Members of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, perform during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Clad in colourful regalia and intricate masks, the Dancers of Damelahamid perform an art form that was once outlawed in Canada.
Now, 75 years after the end of the potlatch ban that forbade Indigenous cultural and artistic expression, the group is among dozens of Indigenous performers taking part in a festival that celebrates their artistry through stories, song and dance.
The 19th annual Coastal Dance Festival opened at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster on Tuesday and continues at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver until Sunday, featuring performers from across B.C., as well as international artists from as far as Norway.
Here are some scenes from performances at the festival.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2026.
Members of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, perform during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckA member of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, performs during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckMembers of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, perform during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckA member of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, performs during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckMembers of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, perform during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckMembers of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, perform during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckMembers of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, perform during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckMembers of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, perform during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckMembers of the Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company, perform during the Coastal Dance Festival at the Museum of Anthropology, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
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