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INUVIK - Students at Sir Alexander Mackenzie are experiencing a distinctly Northern education in performing arts.

Members of the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers group have been meeting with young students for years now.

Sarah Tingmiak and Brian Rogers play the drums while Lillian Elias leads a dance during a class at Sir Alexander Mackenzie school last week. The traditional learning is a common practice for students in the school. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Principal Janette Vlanich said the group meets with the students three times a week in the staff coffee room.

Vlanich said the dancers come in and work with classes on acts for the annual Christmas concert.

"The drumming and dancing is one of the most talked about things in the concert," she said.

The school owns a lot of traditional dress that is used onstage during the show.

"We got it all for the kids to wear," Vlanich said.

Leading the room full of eager students are Scott Kasook, Brian Rogers, Sarah Tingmiak and Lillian Elias.

"We're here to teach the students the different dances and styles," said Elias, who has started teaching at the school three years ago.

Teachers in the school work with the traditional dance instructors to find a dance the students can perform at the concert in December.

"We help them with their dancing for the concert," said Elias. "Something fun for the students."

The teacher said she is happy the four members of the drummers and dancers get to stay together to teach the movements to the students.

Elias added students are always eager to come to class and dance loudly.

"The students love to come here," she said.

She said there are some students she can remember seeing in kindergarten.

"Some of these kids have been doing this since they were small - now they're in Grade 6," she said.

"It so nice to see that because they have an interest in the dancing."

Sharing the dancing is important because it keeps local culture and traditions alive among younger generations, she said.

"We see that we're losing a lot of our culture, but this is something that can be kept going with the students," she said.

"This is a very important part of our lives."