For the most part, the work that's done by dancers on the west coast is still very much an intergenerational practice and one that has really strong ties to community. It's not only something where you're exposed to traditional knowledge from elders and knowledge keepers. It's something where, by being immersed in that practice, there's growth in the young artists. They are receiving something that is incredibly nourishing at a time when many people are coming from places where there's brokenness—broken ties to that ancestral knowledge, broken ties to community. Cultural identity is something that is strengthened by these opportunities.
Just by demonstrating that as a performer, and showing that to audience members who may not have any direct knowledge or contact with this kind of practice, we often receive feedback on how inspiring that is. I believe that's the source of where that feedback has come from.