Szachury dances at Aboriginal awards

News — 09 November 2011

By Chris Marchand

It takes one steely-nerved six year-old to dance his heart out in front of all of Canada on national TV.

Dryden area resident Teegan Szachury did just that last week — chosen as one of 100 youth between the ages of six and 17 hailing from coast to coast to appear on the Aboriginal People Choice Music Awards.

Staged at the MTS Centre, Friday Nov. 4, the event was nationally televised on the Aboriginal People’s Television Network.

Practicing traditional Aboriginal dancing since he could first walk, Teegan’s mom Melissa put her son’s name forth when a friend from Eagle Lake told her about the casting call.

For Teegan, it was his highest profile show, to date — surpassing the pinnacle of his early career at the Eagle Lake Powwow. While there was no guarantee that Teegan would get any airtime, the APTN cameras just couldn’t resist a shot of him in the broadcast, decked out in his elaborate regalia.

“He really enjoyed it,” said Melissa Szachury. “He told me, ‘Mommy, when I saw that camera pointing at me I just went and danced real hard.’ He lucked out. They didn’t show all the dancers on TV. He was one of the ones in the spotlight. He told grandma, ‘that’s not the last time I’m going to be on TV, I’m gonna tell the news.”

Big winners at the event were Winnipeg Rap Group Winnipeg’s Most, taking home six awards — among them best group, and single of the year for Don’t Stop.

Six Nations’ Derek Miller also grabbed Aboriginal songwriter and male entertainer of the year, beating out frequent visitor to Dryden, Don Amero.

Szachury says there wasn’t much time to hobnob with the stars, adding that she couldn’t be with Teegan as the performance loomed closer — something he faced very bravely for a six year-old.

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