The most famous Métis dance is the Red River Jig or as it is known in
Michif, “oayache mannin”. The accompanying fiddle tune is considered an
unofficial Métis anthem. The tune was very popular in the mid 1800s and
was known from Alaska to James Bay. The dance is a combination of Plains
First Nations footwork with Scottish, Irish and French-Canadian dance forms.
In this workshop students will be focusing on keeping time with the music using three basic foot steps. They dance in a circle, classes are divided into 4 groups, each featuring a special step of their own.
The groups are named: Red Wolf, Black Bear, White Buffalo, Golden Eagle
During the workshop several breaks are taken where we begin a basic discussion on the aspects of the Medicine Wheel.