Latest news with #BalletinthePark
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Free Press Head Start for July 25, 2025
Sunny with a mix of sun and cloud with a 30 per cent of showers this afternoon. Wind becoming south 20 km/h this morning. High 28 C. Humidex 35. UV index 8, or very high. What's happening today 🏀 The Winnipeg Sea Bears host the Edmonton Stingers at 7:30 p.m. at the Canada Life Centre. ⚾ The Winnipeg Goldeyes host the Chicago Dogs at 7 p.m. at Blue Cross Park. Tonight's game features a 'Christmas in July' fireworks show. 🩰 The Royal Winnipeg Ballet performs Ballet in the Park at 7:30 p.m. at Assiniboine Park. Read Holly Harris's review. 🎭 The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival closes out this weekend. Still deciding on what show to see? The Free Press reviewed over 140 shows. Today's must-read Indian status is the vehicle for First Nations people to access the rights and benefits to which they are entitled. And while many First Nations people see the concept of status as offensive and paternalistic, there's also the sense that without it, the federal government could skirt the responsibilities, obligations and promises it has made to First Nations people. As far as its significance, holding status can give a person the right to hunt and fish on their treaty lands; to reap (often minuscule) treaty payments; receive financial aid for post-secondary education; and a tax exemption for income earned on-reserve. It also provides insurance for certain health-care costs, such as counselling, dental work and medications. Investigative journalist Marsha McLeod writes on the Indian Act's 'second-generation cut-off' and how it poses an existential threat to treaty people in Canada. Read more. Lou Moodie has made it his mission to educate First Nations peoples on how to reclaim status. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press) On the bright side Zookeepers in Prague sometimes have to become puppeteers to save newborn birds rejected by their parents. This was the case for a lesser yellow-headed vulture chick hatched three weeks ago. Bird keeper Antonín Vaidl said Thursday that when a dummy egg disappeared from the nest, it signaled to keepers that the parents were not ready to care for their two babies, despite doing so in 2022 and 2023. The first-born is being kept in a box and fed using a puppet designed to mimic a parent bird, while another is expected to hatch in the next few days. The Associated Press has more here. A lesser yellow-headed vulture that hatched three weeks ago is being fed by using a puppet that imitates a parent bird at the zoo in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday. (Petr David Josek / The Associated Press) On this date On July 25, 1973: The Winnipeg Free Press reported Manitoba Liberal leader Izzy Asper unofficially won the judicial recount of Wolseley constituency ballots by three votes. In Calgary, the four western premiers emerged from the first day of meetings with the prime minister on economic development opportunities having gained some concessions from the federal government, but said they were generally not getting what they had asked for. The national harbours board would spend $12.5 million over the next six years to upgrade Churchill as a port, the transport minister announced. Read the rest of this day's paper here. Search our archives for more here. Today's front page Get the full story: Read today's e-edition of the Free Press .
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Planted deep in Mother Earth
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's annual Ballet in the Park kicked off the company's 2025/26 season Wednesday under new artistic director Christopher Stowell, who also served as the evening's amiable host. The beloved summer production has battled bugs, rain, heat, high humidity and even a global pandemic since it was first conceived in 1972. This year saw wildfire smoke added to that mix, with the midweek show, performed al fresco at Assiniboine Park's Lyric Theatre under (mostly) blue skies, feeling like a rare, stolen moment in time. The 60-minute mixed bill opened with a trio of works highlighting the RWB School Recreational Division students. MIKE SUDOMA / FREE PRESS The Royal Winnipeg Ballet performs T'el: The Wild Man of the Woods by Cameron Fraser-Monroe First up, Spectacle des Jouets, choreographed by core faculty member Kendra Woo to Hans Christian Lumbye's Champagne Galop, filled the stage with the vitality of youth. Its six rosy-cheeked dancers grinned ear to ear as they tossed off their carefully rehearsed plies and tendus as effervescently as a glass of bubbly. Next up came Sing Sing Sing, with its eight dancers wearing sparkling flapper-style dresses and executing recreational division principal Nicole Kepp's jazzy kicks and flicks to Benny Goodman's immortal swing tune. Revolution offered a loud 'n' proud hip-hop number with its quartet of dancers performing faculty member Ella Rumak's funky choreography, pulsating with energy to a playlist of Madonna, Flo Rida, Spice Girls and M.V.P., proving these young artists just want to have fun. The second half of the program featured an excerpt of acclaimed Canadian choreographer Cameron Fraser-Monroe's T'el: The Wild Man of the Woods, premièred by the company in April 2024. The RWB School alumnus, appointed associated artist at Ballet Kelowna as well as artist-in-residence at the National Theatre School of Canada next season, has been blazing a trail with his eclectic artistry, blending elements of Ukrainian dance, traditional Indigenous grass and hoop dance and classical ballet technique. (Local balletomanes will also get to see his New York City hit Segatem performed next spring on the RWB stage.) Based on a traditional oral history story from his Tia'amin First Nation home in the upper Sunshine Coast of southwestern British Columbia, the ballet, led by all-Indigenous creative team, also features a recorded narration in Ayajuthem and English by then-94-year-old elder Elsie Paul, the last fluent speaker of the Tia'amin language. Fraser-Monroe, who was in attendance, shared plot points from the stage prior to the 30-minute performance (the lack of an onstage interview regarding his creative process was a missed opportunity). The choice to feature T'el as Ballet in the Park's centrepiece this year proved hit and miss. It's ideal — and doesn't always happen — to see a relatively new work performed a second time, and particularly this one, birthed in a traditional European-infused ballet studio but with its roots so deeply planted into Mother Earth. The tale of T'el (pronounced 'tall'), a forest monster that kidnaps children to eat, performed on a fresh-air stage surrounded by leafy foliage, resonated with naturalistic verisimilitude. However, selecting such a dark story was curious, given the number of tots tucked into the mixed-generation crowd on Wednesday, many of them likely dreaming of tutus and tiaras as they twirled in the grass and happily joined in the pre-show movement class superbly led by 'Miss Maggie.' MIKE SUDOMA / FREE PRESS The RWB performs T'el: The Wild Man of the Woods as part of the Ballet in the Park. Nevertheless, kids can always surprise you — witness Grimms' fairy tales — and ageism can work both ways. Condensing an original 49-minute ballet into a leaner 30 also poses other challenges, needing to leapfrog from scene to scene in a way that dispels its own continuity while losing its narrative glue. An electro-acoustic score — including rafter-raising powwow drum songs and chants by Indigenous cellist and composer Cris Derkson (with credit to Northern Voice and Sheldon and Frazer Sundown) — lost some of its power in the open-air space, often feeling too abstract to fully hold the sprawling, grass- and lawn-chair-seated crowd's attention, with Scott Henderson's lighting design virtually MIA prior to sundown. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. Despite these misgivings, bravo to the dancers, dressed in Navajo costumer designer Asa Benally's earth-toned trousers and shirts, for their conviction in bringing Fraser-Monroe's often highly rhythmical choreography to life. They were particularly strong during the smaller ensemble sections, frequently punctuated by his signature, jaw-dropping lifts performed with fearless athleticism. Kudos in particular to corps de ballet members Logan Savard, reprising his archetypal, beastly protagonist T'el, and Kyra Soo as young village daughter Erica, who courageously rescues her abducted Middle Sister (another effective role reprisal by corps member Brooke Thomas). The story ballet ends triumphantly as the stolen children are finally returned to their anxious families, although one of its most potent scenes, the climactic burning of T'el in fire, with dancers en pointe suddenly morphing into licking flames, was left on the cutting-room floor. Still, Fraser-Monroe's artistry is arresting, and T'el: The Wild Man of the Woods continues to resonate as a story of courage, resistance and the power of community — qualities that perfectly reflect the plucky troupe now leaping into its 86th season.
Winnipeg Free Press
23-07-2025
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Free Press Head Start for July 23, 2025
Mainly cloudy, with a 60 per cent chance of showers early this morning. Widespread smoke. High 24 C. Humidex 26. UV index 7 or high. Winnipeggers may have received a tornado alert on their phones on Monday — some repeatedly — but it wasn't for them and they were never in any danger. While the Environment Canada emergency alert popped up on the cellphones of many Winnipeggers at about 6:30 p.m. — urging them to 'take immediate cover in a basement or interior room if weather threat approaches' — it was intended for residents in the Rural Municipality of MacDonald, southwest of the city. Some of its communities include Oak Bluff, La Salle, Brunkild and Starbuck. Kevin Rollason has more here. What's happening today The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Ballet in the Park is to summer in Winnipeg what Nutcracker is to winter: a beloved annual tradition. The annual al fresco performance is a once-a-season chance to watch the company and RWB School students perform for free (at the Lyric Theatre at Assiniboine Park), making it the perfect introduction to the art form. Performances run July 23-25, starting tonight at 7:30 p.m. You can register here. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Ballet in the Park returns to the Lyric Theatre for three nights starting tonight. (Nic Adam / Free Press files) Today's must-read Manitoba's experience as a leader in reconciliation will give it a leg up when it comes time for Canada to fast-track megaprojects, Premier Wab Kinew said Tuesday after signing an agreement with Saskatchewan to expand trade through the Port of Churchill. 'We're working a ton on making sure we have consensus with the Indigenous nations for the megaprojects that we want to pursue to build up the Manitoba and Canadian economy,' Kinew said. Twenty-nine First Nations and 12 northern communities own the Arctic Gateway Group, which operates the Port of Churchill and the Hudson Bay Railway that connects it to the rest of the continent. Carol Sanders has the story. The Port of Chuchill (John Woods / The Canadian Press files) On the bright side It's better to be safe than sorry when around water. That's the message the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg is spreading this week as it offers free water safety resources for both new and comfortable swimmers at its four locations in Winnipeg. 'Drowning is so, so preventable. Swimming is a life skill,' said Finn McLandress, aquatics director at the downtown location at 301 Vaughan St. Swim instructors will be available during drop-in swim times to answer questions and help any adult or child who has basic swim skills. Displays at each location entrance will have pamphlets and kids colouring sheets that list tips on how to avoid drowning. Matthew Frank has more here. Finlay McLandress, Aquatics Director, Downtown Y Community Hub (Supplied) On this date On July 23, 1953: The Winnipeg Free Press reported British government officials believed a violent shakeup gripped top leadership in the Soviet Union and were far from convinced premier Georgi Malenkov wielded total power. Buckingham Palace had no comment on the relationship between Princess Margaret and divorced Second World War fighter pilot Group Capt. Peter Townshend. In Winnipeg, all inoculations and other immunization injections for children were paused as 16 more cases of polio were reported. Read the rest of this day's paper here. Search our archives for more here. Today's front page Get the full story: Read today's e-edition of the Free Press .
Winnipeg Free Press
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
What's up: Dirty Catfish Brass Band, night market, Ballet in the Park, Angela's Shadow, wildfire relief
SUPPLIED The Dirty Catfish Brass Band are at Blue Note Park tonight. SUPPLIED The Dirty Catfish Brass Band are at Blue Note Park tonight. Laissez les bons temps rouler avec le Dirty Catfish Brass Band, an ensemble that's been keeping Winnipeg dancing since its formation in 2011. This outdoor show — open to fans younger than 18 so long as they're with a parent or legal guardian — can serve as an introduction to the exciting world of New Orleans music, and might convince up-and-coming musicians to register for the brass band's summer camp program next month at the Winnipeg Conservatory of Music. From Aug. 18 to 22, students aged 13-19 with a minimum of one year's playing experience, can hone their skills on brass (trumpet, trombone, mellophone, sousaphone and tuba), saxophones, clarinets and drums, with guidance from the Dirty Catfish members. Registration is $375 at — Ben Waldman TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The first Manitoba Night Market at Assiniboia Downs was held in 2017. TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The first Manitoba Night Market at Assiniboia Downs was held in 2017. Manitoba Night Market returns Sunday with fun for all ages kicking off at 3 p.m. and carrying on into twilight. Over 140 vendors will be on hand peddling their wares, among them Hoovers' Cards, Blush Stitch Studio, Farmstead on the Red, Jacked Up Jill Coffee, Flying Pig Patch bakery, All For Loaves and Little Resin Heaven. There will be 20-plus food trucks on site serving up savoury and sweet treats, including Donut Forget Your Coffee, Tot Wheels, Wacky Waffles, Willy Dogs, The Churro Stop and Epic Street Grub. Wash down your street food with a cold one in the market's beer gardens, Manitoba Night Market will also feature live music stages as well as a kid zone full of all kinds of activities and games. For those looking for fresh ink, a tattoo pop-up will also be on site. Be sure to stick around after sunset to catch the fire show. Tickets for the rain-or-shine event are $10 at Showpass; parking is an additional $5. — Ben Sigurdson NIC ADAM / FREE PRESS FILES The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Ballet in the Park returns to the Lyric Theatre for three nights starting Wednesday. NIC ADAM / FREE PRESS FILES The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Ballet in the Park returns to the Lyric Theatre for three nights starting Wednesday. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Ballet in the Park is to summer in Winnipeg what Nutcracker is to winter: a beloved annual tradition. The annual al fresco performance is a once-a-season chance to watch the company and RWB School students perform for free, making it the perfect introduction to the art form. The two-hour mixed-repetroire program also means audiences will see a wide cross-section of ballet, from classical to contemporary. Program highlights include a remounting of Cameron Fraser-Monroe's groundbreaking T'əl: The Wild Man of the Woods, which made its world première at the Centennial Concert Hall in 2024. This is the first edition of Ballet in the Park under new artistic director Christopher Stowell, who will host. A suite of family-friendly activities are also on offer, including crafts and face painting, an interactive creative movement dance class led from the stage and food vendors. Registering for your free ticket at the RWB website will allow you to receive updates about what's happening before the show along with weather updates, since Ballet at the Park happens at the discretion of Mother Nature. You'll also be able to show your ticket at the information tent to receive a limited-edition button and be entered to win a full-season subscription. And be sure to go early to grab your spot on the lawn; this event is a popular one. — Jen Zoratti SUPPLIED Angela's Shadow stars Sera-Lys McArthur as Angela (left) and Renae Morriseau as her childhood nanny. SUPPLIED Angela's Shadow stars Sera-Lys McArthur as Angela (left) and Renae Morriseau as her childhood nanny. Ghostly premonitions, family secrets and racism drive the narrative of Angela's Shadow, an Indigenous thriller screening at Dave Barber Cinematheque. Set in Canada in the 1930s, the film follows Angela and Henry, a pair of young socialites with a baby on the way. Angela's previously unknown Cree ancestry is revealed during a visit to her childhood nanny's northern Ontario reserve. Supernatural encounters ensue and Henry's racism leads to a psychosis-fuelled murder plot. Angela's Shadow is director Jules Koostachin's second feature-length film. 'I wholeheartedly believe that Indigenous cinema is its own genre, a blend of comedy, sci-fi, drama, supernatural and thrillers. Our stories represent the strength of our diversity and our deep cultural connection to our communities,' Koostachin said in a media release. The Cree filmmaker and member of Attawapiskat First Nation will be in attendance for a Q&A on Saturday. — Eva Wasney SUPPLIED A wildfire south of Pimicikamak Cree Nation and the incorporated community of Cross Lake. SUPPLIED A wildfire south of Pimicikamak Cree Nation and the incorporated community of Cross Lake. As most readers know, Manitoba is in the midst of record-breaking forest fires. They've displaced more than 10,000 people. Lives have been lost, as have scores of homes as the fires have burned through over a million hectares so far. 'We need to get our people in hotels,' Garden Hill vice-chief Craig Munroe said last week; 4,000 people live in the remote First Nation, several hundred kilometers northeast of Winnipeg. 'It's coming so close to our houses and it's creeping into our community. I'm praying that it will not wrap around our whole community.' Munroe is organizing a fundraiser, which can be found online on GoFundMe as 'Garden Hill Anisininew Nation Fire Evacuation,' to help cover accommodations and essentials for displaced members of his community. These are just some of the ways people can support victims of the 2025 Manitoba Wildfires. The Canadian Red Cross and the Winnipeg Foundation also accept donations online, while the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, First Nations Family Advocate Office, Southern Chiefs' Organization, Morgan's Warriors accept non-perishable foods and other supplies at their sites. Check their websites for more info. — Conrad Sweatman
