Dallas Arcand Jr. returns to the Fringe with songs for all ages!

Dallas Arcand Jr.’s first Fringe experience was a hit—if a bit exhausting, too. A three-time world hoop dance champion, Arcand’s daytime shows at the 2021 Festival went over so well he was invited to perform at the Festival’s evening-ending Late Night Cabaret. “I gotta tell you, I’ve never had to be ready to hoop dance at midnight, ever,” he admits. “What a shock to my body that was!”

It may have been a shock, but his evening performance earned a well-deserved standing ovation. And hoop dancing is just one of his talents: Arcand also facilitates healing workshops and makes music, and it’s the latter that he’ll bring to this year’s Fringe Festival, performing songs for all ages. Though he’s made plenty of music for adult audiences, songs for a younger audience is a relatively new endeavor for him.

“My office got a phone call from North Country Fair asking if I could do a children’s music set,” he recalls. “My manager/producer had to stop and think for a second, he paused and said, ‘Yes, Dallas does do children’s music.’ This was great news except for the fact that I was not at all prepared, had no background in singing, and zero original content at all. Other than that, I was fine!”

He was, of course—Arcand tackled the challenge, and the resulting album, Rez Dog Blues, is delightfully appropriate for all ages, with some winks to the adults in the audience.

“I don’t like to call what I do kids’ music—I’m not The Wiggles,” he says. “I have a family friendly show where everyone stays entertained.”

He’ll be performing at both KidsFringe and pêhonân, the Fringe’s Indigenous venue. After the last few years, Arcand notes that live performance has been more of a destination than ever.

“What I missed most about performing live was the human connection I get with the audience,” he says. “Performing live has an energy to it. There’s definitely not the same energy performing in front of a screen. That’s what makes it a destination for me. After putting up with those depressive two years under lockdown and finally arriving at this destination, this is a breath of fresh air. Literally.”