The elegant beauty of a dancer in motion
Native American dance styles are diverse, with regional variations. The most common genre of social Native American dancing is found at powwows. Powwows evolved over the last hundred or so years when Native people increasingly relocated and intermingled in urban settings. There are numerous types of powwow dancing, and anyone can learn, young or old. Each style has a corresponding style of outfit worn. The best way to learn is by observing.
Girls
Teen fancy shawl dancer
There are three general styles of female dances: traditional (buckskin and cloth in both northern and southern styles); jingle dress dancing; and fancy shawl. Women's traditional dancing is graceful, and the regalia incorporate elaborate beadwork and handheld feather fans. Jingle dress style is worn for "medicine" dances; the dresses are decorated with dozens of cone-shaped tins that "jingle" when the dancer moves. Fancy shawl dancing is akin to aerobics; it is fast and is said to symbolize the beauty of a butterfly.
Boys
Men's traditional dancer
Like female dance styles, male styles are generally either traditional or fancy (in northern and southern types), but there are more specific forms. Traditional styles include southern straight, characterized by beaver skin hats, and northern traditional, with single eagle feather bustles. Fancy styles are known simply as "fancy" (known for the elegant eagle feather bustles worn at the hips and shoulders) and "grass" dancing, with its distinctive footwork and ribbon-adorned outfits.
Learning
Powwows are about more than just dance styles and forms. Powwows are social gatherings that often involve ceremonial functions to honor individuals or families, and there is a definite etiquette and set of protocols to follow, as they are cultural events. It's possible to learn from a video, and the Internet is full of excellent video examples of powwow dancing that kids can learn from. Other sources of information include Native American cultural centers such as the All Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Tiny Tots
Native American children learn to dance by watching the adults. At powwows this is exemplified in the category known as "Tiny Tots," which is for infants up to the age of six or seven. When a child is born into a dancing family (not all families dance) the child is observed to see if she naturally gravitates toward dancing; some kids seem born to dance. If so, an outfit is constructed for the dance style the child seems to prefer, and she can dance and compete in Tiny Tots. Older children dance in the junior or teen categories.
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