Finding Their Dance

Welcome!

Exploring the Reemerging Alutiiq Dance Arts

The Alutiiq or Sugpiaq people of Alaska are an under-reported Native American group whose long history includes a complex social structure based upon the rich maritime resources of the central Gulf of Alaska. Unfortunately, it also includes exploitation by both Russians and Americans. The Alutiiq arts and culture were nearly lost over the centuries of oppression by these invading cultures that attempted to tear their culture from the Alutiiq people. Recently, however, something unique and incredible has happened among the Alutiiq people. They have begun to rediscover their rich artistic heritage and are choreographing new dances and creating new art. They have found their dance. How did this cultural reawakening begin? How has it found fertile ground among the younger generations in the face of overwhelming pressure from American popular culture? How are the traditional stories from the dramatic history of the Alutiiq people represented in the art? Will it survive? These are just a few of the questions we are asking in this important documentary film, “Finding Their Own Dance: Reawakening the Alutiiq Arts.”

This project involves on-site work in Alaska where Professors Ellen Van't Hof and Robert Prince observed key groups of Alutiiq dancers and artists creating their art. They interviewed and filmed the artists who chose traditional Alutiiq symbols or made new symbols in mask-carving, drum-making, regalia design and construction, song writing, and dance choreography. The product of Ellen and Rob's work is a documentary film-in-progress that will debut during the spring of 2008.

The Latest News...
KODIAK PREVIEW SCREENING A SUCCESS

Our May 24, 2008 preview screening in Kodiak, Alaska was very well attended in spite of the beautiful Kodiak weather working against us. We filled our venue in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in both afternoon screenings with total attendance in the vicinity of 120 people. The audience response was very positive overall and we were able to shoot additional footage while in Kodiak to address comments by audience members in areas where the film was lacking. We assembled four Alutiiq elders and filmed over an hour of them speaking Alutiiq and discussing their cultural revival. In addition, we filmed Loren Anderson explaining the motions for the dance his group performs in the documentary. These clips, in combination with footage we shot at the opening of the mask exhibit at the Alutiiq Museum, will be incorporated into the final documentary at the suggestion of our Kodiak audience members.

Click HERE for a summary of the responses from our audience survey.

Some interviews and events:

Susan Malutin, skin-sewer, beader, and regalia designer
Perry Eaton, mask-maker and artist
Loren Anderson, music composer, drum-maker, dancer, choreographer
"Tamamta Katurlluta: A Gathering of Native Tradition", sponsored by the Pratt Museum, Homer- Nanwalek Seal Dancers and Port Graham Dancers
Dr. Sven Haakanson Jr. , Executive Director Alutiiq Museum and Archeological Repository, Kodiak, native artist/ craftsman
April G. Laktonen Counceller, Language specialist and musician, Alutiiq Museum and Archeological Repository
Appointments with Susan Anderson at the CIRI Foundation and Anne Remick at the Alaska Humanities Forum
Loren Anderson and his dance group, dancing Perry Eaton's mask at the retirement party for Dennis Metrokin of Koniag Corporation
The Alaska Federation of Natives Conference (AFN) was a great opportunity for us to connect with some key people for our project. On Wednesday, October 25, we interviewed June Pardue and her group Alutiiq Anguyiit (Alutiiq Warriors) and filmed their Quyana performance with Loren Anderson and his dance group Imamsuat (People of the Sea) . On Thursday we interviewed Lena Amason, artist and mask-maker from Old Harbor, in a Kaladi Bros. coffee shop. Then we met with Perry Eaton and Dennis Metrokin at the Koniag office to discuss the mask Perry created for Dennis' retirement. We had a few hours to spare before attending a Koniag gathering where Loren Anderson and Imamsuat performed. When we got back to our hotel, we met and interviewed Sally Ash, native speaker and historian from Nanwalek and her son Leo Ash, Russian-style guitarist. Those interviews went late into the night! On Friday morning, we did some visiting of native artists at the arts and crafts show. In early afternoon, we drove to the condo where Sperry and Mechele Ash are staying with their newborn Mary. We had a very interesting interview with Sperry about growing up in Nanwalek and his work with the Nanwalek Seal Dancers. Then we hurried to the Native Arts fair and met Helen Simeonoff, Sugpiaq artist and historian, as she packed up her booth. We interviewed her about her exciting artwork and dance research. On Friday evening we filmed Old Harbor's Nuniaq Alutiiq Dancers as they got ready to perform for Quyana III. We filmed their performance and talked with them for a few minutes afterward. A very busy but very informative 3 days!
Prof. Van't Hof returned to Michigan and Prof. Prince returned to Fairbanks. We are pursuing options for 2007 funding to finish the documentary film since the National Endowment for the Arts grant was denied.
In order to attend the Russian Orthodox New Year celebration on January 14, 2007, we traveled to Homer, AK and then flew to Nanwalek. It was a wonderful opportunity to see the "masking" dances described by Sally, Leo and Sperry Ash. We were welcomed to Nanwalek by Emilie Swenning and stayed at her house.
On the weekend of May 4-7, we traveleled to Kodiak Island for an opportunity to visit Old Harbor. We interviewed Melissa Berns, Zora Inga and Lena Amason about their work with the Nuniaq Alutiiq Dancers of Old Harbor. We also had a chance to interview C.J. Christiansen about his drum-making and visor-carving. We had a wonderful visit in Old Harbor on a beautiful sunny weekend.
After returning from Old Harbor to Kodiak, we met with Sven Haakanson and discussed the postproduction phase of our project. On Sunday evening we attended and filmed some of the dances presented at the Awakening Bear Pot Luck.
During the summer of 2007, Rob and Ellen did intensive work in logging, second by second, the 55 hours of raw footage and distilling those hours to about 75 minutes.
From the emerging documentary, Rob created a 12 minute promotional clip which was screened on the 4 large screens and live internet streaming of the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in Fairbanks in October 2007. The audience response was enthusiastic.
Our work to finish the documentary continues. Scenery footage, music and sound, sub-titling, and closed-captioning will be added during the winter and spring of 2008.

Finding their Own Dance: Reawakening the Alutiiq Arts

Welcome!

Exploring the Reemerging Alutiiq Dance Arts