Dances for specialty songs?

[loves southern singn']

Hi Yall! I didn't know and was just curious what specialty songs are sung for the Southern Straight category?

LSS

[SouthernSinger]

Trot dance songs are probably the most common "specialty" songs that are sung specifically for straight dancers. The poncas have several of these songs, but you commonly hear only about 4-6 of them. Among the Kiowa, you will generally hear Horse Stealing songs, generally used in the O-ho-mah Lodge War Dance Society (according to a source). Generally at a powwow, however, you'll hear the trot songs more often. Depends on where you are , I guess.

Singer

[SouthernSinger]

Also, I guess you could include "trick" songs, if you will. Most of these are songs that simply have different endings, and in one case, as discussed a while back, one song actually says "this song has no tail". Although these are just regular war dance songs, I guess you could include them in a "specialty" category.

More qualified help. please? Great topic for informing new dancers or those who otherwise wouldn't know!

Singer

[loves southern singn']

Now, I don't mean to open up a can of worms with this but, I'm 99.99% sure Straight Dancers don't Chicken dance. ( :Chatter Whoever heard of such? or am I showing my ignorance?) And what about the Crow Hop and Sneak Up? Again, I don't know and I'm coming out to ask.

SouthernSinger, many Pow Wows (drums) here in NC don't incorporate these Trot Songs do they? Or is it that they do and I haven't recognized it as of yet.

Jason

[Beth]

sneak up

I have seen many sneakups done in Oklahoma by straight dancers. Don't know why they don't do them in NC. Maybe the knowledge is not there by dancers and/or singers.

[loves southern singn']

Well, I have seen Sneak Ups done here in NC. I'm not too sure about Crow Hops though.

[SouthernSinger]

I have never heard of a Straight dancer Chicken Dancing. As for sneakups/crow hops, I have seen straight dancers dancing ruffles and such, but I didn't mention thise as these styles are generally more specialized toward other styles.

As for the trot dance songs, you're right. You generally don't here them sung much by groups in NC for the simple reason that the knowledge isn't there. These songs can be found on the Indian House Recordings "War Dance Songs of the Ponca", not quite sure which volume. Also, one of these is recorded on Yellowhammers "Live at Hollywood, FL" recording. You can find examples of Horse Stealing Songs on Indian Sounds Recording "Powwow and Specialty Dance Songs from Oklahoma". I haven't heard of anyone other than Young Spirit Singers (and those of us who sing with them from time to time) knowing and being able to sing these songs when called upon. The reason for this, I suppose, is having the experience of singing with people who know these songs, and being in situations where they were called upon. Kinda goes hand in hand with the "hollywood powwow thread in the Southern Singing forum"--you need to have "done your homework" so to speak, cause you never know when these will be called for. I don't know why you don't see the trot dance songs sung around here as much, other than for that reason. Maybe it;s just a matter of not being around when they were sung.....who knows. I can think of several instances where we have sung them here....for more info, just pm.

My advice in learning these songs would be to pick up a sopy of these recordings and listen to how the songs are sung. If you're interested in dancing to these songs, more experienced Straight dancers can help you there. I've heard of dances like these (and the ability to dance them) meaning the difference is straight dance competitions out West.

I really hope this helps!

Singer

[echohawk neconie]

they have what they call trick songs for the stright dancers, which has a quick stop at the end of the song. They also have different songs for them there are the Trots that belong to the Poncas and Horse Stealing songs which belong to the Kiowas. The are different because the poncas put 3 beats in the middle and kiowas put one in the middle.

[SouthernSinger]

Originally posted by echohawk neconie
they have what they call trick songs for the stright dancers, which has a quick stop at the end of the song.

Look in the Singing archives, and you will see a lengthy discussion on this.

Some songs are "called" trick songs, but actually they are simply songs that don't end the same as typical straight songs. The only trick to them is learning them. Once you know the song, it simply becomes another song--that is, there is no trick to it.

These songs called "trick songs" are typically just straight songs with a non-traditional 5 or 3 beat ending. So, fo that matter, any drum could make ALMOST any war dance song or intertribal "tricky". There are songs composed with these non-traditional endings/tricks in place, but as a general rule, there is no real category of "trick songs".

Singer

[CHEROSAGE]

I would like to revive this topic.

The pony stealing songs are to my knowledge Osage. Ponca songs are regularly called trick songs because of their abrupt ending. Many times I've heard these songs sung but the singers didn't end the particular song correctly. Gripes my behind! Other songs for straights are Tail songs. My Family song has a Tail to it. I will do a sneakup although I dance it similarly to a tradish.
There are several singers around our area(MO, KS,OK) that can sing any of these songs. Many people that don't know confuse the pony stealing songs with crowhops, shish!

Drums can make or break a dance. When well meaning singers try to sing a song half a-- , that destroys the fun because we never know when to stop. It's easy to throw the dancers and make us over or under step when the drum plays around with the songs and won't sing them correctly. I know a few singers that are knowledgeable but choose to play.

[powwowforlife]

straight songs

trots are a straight dancers crow hop just different name and the don't go down low like northern traditional dancers do and if straight dancers are give a sneak up the they just walk around looking for the trail and not on their knee's. and other special dances are a horse stealing song and a trick song. And usally oklahoma singers will to a tail on the song. Not usally in the east coast but they usally get a straight song.

[Tsi-tse Wa-tsi]

Don't forget those fast songs. Just like a ruffle for fancy. They right before the Trot dance songs in the Hethuska.

[powwowbum49]

I have seen buffalo dance songs sung for straight dancers on occassion...not often though.

[Tsi-tse Wa-tsi]

Alot of times out west we dance to two songs for contest. A straight song with or without a tail and a trot dance song. Southernsinger is right... the trot song makes the differance between first and second.

[CHEROSAGE]

I have seen and have done a sneakup dance in which straights willlll go down to a knee. I do enjoy a pony steeling song also. Don't forget the Buffalo dance and the snake dance.