ARTISTS IN THE SCHOOLS
Performances - Residencies - Workshops
Performances and workshops for all ages and backgrounds:
"Hoop Dance Stories", "Powwow Mash-UP! " or "It's Powwow Time!" are educational performances designed for schools of all ages. Please see Performance Works for short descriptions. For in-school programming please contact us to find out pricing and booking. These are available for all schools and demographics. We aim to bridge the culture with curriculum through these offerings.
We also offer creative movement/dance, music/score creation, and visual arts residencies. Each of these residencies has a creative work at the completion of the residency. These residencies are built with collaboration between the artists of Wild Mint Arts and the host teachers. We are happy to meet for coffee or over the phone to build something that works for you.
For First Nations, Métis and Inuit people only:
Wild Mint Arts provides quality dance, arts, and culture in-school programming to support and empower Indigenous youth within the education system. This can be hoop dance classes, powwow dance classes, regalia making, visual arts. We can build a program custom build empowerment offering together that works for you and your community. Please message us if you are an Indigenous school, community, or group.
Hoop Dance and Powwow Dance residencies and programming are not available
for non-Indigenous students to participate in.
This borders on cultural appropriation.
*we are on the artist roster for Rocky View School Division.
*We are on the CBE artist roster
For All Ages
Creative Dance Residency
This residency brings a dance teacher into the school for 1 - 2 weeks. Learning through movement and story, kids will create their own dance routines based on curriculum requirements in literacy, science, or other unit topics. This residency is created in collaboration with the host teachers.
Schools can expect a high-energy dance class along with introspective creation.
Facilitator: Virginia Jessica Sparvier-Wells
Visual Arts Workshop
1-2 week residencies introduce students to iconic Indigenous arts movements while providing a creative outlet to develop artistic skills.
Facilitators: Elijah Wells (Kainai) and Jessica Sparvier-Wells (Cree)
Songlines and Scores (music)
This 1-week residency is based in Indigenous Songlines, land-based learning, and augmented with experiential learning including music curricular concept and skill development. The facilitators support youth in creating graphic scores for an assembly/sharing event. Students will participate in singing and movement warm-ups, learning to create and perform graphic scores, and learn about Indigenous song-making methods. All work is done through an Indigenous lens and students gain confidence with singing and vocal skills.
Facilitators: VJ Sparvier-Wells (Cree) & Kenna Burima (Settler)
For Pre-K, Kinder, Grade 1
Rattles and Song
15-30 mins based on age
Students listen to flute music by award winning musician Virginia Sparvier-Wells. She will also teach the kids a song and talk about how rattles are made.
Facilitator: Virginia Jessica Sparvier-Wells
Artifacts and Art
15-30 mins based on age
Eljiah brings in artifacts and tools that kids can touch and learn about. teachers can either choose a traditiional game or an art project to accompany the artifact learning.
Facilitators: Elijah Wells (Kainai) and Jessica Sparvier-Wells (Cree)
Traditional Games
20 - 40 mins based on age
Elijah and Virginia teach traditional games such as hunting hoop, make the stick jump, and other throwing or guessing games. This experience must be done outside and in fair to good weather.
Facilitators: VJ Sparvier-Wells (Cree) & Elijah Wells (Kainai)
For Grade 3, 4, 5
Rattles and Song
30-45 mins
Students listen to flute music by award winning musician Virginia Sparvier-Wells. She will also teaches the kids a song to sing. This can turn into a residency where the students make a song with Virginia that can be performed in an assembly.
Facilitator: Virginia Jessica Sparvier-Wells
aohkíí Residency
3 45-minute classes
This art residency meets the science curriculum needs around water, systems, and Indigenous relationship to water and touches on conservation.
3 classes are needed to make blueberry pigment, make water use maps, and to talk about how Indigenous People relate to the land.
Facilitators: Elijah Wells (Kainai) and Jessica Sparvier-Wells (Cree)
Current availability for Spring School 2026 bookings
*as of April 8th, 2026
The following days are available for school bookings. Please contact us with preferred request (show/workshop name), date, and preferred time, your location, and age groups.
April 21, 22, 27, 30
May 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 12 (pm only), 13
June 1 (am only) 2 (pm only) 9, 10 (am only), 11, 12 (am only)
Native Awareness Week pricing:
June 16 (afternoon only) 17 (at 11am only)
June 22, 23 (after 1 pm), 24 (8/9 and 11 am only), 25, and 26
July 1st