Kapemni Dance Animation Performance 2022-2023
South High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
"Kapemni Dance 2022-2023”
A Collaborative Project between Native Skywatchers and South High School
This project lives at the intersection of Science-Art-Culture - Led by Annette S. Lee in collaboration with Dance Instructor - Nancy Nair, Dance coach & Stage Manager - Suzette Jornae Gilreath, and Theatre Lighting Technician - Edward Lee.
As described by Mi’kmaw elders: Etuaptmumk or Two-Eyed Seeing is learning to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing, and from the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledges and ways of knowing, and to use both these eyes for the benefit of all. (Bartlett, Marshall and Marshall 2012, 336) Building on existing Native Skywatchers - We are Stardust research and programming initiative in a unique merger with the South High School Dance Program and the All Nations Program - Carmen Gavin Venegas, we create 'deep dive' experiences for students and educators. This project is a multidisciplinary approach to Art as Social Practice and Science Communication for the benefit of all. We can do better.
"Maang-Loon Four Directions"
Native Skywatchers Kapemni Dance Animation Presents...."Maang-Loon Four Directions", Mon. Jan. 23, 2023, Performed by Taryn Preston,in collaboration with Nancy Nair & Annette S. Lee, Copyright © 2023 Native Skywatchers. South High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota. All rights reserved.
Kapemni Dancer Taryn Preston, 2023, South High School Auditorium, Mlps. MN
Kapemni Dancer Taryn Preston, 2023, South High School Auditorium, Mlps. MN
"Potawatomi Creation Story"
Native Skywatchers - Kapemni Dance Animation Performance "Potawatomi Creation Story", created by Ksinya Daniels in collaboration with Nancy Nair & Annette S. Lee, performed by Nana Ban and Jade Maisee-Albers, Copyright © 2023 Native Skywatchers-Ksinya Daniels. All rights reserved.
Kapemni Dancers N. Ban & J. Maisee-Albers, 2023, South High School Auditorium, Mlps. MN
Kapemni Dancers N. Ban & J. Maisee-Albers, 2023, South High School Auditorium, Mlps. MN
"Togo to U.S."
Native Skywatchers Kapemni Dance Animation Presents...."Togo to U.S.", Mon. Jan. 23, 2023, Created by Grace Gnronfoun, Copyright © 2023 Native Skywatchers-Grace Gnronfoun. All rights reserved.
Kapemni Dancer Grace Gnronfoun, 2023, South High School Auditorium, Mlps. MN
Kapemni Dancer Grace Gnronfoun, 2023, South High School Auditorium, Mlps. MN
"Men's Traditional Pow-wow Dance"
Native Skywatchers Kapemni Dance Animation Presents...."Men's Traditional", Mon. Jan. 23, 2023, Created by Javier Heisler-Ramirez, Copyright © 2023 Native Skywatchers-Javier Heisler-Ramirez. All rights reserved.
Kapemni Dance Javier Heisler-Ramirez, 2023, South High School Auditorium, Mlps. MN
Kapemni Dancer Javier Heisler-Ramirez, 2023, South High School Auditorium, Mlps. MN
South High School Auditorium and Dance Studio, Mlps. MN
We bring together Western and Indigenous science in the context of the theme, “We are Star Dust”, to inspire curiosity, to ignite motivation, and to create a supportive learning space so we can tell our story of relationship to sky. Einstein himself said “we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them”.
"Native Skywatchers - Kapemni Dance" - 2022-2023
The cultural teaching and concept of Kapemni was shared here by Annette S. Lee. This teaching comes from Lakota elder & scholar Albert White Hat Sr. The Lakota word Kapemni means 'As it is Above, It is Below' and is often seen in dictionaries as 'twisting'. (Ref. "D(L)akota Star Map Constellation Guidebook", by A. Lee et al. 2014)
What is your connection to the Above-Sky and to the Earth-Below? How do you participate in this cosmic flow? See how talented South High School students create their own powerful dance narratives to tell this story through the movement, light, and sound. Before cell phones, computers, the internet... human beings connected to and knew this source - the 'Creative Bank'.
"Four Directions Loon" rehearsal - Taryn Preston, South HS student, 2023
"Four Directions Loon" rehearsal - Taryn Preston, South HS student, 2023
"Potawatomi Creation Story" rehearsal-(K. Daniels) N. Ban & J. Masiee-Albers, So. HS students, 2023
"Potawatomi Creation Story" rehearsal - (Ksinya Daniels) S.J. Gilreath, Dance coach, South HS, 2023
"Togo Afrobeat Moon" rehearsal - Grace Gnronfoun, South HS student, 2023
"Togo Afrobeat Moon" rehearsal - Grace Gnronfoun, South HS student, 2023
"Bear Sun Traditional Pow-wow" rehearsal - Javier Heisler-Ramirez, South HS student, 2023
"Bear Sun Traditional Pow-wow" rehearsal - Javier Heisler-Ramirez, South HS student, 2023
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State
Arts Board (MSAB), thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
P: (612)-314-9717 Contact Us
nativeskywatchers@gmail.com Art website visit
annettelee.com
Acknowledgement: Native Skywatchers is located on the traditional and treaty land of the Dakota people, who along with the Ojibwe are the Indigenous peoples of this land, Mni Sota Makoce or Minnesota.