Tickets On Sale Now for Outside Looking In’s 18th Annual Showcase
May 9, 2025
Special guest performances by:
JUNO Award-winning Indigenous artist Shub
MTV VMA-winning Anishinaabe Nehiyaw hip-hop artist, songwriter and actor Drezus
OLI boasts largest Indigenous youth enrollment ever in 2024-2025
Toronto, ON — Indigenous students from remote and fly-in communities across Canada will take centre stage in Toronto for an electrifying performance when Outside Looking In (OLI) returns for its 18th Annual Showcase on Friday, May 9 (11am and 7:30pm) at a new venue: Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) Chrysalis performing arts space. Tickets are on sale now at olishow.com.
Featuring 100+ dancers from 14 Indigenous communities, this year’s theme, “Share the Flame,” fuses hip-hop and Indigenous cultures in a high-energy theatrical experience. Inspired by fire – a sacred symbol of healing, connection and strength in Indigenous traditions – the performance will take audiences on an awe-inspiring journey of transformation and resilience.
Kicking off with a powerful Indigenous grand entry, with students proudly representing their roots in traditional regalia, an honour guard featuring an OLI alumna and Royal Military College cadet will lead the entry alongside two female Indigenous RCMP officers in full uniform, honouring two generations of Indigenous women in positions of leadership.
Bringing this vision to life is renowned festival and live event producer Candace Scott-Moore (Anishinaabe – Ojibwe Potawatomi) as Artistic Director, whose experience spans the JUNO Awards, Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto, Tkaronto Music Festival, and CBC and APTN’s National Truth and Reconciliation broadcast. Returning for her second year, producer Emma Jaconello will work alongside TMU students and OLI alumni, who will take on key roles in lighting, stage managing, sound engineering, costumes, and more.
Acclaimed Mohawk composer, storyteller, and JUNO and Canadian Screen Award-winner, Shub (formerly DJ Shub) returns as a special guest performer, joined by MTV VMA and Indigenous Music Award-winning hip-hop artist, songwriter, and actor Drezus (Yellowstone), whose powerful storytelling and deep cultural pride encourage young people to embrace their identity and find strength in their roots.
“Working with Outside Looking In and its incredible students is an honour and an inspiration,” says Scott-Moore. “I am thrilled to celebrate their dedication and courage, and to shine a well-deserved spotlight on these young performers as they take the stage in front of thousands in Canada’s largest city. This showcase will be a heartwarming and life-changing experience-not just for the performers, but for the audience as well.”
OLI is experiencing record-breaking demand, with over 800 students enrolled in its programs for the 2024-2025 school year -the largest cohort in its history. Additionally, 45 OLI Alumni have joined the new Certificate Program in Professional Studies.
Currently, OLI’s accredited for-credit classes are offered in 15 schools across five provinces and territories, with three new communities (bolded below) joining this year.
Communities participating in the 2025 Showcase:
- Big Island Lake Cree Nation, SK
- Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation, ON
- Garden Hill Anisininew Nation, MB
- Hamlet of Baker Lake, NU
- Mosakahiken Cree Nation, MB
- Pikangikum First Nation, ON
- Poplar River First Nation, MB
- Red Sucker Lake Anisininew Nation, MB
- Sapotaweyak First Nation, MB
- St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation, MB
- Tataskweyak Cree Nation, MB
- Tasiujaq, QC
- Wasagamack Anisininew Nation, MB
- Webequie First Nation, ON
“Outside Looking In is designed to meet the unique needs of Indigenous youth in geographically remote communities, where access to arts programming, mentorship and other resources is limited,” says OLI CEO Hope Sanderson. “Our primary goal is to keep kids in school, but the impact reaches far beyond graduation. OLI builds confidence and self-esteem, supports mental health, inspires students to dream big and helps them start their career journey – pursuing opportunities they never thought possible.”
Through the power of the arts, OLI empowers Indigenous youth to:
- Graduate high school – participants achieve a 96 per cent high school graduation rate compared to the national Indigenous average of 63 per cent and just 46 per cent for youth living on reserve.
- Improve mental health – 83 per cent of participants report improved mental health and self-esteem.
- Prioritize education – 90 per cent place greater importance on learning.
- Achieve better grades – 86 per cent see academic improvement.
About Outside Looking In
Founded in 2007, Outside Looking In (OLI) is a nationally registered charitable organization that empowers Indigenous youth through the transformative art of dance, while they pursue education, increase their mental and physical health, and engage in self-expression. For information, visit olishow.com.
