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Indigenous Performance and Research Alliance (IPRA) Working Group - EXPLORATORY STAGE

Chair: Sam Aros Mitchell ([email protected])

The Indigenous Performance and Research Alliance (IPRA) within the Dance Studies Association (DSA) envisions a vibrant, collaborative initial gathering in Washington, DC, in June. This meeting will be open to all interested parties, and will occur around the 2025 DSA conference - date/time TBA.

This working group aims to amplify voices within Indigenous performance, specially related to dance, focusing on the integration of research and creative practice, foregrounding Indigenous knowledge systems and embodied scholarship. Attendees, including artists, scholars, and community leaders, will engage in critical conversations and a hands-on workshop which looks to explore the intersections between Indigenous performance, cultural histories, and community-centered artistic innovations with the realm of dance. This gathering seeks to inspire meaningful collaborations by delving into the role of performance as both a means of preserving and reimagining cultural narratives. The session will span a variety of topics, such as refusal as resistance, ceremony through performance, and ways to honor traditional practices while fostering new interpretations that might resonate with contemporary Indigenous identities. Additionally, participants will examine methodological approaches that prioritize community-led knowledge production, the role of performance in activism, and how embodied research can serve as a powerful tool for social justice. The IPRA working group will further conversations about the visibility and impact of Indigenous dance arts and cultural practices, envisioning a future where Indigenous voices shape national dialogues on dance, performance history, and community well-being. Through these shared experiences, IPRA aims to strengthen our Indigenous alliances, inspire innovative projects, and continue to build a network committed to the advancement and excellence of Indigenous led performances and research practices within the arena of dance scholarship and performance.

 

Sam Aros Mitchell, Working Group Chair

Sam Mitchell headhshotSam Aros Mitchell (he, him, his) is an enrolled member of the Texas Band of Yaqui Indians. As an Indigenous art-maker and scholar, Aros-Mitchell ’s work spans the disciplines of performance, sound/light/scenic design, choreography, and embodied writing. Aros-Mitchell holds a Ph.D. in Drama and Theater from the joint doctoral program at UC San Diego/UC Irvine, an MFA in Dance Theatre from UC San Diego, and a BFA from UC Santa Barbara.

Since 2017, Aros-Mitchell has worked with Rosy Simas Danse (RSD) as a performer, teacher, and community engagement organizer. He has performed with RSD in Skins (2018), Weave (2019) Simas short film, yödoishëndahgwa’geh (2021), and she lives on the road to war (2022-2024).

Aros-Mitchell recently collaborated with Dante Puleio, Director of Limón Dance in NYC by restaging/reconstructing two original Limón pieces, the Indio solo from Danzas Mexicanas (1939) and "the Deer solo" from The Unsung (1970). This marks a new passage for Aros-Mitchell and for Limón Dance, in that José Limón and Aros-Mitchell share the proud lineage of Yaqui ancestry. Sam Aros-Mitchell is a 2023 McKnight Dance Fellow.