Tamara Podemski

Tamara Ceshia Podemski was born in Toronto, and is the daughter of an Israeli father and a Saulteaux mother of the Bear/Thunderbird Clan, from Muscowpetung First Nation in Saskatchewan. She has two sisters, named Jennifer and Sarah. She was also married to Darrell Dennis, but has since been divorced. She is a graduate of the Claude Watson School for the Performing Arts in Toronto, where she studied theater, dance and music throughout its 10-year program. She currently lives in Los Angeles.
Tamara has released several musical albums, including two albums in the Ojibway language (Spirit Nation, Spirit Voices) and several in English under her Mukwa Music label. She received the Best Female Artist and Best Songwriter for her album, "Tamara," at the 2006 Aboriginal Music Awards.
She performed in original Canadian Cast of "Rent," then moved to the Broadway company in 1998. She was also the first Canadian actress to receive a Special Jury Prize for Acting at the Sundance Film Festival. Tamara also received a Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, to which she lost to Cate Blanchett.
As a choreographer she has created several pieces for the Aboriginal Achievement Awards, numerous theater productions, and for Native Youth across Canada who participate in her and her sister’s Hip-Hop Dance Workshops. She also teaches dance classes locally, in Toronto, at fitness studios, as well as at her own dance studio, Body Alive.
Currently, Tamara is developing a new TV series with her sister, Jennifer, and writing her fourth album.
== Filmography ==
* New Amsterdam (2008)
** Pilot (2008) TV episode as Young Lenape Woman
* "Rabbit Fall" (4 episodes, 2007)
** Lost and Found (2007) TV episode as Gabrielle
** The Weetigo (2007) TV episode as Gabrielle
** The Great Rabbit (2007) TV episode as Gabrielle
** Dog Island (2007) TV episode as Gabrielle
* Four Sheets to the Wind (2007) as Miri Smallhill
* Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis (2006) TV mini-series as Deborah 'Chicky' Etienne
* Spirit: The Seventh Fire (2005)
* Another Country (2003) (TV) as Jane Crowe
* Exhibit A: Secrets of Forensic Science (2001)
** Bare Bones (2001) TV episode as Marcie Wheeler
* Johnny Greyeyes (2000) as Rox
* Ready or Not (10 episodes, 1996-1997)
** Cross My Heart (1997) TV episode as Carla Slavinksi
** Get a Life (1997) TV episode as Carla Slavinksi
** Let Me Make My Own Mistakes (1997) TV episode as Carla Slavinksi
** Saint Carla (1997) TV episode as Carla Slavinksi
** When a Kiss Is Just a Kiss (1997) TV episode as Carla Slavinksi
* "The Rez" (1997)
** No Reservations: One Hour Finale (1997) TV episode as Lucy Pegamegaaba
* Dance Me Outside (1995) as Little Margaret
* Blauvogel (1994) TV mini-series as Malia (age 16)
== External Links ==
* 
* Official Tamara Podemski website