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PEHDZEH KI/WRIGLEY
Students in two Deh Cho schools were introduced to forms of traditional dance from different parts of the world last month.

Buffy Handel of the Aboriginal School of Dance, standing left, talks to students at Chief Julian Yendo School in Wrigley on March 27 including, counter clockwise, Setia Antoine, Tamara Lennie, Tyrone Lennie, Lloyal Moses, Hunter Clillie, Jessica Clillie, Shenougha Hardisty, Ivan Clillie, Hailey Moses, Kelcy Nayally, Allen Moses and Destiny Cli-Moses. Handel, a professional dancer and choreographer, shared an inspirational message and hoop dancing with the students. - photo courtesy of Blair Sellars

Two performers with the Aboriginal School of Dance visited Chief Julian Yendo School in Wrigley on March 27 and Echo Dene School in Fort Liard on March 28 and 29.

Buffy Handel, the founder of the Aboriginal School of Dance, shared hoop dancing with students while Fabricio Jesus taught the students Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that contains elements of dance and music.

Alexa Tsetso, a youth volunteer officer with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, organized the visits as part of the department's role model tours. Before sharing their respective art forms, Handel and Jesus spoke to students about their life stories and the challenges they have overcome.

Handel was "pretty inspirational," said Tsetso. Handel, a professional dancer and choreographer, was charismatic and captured the students' attention in both schools.

"They responded really well," she said. "In both communities there was very little shyness."

In Wrigley, Handel and Jesus spent the morning talking to the older students at the school before working with all of the students in the gym. Handel taught the students basic hoop dance moves while Jesus got the students singing a song in Portuguese and introduced them to easy Capoeira moves.

"The hoop dancing was amazing," said Lloyal Moses.

Moses, 15, said after watching Handel he thinks it would take quite a bit of practice to become a good hoop dancer. Moses was also impressed by Jesus and compared Capoeira to break-dancing.

"It was really fun," said Sky Lennie about the dancing.

Lennie, 12, who'd never seen hoop dancing in person before, said she liked Handel's performance. Jesus was really good at doing flips and cartwheels, she said.

The art forms were things that the students hadn't seen before so it captured their attention and they all participated, said teacher Blair Sellars.

"They enjoyed it," he said.

Sellars said Handel and Jesus' life stories about overcoming obstacles to reach their goals definitely resonated with the students.

At Echo Dene School in Fort Liard, Handel and Jesus again shared motivational messages and their respective art forms.

The pair worked with all of the students over the course of two days.

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