Dancing in History's Footsteps

On a grass field, three girls are in a circle. They are all wearing black clothes and a white skirt with an Aboriginal pattern. In the distance, trees line the field where they are gathered. There is a parking area nearby. It is cloudy. Around them, people are walking, running, and picnicking.

Emily Kahente Diabo

Hi, my name is Emily Kahente Diabo, I'm 13 years old, and I'm from the Mohawk nation. I really like Hoop Dancing; I think it's really fun to do with the Hoop Dancing troupe and it's one of my favourite dances. I believe it's really nice to reconnect with my culture, and yeah.

Emily moves to the right to give Chelsea the mic.

Chelsea Rose Brazeau Okimawinew

Hmm, hi, my name is Chelsea Rose Brazeau Okimawinew, I'm Mohawk, Algonquian, and Cree. I started dancing at a young age and I guess this one was the one that I picked up three years ago, and I really like it, and I think it's really good to stay intact with our culture because, nowadays, some people really aren't, so.

Chelsea moves to the right to give Rhiannon the mic.

Rhiannon Lambert

Hi, my name is Rhiannon Lambert, I, I am Mohawk, hmm, I started Hoop Dancing a few years ago, hmm, I think it's a great way to, like, make yourself fit, hmm, and, hmm, reconnect to some cultures and, hmm, make yourself, like, be known that you are this culture and, hmm, yeah, so tell people that this is still alive, and that is it.

Rhiannon moves to the right to give Emily the mic.

Emily Kahente Diabo

So the origins of Hoop Dancing, we believe that this version comes from the Hemis Pueblo nation in the New Mexico area, and it's a story time dance where we use our hoops to create forms of nature and life, and we do it through dancing. And there's also a version of this dance that's a medicinal dance.