Indigenous high schoolers preparing for dance showcase

More than two dozen teens from across Manitoba and northern Ontario are stepping into a new challenge.

Kaydence Keeper has travelled to Winnipeg to dance with other Indigenous youth, for the first time with her leadership program.

“It feels amazing," Keeper said. “I’ve always wanted to dance with other people other than being just me by myself.”

She says she used to dance alone in her bedroom, but now she’s part of a group of teens heading to Toronto in May to show off their moves at one of the largest dance showcases in Canada. It’s part of a countrywide mentorship program for Indigenous youth called Outside Looking In (OLI). Keeper is part of a smaller leadership group inside the program.

“It’s really fun and improves your mental health," fourth-year participant Taison Geyshick said while taking a break from the studio. “I feel like I would be in a much worse position if it wasn’t for OLI.”

Lindy Kinoshameg, the RBC Future Leaders program manager, says the program is about more than dance moves.

“(They) earn a high school credit and to empower themselves and learn a dance piece (that) they perform at our annual showcase,” Kinoshameg said. “This week we’re going to different colleges and universities and including entrepreneur courses having guest speakers come in and talk and share their experience.”

Geyshick says the social skills he's learning here will last him a lifetime.

“It’s like an amazing bonding experience like learning together and they put us through these hard workouts,” Geyshick said.

Those bonds reach back home.

“As I’m here with the program and everything I’m actually doing it for my friends who can’t,” Keeper said.

Keeper will be sharing what she’s learnt with her friends and family, and will keep dancing.