Are bells a must?

[Gold_toothed_dancer]

I don't dance grass but are bells a must? Have they always been part of the outfit? I noticed at Sac some had bells others didn't.

[Grassdancer17]

Im not really sure, but all the pow wows that ive been to in canada , we've all had bells. Maybe a more experienced grassdancer could asnwer this one.

[Tx_grass_dancer]

I don't know how long bells have been used. But everyone I know wear them. Also you may just have not been able to see the bells sometimes they are covered up with yarn or the aprons.

[Wakalapi]

I see alot of grass dancers without bells. More traditional dancers wear them (or deer toes) than not. *ONE* story that I've heard to explain the history of ankle bells is that General McGlaughlin required that all Hunkpapa males wear them so they could not as easily sneak up behind him and kill him. In the NW, many powwow dancers are Coastal people who have adopted the powwow tradition, but most are either Plateau people or they are Plains people who live out here for economic reasons. I would say that most grass dancers out here that I have observed, do not wear bells.

[post182eastern-trad]

i wear the bells to keep me in line wit the drums so yeah

i think every 1 should wear them

[paspaskiw]

Don't leave home without them.

[WolfsBird]

The majority of the Grass Dancers I know around here wear Deer Toes rather than bells.

TN/KY area

[theepowwowchic49]

Yes bellsa must

I can distinguish my favorites by there bells. For reals if Im at my chair; I hear there bells cow or jingle and I can tell how many they have on to. I always know when my lovepop is coming just by his bells. :devil yes bells are a must

[NAPEW]

I wear bells and shake them extra loud when I'm approaching a group of girls.

[PrettyWichitagirl21]

~*~ Hell ya bells are a must, thats whatcha need to get the crowds attention! :) So you can get out there and show off. ~*~ I'm not talking about those stink little bells either, if your going to wear bell wear the real thing! ~*~

[Dancing Hawk Shadows]

Most Grass Dancer's wear bells. some wear deer toes! but most of them here in Fla. do! Even the Female Grass Dancers!

[WhoMe]

_______

On the northern and Canadian plains, bells are a must.

Older experienced judges like to hear them - to hear if you are on beat or overstep.

These same judges will not pick you if you are not wearing bells.

Almost every "champion" grass dancer from the northern or Canadian plains wears a big set of cow or round bells.

You can probably get away with not wearing bells where you're at, but if you want to win in the northern or Canadian plains, then . . . . . . . . . . .make sure you have "BIG ONES!" *L

[lakotajingledancer]

bells

all my grass dancin buddies wear them around here.

[Leslie Stonechild]

would there be such a thing as too many or too big

have been practicing, just need to get the outfit going

do i ever procrastinate

[Dancing Hawk Shadows]

I can tell my Grass dancing buddies a part with bells. I can even tell how many most of the time and weather or not they have been dancing a lot or a little. I don't know how but i just do. must have been to many years dancing with the grass dancers! :Angel2