Contest powwow vs traditional powwow

[COCO]

Hi everybody,

I have a question for the Fancy Dancers who take part in both contest powwows and non-contest powwows.

I was wondering: do you guys use the same outfit for both kinds of powwow. Do you make any difference between the two; I mean, do you use some parts of the outfit just for "special" powwows and not for others, or does it make no difference at all.

[Bingo_Orphan]

If you're someone who has the time and money to put into several outfits, then I could see how a person could "change up" their outfits depending on the pow-wow. Hell, look at all the women dancers now that have changes for every session!

For fancy dancers though, it's just now starting to become a concept for us to have more than one change of outfit. We've always have changes for the capes and aprons and maybe a change of bustle for a lighter eagle bustle. But for an entire outfit change, beadwork and all, that's still a new concept. Mainly I think because you're there to win and be noticed. In a large capacity pow-wow like Denver or Gathering, you stand to not be recognized if people don't recognize you in your regular outfit. That's why dancers will change beadwork, but keep the same general colors.

I go to both contest and tradish pow-wows. I make no distinction between either. I dance the same way I would at both. In fact, I like dancing at tradish pow-wows more because I can be myself.