From Treaty 6 to the Big Smoke Madison Noon is living her dream

Whether it’s jingle-dress dancing at a local powwow or performing at the Toronto Raptors home games Madison Noon is proving hard work pays off.

“I think I’ve been on this path since I was young,” she told EFN Media. “I just always loved dance.”

The 22-year-old, from Thunderchild First Nation, has joined the Toronto Raptors Northside Dance Crew.

Earlier this summer, an open call for new members was made, Noon immediately signed up and brought her best game.

It was one of the most grueling auditions as she’s ever experienced involving nearly seven hours of competitive dancing followed by a lengthy interview. But it was all worth it because out of the 400 competitors she earned a spot on the roster.

“This was a goal,” said Noon. “Since the first time going to a Raptors game, I knew this was something I wanted to do.”

She believes in setting goals and four years ago her focus was on her education.

Noon 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) both in Toronto.

She was accepted to all three of the prestigious dance programs.

“I chose TMU because it’s one of the best in Canada,” said Noon.

It won out because of its renowned, conservatory-style dance program. While there, she was professionally trained in a multitude of dance styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, West African, street, and contemporary.

Getting into her dream college was one thing, completing the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Performing Arts took determination.

“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 livingroom in her home on Thunderchild. She spent hours watching videos of Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and teaching herself the dance moves.

“When you live on the reservation, there’s not much opportunity for dance,” said Noon. “But I knew it was something I wanted to do.”

Those very early days are 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 aways be my original style.”

When she was six her family moved to Saskatoon, where she enrolled in dance and hungrily absorbed 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.

Persistence paid off and she got her wish.

“My first solo made me so happy,” she said.

The next step in her dance career was competitive dance and once again her natural talents were rewarded.

“It also taught me the value in 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 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 time 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.

It’s not just a gift, but a responsibility she takes seriously.

“I feel that I need to use this gift to bring bigger representation to my people,” said Noon. “I have a platform, and when I dance, people see I’m Indigenous.”

Four years ago, when she first arrived on the TMU campus being Indigenous 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, it 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 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.

“I think it’s huge for Indigenous representation,” said Noon.

She plans to find time to celebrate her culture, by giving free dance classes to Indigenous youth in Ontario 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.