Tail stick and tail fan

[ern_dawg2003]

There is also another question I wanna ask all you southern straight dancers out there. Why is it I go out to powwows and see the southern straight dancer carry TWO taildancer canes and some times See a dancer carry TWO tail-canes and TWO fans. What is the significance on that. I'm not gonna mention any names but, It kinda looks rediculous. It looks even better jus carring a tail-cane and a fan. Even the mirror board on the same side as the fan looks alright. But, you don't need two dance canes and fans in both hands.
I don't know I jus wanted to get that off my mind.

If any answers, jus reply back to me!!!!!

[Historian]

My best guess is that at Pow-Wows some Straight Dancers may have been influenced by the trend of carrying multiple hand items so popular among Northern Traditional Dancers. However, it is more common to see the traditional Fan and Tailstick or Fan and Mirrorboard at a Southern Formal War Dance.

[Historian]

Has anyone else seen Straight Dancers carrying two tail sticks or two fans when they dance?

[Fat Albert]

Yes. Only in contest and most often in the combo of 2 sticks and 1 fan in my experience. I have seen mirror, fan and stick before. Just seems a lot to tote around. I think I remember there being some photos in the gallery somewhere of this combo stuff... Someone else can go through the Red Earth & GON pics to see if it is there.

[CHEROSAGE]

I have not yet seen 2 tail sticks but have seen 1 tail stick in one hand and the other hand had a fan with a mirror board. In fact I have seen this quite often. You know, now that it's been talked about we will probably see the 2 tail sticks used.

[Fat Albert]

After talking with some of my folks on the contest side of the world, they say that Pawnee man was the trendstarter on this one. Who knows for sure? All I know is that a lot of folks pay attention to what he does and respect him a great deal. He is a very accomplished dancer and fantastic craftworker. Needless to say, he could make a suit out of bubble wrap and it would be the next hot thing. There are pics of him with a loose fan and stick in one hand and a flat fan and stick in the other. I would bet he has his reasons... it just may be that he is everyone else's reason. When you are that good, people pay attention.

[Str8Dancer49]

make a suit out of bubble wrap and it would be the next hot thing.

DANGIT! You stole my idea!



The only problem was when I sat down on my bubble wrap aprons, it sounded like I ripped a gnarly fart! gaaaaaaw

[Fat Albert]

Thats how you know you got the stop on time... your bubble wrap mocs pop on the last beat and the audience goes 'Weeeeehhhh!'

[Cheshire Cat]

And the colorfull "ribbonwork" could be Sharpie magic marker in all types of designs...and bright too. Don't get too near a fire or heat sorce..could see a lot of BAG in your set. Besides a good noise maker.

[billyjoejimbob]

if i straight dance again i am gonna push a shopping cart with all my stuff in it.

or just dance with my suitcase.

[ADcRezFamily]

I have seen two fans and two tail sticks. I have also seen a loose fan(Macaw or Phesant) carried in the hand with a tail stick. That kinda looks cool to me, and is okay I guess.

Two tail sticks kinda sounds rediculous to me.

[Fat Albert]

For Fat Albert, two tail sticks would be called crutches. It seems to me that there will only be answers when the folks that carry these items are asked the right way. I guess the flip question would be why do I typically only see straight dancers carry a stick and a fan? Lots of discussion in other threads on the stick side of things. Till then I will just keep on with what I was taught.... for better or worse. Good thing I was taught to never turn down frybread!

[Buckskinrose]

is this what you are talking about?

[Buckskinrose]

or this one?

[Buckskinrose]

another with 2 fans....