Services
PAT PROKOPCHUK
President/Director, Oriental Dance Arts
Former President Dance Saskatchewan lnc.
To date, Oriental Dance Arts of Saskatoon has itself celebrated over 3 decades of interaction with the Saskatoon cultural community. During this time they have been grateful for opportunities to cultivate this community identity through frequent invitations to perform for Chinese New Year celebrations, Persian Naw Ruz events, and FolkFest pavillions (lndia ; Pakistan). This history of collaborations stems from continuous study of Eastern dance and thoughtful regard for presenting tastefully to western audiences. The company has a repertoire suitable for both street performance arts, as well as stage choreographies. For this reason they enjoy participating in a variety of venues such as Festivals (Children’s, Fringe; Fireworks; Canada Day; former Festival of Trees; etc); school multicultural days; interfaith functions; weddings; marathons; fundraisers; corporate functions; flash mobs; and support to immigrant Women / Saskatoon Open Door Society / Saskatchewan Intercultural Association projects, and the City of Saskatoon.
Click on Pat’s Picture to read a great article.
There is always a small story to share about the group’s name which has become an educational aspect. Initially, they could be confused with being a Chinese dance school, ie, Oriental Dance Arts. However, all Chinese dance schools here refer to themselves as ‘Chinese’. Hence, “Oriental Dance” is in keeping with the original Arabic “raqs sharqi” which is related to social performance of dance by the common people of the middle east.
Oriental Dance Arts believes all dance: movement to good music becomes a healing artform. ln particular, the group promotes a friendly social experience for everyone, being all-inclusive for ethnicities / ages / genders and persuasions / body proportions, all striving to have fun and create positiveness. Members say: “it’s a reason to get out”; “to break away from digital enslavement”; “to connect to rich music”; “to experience the release of physical flow in the body”; “cultivate trust/friendship/respect/extension of family values”.
To engage in oriental dance a person eventually develops mastery over different parts of the body-brain (eg) footwork / bodywork / handwork / memory work all relating to layers of muscle isolation and movement compatible with different musical instrumentation. This has super brain plasticity and anti-aging effects. There are skill levels to meet anyone’s aspirations (eg) from the joy of improved fitness and stress relief to the joy of becoming a dancing cymbalist. Conveying the mood of the music is the most important aspect of oriental dance interpretation. lt is nothing short of remarkable to witness dance as the vehicle opening up a different wonderful persona of an individual’s strengths when they choose to perform in front of others, knowing full well there is the security of the group supporting them through any temporary vulnerabilities.
Occasionally we take on larger meaningful projects. We have an international working link with Shahrazad of Germany and have been inspired to participate in the following:
- Collaboration with two other dance companies in Winnipeg to mount the Canadian premiere of “The World of Tara” – a performance previously shown in Germany, Austria, Greece and the Czech Republic; the Canadian presentation was blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
- “The Great Mother’s Wisdom in a Dancing Power Circle” – connecting the Cree-based history behind sacred Wanuskewin Heritage Park and the ancient Mayan culture recently explored through a Saskatchewan Education Week curriculum project with the Saskatoon Public Schools. This bridging of cultures was intended to provide moral support for youth to deal with the trauma of missing & murdered indigenous women, and to re-awaken the knowledge of balancing power / acknowledging traditional sacred female energy.