Telling the dark story of Canada's residential schools through ballet
A new doc about the making of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet production airs June 19 on CBC Television
The story of Canada's residential school system and its traumatic consequences is one of the darkest and most troubling truths about our history, but in 2013 the Royal Winnipeg Ballet suggested an unlikely — but powerful — way for the country to learn and heal from decades of pain.
Going Home Star is the name of their critically acclaimed original ballet, based on a story by The Orenda novelist Joseph Boyden and featuring music from Tanya Tagaq. The moving piece was commissioned with the support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the RWB brought the performance to 12 Canadian cities on tour during the spring.
On Sunday, June 19, a one-hour CBC Arts documentary called Truth, Dance & Reconciliation will reveal how this production came to life, with interviews from the show's diverse team of collaborators: Boyden and Tagaq, choreographer Mark Godden, associate producer Tina Keeper and more.
Beyond the doc, CBC has a variety of articles and interviews with the creative team who brought Going Home Star to the stage. Learn more about the ballet with these past reports from around the network:
- Residential school ballet, Going Home Star, opens in Winnipeg
- VIDEO: Residential school abuses told in Royal Winnipeg Ballet performance
- RWB's Going Home Star — Truth and Reconciliation is inspired and inspiring
- RWB's Going Home Star brings back haunted memories
- Ballet explores truth and reconciliation through dance
- RWB's residential school ballet production set to go on tour
- Going Home Star conveys bitter residential school experience through ballet
- AUDIO: Joseph Boyden wades into 'very sacred' territory with residential school ballet
- Royal Winnipeg Ballet explores residential school legacy in Vancouver production
Watch Truth, Dance & Reconciliation on CBC Television Sunday, June 19 at 2 p.m. (2:30 NT).