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Interactive performance echoes through dunes this weekend

By Heather Ramsay--Catch glimpses of children, draped in cedar bark and grass robes, as they run through the trees, over the dunes and across the sand at Misty Meadows Campground this weekend.These are the Nature Keepers, says Celina Laursen, one of the creators of Echo Logic, an interactive performance in the park featuring interpretive dance, music and spoken word."Everything that humans do is echoing in nature," says Ms Laursen. "Everything affects everything else."The Nature Keepers, who flash in and out of the audiences' consciousness, help viewers remember their intimate connection with the natural world, says Ms Laursen. She along with Jen Wilson and Toby Sanmiya, have been working since March to develop a unique exploration of the senses for those who are open to the experience.The mossy branches, open beaches, driftwood logs and grassy meadows are all integral to, and a backdrop for several creative performances.Guides lead the audience to different venues throughout the park, where one can spy a Haida Raven dancer in a tree, discover a violinist among the salal, or hear the sound of wind transformed by chimes.Ms Laursen says more than 30 performers are involved in the production, including the great skill of costume designer Su-san Brown. The piece is a Hands and Feet Production in collaboration with Hlgaagilda Children's Dancers from Skidegate.Audience members meet at the parking lot in Misty Meadows in Tlell, where guides will lead them along a loop trail through the different landscapes at the site.The show lasts an hour and a half and audience members will walk over varied terrain, including up sand dunes, on beach rocks, and along forested path. Be prepared for all types of weather too.Shows run Friday night at 7 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 11 am and 2 pm. The performances are by donation.Gwaii Trust arts funding supported the development of Echo Logic. This is Hands and Feet's fourth production. The group is still looking for volunteers who can help behind the scenes with things like sewing and gathering salal. Call Ms Laursen for information at 557-2444.