b'PERFORMING ARTSThe Woman BehindRED SKY PERFORMANCEBy Anna-Liza BadalooI narratives through the power of performing artsSandra Laronde has spent more than two decades countering colonial ndigenous performing arts are moreof Indigenous arts at the Banff Centre forExploring Indigenous themes in Canadas popular than ever with CanadianArts and Creativity for nine consecutivemainstream performing arts world was audiences. With a growing passion toyears and has worked with the Torontounusual, launching an Indigenous-led learn more about Indigenous cultureSymphony Orchestra, and the Regina andcompany even more so. At that time, in Canada, some Indigenous performingWinnipeg Symphony orchestras.Indigenous-themed works were mostly arts companies have even taken the globalcreated by non-Indigenous people and stage by storm, sharing their unique storiesLaronde has been a powerful beacona handful of Indigenous artists. When and experiences with the world. Enter theshining a spotlight on Indigenous perform- Laronde attended performances, she was award-winning performing arts companyance throughout her incredible career.looking for hope and inspiration; instead, Red Sky Performance.When she founded Red Sky Performance,she found stories that centred on despair, the Indigenous arts scene in Canadaalcoholism and suicide. Sandra Laronde is the companys artistic director, producer and choreographer.was much different than it is today. IWere so much more than our issues Since its launch in 2000, she has createdcould count on one hand the amount ofand problems, and I wondered, Where and produced more than 3,000 Red SkyIndigenous work that I saw on mainstagescould I see something about our bril-performances in over 21 countries onin Canada, recalls Laronde, who is Teme- liance, ingenuity and artistry? I didnt see four continents. She was also the directorAugama Anishinaabe.much of it on stages in those days, recalls 14Fall/Winter 2023'