![]() Mediterranean native, Invasive, Noxious Weed: Genista monspessulana, commonly known as French broom, Montpellier broom, or Cape broom (Australia), is a woody leguminous perennial shrub. These leguminous plants produce copious amounts of seed, and may resprout from the root crown if cut or grazed.Ĭal-IPC Rating: High ( contributed by Mary Ann Machi) Broom is unpalatable to most livestock except goats, so it decreases rangeland value while increasing fire hazards. French broom is an aggressive invader, forming dense stands that exclude native plants and wildlife. French broom was introduced as a landscape ornamental, along with Scotch and Spanish broom. His two granddaughters Norah, 6, and Presley, 4, who live with his daughter Chaundra and her husband Chris Yarborough in Atlanta, Ga.Invasive: Genista monspessulana (French broom) is a perennial shrub (family Fabaceae) found in the Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada foothills, Transverse Ranges, Channel Islands and San Francisco Bay area. “When my brother and I dance you can see him off on the side dancing away,” Laura said with a laugh. “I’m a grandpa now and I try and hold on to my rights to sit back.” Gilles, who joked it’s the equivilant of “Métis aerobics” said he doesn’t dance anymore and prefers to leave it to his children and grandchildren. ![]() ![]() “Any kid can get on the dance floor and give their best.” He said Métis fancy steps allow dancers freedom to express themselves which sets Métis dance apart from other step dancing. “We’ve come to be a people only because of the fur trade and isolation, with our own language and dance styles made up of that era,” Gilles said. Her father Gilles Allard said Métis dancing is uniquely Canadian, a combination of Indigenous dance, coupled with French and Gaelic step dancing. Seeing their excitement and being part of a community, that continues to provide us with opportunity to be able to share it and teach and pass it on and it is what keeps driving me to do it,” Laura said. You barely have to ask them to come up on stage. 8 the gymnasium at Central Middle School will echo with fiddle music and the rhythmic beat from the duo’s tapping feet, along with students and teachers who will join in. Because the rest of your body stays straight, your arms are down, and you’re just basically working your feet, we try to keep the focus there.” “With Métis jigging it’s all about the footwork that’s why we only showcase the sash. She said the clothes are kept simple - white shirt, black skirt and pants - except for the colourful Métis sash. Although it’s traditional we’ve also made it our own when it comes to the fancy step.” “Over the years we’ve kind of invented our own little spin on what we do for those fancy steps. ![]() What’s nice is there’s a part where you switch from regular jigging to fancy step when music changes,” said Laura Gilles, 34. “The Red River Jig is always special to us because it’s the traditional Métis jig. Today Laura, of Red Deer, and Daniel, of Calgary, still perform the traditional Red River Jig, Broom Dance, Rabbit Dance, and the more modern Orange Blossom Special as a duo with a focus on spreading the Métis culture to children through dance. Eventually dancing took some of them across Canada and beyond. They went on to dance at over 100 festivals and events. For the Allard family of Red Deer, jigging is in their blood.Īs youngsters Métis siblings Laura, Daniel and Chaundra Allard first stepped on stage at Canada Day celebrations at Bower Pond in 1992 with the Red Deer Métis Youth Cultural Dancers, a group their father Gilles Allard helped organize.
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