Events' Realm

Meryl McMaster: Bloodline is a survey exhibition featuring the pioneering large-scale photographic works of Canadian artist Meryl McMaster (b. 1988), reflecting her mixed nêhiyaw(Plains Cree)/Siksika, Dutch, and British ancestry. This exhibition spans McMaster’s past accomplishments (2008-2019) and her recent explorations (2022-2023) of family histories, particularly those of her Plains Cree/Métis female forebears from the Red Pheasant Cree Nation in present-day Saskatchewan, Canada. This will be the first major solo exhibition of Meryl McMaster’s work outside of Canada. McMaster interrogates colonial histories, residential schools, and ancestral trauma, re-creating and re-imagining oral histories and stories in reclamation.

Phoenix

United States

Arizona

2301 N. Central Ave.

Heard Museum

Meryl McMaster: Bloodline at the Heard Museum

The art of hoop dance honors cultural traditions shared by multiple Indigenous communities. With roots in healing ceremonies, traditions and practices, today hoop dance is shared as an artistic expression to celebrate and honor Indigenous traditions throughout the U.S. and Canada.


Over the years, as the hoop dance community has grown, dancers have incorporated new and creative designs and intricate footwork while still respecting the fundamentals of the form. Each dancer presents his or her own choreography, weaving in aspects of tradition and culture. Men and women compete on an equal field, and individual routines may feature as few as four to as many as 50 hoops, which are manipulated to create a variety of designs such as animals, insects and globes.


Traditional hoops were made from the wood of a willow tree. Modern-day hoops are often made from reed and plastic hose because of the durability of the material when traveling. The hoops are decorated with tape and paint to symbolize the changing colors of each season. The traditional wooden hoops are still used on rare occasions.


Dancers are judged on a slate of five skills: precision, timing/rhythm, showmanship, creativity and speed. Contestants compete in one of five divisions: Tiny Tots (age 5 and younger), Youth (6-12), Teen (13-17), Adult (18-39) and Senior (40 and older). Cash prizes totaling $25,000 are awarded to winners in each division, and victors in each division can claim the honor of being the World Champion.


Through stunning performances of those women and men competing to be named the next World Champion Hoop Dancer, the event combines artistry, athleticism, tradition and suspense for an unforgettable weekend of fellowship and competition.

Events at Heard Museum, United States

Meryl McMaster: Bloodline at the Heard Museum

35th Annual World Championship Hoop Dance Contest