When the Canim Lake Dancers were invited to China to perform at the Guangzhou International Shopping Festival, they didn’t need to be asked twice — but three times
Lenora Christopher, who organizes the dancers, was first asked in August.
“My response was ‘yes,’ as I continued to walk away as I was doing a check run for community members.”
Two days later she got a phone call on her cell.
“Really, we need to know if you want to go to China,” she says the callers asked.
“My response was ‘yes’ and I hung up. The chief called back, again: ‘No really, we need confirmation, do you want to go China, and if so don’t hang up.’ So, I listened and said ‘yes’ again.”
As one of three finalists, the Canim Lake dancers were chosen to represent Canada at the 10-day international festival in China from Sept. 29 to Oct. 10.
The festival has featured different countries since 2012, including Singapore, France and New Zealand.
This year, the event featured brands and cultural representatives from across Canada and included hockey games and a music festival.
To get there, the Canim Lake Dancers needed to sort out passports, visas, status cards, crafts, create PowerPoints and introductions to the individuals’ history and dance styles.
Once the dancers were confirmed, it was only a 6,800 km flight to Hong Kong, and then onwards to China.
Missing their flight to Guangzhou due to flight delays, the group took a three-hour bus ride through the countryside.
Still, the dancers performed during the opening ceremonies where they made the national news, watched by 20 million people across China.
“Our days started at 10 a.m. at the dressing room,” says Christopher.
“We did four presentations a day and had photo shoots with the audience.”
Each dancer performed their different styles of dance, showcasing two or three different regalias, as they found themselves continually changing during the presentations.
Into the evening, Christopher and Alana Dick both manned an information booth, sharing information about the band, their dances and Canada, with the assistance of a spread of the five translators they worked with through the week.
The six dancers were among 10 British Columbians in China as part of the festivities.
Jayleen Michell, 12, who dances traditional, fancy and jingle dances is the current powwow princess for Tsq’escen (Canim Lake). Having danced before she could talk, Michell is of both Nlakapamux (Thompson) and Shuswap decent and carries the Nlakpamux name Petekw (Little Springwater).
Rodney Medrum, 41, is a traditional and grass dancer of Shuswap, Chilcotin and Cree background, travelled with his daughter, Alana Dick to China.
Dick, 15, whose given name is Xwexwne, danced traditional, fancy and jingle dances, alongside her duties at the booth.
Alyssa Christopher, 25, is also a fancy and jingle dancer and is known as Smúkwe7ce, or Sunflower.
“I sing and dance to lift up my heart as well as others,” she says.
Victoria Frank, 32, or Little Shadow, is a drummer and singer as well as a traditional, fancy and jingle dancer. In one of her fancy dances she represents the butterfly, while her jingle dress dance, that sounds like rain, helps send prayers to people in need.
Leona Christopher completed the group as a singer, drummer and dancer, as well as organizer.
In addition to dancing, the members were able to do a tour of the area.
They visited the Tianhe Square, in the Xincheng district of Guangzhou; the Guangzhou zoo; took a river tour at night through the city; climbed the Canton Tower, an astronomical and sightseeing tower; ate at a renowned Chinese restaurant; and explored the subways and taxis of the city, a city that Christopher says is busier than Vancouver.
“Before we flew over, I felt nervous, anxious and curious,” says Alyssa. “Because I’ve never travelled so far, I was excited to be one of the people asked to go on this journey.”
She says it was a great experience.
“It made me smile, to be able to dance in regalia for the people. It was awesome to be able to go to the zoo, aquarium, the boat cruise, and to the top of Canton tower. It was different being somewhere else, so amazed of a lot of beautiful things. It was a change trying new foods and a whole new experience being somewhere I never thought I’d be.”
Victoria Frank says she enjoyed the experience
“I was so honoured to be asked to go on a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she says.
“I’m happy I got to go to China. The trip was good! I’m happy I got to show the people of China how we dance at powwows,” says Michell, the youngest dancer.
Her mother agrees.
“I am very grateful my daughter had this opportunity to go to China. This was a once in a lifetime chance and she took it.”
Meldrum was happy to share the experience with his daughter.
“China was great, spent quality time with my daughter Alana, and enjoyed all the laughs with other performers and interpreters.”
While they had only four weeks to get Dick’s birth certificate and passport, everything worked out in the end.
“Most memorable, above the sights and food, was the company,” he says.
Dick says she found China interesting.
“A lot of things were different and I’m happy that I made new friends and learned new things.
Even one of their interpreters spoke well of the experience to the group’s WeChat, a Chinese messaging service, page.
“I remembered the first time we met in the bus where we do not know each other so well, it was sort of nervous for me because I was going to take care of your team for a week regarding food, accommodation, and stages,” he said to the dancers.
“I’ve learned a lot that matters in the rest of my life. Thanks for coming to China to introduce your sacred traditional dances for all Chinese people. We are privileged to have some guys like you, savouring the beauty of every single move of the dances.”
The trip began long before the dancers stepped on a plane. The dancers represented the area in 2015 in 100 Mile House when the group performed for a Chinese delegation touring the area.
“As they so appreciated the presentation, they requested Canim Lake Dancers and Singers in 2016 for Chinese New Year, The Year of the Rooster, in Vancouver,” says Christopher.
“All my life I never dreamed of going far.”
“We represented the Canim Lake Band and the Shuswap Nation, and also First Nations in a good way.”
