Lisa Shepherd and the Maple Sugar Jiggers pass on stories of the M茅tis people through dance, storytelling and visual art.
They are a lively troupe of young dancers that will perform at the Comox Aboriginal Day Festival and they plan to get your feet tapping and your hearts pounding like the running of the buffalo.
The festival happens June 21 at the K'贸moks Band Hall on Comox (Dyke) Road from 3 to 8 p.m.
During the show Bannock and Oatmeal, Shepherd and the Jiggers share the oral history of M茅tis dance while they help to connect the dots of what it means to be M茅tis.
Does it mean that a person is French and Cree? White or red? The show is one part story, one part dance and two parts heartbeat.
The Maple Sugar Jiggers then turn the floor into one big kitchen party when they perform some traditional community dances like Li Danse du Crochet, Reel of 8 and the Duck Dance to the tunes of their live fiddle band. While others may do their social networking on Facebook, this young troupe prefers the original social network 鈥� face to face!
If you鈥檝e ever been to a country wedding in the prairies, you will recognize some of the dances. And if you haven鈥檛, the Maple Sugar Jiggers will be pleased to introduce you.
Shepherd and the Jiggers will teach a workshop called M茅tis Jigging: bring both of your left feet! Aptly named, the workshop proves that there is no wrong way to jig. All are welcome 鈥� both the young and the young at heart.
Shepherd is recognized for her traditional M茅tis beadwork art pieces and garments, her work as a M茅tis dancer and teacher, and for her storytelling through theatre. As a M茅tis jigger, she brings traditional dance to special events, conferences, and community celebrations.
She was seen at the 125th anniversary of the M茅tis Resistance at Batoche, at International M茅tisFest where she won the jigging championship in her division, and on the world stage at the Aboriginal Pavilion during the 2010 Olympics.
As a visual artist, Lisa鈥檚 fabric art has been commissioned by both private and public enterprise. Her designs received attention internationally when she was commissioned by David Atkins Enterprises to create beaded garments for the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. The garments now reside at the Gabriel Dumont Institution Museum.
In 2011, Lisa appeared as a guest on the children鈥檚 drama series Tiga Talk! Season 3, and worked as choreographer for the comedy series Health Nutz on APTN.
As a great, great, great niece of Gabriel Dumont and great, great, great granddaughter of Cuthbert Grant Jr., Lisa comes by her interests naturally.
For more information, visit www.lisashepherd.ca. For details about the K'贸moks Band, visit www.comoxband.ca.
