Living Legends Showcase Cultural Heritage in Lethbridge, Alberta

Brigham Young University performing arts students who make up the Living Legends dance troupe presented “Seasons,” a celebration of the cultural heritage of North and South America and the South Pacific, in a number of communities across western Canada recently. They were in Lethbridge, Alberta, on May 6, 2025. A crowd of approximately 2,700 people watched performers of native descent display authentic representations of the rhythms of Polynesia, the legends of Native American people and the energy of Latin America.

Jerry “JJ” First Charger — member of the Blood Tribe (Kainai Nation), Native family school liaison counsellor for Westwind School Division and Westwind Thunders Dance Group leader — attended the event. He commented that “dancing and movement are healing.”

When people put their heart and soul into dance, as BYU Living Legends did, the spiritual connection of storytelling can be seen through the beauty of choreography and music. First Charger continued, “To see them tell the story [through] song and dance this way is like showing what the Creator gave us as a form of healing.”

Chief Traveller “Travis” Plaited Hair and Indigenous Elder Floyd Big Head of the Kainai Nation were invited to open the evening with a blessing. They left a blessing on the dance group, stating it was an honour to have BYU Living Legends perform.

Ramona Big Head, Peigan Board of Education assistant superintendent, described “Seasons” as a “celebration of Indigeneity.” She said, “It is so important to really celebrate who we are, celebrate our differences. [We may not] speak the same language, or have the same colour of skin, but I think it’s really important that we come together in love and unity.”

Ramona spent additional time with the Living Legends troupe when they met with a group at St. Paul’s Indian Residential School on May 4, 2025. That evening included stories about the residential schools, sharing of beliefs and singing of songs.

Helaman Sosi, BYU Living Legends president, is of Polynesian descent and in his third year with the dance company. He shared, “We’re able to showcase [our] cultures through song and dance. … This is a wonderful opportunity to embrace culture. Without politic, diversity can come naturally.”

Benjamin Lopez, a dancer for 10 years and member of BYU Living Legends for four years, described the dances as a way of sharing messages without words. He said, “I think some things can be more powerful without words.”

Lethbridge local Len Barnes and his wife, Aurora, who is originally from Peru, attended the performance to watch their daughter Colleen dance. Len said, “What the [troupe] does is share their cultures. It’s really wonderful.”

Colleen Barnes has been with BYU Living Legends for two years. She participated in the Latin American segments and said she considers the show to be about family and ancestry: “Whenever I go on stage, I think of the people that came before me, my ancestors and my mom from Peru. I feel a strong connection to my history and my roots, but then, I’m also from Lethbridge, and so I feel connected to the people around here.”

Colleen continued, “I think [‘Seasons’] is such a special show because a lot of different people of different faiths and religions — or even if you’re not religious — can connect with it. I feel close to God whenever I dance, and I love being able to share that love, to share that message.”

In addition to Lethbridge, Living Legends performed "Seasons" in Calgary, Cardston, Edmonton, Maskwacis and Siksika, Alberta, as well as Richmond, Vernon and Victoria, British Columbia.

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