Whitehorse Dakhká Khwáan Dancers to lead Celebration 2024

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Friday, June 24th, 2022 8:00am

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Dakhká Khwáan Dancers. (Photo Courtesy of SHI.)

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Sealaska Heritage Institute's Board of Trustees has named Dakhká Khwáan Dancers, or People of the Inland, as the lead dance group for Celebration 2024.

Dakhká Khwáan Dancers, a Tlingit group based in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, will lead all dancers for the first time since the group initially performed at Celebration in 2008.

The honor is given to one dance group every two years.

The lead dance group is responsible for leading the Grand Entrance and Grand Exit songs, during which every participating dance group dances across the stage to mark the beginning and end of Celebration.

That requires the lead group to drum and sing for up to three hours straight during both processions.  

“It means the world to us, we are very honored and humbled to have such a great responsibility upon us,” wrote group leader Marilyn Jensen. “We are also thinking about our ancestors and all of our elders who helped us along the way to be able to prepare for this great honor. We plan on taking it to the next level and cannot wait to dance with our friends and families in 2024.”

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