Asham Stompers at 2010 Olympics

Métis dance troupe makes Olympic grade

Asham Stompers wins audition to perform at Games

By Bill RedekopThe Asham Stompers are stomping their way to Vancouver.

The Métis dance troupe has won an audition to perform at this year's Olympic Games.

They'll dance the famous Red River Jig and other Métis jigs and square dances, born in the late 1700s and early 1800s at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers.And:Two dance members hail from Reedy Creek, 10 kilometres south of Ebb and Flo First Nation, and another three are from Peguis First Nation. There are eight Métis and five First Nation people in the troupe.

The Asham Stompers wanted very badly to perform at the Games. Members paid their own way to Vancouver last July to audition before the Four Host First Nations, on whose territory the Games are being held. The Squamish, Lil'wat, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh are the host First Nations.Comment:  This article is unclear about the "audition." If the Stompers auditioned last July, why are they auditioning again? If they're appearing once or twice at next month's Olympics, aren't these actual performances and not just "auditions"?

For more on the subject, see Olympics Organizers Diss Natives and Youth Choir's Olympics Invitation Axed.