Two hawks circling in the afternoon sunlight
dancing for the rains to come.
Locking eyes and falling together
Returning home.
“I believe that by taking time to witness Nature always in communication alongside us,
we can receive messages and transform our collective story.
My vision is creating a deeper relationship to Land, body and community -
making offerings and co-creating together.
We are our Ancestors.”
Visionary Choreographer | Ritual in Nature
Lindsey Red-tail, born and raised in Altadena, CA Tongva Lands is an acclaimed non-binary dance artist, ceremonialist and writer, whose work weaves together the intersection of movement, Nature and ancestral connection. A 2nd generation Mexica, they grew up to two Angelinos in a home of eclectic world dance and music, carrying Indigenous Nahuatl, African-American and Cherokee roots. As a sought-after ritualist, movement guide and teacher Lindsey’s work transcends conventional dance boundaries, co-creating with the elements and community. Their immersive tree workshops and performances are informed by their time in the mountains dancing and singing for the ancestors. They guide their community towards curiosity, play and creativity, re-connecting through observation, dance and medicine songs, making offerings for the Land. Inspired by an Ancestor of Wind who could vision with birds, Lindsey’s work is a call to be present with Nature and those who came before us. As a survivor of breast cancer and losing their home to the fires, Lindsey continues to create, returning to the body on a rainbow path of remembrance.
Dance & Remembering
“Abandoning reason and what I was conditioned to know, I began my journey with Nature during the Pandemic, making offerings to the Pine Trees and asking them questions.
After experiencing a lifetime of unbalance in our current systems - I realized I was in a health crisis and had no one to guide me through it.
I quit my job to rest and look for living water and started to notice the Nature around me - birds and trees - beautiful Pines in the sun. Hawks flying on a clear day. Maybe seeing them for the first time.
As I began to explore the mountains and my roots, I started a self-led practice with Land, notating messages and learning songs - nurturing a voice that included Indigenous expression. Dancing and remembering”
New Performance
An ode to Altadena Tongva Land, Lindsey’s ritual performance project “Emergence - Infinite Spirals of Light” is a piece for awakening, rebirth. Joined by sister Daniella Lollie’s music “A Violet in Youth” their process is guided by remembrance, collective grief and emergent movement, echoing vibrations of body and Land.
Orchestrating a movement language of the Trees and Nature Guides, Lindsey listens for what wants to un-Earth in the body and underneath, experimenting with new sound and movement scores, color and living water.
Their newest work has received the residency support from the Center for Provocative Thought, Los Angeles Performance Practice and the City of Santa Monica, performing at the LAX Festival, the Miles Memorial Playhouse and Altadena’s 1 Year Anniversary Procession “Through the Fire”.
Refuge
“Being with the Land can be a refuge, a source of love, a source of joy, helping us process complex stories that cannot be rationalized, that transcend beyond us.
During my time in breast cancer treatments I would lean on the trunks of trees to rest, dance and process the overwhelming initiation of death and rebirth. Stopping time and just being. Being held by those more powerful.
The trees that stood in Altadena became my pillars and some survived the fire, remaining on the Land. Their wish is that our tree families are protected, that humans stop cutting them down.
These trees are a refuge, send us messages and are shelter for the animals and Spirits around us. May we be more gentle to our relatives and honor their lives.”
