About

The object of the Red River Fiddle & Dance Society is to advance education for all ages on the topic of old time Red River fiddle and dance in the province of Manitoba, as well as to preserve the unique culture associated with its music, dance, and traditions, and advance the public's appreciation of this unique art form. The society seeks to accomplish this goal by doing the following:

• Establish and offer educational workshops open to the public for attendance, specifically in the areas of the traditional Red River and Metis culture of fiddling and dance.

• Offer scholarships and bursaries for Manitoba musicians and dancers to attend educational and other performance events for the furtherance of traditional fiddle music and dance and for the general appreciation of the public of the style.

• Advocate for the establishment of concentrations, majors, degrees, and/or diplomas in the traditional Red River and Metis fiddle and dance by Manitoba post-secondary education institutions.

• Establish and operate an online resource hub whose goal would be to provide material for education and learning of the Red River and Metis style of fiddle and dance, be a location in which local artists in the style could be connected for the furtherance of the art and its appreciation by the public at large, and to connect students with instructors; and

• Operate performing events and contests open to the public wherein both the Red River and Metis cultures of fiddle and dance are show-cased, whose goal is to promote the public appreciation of the style and encourage members of the public to learn more about the Red River and Metis fiddle and dance culture.

Founding Directors: 

• Phil Hutlet

• Patti Kusturok

• Kaitlyn Kuryk

• Olivia Kelly