and “Akti Lij – once upon a time”, which inform the world about the existence of the land, Sápmi.

Marika is a modern dancer/choreographer from the North of Dalarna in Sweden. She studied at the school of New Education For Contemporary Dance in Härnösand and Balettakademien in Stockholm and has a diploma in dance for children and youth. She is passionate about spreading knowledge of her Sami origin and culture through her dance. Marika has worked as a dance teacher and in recent years and is working with her own dance workshops for children and young people. Marika is now active with her first production Mannem vuajnah (South sami for ”do you see me”). She is also a dancer with Invisible people contemporary dance company, where she first joined Liv Airas’ production Ájttega. Together with Liv she created the children performance Akti lij.

During the Coastal Dance Festival, they will share an exerpt from the “Ájttega,” “The ancestors.” It is a dance and joik production that invites the audience to  Sápmi. A performance based on the artists’ personal stories. Ájttega is a performance that presents Sápmis culture in a new way, with respect for its history and tradition.

Rainbow Creek Dancers (tuul gundlas cyaal xaada) was formed in 1980 by brothers Robert and Reg Davidson, as a response to the renaissance of Haida culture in the early 1970s. They have since become an inspiration to many dance groups with their innovative and beautiful masks, regalia, and songs created by renowned artists Robert and Reg and other group members. The objective of Rainbow Creek is to bring meaning back to the songs and dances of their ancestors, performing them as they were taught by their elders. Following along the path of their ancestors, they strive to continually grow and connect with ceremonies that are relevant today to all people. To do so, they create new songs and dances, building upon the cultural foundation of their ancestors, and drawing upon their collective cultural, ceremonial and professional stage experiences. Rainbow Creek Dancers have performed at esteemed venues and events across BC, Canada, the US, and internationally.

Rebecca is of Kwakiuł and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh ancestry. She is a multi-disciplinary artist and holds a BA from the University of British Columbia with a Major in the First Nations and Indigenous Studies Program. Rebecca has recently broadened her artistic practice to include fashion design and is currently apprenticing under established Indigenous designer and artist, Himikalas Pam Baker. She completed the Indigenous Couture Residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity, led by D’arcy Moses. Rebecca was the recipient of the 2021 YVR Emerging Artist Scholarship for her fashion design. She will have pieces on display as part of an exhibit at YVR Vancouver Airport and the Museum of Vancouver in the coming year.

She is an Artistic Associate for the Dancers of Damelahamid and the Festival Associate for the Coastal Dance Festival. Rebecca has been dancing pow-wow for twenty years and is a dancer with the Dancers of Damelahamid. She has also been creating sewn and beaded regalia since the age of eleven. She is the regalia designer for the Dancers of Damelahamid’s productions, 2016 – present. There is an intimate ancestral connection with the art that she creates, representing her lineage as an Indigenous woman.

Sara Marielle Gaup grew up in Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino (Northern Norway/Sápmi) and is a traditional and modern juoigi (yoiker/sámi singer), an artist and a mother who also works with sámi crafts (duodji). She has been a central profile on the music scene during the past 20 years and has been a full-time juoigi for over 17 years. She is most known for being the vocalist and composer in the internationally known music groups Adjágas and Arvvas. Sara Marielle also collaborates with several artists, musicians and filmmakers in short-term projects and does workshops and traditional luohti-concerts (yoik, only voice). Sara Marielle has an audiovisual art and music project together with her sister Risten Anine Gaup. They created OZAS as a continuance of their lifelong artistic collaboration, as a platform for their heart projects and cultural expressions, based on their shared values, passion and engagement.

Sara Marielle is an activist and has a decolonizing agenda with everything she does. As one of few, she wears gákti (sámi clothes) every day. Because of the colonization and christening of Sápmi that led to a severe decrease and almost disappearance of the sámi culture, Sara Marielle`s longstanding project has always been to preserve and revitalize traditional luohti (yoik) and to learn as much as she is able to from the elders and holders of sámi cultural knowledge in order to pass it on to the coming generations.

Spakwus Slolem (Eagle Song) are members of the Squamish Nation. The group presents a glimpse into their culture through singing, drumming, dancing, and audience participation. Spakwus Slolem is pleased and honoured to present songs and dances of yesterday, as well as today, and feel very honoured to represent their people in a good way as their Ancestors had intended. Spakwus Slolem has performed across the world, including Taiwan, Japan, Hawaii, and Europe.

Tasha Faye Evans is a dance and theatre artist from a legacy of Coast Salish, Welsh, and European Jewish grandparents. Her career continues to be a collection of collaborations and performances with national and international Indigenous artists. Recent performances include Starr Muranko’s  Spine of the Mother, Raven Spirit Dance’s  Salmon Girl and Confluence. Tasha also focuses on redress and Coast Salish cultural resurgence, particularly in Port Moody where she is raising her two children. This past year, Tasha collaborated with Kwikwetlem and Tsleil Waututh Nation to create the first two of five house posts being raised along Port Moody’s iconic 2.5 km Shoreline Trail as part of a lifelong exhibit, “In the Presence of Ancestors”.  Currently, Tasha is creating a new dance project in collaboration with carver Ocean Hyland called, Cedar Woman. Tasha’s work is an expression of her sacred and shared responsibility for these Coast Salish Lands and Waters and a future of health and well-being for all of our relations.

Terri-Lynn is a musician, author, activist, artist, and lawyer who has dedicated herself to the continuation of Haida language and culture. Born in Haida Gwaii off the west coast of Canada, Terri-Lynn has been a promoter of Haida music and language since the age of 13, when she was drawn to the songs her centurion great-grandmother and grandmother sang.

Robert Davidson is one of Canada’s most respected and important contemporary visual artists. A Northwest Coast native of Haida and Tlingit Descent, he is a master sculptor of totem poles and masks and works in a variety of other media as a printmaker, painter and jeweler.

He is best known as an impeccable craftsman whose creative and personal interpretation of traditional Haida form is unparalleled. His distinctive style is appreciated by the Haida community and contemporary arts scholars alike, with many of his works considered post-modern masterpieces. His work is sought by collectors internationally

Photo Credit: Erica Collison

Theland Kicknosway is an Indigenous youth who uses his voice to spread his message and showcase Indigenous culture. He is wolf clan from the Potawatomi and Cree Nations and is a member of Walpole Island, Bkejwanong Territory.

Theland has been a fixture in the Indigenous community as a traditional singer, drummer, dancer, activist & influencer. In 2018, Theland became the youngest Indspire Laureate named for Culture, Heritage and Spirituality. His path-breaking efforts have been highlighted by Nike, Disney, BBC and also been mentioned in Teen Vogue, Entertainment Tonight, and Complex. In his 18th year in the Physical World, Theland continues to shine.

Leanna Wilson and Tooma Laisa are two Inuit artists from Nunavut. Their voices are beautifully combined into throat songs and drum dance with the special bond they hold as close friends. They have grown into passionate performing artists while searching for a deeper connection to their cultural identity. Along the way, a sense of revitalization has been embedded within them and it has strengthened who they are as young Inuit and friends. Now they share their cultural knowledge with those around them, hoping others will gain strength as well.

Gerd Kaisa Vorren graduated with a Bachelor from London Contemporary Dance School in 2004 and an MA in Dance Performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance in 2006. Her grandfather was one of the greatest researchers on Sámi culture in his days, and in this project, she got to dive deeper into this knowledge. She is not afraid to push limits and has combined her danceabilities with parkour, with the old art of hairhang in Hidden Path. She is a dancer, her soul a peaceful warrior, and every bit of her heart is burning for social justice.

Tommy Jansen is a musician who works both with digital and live instruments. His speciality is to take the audience with him on a journey in time and space. He composed and performed in several productions with the renowned dance company, Zerovisibility corp, and he also make soundtrack for film. In Hidden Path, he has composed music that brings you to the beautiful high plains in Sápmi, as well as deep down along that hidden path. He truly has found a unique path on his journey to create musical landscapes.

Xwelmexw Shxwexwo:s (Salish Thunderbird) shares history through song and dance from the coastal and river people of the Pacific Northwest and the Salish Sea. They are a family group from many First Nations, including Sto;lo, Musqueam, Sts:ailes, Snuneymuxw, Nuu-chah-nulth, Squamish, and other surrounding tribes. The group has travelled and shared at venues across BC, Canada, and the US and have presented with other groups such as Smokey Valley and Tsatsu Stalqayu. Making new ventures with a new beginning, Xwelmexw Shxwexwo:s hope to electrify audiences with energetic songs and dances to educate the world of their unwritten shared history of their people and heritage.

The Yisya̱’winux̱w Dancers are a professional, adult and youth dance group whose members represent many of the 16 tribes of the Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw people, with many members living in Alert Bay, BC. Their group comes together to perform by invitation or special arrangement for private events. Although, Yisya̱’winuxw is a recently formed dance group, many of our members have performed professionally for over 20 years. Each of the Yisya̱’winuxw dancers are initiated in the Potlatch ceremonies. The dances and songs they use in their performances are owned by the members and families within their group.