| Presented by Outside Looking In, the 12th Annual “Indigenous Youth Dance Show” takes place at Toronto’s Sony Centre, Thursday, May 23rd – Tickets on sale now – “In Indigenous communities across Canada, students have been preparing for the performance of their lives since the beginning of the school year. All of their hard work, dedication and creativity culminates with the 12th Annual Indigenous Youth Dance Show—presented by Outside Looking In—at Toronto’s Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on Thursday, May 23rd. Outside Looking In is a national-based organization that offers a high school accredited dance program for Indigenous youth in grades 7-12. Using dance as a catalyst, the charitable organization pairs some of Canada’s hippest choreographers with participating schools in which the students are inspired to pursue education, engage in self-expression, and celebrate empowerment. “At first glance, Outside Looking In is about dancing, but it also offers these students the opportunity to change their lives,” says CEO Melanie Hurley. “From one community and five dancers, we’ve grown to 13 communities and 120 dancers!” Hurley adds that 96% of those participants eligible to graduate have successfully completed high school – compared to the national Indigenous high school graduation average of 36%. After being assessed on academic progress, attendance, dance performance and behaviour, successful students will travel to the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation camp in St. George, Ontario two weeks in advance of the Indigenous Youth Dance Show, where they engage in daily rehearsals, camp activities and team building exercises to prepare for their performances. Two shows are scheduled for May 23rd at 11am and 7pm. Tickets are $5 to $25 each (plus fees), and are available online through olishow.com/events, Ticketmaster, and boxoffice[at]tolive.com, by phone at 1-855-985-2787 or 416-368-6161 x1, and in person at the Sony Centre Box Office located at 27 Front Street East. 2018/2019 Participating Communities Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, ONGarden Hill First Nation, MBGrassy Narrows First Nation, ONIqaluit District Education Authority, NULac La Croix First Nation, ONMembertou First Nation, NSPenticton Indian Band, BCPikangikum First Nation, ONPinaymootang First Nation, MBSt. Theresa Point First Nation, MBSoutheast Collegiate, MBWasagamack First Nation, MBWebequie First Nation, ON 2018/2019 Choreographers Eugene “GeNie” Baffoe/Winnipeg, MBMark Dela Cruz/Winnipeg, MBJordan Fassina/Vancouver, BCJessica LaRusic/Sydney, NSAshley Pengelley, Toronto, ONNeil Robles/Cambridge, ONSharlyne Santos/Winnipeg, MBQueenie Seguban/Toronto, ONNathan Tiangson/Toronto, ONTaylor Trudeau/Winnipeg, MBNino Vicente/Toronto, ON About Outside Looking In Founded in 2007, Outside Looking In is a nationally registered charitable organization that aims to empower Indigenous youth through the transformative art of dance, while they pursue education, increase their mental and physical health and engage in self-expression.” |
For more information and ticketing details, please visit olishow.com/events
-from Outside Looking In
Read Outside Looking In’s profile in ArtBridges’ Community-Engaged Arts Directory and Map
