Spectator Dancing

[MTNwomanAR]

I just last weekend attended my second pow wow at tulsa and when they opened the areana up for dancing, my friend Don and I went out there.... it was the most awesome experience ever....the drums pounding, the good vibes and all....I didn't any disrespecting of anyone either...it was a totally great weekend!!

[tsuj510]

Awww, man!

This ain't no Mardi Gras folks!

LOL!

[Eagle Plumes]

There you go-

"spectators gone wild"..

awe man wahta image! them all run'n around lift'n their shirts!

[SuzzeQ4]

There you go-

"spectators gone wild"..

Suzze

[tsuj510]

There you go-

"spectators gone wild"..

[hobbs49]

Well, it might be even higher now-those is 90's prices! LOL!

Wish I could see a spectator dance-maybe there is one on youtube, innit?

Great idea! I'll have to make a video sometime soon so I can post it

[tsuj510]

Well, it might be even higher now-those is 90's prices! LOL!

Wish I could see a spectator dance-maybe there is one on youtube, innit?

[kiowakat]

I love when I do go a pow-wow with my mom and we just sit there in our law chairs looking at the ones that are dancing their hearts out, but it still makes us giggle (not at them to their face)......I just have to wonder what is my mom thinking when she see's things like that and the giggles.....LOL.......makes me giggle now.......oh well my two cents worth lol

[Josiah]

I have seen this at Powwows myself mostly to the east of Oklahoma
I cant speak for Northern Powwows
But for a time I lived in the east and they seem to take the Arena waaay too seriously!
I can understand the rope going around the dance arena and the haybails but to only enter from the east and have to be smudged before you go in
Come on! a bit much

I have seen the dances with wolves dancers usually wearing sleeveless leather vest unadorned and minnetonka moccs doing the kick dance that looks like they are having dry heaves

Around here I dont see that too much at all
No ropes or haybales
benches usually
only occasionally have to explain to someone the bench is for dancers not spectators that did not bring chairs
hahahahaha

[DaCotau]

I'm posting this subject in the Spectators forum because, it is generally the non-NDN spectators that do what I'm going to whine about. This has been going on for some time now, but after a dance this past weekend, I just cannot take it anymore. If you’re a spectator and you’re invited into the dance arena by the MC to dance, PLEASE, try to remember what you’ve been watching and PLEASE, dance appropriately. Everyone is blessed in different ways, so I can deal with the “herky-jerkies” and the “gumbies.” But I have a real issue with those who feel that they must hop around and spin quickly while kicking their foot back and forth or whatever else they think is appropriate. If in doubt, WALK TO THE MUSIC. Maybe try some toe-heel or something like that. Regardless of what you see Kevin Costner doing in Dances With Wolves, you are not Kevin Costner and I’ve personally never seen Native People actually dance that way. The dance arean is a respected place and it deserves our respect. Oh and holding a rattle or a skull cracker or some other item you picked up at one of the vendors doesn’t change the rules.

The people that you came to see have spent a long time learning and developing their dance styles. Don’t minimize their effort by trying to show them that you can dance just like they do. It embarrasses yourself, your family and your people.

Please do go into the dance arena when asked. Please honor the head staff. Please show your appreciation for the drum during blanket dances. But PLEASE, do so with some decorum and respect.

Flame retardant suit is now firmly in place.

Sincerely,
Some White Guy

I agree entirely! I must admit I do not have much of a sense of humor for these folks. I have witnessed a great deal of offensive behavior by non ndn spectators in general at many powwows. As a result I have limited my attendance to those events with a lower tourist/non ndn spectator turnout.

[SuzzeQ4]

Shoot, I used to charge 'em $5 a pop... Want a picture for the office-great that'll be $5 for just me, $10 for me to smile and $25 for me to stand next to them in the picture.

I'll have to tell my daughter she is undercharging

[hobbs49]

I've met some people that take the arena way too seriously...

Steffan I don't think I'm one of those people. I believe that the arena is a good place, a place to have some fun, meet and socialize a bit, to joke and laugh with each other, and to recognize those that deserve recognition.

And in all honesty, I think that the guy who sparked my original message was very serious about what he was doing. Heck, I think he even went to one of the vendors during the dance and bought himself a rattle or something to carry around and shake vigoursly. Nobody else was out there dancing the way that he was, so I was baffled as to how he got this image into his head that he was doing it right. Yeah, I know, TV, the movies and all. But if that was the case, then he must of thought that he was gonna teach everyone else how to dance by showing them how it was done. It was a real hoot to watch! But as others here have said, there's always at least one at every powwow it seems.

Now I have been to dances where they've held a spectator dance contest before. NOW THAT WAS FUN! Those "real" dancers that were there got to vote on the winner. And when the MC declared, "The judges really like it when you put your fingers up by your head so it looks like buffalo horns." Well, I was laughing so hard it was tough to stay in my chair. Maybe that's the key, get all the fools out there at once and give them the spotlight all at once

[LSS]

de-da-dee

WocusWoman, maybe he was handicap and had wooden legs.

Is that what they're callin' Viagra nowadays?

[tsuj510]

Shoot, I used to charge 'em $5 a pop... Want a picture for the office-great that'll be $5 for just me, $10 for me to smile and $25 for me to stand next to them in the picture.

[SuzzeQ4]

Gas money for PowWow $50
Food Money for PowWow $100
A Yonega with the "White Man's Overbite" doing the "I feel like chicken tonight dance"....priceless

great point!!

Suzze