What is a Pow wow?

Pow wow traditionally was a time that different tribes came together. During this time they would settle disputes, make new alliances and trade among each other. It was usually held in the spring time as a celebration of the new life that spring brings with it.

Dances vary from tribe to tribe. Modern dances are made up of several styles for male dancers - Traditional, Fancy Dance, Straight and Grass Dance. The styles for female dancers are: Fancy Shawl, Jingle, and Buckskin.

Fancy

Fancy dance is one of the most popular styles in modern pow wow's. The dance style consists of two types: a basic simple step while dancing around the drum and a "contest" step with fast and intricate footwork combined with a spinning up and down movement of the body.

Grass Dancing

The Grass dance is very popular style of dance at today's pow wow's.

It was originally done as a warrior society dance, but has changed over the years. And has further changed into a highly-competitive form of Northern dancing.

Grass Dancers always stands out by virtue of two things: his dance style and his outfit. His dancing has been described often by these words:" gutsy, swinging, slick, old-time," etc. His outfit stands out because it is almost complete absent of feathers, for aside from the roach feather, there are no bustles of any kind to be seen. The grass outfit consists of shirt and pants, with a beaded or otherwise decorated belt and side tabs, armbands, cuffs, and front and back apron, and matching headband and moccasins. Ribbons and fringe are the only parts that move on the outfit outfit, other than the roach feather. This outfit is made totally for the dance.

Traditional Dance

A northern style of dance and dress, this style is based on the Sioux style of the early reservation days. This is the oldest form of dance and has changed through the years.

The dancer wears a modern day outfit, though it varies from tribe to tribe. On his head the traditional dancer wears what is called a roach. The use of longer porcupine hair is preferred because of it's movement. The dancers wear a shirt, either with or without ribbon decoration. Over the shirt is a breastplate that extends below the waist. Around their neck is a choker made of either hair pipes and beads or a beaded strip. Many of the dancers choose to wear two bandoliers of hair pipes and beads or a 3 to 5 inch strip of otter or other fur decorated with mirrors or a combination of both. A vest can be worn either of cloth or leather, these can be beaded or plain. On their arms are cuffs either made of metal or beaded. The breech cloth or apron is either cloth or leather. On the dancers legs dancers wear beaded knee bands with 6 to 10 inch leather fringe hanging from the bottom edge. The bustle on the back of the dancer is usually U-shaped with a single row of wing or tail feathers and two spikes pointing upward.

The dance in this style is one that has been seen to be similar to a prairie chicken. The dancer is re-enacting the motions of a warrior seeking out the enemy.

Buckskin Dancing

One of the oldest forms of women's dance, is Buckskin. This is a dance of elegance and grace. The movement is smooth and flowing. The ladies wear fine, hand-crafted buckskin dresses, decorated with intricate bead designs. The women carry fringed shawls over one arm. There are many tribal and regional differences in the outfitting of this women's style. Ladies' Buckskin dancing is slow and poised. Circling the drum, they move to the beat of the drum, letting the long fringe on their sleeves sway in time. The women dance in rhythm with the drum by swaying and slightly bending at their knees. These movements are very slight, however, it creates a beautiful effect in moving their leather fringe in a breezy swaying motion.

Buckskin Video

Fancy Shawl Dancing

This is very similar in dancing and the bright colors to the Men's Fancy Dance. The ladies wear shawls over their shoulders and dance by jumping and spinning around, keeping time with the music. They mimic butterflies in flight, and the dance style is graceful and light.

Fancy Shawl Video

Jingle Dancing

Jingle dress is also called a prayer dress. Jingle dresses are decorated with rolled up snuff can lids that are hung with a ribbon. Traditionally, a cone is secured on the dress for each day of the year (365 cones). The ribbon is then sewed to the dress, the jingles placed close enough so they can hit together, causing a beautiful sound, much like rain