THUNDERCHILD FIRST NATION — Whether it’s jingle-dress dancing at a local powwow or performing at the Toronto Raptors home games Madison Noon loves dancing and her hard work is paying off.
“I think I’ve been on this path since I was young,” she said. “Ever since I taught myself to dance at two or three years old. I just always loved dance.”
The 22-year-old, from Thunderchild First Nation, was selected as one of the dancers for the NBA's Toronto Raptors upcoming season.
It was no easy feat.
Noon described the audition process as one of the most gruelling she's ever experienced. After almost seven hours competing against 400 other dancers, followed by a lengthy interview, she earned a spot on the roster and fulfilled one of her goals.
Four years before becoming a dancer for one of the most popular sports organizations in Canada, Noon was focused on her education.
She applied and auditioned for the best post-secondary dance programs in Canada: Simon Fraser University in British Columbia; York University and Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU, formerly Ryerson) in Toronto.
Noon was accepted to all three of the prestigious dance programs.
“I chose TMU because it’s one of the best in Canada,” she said.
It won out because of its renowned, conservatory-style dance program. While there, Noon was professionally trained in a multitude of dance styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, West African, street, and contemporary.
“It’s exhausting,” she said about the program. “We danced every day from 9 AM to 8 PM. I feel like a lot of people don’t understand how physically demanding the program is. And on top of that, we are taking courses.”
Long before Noon found herself in the dance studios at TMU, she was dancing in more modest environments – like the living room of her home on Thunderchild.
“I would watch music videos on DVD – Michael Jackson or Janet Jackson,” said Noon. “When you live on the reservation, there’s not much opportunity for dance. But I knew it was something I wanted to do.”
Those very early days remain a core memory for her.
“To this day, I can still dance to all their music videos,” she said.
Noon's first opportunity to express herself through dance began on the powwow trail.
It was a natural fit for her being that her mother was a powwow dancer and her father was a member of the drum group High Noon.
“I’m super grateful that I was born into a powwow family,” said Noon. “Powwow was my first dance style and will always be my original style because that’s my culture.”
When she was six her family moved to Saskatoon and immediately enrolled in a dance studio, hungrily absorbing any and every type of dance style she could learn.
After two short years, Noon pushed her dance studio to allow her to do a jazz solo, even though students were typically not granted solos at her school.
“My first solo made me so happy,” she said.
Her love for dance combined with her natural abilities resulted in several competition wins.
“It also taught me the value of hard work and perseverance,” said Noon. “No one is going to give anything to you. You have to work for it.”
She remained focused and as a result, her dance career has continued its upward trajectory.
Noon made Team Canada and performed in Denmark. She also earned spots on the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Saskatchewan Rush dance teams. During this same period, she continued her classical and contemporary training and danced competitively.
“Being Indigenous, I believe that dance was a gift given to me from the creator,” said Noon. “I came into this world as a dancer. Now I feel that I need to use this gift to bring a bigger representation to my people. I have a platform, and when I dance, people see I’m Indigenous.”
When she arrived on the TMU campus being Indigenous did set her apart from others.
Noon was only one of 30 dancers selected from among hundreds of applications from all over the world.
As the only Indigenous dancer in her year, she made the move from her tight-knit family to Toronto even more challenging.
“I was chasing my dreams, but it was scary leaving because I’m very close to my family,” said Noon. “I was going to an institution I didn’t know much about, and I felt like I was getting lost in a big city. I couldn’t cope with the fact that I was alone here.”
Her TMU experience changed for the better once she connected with the on-campus Indigenous Student Services. Noon attended the tea-and-bannock talks and similar events, which helped her connect with others like herself.
“Being around Indigenous people really uplifted me,” she said. “I realized I’m not alone if I go seek my people.”
After four years, and a final show surrounded by family and friends, Noon didn’t just finish a program at one of the most competitive schools in the country, she made history.
“When I graduated, my teachers said I was the first Indigenous person to make it through the four years,” said Noon. “So, I guess you could say it's kind of historical for a program that’s been here for over 50 years.”
She's looking forward to hitting the hardwood this basketball season and showcasing her talents to an international audience.
“This was a goal,” said Noon. “Since the first time going to a Raptors game, I knew this was something I wanted to do.”
Being the only Indigenous person on the team is a responsibility she takes seriously.
“I think it’s huge for Indigenous representation,” said Noon.
She plans to find time for her roots and culture, by giving free dance classes to Indigenous youth and communities both in Toronto and back home in Saskatchewan.
“I’m always excited to work with Indigenous youth,” said Noon. “I think I do this for them, to show them that the sky is the limit.”
The Toronto Raptors regular season begins Oct. 23 with a home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The schedule complete schedule is available at https://www.nba.com/raptors/schedule.
