Modeste Mckenzie, right, has been square dancing since childhood. (submitted photo/Modeste Mckenzie)

By Derek Cornet

square dancing

‘It’s our therapy’: Métis dancer finds strength in tradition

Dec 10, 2019 | 1:19 PM

Modeste Mckenzie was only 12 years old when he started to jig by pure coincidence.

The La Ronge resident had been working a summer job assisting with sound production at the Batoche National Historic Site in 2007 when one of the invited dancers rolled an ankle in a gopher hole the day before the opening show. Short one person for their square-dancing troupe, they asked Mckenzie if he would join them and he spent the night perfecting their routine.

“I definitely did stumble into it,” he said. “I didn’t plan on learning how to jig, it was just placed on my shoulders.”

Twelve years later, Mckenzie is now part of two Saskatchewan-based groups including the Qu’Appelle Valley Square Dancers and the Creeland Dancers – a troupe well-known throughout the province.

Mckenzie said dancing has given him the opportunity to travel. For instance, he recently performed at the Louis Riel Day festivities in La Ronge. He held a workshop at an elementary school in Prince Albert and attended another special gig last weekend in Lloydminster. He’ll be back in the border city in January and anticipates a busy summer as part of plans to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Back to Batoche Days.

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“For a lot of dancers, it’s our therapy,” he explained. “We get to hang out with our good friends. They’ve turned into a family, and I’ve known all of them for over 10 years and we’ve shared so many memories.”

Modeste Mckenzie, far right, is seen with members of the Qu’Appelle Valley Square Dancers this month. (submitted photo/Modeste Mckenzie)

While the dancers live throughout the province, Mckenzie noted there tends to be many who come from Pelican Narrows. He believes people enjoy watching square dancers because of the synchronized movements and footwork, the sound their taps make and the beat of the music.

“The fiddle is just a really lively instrument and, you couple that with our energy, and it can be really invigorating to watch,” he said. “A lot of audiences love to watch younger people jig and square dance because they are witnessing the transition of Métis culture on to the next generation. That’s one big thing people enjoy.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno