A Conversation with Indigenous Youth Entrepreneur
Alliah Oldpan, a 2026 Tech 4 Youth Grant recipient, 2026 Pow Wow Pitch Finalist, and Founder of Sky Dancer Movement, is creating culturally grounded opportunities for Indigenous girls and young women through powwow dance, mentorship, and movement. From Ermineskin Cree Nation and Gwich’in Tribal Council, Alliah created Skydancermovement to promote confidence, wellness, and cultural connection while creating accessible opportunities for youth to learn and participate in powwow dance.
Alliah’s journey into entrepreneurship began through a program with Tribal Chiefs Employment and Training Services, where mentors encouraged her to believe in her ideas and take them seriously. Their support gave her the confidence to take the first steps toward building something of her own. What began as an idea has grown into Skydancermovement, where Alliah can share her knowledge, culture, and love of powwow dance with the next generation.
One of Alliah’s proudest accomplishments has simply been taking the step to turn her idea into something real. “I’m proud of the courage it took to start, learn, put myself out there, and continue growing even when I didn’t have everything figured out,” Alliah reflects. Seeing something that began as a dream become a program she can share with her community has continued to motivate her as an entrepreneur.
Looking ahead, Alliah hopes to expand Skydancermovement by bringing workshops to more communities across Alberta and introducing culturally grounded powwow dance teachings in her Gwich’in community in the Northwest Territories. Thanks to the Tech 4 Youth Grant and support from Best Buy Canada, she received technology to help make that growth possible, including a laptop, printer and scanner, and speaker. These tools will help Alliah create lesson plans and teaching materials, manage her business, communicate with schools and organizations, support music during workshops, and develop resources for participants. Most importantly, the technology will allow her to spend more time focused on teaching powwow dance, sharing culture, and creating meaningful opportunities for Indigenous youth.
For other Indigenous youth dreaming of starting something of their own, Alliah encourages them to believe in their ideas and not be afraid to start small. “You don’t need to have everything figured out right away. Take advantage of mentorship, programs, and the people around you who believe in your vision,” Alliah shares. “Most importantly, take that first step. Sometimes the biggest part of becoming an entrepreneur is simply believing that your idea is worth pursuing and giving yourself the chance to make it real.”
Alliah Oldpan’s story shows what can grow from taking an idea seriously and having the courage to begin. AsSkydancermovement continues to grow, Alliah is creating more opportunities for Indigenous girls and young women to connect with culture, build confidence, and experience powwow dance through community-based programming.
Follow Alliah’s journey on Instagram at @Alliahskyy. Learn more about the Tech 4 Youth Program here.