Dream Wood

Connie Moker Wernikowski on her choreography for Dream Wood, the lead dance performance in an upcoming dance event jointly organized and supported by Dance Saskatchewan, Inc and On Cue Performance Hub. The full dance event, Mothers and Daughters Dancing, will run January 31 (7:30PM) and February 1 (2:00PM)

I created Dream Wood in the summer of 2024 when the forests of northern Saskatchewan, where I grew up, were burning. It is a solo contemporary dance piece performed by my daughter, Katrina Currie, who is a graduate of both the National Ballet School and the School of Contemporary Dancers in Winnipeg.  The set is composed of tree branches spread throughout the stage which become both a path and props for the solo dancer. My inspiration for Dream Wood flowed through many levels, firstly by our Saskatchewan winter landscapes and secondly by the tragic demise of the forests. It is a lament about losses amidst the beauty of life.  It is also my own reflections around the fact that time is ticking, for both my life and our planet. I am grateful to Dance Saskatchewan for supporting the creation of Dream Wood.

Dream Wood was performed twice in early 2025 to approximately 60 people in total.  It was presented by New Dance Horizons as part of their Winter Series. The audiences at the Artesian were small but very appreciative. Artistically, both Katrina and I longed to work on Dream Wood again as we knew that our creative work often grows over time and we believed Dream Wood would continue to develop and reach new aesthetic potential through re-creation and further performances. As performing artists know, a work develops in depth and artistry throughout a run. As artists, Katrina and I believed that a run of two performances was inadequate for this process., and we also wanted Dream Wood to be seen by more people. We believe it is a gem that needs to be shared. That is why we are so delighted to be a part of this “Mothers & Daughters Dancing” event and performance project.