Stardale Women's Group Inc. Foundation© - The Karma Yoga Collection

From Stardale’s perspective, storytelling provides a helpful means to our girls in accomplishing worthwhile goals and they communicate their stories through their performance in acting, dance, hooping, and modeling.

On Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 12 Noon, the throng came together at the lobby of the TransCanada Tower to enjoy the Stardale girls in a spring showcase of local fashion and urban girl’s fun.

See a snapshot of what our young urbanite Aboriginal girls have been learning and let them entertain you in their fast moving series of vignettes.

Stardale was asked to hold a fashion show at the closing evening of the Alberta Health Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention workshop. Young Aboriginal girl’s eluded confidence and poise modeling designer clothes from New York and Calgary. This was a whole new learning curve for the majority of the girls, as it was their first experience modeling. They did a terrific job and we are proud of them.

Within the Stardale programs the girls input into what they would like to participate in, is assessed and valued. The girls really enjoy cooking and baking. We create collective kitchen scenarios with easy, nutritious dishes, so the girls can replicate in their home environment. They love it! Sarah Anderson – their chef and instructor, gently guides them through the processes of tasting, measuring, stirring and the exhalation of accomplishment in the finished dishes.

The viewer gets to see behind the scenes in the preparation for modeling and dance competition, as well as performances pieces in dance and modeling of the Stardale girls in the “ Honouring the Girls Stories “ program . Young hopefuls watch attentively and learn make up, hair, modeling and dance techniques in a short period of time. The makeup and hair for the Stardale girls was styled and applied by students and staff from the Delmar School of Beauty in Calgary, Alberta.

Stardale Girls program’s is to introduce an educational footprint for Aboriginal girls in Calgary and area that incorporates a preventative model of life skills and literacy. Art is a creative expression and resonating in our bodies, minds and spirits. The art forms may vary, but always is a means of connection to one another. It engages, heals and becomes transpersonal.

An exciting jammed packed day with classes as well as completion in modeling, dance, hair and makeup design. The faces tell the stories.

Through the provision of a positive supportive environment of the Stardale Women’s Group, these young girls experience other avenues that instil strong values. These values of care, generosity, giving, helpfulness, learning, poise, respect, teamwork, and much more, empower the girls to succeed in their lives. The staff and the volunteers from Stardale are dedicated to providing opportunities for the girls to master, which in turns builds confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

This event will support and promote the Stardale Women’s Group youth programs which work towards bringing awareness to the violence and inter-generational impacts of violence and abuse within the Aboriginal community of Canada.

Bee the Change is committed to presenting art and fashion to the world in a respectful manner and encouraging a better understanding of Aboriginal art and fashion. The talented Suzette Amaya will be the Master of Ceremonies for this event and will welcome special guest speaker Helen McPhaden, the Executive Director of Stardale Women’s Group. Bee the Change Aboriginal Fashion will present the innovative and original works of seven (7) selected Native fashion designers from across Canada. These designers are uniquely individual in design, style, market, and inspiration. This showcase will show the diversity of aboriginal design across Canada. Each designer has their own way of using materials in a way that reflects their own style – be it traditional, contemporary, and futuristic, apparel industry, or historical pieces reflecting the past culture of Aboriginal people but evolving ahead with new ideas.

Girl Violence and All Girl Gangs: Based on its research, focus groups and community programming, Stardale developed a story–line on Aboriginal girl gangs. The working title is “Gangsta Girls”. This documentary addresses the rising concern of Aboriginal adolescent female involvement in gangs.

"Life As You Don't Know It" is a powerful new tool for change from the Stardale Women's Group. Conceived by Executive Director Helen McPhaden and created by Leah Murphy, this stark and truthful comic is a startling look into the world of child abuse and prostitution. It is a powerful new weapon in the struggle for knowledge, understanding and social change.

The Stardale Group at The Famous Five Foundation's Leadership Luncheon Series - August 2009 - The Stardale Girls go to a luncheon where they are exposed to some of Calgary's more powerful, and generous women.

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The Aaksii-stoo-wakiiks project tells a story through an interdisciplinary collaboration of art mediums. The finished story resonated with positive impacts for the audience. The characters of the story, who are the participants of the project benefited from engaging in new processes of development of one Self. The Art, The Culture and The Soul are as one. Through a combination of fabric design, wearable art, traditional and contemporary music/dance and videography; girls from the Kainai First Nation had the opportunity to express themselves in a production. This production was held at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary.

It was a huge event! See for yourself:

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