This April, three-time world champion hoop dancer, speaker, musician, and Indigenous storyteller Dallas Arcand will be visiting three local schools during his tour across Saskatchewan to engage and educate students about Indigenous culture.
The performances will take place on Friday, April 19 at Riverview Collegiate starting at 1:30 p.m., with two separate acts taking place on Monday, April 22. Monday’s performances will take place at King George Elementary School starting at 9:30 a.m., followed by École Palliser Heights starting at 1:30 p.m.
Arcand’s upcoming performances will showcase a demonstration of Indigenous hoop dance, along with drumming, singing, and a recital on the flute, a traditional Indigenous instrument. He’ll also speak on the history and cultural origins of Canada’s Indigenous peoples.
“After 24 years in this business, I have been humbly referred to as the ‘Hoop Master.’ It’s been a worldly, spiritual, and educational journey of self-discipline and of guidance through ceremony and practice,” Arcand said on his personal website.
Originally from Edmonton, Alta., Arcand is a registered member of the Alexander First Nation. His passion for arts and culture have always been a prominent part of his upbringing, and he credits his success as an entertainer to these roots.
Arcand has been performing now for 25 years, and his skills in singing, dancing, and playing the traditional flute have earned him numerous accolades.
In early 2018 Arcand released a documentary called “Hoop Life” where he showcased his work and shared his personal story along with providing a look at the history behind the art of hoop dancing.
During his noteworthy career, Arcand has been a featured artist on the Calgary Stampede’s Grandstand Stage for eight years, was featured on “Canada’s Got Talent,” earned his diploma in behavioural sciences, and gained a basic knowledge of the Spanish language after dancing overseas in Spain for eight months.
His upcoming presentations are supported through a partnership with the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC).
OSAC has nurtured a long-serving tradition of excellence in the performing arts across all age groups and through a wide variety of genres and disciplines for over 50 years. The organization presents more than 300 live performances each year and claims to host around 75,000 attendees.
Every year, an estimated 600,000 people attend programs initiated by OSAC and its partners with a resulting $1 billion generated in new economic activity and the sustainment of around 23,000 jobs in the province.
Funding for OSAC comes by way of its partner organizations including Saskatchewan Lotteries, SaskCulture, and Canadian Heritage, who also support Arcand’s upcoming tour.
Arcand, whose Indigenous name is “Dancing Buffalo Man” or “Nimihto Paskwa Mostôs Napew” learned about his history as he studied the evolution of the dance. A student of the circular lifestyle, Arcand’s many successes have resulted from the linked sense of self-discipline and reverence for education.
“Our ancestors always lived off the land and were in balance with the seasons as they changed,” Arcand explained.
“Indigenous peoples of their continents and countries had to be master stewards of the land, its ecosystem, (and have) knowledge of medicine plants, herbs, natural foods, and animal proteins.
“The circle of life teaches us and reveals our sacred connections to the world around us, the energies in divine beings, and about (the) balance of the universe.”
For more information about the Indigenous entertainer Dallas Arcand, visit DallasArcand.ca.
Arcand maintains a YouTube channel showcasing a selection of his performances that can be found by searching for “Dallas Arcand.”
