For Immediate Release
July 27, 2001
BONES: An Aboriginal Dance Opera
- Bones was four years in development.
- The production builds on the ground-breaking
work and performances in two other leading-edge Banff Centre Aboriginal Arts
programs: the Aboriginal Women’s Voices and the Chinook Winds Aboriginal
Dance programs.
- 17 indigenous nations are represented in the
company, which has been formed specifically for this world premiere.
- The indigenous nations involved in this
production include: Apache, Blackfoot, Hawaiian, Kuna, Kainai, Maori, Mayan,
Metis, Mixteco, Mohawk, Nakoda, Ojibway, Rappahannock, Seneca, Stla’lmx (Salish),
Tsuu T’ina, and Yaqui.
- To include all the people of the earth,
Sadie Buck created ‘the Language of the World’ specifically for this
production, a concept borrowed from the Cansa people of South America.
- A dictionary with over 600 words was
compiled by Sadie Buck to tell the story of BONES.
- Performers are from three continents –
North and South America and Australia – and six countries – Canada, USA,
Mexico, Columbia, Australia and New Zealand.
- Two artistic directors are acting, singing,
and dancing in the cast – Jani Lauzon, Muriel Miguel [ bios available on
request].
- One artistic director is an assistant to the
composer - Aroha Crowchild [ bio available on request].
- Since 1999 there have been nearly 600 hours
of scheduled rehearsals.
- Sadie Buck and Alejandro Ronceria are
co-creators and co-directors of the overall production. The entire
production was conceived, created and staged by Sadie Buck and Alejandro
Ronceria.
- Written by Sadie Buck
- Composed by Sadie Buck
- Choreography created by Alejandro Ronceria
- Buck and Ronceria are assisted by David
DeLeary and Russell Wallace as musical directors, ElizaBeth Hill as vocal
coach, Aroha Crowchild as assistant to the composer, Rulan Solis-Diala
Tangen as assistant to the choreographer, and stage/project/production
manager throughout the nearly six-year process is Deborah Ratelle.
- BONES
is the first-ever Aboriginal dance opera.
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