MOOSE JAW — On a breezy Wednesday afternoon, Crescent Park came alive with the sounds of music, laughter and quick-stepping feet as locals tried their hand at Métis jigging — part of a growing effort to make Indigenous culture more visible in Moose Jaw.
The outdoor class was one of several public sessions planned for the summer. Another will take place in Crescent Park on Wednesday, Aug. 13, from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend and there’s no cost to participate.
Led by Trina Gueffroy, jigging instructor with Southern Plains Métis Thunder and New Southern Plains Métis Community No. 160, the open-air class was offered in partnership with the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council (MJMC) and welcomed newcomers and community members alike.
“Today, (the class) was for the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council. It’s just a bunch of the newcomers (and a few staff),” Gueffroy said. “We’re trying to get them into the community and teaching them some Métis culture. We figured, why not (hold our class) in the beautiful park?”
This outreach builds on a broader dance program offered weekly through Moose Jaw Family Services, where youth and adults are invited to participate in regular jigging classes. Gueffroy said the goal is to train and organize a troupe that can eventually perform around the community.
Gueffroy said she’s hoping to bring on a minimum of two new members, which would give the growing troupe enough dancers to begin performing. Once established, she explained, the group will dance at schools and retirement homes throughout the city.
“We want to give back to the community, and two (new members) is our minimum. The more we have, the better it is,” she added.
Sessions typically feature dances like the Rabbit Dance, heel-toe polka and the Seven Step, with plenty of encouragement for beginners. Smiles and laughter, Gueffroy said, are the best measurements of success.
“As long as you’re laughing and smiling and having a great time, that’s what it’s about,” she said.
The group is also planning its first Métis Festival and Rendezvous Games, tentatively set for Oct. 3 in Wakamow Valley. Meanwhile, a range of other cultural programs — from moccasin-making to traditional plant medicine — continue to be offered monthly through Southern Plains Métis No. 160.
“It started, I think, about a year and a half ago. I heard through a friend that there was a need for Métis jigging (classes), because Moose Jaw has never had it before,” she said. “I’ve been a dance teacher for many, many years, but I wanted something different. The opportunity came up, I met with Elders from the Métis Local, we made a plan, and we’re making it happen.”
Moose Jaw Family Services is at 200 Main Street South, while the New Southern Plains Métis Local No. 160 office is at 210–310 Main Street North.
For more information or to register, visit NSPM160.ca or call the main office at 306-631-6058.
