Dancer happier since going barefoot
By Barb Nahwegahbow
TORONTO — Sarain Carson-Fox is proud to call herself an Aboriginal artist.
The 26-year-old dancer – a citizen of Batchewana First Nation– used to say she was an artist who happened to be Aboriginal.
“But that cheats me,” she says. “Now I totally identify as an Aboriginal artist.”
Her artistry is fuelled by her Indigenous identity. Carson-Fox studied at the Quinte Ballet School of Canada from the time she was little, but in her late teens she had a strong desire to incorporate her First Nations culture into her dance.
Classical ballet became too confining. She took off her ballet slippers, “and I’ve been barefoot ever since,” she says, referring to her career in contemporary dance.
A member of the Midewiwin Lodge, Carson-Fox says her culture is an essential part of her being.
“The traditional teachings are my road map. It’s what powers me and answers my questions, especially as I live in two worlds.” She credits the Lodge with giving her the tools to keep her identity strong, and help her deal with the challenges of living in fast-paced mainstream society and the competitive arts world.
“I’m Aboriginal first and then I happen to be an artist,” she says. “I’ve bridged being a dancer to choreographing my own work. I’m totally politically-based. There are really big Indigenous issues and I want to dive into them. I go to the studio to do a piece and say to myself, I’m just going to see what happens. Within 24 hours, it’s missing and murdered Indigenous women, that’s where I’m going with it.”
In addition to her dancing credentials, Carson-Fox’s resume also includes an impressive list of film and television acting credits, as well as experience as a fashion model.
One of her role models is the late Anishinabe artist Norval Morriseau, who Carson-Fox says was painting traditional teachings and putting them out for the general public to see “back when they were hush-hush. He was doing huge murals and I’m totally inspired by that stuff!”
Others who’ve served as inspirations include Six Nations dancer Santee Smith, Cree dancer and choreographer Michael Greyeyes and Karen Kain, Canada’s most famous ballerina.
“And my mom,” she adds. “I had a mom that totally let me indulge in creativity.” Her mother is artist Banakonda Kennedy-Kish.
Carson-Fox becomes even more animated when she talks about a recently-discovered passion – teaching. In Winneway, Quebec she teaches dance to children and youth from pre-kindergarten to grade 11. Ballet, contemporary dance and physical activity are in her curriculum.
“I tell them ‘you are totally free to do what you want and here are the guidelines’,” she says. “These kids are so not used to having anyone just let them be. They are awesome!”
She’d like to do similar work in other First Nations communities. To book Sarain Carson-Fox for workshops, she may be contacted through her website at www.sarainfox.com.