We are very lucky to have Sissy Thiessen taking over our company classes for May 12 & 15! Sissy will be leading two, 1-hr long workshop sessions starting at noon each day.
Powwow 101-Teachings & Ethics, Tuesday May 12 12:00pm-1:00pm
What is Powwow? This workshop will go over the connection to the drum, its importance to Indigenous People, stories about the creation of each style, rights to practice, allyship vs ownership, regalia care, and how to practice the dances with respect and integrity. The session will begin with a smudge ceremony to cleanse the space and get started in a good way. The session will also include learning which stretches are best when dancing Powwow, as well as some general Indigenous awareness education.
Powwow 102-Movement & Footwork, Friday May 15 12:00pm-1:00pm
The session will begin with a smudge ceremony to cleanse the space and get started in a good way. We will then have a review of ethics & allyship vs ownership discussed in Powwow 101 in trivia or roleplaying format. The group will then move on to cultural warm-up activities popular in schools across Edmonton. The session will conclude with learning some basic footwork appropriate for intertribal songs at Powwows and round dances.
Participants should wear comfortable clothing they can move in and have water available.
Sissy Thiessen Kootenayoo is a Treaty 6 Nakota Sioux, Cree & German Indigenous cultural facilitator, Powwow dancer, crafter/beader, spoken word poet, and creative writer from Edmonton, Alberta. As a mixed First Nations woman, she maintains family connections in both Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation and Steinbach, Manitoba. She studied Communications & Journalism at Mount Royal University and has won various awards in the areas of community enrichment, cultural involvement, and journalism. For the past 3 years, she has been living her passion for educating Albertans of all ages on Indigenous history, issues & culture through dance, crafting, play, and the written word. As a spoken word poet, Sissy also works to bring awareness to social issues around body image, mental health, race and self-identity. She currently works in her community of Edmonton, Alberta as a facilitator of the Kairos Blanket Exercise, Powwow dancer, circle facilitator, and youth programmer.
For more information about Sissy and her services, please visit her website www.wasesabaexperiences.ca