Pisuwin is a Wolastoqiyik story exploring the vital connection of the Wolastoq people to Spirit. This multidisciplinary piece reflects on the current state of dis-ease in our world, illuminating a path to wholeness and rebalance. The project blends Indigenous storytelling and dance, redefining this classical form for a diverse, savvy, and contemporary audience. Electronic sound, industrial landscapes and digital projection, juxtaposed with Wolastoq songs and visual motifs of the spiritual and natural world, create the Indigenous cosmology within which the story takes place. Pisuwin pushes us to confront our greed and alienation, while inspiring us to take a different path; one of connection, community, and wholeness.
Co-created by Nipahtuwet Naka Wespahtuwet Possesom, Sitansisk Wolastoqiyik and Artistic Director Igor Dobrovolskiy, Pisuwin is set to the soaring music of multi-award winning composer, singer and song writer Jeremy Dutcher, Neqotkuk Wolasoqiyik with 6 more indigenous creators/artists including Métis dancer Jera Wolfe dancing the lead. role. The creative process of Pisuwin was overseen by Wolastoqiyik Elders Dr. Maggie Paul and Lisa Dutcher
The project has set a new bar for the company in cross-disciplinary and cultural collaboration.
Committed to creation, collaboration and community.
Co-founded by Susan Chalmers-Gauvin , CEO and Igor Dobrovolskiy, Artistic Director in 2002, Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada is an international award winning, creation-based company with a focus on new works, collaboration, and broad-based public engagement in the arts. The company presents 20 to 30 performances annually at home, across Canada and in Europe.
Embracing diversity, Atlantic Ballet is a multicultural company of soloist artists well known for their extensive technical abilities and strong emotional qualities on stage. Through collaboration with likeminded artists attracted by the vision and artistic philosophy of our Artistic Director our creative practice uses ballet-art as a platform to see our world in more compelling, poignant and imaginative ways.
The creative team includes 8 indigenous creators and artists. The creation process was over three years with the World premiere on May 12th, 2023, followed by a tour of New Brunswick, Nova-Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. Pisuwin is co-directed by Igor Dobovolskiy (Co-founder and Artistic Director of Atlantic Ballet Canada), and multi-disciplinary artist Nipahtuwet Naka Wespahtuwet (Possesom) Paul (Wolastoqiyik, Sitansisk First Nation).
