'My son had a dream': A family rejoices at an Indigenous ballet's opening night
Pisuwin opened in Fredericton on May 12
This is part of a series called Ann's Eye, featuring the work of Ann Paul, a Wolastoqey content creator. You can see more Ann's Eye pieces by clicking here.
Possesom Paul wanted to wrap up the ballet as a gift for every member of his family.
That's what he told them as they gathered around his grandmother's table — everything happens there anyway, Ann Paul said — before the opening night of his ballet Pisuwin.
Featuring Indigenous actors, costumes and teachings, plus music composed by Juno-winner Jeremy Dutcher, the ballet is co-directed by Possesom Paul and Igor Dobrovolskiy.
It premiered May 12 in Fredericton with the Atlantic Ballet Theatre to a room full of love, said Possesom's mother, Ann Paul. The production will tour across Atlantic Canada.
"It was a story for everybody. Everybody took what they needed from it," she said.
Paul had seen bits and pieces of the ballet ahead of opening night through her work as a CBC contributor for Ann's Eye, but she purposefully avoided seeing the entire show — that's something she was saving for the premiere.
Of course, she felt personal pride and was even screaming with it as the show ended. She is his mother, after all.
She likes to say "we are proud," though, because she attributes her son's success and upbringing to her entire community.
"I sometimes feel that it's more of a community effort in bringing up our children. It's not all me," she said.
Ann's Eye
Photographer Ann Paul brings an Indigenous lens to stories from First Nations communities across New Brunswick. Click here or on the image below to see more of her work.
