Dammecia Hall is an artist, and for her that means spending a lot of time by herself.
“I’m extremely anti-social,” says the dancer, choreographer and educator. “But as soon as you put me in a social environment, I come alive.”
One of the social environments Hall finds herself in these days is the West End Cultural Centre, the non-profit performance venue inside a former church at the corner of Ellice Avenue and Sherbrook Street.
AARON EPP / FREE PRESS
Dammecia Hall volunteers at the West End Cultural Centre.
While attending an event at the WECC, a friend of a friend encouraged Hall to volunteer at the venue. The 43-year-old Wolseley resident applied soon after, and has been volunteering at the WECC for more than a year.
Today, Hall says that invitation was kismet.
At the WECC, she’s been able to make new friends and reconnect with people she’s met through more than 20 years of involvement in Winnipeg’s arts scene.
“I get the most hugs being here, reconnecting with my community,” Hall says.
As a member of one of the WECC’s seven volunteer crews, Hall often serves as an usher. It’s a role that allows her to take in many of the performances, and it’s exposed her to musical acts she might not have heard otherwise — such as local metal five-piece Unsilenced.
Hall says she had never heard heavy metal before seeing Unsilenced perform, which she said was as impactful as some of the other live music she enjoys.
“I get the most hugs being here, reconnecting with my community.”
“I felt like I was in the Centennial Concert Hall, watching an opera and listening to the symphony in the pit,” she says. “I fell in love with metal.”
Now, Hall is planning a concert at the WECC. While the lineup has yet to be decided, Hall says that $10 from every ticket sold for the October event will go to the venue’s Tune In program, which offers free, drop-in music lessons for youth aged eight to 18.
Hall hints that the concert will be inspired by One Love, a hip-hop music and dance event she produced in Winnipeg from 2006 to 2008.
Volunteer opportunities
The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to wfp.to/volunteers or call 204-477-5180.
Click to read more
The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to wfp.to/volunteers or call 204-477-5180.
FortWhyte Alive is searching for volunteer van drivers for their FortWhyte Farms Youth Program. Drivers will be responsible for the safe transportation of youth participants in their 15-passenger van during weekday hours. Child abuse registry and criminal record checks are required in order to volunteer. For more information, please reach out to Amber Reid, volunteer resources manager at areid@fortwhyte.org. Deadline is Feb. 23.
Save Our Seine River Environment is searching for community members who are passionate about the health and future of the Seine River to join its board of directors. It is an opportunity to help guide the protection, stewardship, and thoughtful development of the Urban Seine River Greenway. For more information, visit saveourseine.com. Deadline is Feb. 28.
Habitat for Humanity Manitoba is looking for family selection & support committee members. Members attend monthly meetings and conduct confidential home visits in pairs to assess families’ needs, financial abilities, and willingness to collaborate. New members receive orientation and mentoring. Ideal applicants have experience or interest in social services, housing support, client intake, financial coaching or education. Essential skills include strong listening and relationship-building abilities, along with a respectful, non-judgmental, and a culturally sensitive approach. Apply by email: kshuster@habitat.mb.ca. Deadline is July 14.
The Manitoba Eco-Network seeks extroverted, dedicated, well-spoken volunteers for the spring/summer events team. Running from March to August, roles include public engagement at farmers markets and community events. Volunteers will receive training on the organization’s history and projects. Key tasks involve setting up and managing booths, interacting with the public, and ensuring materials are returned post-event. Volunteers should commit to at least one three-hour shift weekly. Apply by email: info@mbeconetwork.org. Deadline is May 30.
Villa Cabrini seeks a volunteer office assistant to support it in its filing, organizing, stats and document creation needs. The volunteer should possess strong organizational skills, attention to detail and have proficiency in spreadsheets and Microsoft Office. The position requires a minimum commitment of four hours per week, during business hours. Apply by email: vcabrini@mymts.net. Deadline is April 26.
Green Action Centre’s board seeks new members to attend meetings with skills in risk, governance, marketing, fundraising, and legal areas to address sustainability challenges. The commitment is about four to six hours monthly, from September to June. Diversity and inclusivity are prioritized. Apply by email: 1anjenmclean@gmail.com. Deadline is May 2.
Klinic Community Health is looking for applicants who can welcome people into their space with kindness and compassion, who can reflect Klinic’s values through their work, and who bring an openness to learning and growth. Extra training will be provided to help do this work in a trauma-informed way, supportive of equity and choice. Volunteers should be comfortable engaging with new people and spending time on their feet and available for a commitment of one three-hour weekly shift for six months. Preference is given to local residents who understand Klinic’s feminist, pro-choice, trauma-informed, and anti-oppressive values. Applicants must attend an interview, provide references, and complete background checks. Apply online: klinic.mb.ca/welcome-volunteers, by phone: 204-784-4006 or in person. Deadline is March 30.
Prairie Strides needs volunteers for horse leading and side-walking roles this spring. They must be able to commit to a 12-week program, helping with classes on Monday and/or Wednesday evenings at West Wind Stables near Winnipeg. Leaders should have horse experience and arrive early to groom and lead horses. Side-walkers provide support and encouragement to riders. Both positions require the ability to walk and jog in sand for 60 minutes. Training and orientation are provided before the program starts. Apply at wfp.to/inN or 204-995-7932 by March 23.
The Canadian Red Cross needs volunteers. The Red Cross can show you how to help when disaster strikes. Apply at wfp.to/0pE, volunteer@redcross.ca or 1-844-818-2155.
Close
Hall is a graduate of the senior professional program of the School of Contemporary Dancers in affiliation with the University of Winnipeg’s bachelor of arts (honours) in dance degree program.
In 2004, she started the dance company Define Movement.
The company, which did performances and offered drop-in classes for adults, got its start focusing on hip hop but evolved to include a variety of dance styles, including modern contemporary.
Hall also lived in Toronto for a time, where she was part of a professional dance company called Collective of Black Artists.
Hall first started dancing at age five. She got her start in ballet before discovering West African dance and hip-hop.
“It just makes me feel joy,” she says. “Dance allows me to hear my own voice first, and that joy allows me to share with others.”
Hall brings a lot of energy to her role as a volunteer at the WECC, says Keeley Braunstein-Black, volunteer coordinator at the venue.
“It just makes me feel joy… Dance allows me to hear my own voice first, and that joy allows me to share with others.”
“(She’s) very enthusiastic, very outgoing,” Braunstein-Black says. “Lots of community involvement.”
The WECC relies on approximately 170 volunteers to work at the many events it hosts each year.
Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter
Duties include selling tickets, checking ID, ushering, selling drinks and snacks, and cleaning up at the end of the night.
Braunstein-Black is looking for more volunteers. In addition to helping at performances, there are opportunities to volunteer doing cleaning and odd jobs during the daytime.
Email info@wecc.ca to get involved.
To learn more about Hall’s event in the fall, stay tuned to wecc.ca.
If you know a special volunteer, email aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca.
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. Read more about Aaron.
Every piece of reporting Aaron produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.