Powerdance is one of the headliners at this year's Tapestrama event. (Facebook/ Douglas Nierras Powerdance)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community Events

Filipino dance group ready to take the stage at Tapestrama

Sep 21, 2019 | 12:00 PM

For 39 years, Tapestrama has been showcasing the diversity of Prince Albert, and this year’s event could raise the bar even higher.

Powerdance will be making a stop in Prince Albert next weekend , as part of their Canada-U.S. tour. Choreographer Douglas Nierras said the group has never been to this part of Saskatchewan before.

“Though I’ve personally been to different parts of Canada, it’s essentially our first time to come to Prince Albert. We’re all very excited and also very eager to perform there,” he said.

The group is comprised of 11 dancers, one director/choreographer, one visual designer, and one production asst/stage manager. Prior to performing in Prince Albert, they will have made stops in Montreal, Vancouver, and Edmonton. Nierras described the group’s repertoire as dance pieces that reflect how the Filipino heart and soul react, feel and live with everything that happens around him/her.

“It’s essentially a personal journey that a Filipino goes through in times of calamity, personal catastrophe, love, and vibrant joy,” he explained.

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In addition to what’s happening on stage, the event’s menu has also been spiced up a notch, with food from vietnamese, east indian, first nations and nigerian cultures. Michelle Hassler, Executive Director of the Prince Albert Multicultural Council, said they’ve also brought back foods from Ukranian culture.

“We highly believe that food helps gather people together,” she said.

Hassler, who has helped organize the event the past six years, stressed Tapestrama is about more than great food and dancing.

“It’s more of the interaction, its more of the immersing ourselves towards different cultures that comprise our community,” she said.

Tapestrama has been scheduled to run Sept. 28 – 29 at Plaza 88.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell