Spotlight on the Arts
Discovering Indigenous Heritage Through Dance
1/22/2024 | 3m 15sVideo has Closed Captions
The past and future converge in a visually stunning narrative...
The past and future converge in a visually stunning narrative, "First Nation's Last Battle" performed by Angela Hicks. Witness Angela's seamless fusion of the old world and modern technology. From her global quest to trace her ancestry, to the mesmerizing puppetry introducing layers of heritage, Angela's performance journeys through time and imagination.
Spotlight on the Arts is a local public television program presented by WGCU-PBS
Spotlight on the Arts is a series of short videos highlighting arts organizations in Southwest Florida. Funding provided by Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
Spotlight on the Arts
Discovering Indigenous Heritage Through Dance
1/22/2024 | 3m 15sVideo has Closed Captions
The past and future converge in a visually stunning narrative, "First Nation's Last Battle" performed by Angela Hicks. Witness Angela's seamless fusion of the old world and modern technology. From her global quest to trace her ancestry, to the mesmerizing puppetry introducing layers of heritage, Angela's performance journeys through time and imagination.
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(gentle emotional music) (gentle emotional music) (upbeat electronic music) (upbeat electronic music) (gentle music) - [Narrator] Deep in nature's reclaimed swamp lives one of Earth's most resilient creatures.
- The idea of honoring my heritage through dancing stemmed from trying to discover what is my identity.
This art form allows me to honor my heritage by being able to express myself to the community, to showcase that these Indigenous tribes have a lot of different elements to them that make them what they are.
The name "First Nations Last Battle" came from my idea of trying to establish this identity for where my tribe comes from.
The beginning of this performance, I'm entering as an alligator.
I wanted to incorporate a little bit of like puppetry style to the beginning of this piece to set the tone of what the audience should be expecting.
That this is a performance piece that's gonna be immersing everybody involved.
(dramatic powerful music) I then exit and come back, unveiling my heritage through the voiceover that I incorporated.
- [Narrator] The swamp creature inherited the traditions and skills of the islands of the Aegean sea.
- Then I enter into center stage.
Showcasing the sword, which is the dance about femininity, strength, trust, and balance within one's soul.
(sharp music) The alien then arrives.
(intense dramatic music) And then, you know, we'll see who wins.
(laughs) I am fusing the old world and modern technology with my props.
I brought in this really cool Tesla coil technology.
Through this performance piece, I had self-discovery of my identity.
(audience cheering) (emotional music) (emotional music) (dramatic music fades) (electricity crackling) (audience cheering)
Spotlight on the Arts is a local public television program presented by WGCU-PBS
Spotlight on the Arts is a series of short videos highlighting arts organizations in Southwest Florida. Funding provided by Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.