Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo
Choreographer and dancer
Saturday, September 11th 2:30pm
Saturday, September 11th 8PM
Cinquième Salle de la Place des Arts
In the early 1900s, near Quebec City, the construction of a bridge linking the north and south shores of the St. Lawrence River ended in disaster when the bridge collapsed, killing 33 workers from the Mohawk community of Kahnawake. One of the victims was Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo’s great-grandfather. Through Sky Dancers, Diabo tells her own story and that of the Mohawk people, who are still living with the fallout from this tragic event. Featuring eight dancers and a musician, the show explores powerful themes such as disaster, family, community and resilience.
Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo is an award-winning dancer and choreographer, whose career has spanned more than 25 years. Her artistic approach blends traditional First Nations dance with contemporary styles. Barbara is passionate about sharing her cultural heritage through her choreographic works. She has performed throughout Canada and internationally, at the Banff Centre (Banff), the National Arts Centre (Ottawa), the Olympic Stadium (Montréal), the Prismatic Arts Festival (Halifax), the Confederation Centre for the Arts (Charlottetown), the Heard Museum (Phoenix, Arizona) and the Gathering of Nations (Albuquerque, New Mexico).
As a result of my Mohawk background, I see dance as more than just performance. I dance and create for the community, for honour, for my ancestors, for future generations, for communication, for education and for those who cannot dance. I approach dance with an attitude of respect for this energy and for our collective responsibility.
Developed with support from the National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund.
Photo credits portrait: Emily Smith
Photo credits performance: Brian Medina and John Lauener
Dancers: Olivier Arseneault, Daniela Carmona, Sebastian Hirtenstein, Lauren Ashley Jiles, Audray Julien, Keenan, Komaksiutiksak, Oliver Koomsatira, Arik Pipestem, Sabrina Pipestem
Production Coordinator: Claire Bourdin
Lighting Director: Timothy Rodrigues
Video/Sound Director: Samuel Boucher
Stage Manager: Isabelle Paquette