Indigenous teen melds tradition, technology to 'dance in the rainbow'

It takes about 20minutes for Theland Kicknosway's transformationfrom ordinary high school student to globe-trottinghoop dancer.

The 15-year-old Merivale High School student first began learning the traditional art form at the age of five. Since then, his talent has taken him across Canada, andto performances in Mexico and at the United Nations inSwitzerland.

For Kicknosway, who isPotawatami and Cree, it's about storytelling through dance.

"It can be a warrior danceor a healing dance," he explained. "I try to create images I've seen ...butterfliesor hawks or an eagle.There's a whole lot of different moves you can do with the hoops that help you portray your story."

Childhood dream

Traditionally, dancers used willow branches to make the hoops, whichthey would bend, tie and dye red. But Kicknoswaywanted something different for his performances.

Being able to share my story through this dancemeans showing people we're not gone.- Theland Kicknosway

At age seven, he told his mom Elaine that he wanted to "dance in the rainbow." She promised to help him realize his dream.

Two years ago, she discovered glow-in-the-dark LED hoops for sale online. They soon arrived in the mail, and have nowbecome Kicknosway's colourful trademark.

"It's amazing, just the images I can portray with these modern materials, the LEDs. They show something different that you might not be able to see with the traditional red willow hoops.The modern and traditional,and both of themcollidingit makes an impact. People haven't seen this style of hoop dancing before."

Kicknoswaynow picks up his hoops to practise about once a day. For performances, he dons traditional regaliathat accentuates the movement ofhis arms and legs.

Bringing back the dance

Kicknoswaysays he's motivated by his urge to help revive hoop dancing, whichwas forced underground in the 19th century.

"The government tried to push these dances away.They weren't allowing us to come together and share and practise or own style of communication.I'm just happy that I'm able to bring this dance back from when it was almost extinct."

Kicknosway'smother isa SixtiesScoop survivor and his father was a patient at what was known as an 'IndianHospital,' racially-segregated government-run health institutions now facing allegations of widespread mistreatment and abuse.

"Being able to share my story through this dancemeans showing people we're not gone,"Kicknoswaysaid.

"Us as youth, we're leading the way, we're rising upand we're sharing our culture with everyone so they can pass it on to future generations.It makes me feel proud as an Indigenous youth to pass on the torch."