Selkirk Spirit Dancers

Pelly Crossing, Yukon

Traditional Drumming & Dance

The Selkirk Spirit Dancers Bio
The Selkirk Spirit Dancers was founded in the early 2000’s through Selkirk First Nation’s Culture Program. After becoming dormant for a few years, in 2006 it was re-established by a couple of volunteers who had strong values in bringing their traditions back. The non profeit society has been going strong 17 years later with the initial dream of bringing back the joy of traditional songs and dancing to Pelly Crossing. In 2006, the dancers started with a few youth that came to the practices, the steps and dance sequences from old songs demonstrated by dance leaders and elders.
Elders in the community always told stories of the days when people gathered for feasts and potlatches at their ancestral home of Fort Selkirk on the Yukon River. The tradition of celebrations was disrupted when the people had to move away from Fort Selkirk at the end of the steamboat era and when residential schools were established. It was then, nobody was practicing their traditions. 
During the pandemic, the dancers were prevented from gathering to perform or even practice, so many drifted away, and the group faced a disconnect. Fortunately, the dance leaders re-established the Selkirk Spirit Dancers Society once again. The dance leaders have seen a record number of people interested in joining the dancers and a desire to rebuild a dynamic dance group made up of children, youth, and Elders.
Today the Selkirk Spirit Dancers have more than 50 active members. They have expanded their dance practices to every week, to address the growing interests and are expanding their repertoire with old, traditional dances as well as learning new ones.