Artist, Actor and Dancer Brandon Oakes Performs in "Bearing"

"Every person in Canada is surviving residential schools, because if you're Canadian you're part of it.", MICHAEL GREYEYES

'Canada's residential school system is not in the past; its impact is woven throughout our country's present. Until we face its legacy together, its long shadows will haunt and divide us. Bearing proposes that we address our history collectively and examines the Indigenous notion that time is circular-and that the trauma of the past is inextricably linked to the present.'

'Bearing' is a world premiere dance-opera created by co-directors Michael Greyeyes (Plains Cree) and Yvette Nolan (Algonquin) and librettist Spy Denommé-Welch (Anishnaabe). 'Bearing' features music performed live by the National Youth Orchestra with some of Toronto's best professional classical musicians, a custom-built choir, and mezzo soprano Marion Newman (Kwagiulth and Stó:lo). Music by JS Bach, Vivier, and a commissioned work by Dénommé-Welch and Catherine Magowan is combined with percussion and electronics while the performers communicate through dance, music, and spoken word. It's an ambitious, multi-faceted piece from Signal Theatre featuring talented and exciting artists.

'Bearing' features Akwesasne's own, Brandon Oakes. Oakes grew up in Akwesasne and built his work ethic from the perspective of an ironworking family and his artistic career from his family members. Moving with his mother to Toronto gave him big city access to performing arts. With over 20 years in the business he has developed his craft to serve him well.

Using his own family's experiences from residential school to colonization, to traditional beliefs being oppressed to draw from while performing in 'Bearing', he says it's important to pull himself out of character once he leaves the stage.

"There is so much ingrained abuse. The one thing I've noticed about people in my life is that I experienced lateral abuse. It trickles down from residential school. And the effects are 'shame and punishment'. That is what happened to them and how they were taught," Oakes said.

He later added, "I was raised in a good way by my grandfather and that is the positive power that I draw from."

The cast includes; Irvin Chow, Aria Evans, Ceinwen Gobert, Ana Groppler, Louis Laberge-C.t., Daniel McArthur, Sophie Merasty, Marion Newman (Soprano), Jillian Peever and Brandon Oakes.

'Bearing' is playing at the Signal Theatre from June 22 to June 24, 2017 at the Canadian Opera Company, Joey & Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, 227 Front Street East. Bearing venue parking is located at 178 Queens Quay E, 333 Lakeshore Blvd E, Toronto, Ontario.

'Bearing' is part of "Luminato," Toronto's international multi-arts, multi-platform festival dedicated to performance, visual art, music, theatre, dance, and programming that cuts across traditional art form boundaries. The 2017 festival runs June 14 to 25, launching Luminato's second decade and using 12 venues to showcase this year's 15 performances.