Do you see what I see? Yes that's Nakotah LaRance, award winning hoop dancer in the poster for a Cirque Du Soleil show. Excited much? I know I am.
The video link is here
The show opens this Thursday, April 22nd in Montreal. Somehow this massive show opening had escaped my eyes until last night when I tweeted about it. And then those clever social media folks at Cirque tweeted me back and I really got excited.
Excerpt from Toronto Star
While the show is titled 'Totem' it is actually a more encompassing type of reference. It is about "man recognizing that he is not just part of the human species but that he is also part of the whole chain, that he is within him all of the species," says Robert Lepage writer and director of the touring show.
Excerpt from Montreal Gazette
Guy Laliberté, (owner of the Cirque) insisted upon hiring Aboriginal representation in the show and that's where Nakotah LaRance comes in. He was discovered from hit YouTube video of him hoop dancing that his dad posted and contacted through email. He didn't even know what Cirque was when the communication began. Christian Laveau, a Huron-Wendat from Wendake, a singer, actor and a drummer is more seasoned and is also a part of the show.
Excerpt from Montreal Gazette
Posts
Nakotah LaRance is 6 time World Hoop Dance Champion and a well known Actor with roles in Steven Spielbergs "Into The West", HBO's "Bury My Heart as Wounded Knee" and many other Film and Television roles. He was seen on APTN last year when they screened a independent film he was in called "Expiration Date. He is a very talented dancer and actor and is the Face of Cirque Du Soleil's new show "Totem".
ReplyDeleteAnon- yes I saw all that when I Googled and IMDB'd him. A very talented young man for sure! I hope I get to see this performance with him in Totem.
ReplyDeleteThe Nakotah are such pansies! Just kidding! Of the three major Sioux tribes, the Nakotah were the least war like and also lived as hunter gatherers in wooded areas along what is now the Minnasota/South Dakota border. The other Sioux tribes are the Dakotah and Lakotah (I am Oglala Lakotah) who were great plains nomadic. Just a little tribal history. Would love, love to see this!
ReplyDeleteTrish - thanks for that info! I didn't know that ... I hope this travels further, so far it's only set for Quebec and Amsterdam.
ReplyDeleteI see a road trip to Montreal happening soon Lisa, check out the official trailer for Totem here,
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOA6q88PssE
Rachel - totally in the works! If you click the link under the Cirque tweet image you can see the Cirque YouTube channel for Totem which has all of their Totem-related videos (including the trailer, and interviews of the Director Lepage). Great snippets of information!
ReplyDeleteIf you can see it, see it! I went to see Totem twice, because of Nakotah's brilliant dance performance. Of course the rest of the show was well worth it, but he was the focus.
ReplyDelete