Switch dance...

[Full moon night]

Hi,

I know that Switch dance exist (men dance women's dances et women dance men's dances).
I've seen a man who are dancing jingle dress dance with lot of fun. I seem to do caricature of women's jingle.

But as I've been told that jingle dress dance is a important dance (very sacred and spiritual: It's a pryer dance), I don't understand that it can be a dance with men wich do caricature of this dance.
Can you explain me please ?

Val

[WhoMe]

.... jingle dress dance is a important dance (very sacred and spiritual: It's a pryer dance), I don't understand that it can be a dance with men wich do caricature of this dance.
Can you explain me please ?

Val

Full,

This is a VERY good question!


Anybody?

[crazywolf]

Full,

This is a VERY good question!


Anybody?

This is complicated, and this is what I can tell you, and how I feel about it. This style of dance originated within my tribe, the Anishinaabe. I do not know the story of its origin. I do know that it is a dance of medicine. I can attest to the strength of this medicine, as I asked a dancer once to dance on a blanket for my father, and it saved his life.

I stand and watch the jingle competitions, and when I watch, I see some of the dancers doing the traditional side step when they play that kind of song. I see other dancers that kick their feet up a little higher, do moves a little more fancy, and they usually end up winning over the jinglers that dance traditional, and this makes me a little upset. But then I decided to look at it this way. There are two kinds of jingle, you have the traditional kind where the women dance for medicine, and then you have the business, competition kind where they dance for money.

I know a jingler up north that does distinguish between the two. She has a competition style and a traditional style, and does not mix the two.

When I saw a switch dance for the first time, and saw guys dancing in jingle dresses, hearing the MC make fun of them, making comments, I wondered how disrespectful it was at first and truned my back on it. Later when I figured out about the competition style, then I passed it off that that is the style the men were imitating.

I cannot speak for the women that actually dance that style, either competition or traditional, I do not know how they feel about it, or if they find if disrespectful. I really hope there are no hard feelings either way about it. The switch dance is fun to watch. Its funnier than anything I have ever seen on TV.

Derek

[NorthofAda]

I enjoyed reading your reply, Derek. I had wondered the same thing - how people felt about jingle switch dancing.

I know there were a few videos posted on YouTube where there were dancers (not switch dancers) that were doing hip-hop style dancing to remixed versions of powwow songs and in a couple of those videos there were jingle dancers. Several of the folks that posted comments in response to those videos were outraged. Others thought it was just in fun.

[Full moon night]

ok thank you for you answer: As I've lern about jingle dress dance, it goes to my mind.
Val

[they_drag_him]

I remember during the late 80's and early 90's here in SoCal that switch dancing always started when the women would take their shawls and surprise the men by draping it over their shoulders. They were obiligated to dance in women's style. Winners were announced by how loud the applause was. The men reciprocated by suprising the women by putting a cap on their heads or by handing them their dancing sticks.

As for the first switch jingle contest, the first one I remember was when Jonathan Windy Boy won here at one of the casino powwows.

[Full moon night]

not a stupid question..

[MissFancyChick]

I have seen many switch dances and I have participated in a few... i do a MEAN grass!! I cant help but notice how SERIOUS the women are and how SILLY the men are... us ladies dont play!!

[Full moon night]

that's I was thinking.
I saw a woman to do a grass dance and she try to do her best but men just have fun and do the step without respect I think.
:-(
Val

[tsuj510]

thats right

I remember during the late 80's and early 90's here in SoCal that switch dancing always started when the women would take their shawls and surprise the men by draping it over their shoulders. They were obiligated to dance in women's style. Winners were announced by how loud the applause was. The men reciprocated by suprising the women by putting a cap on their heads or by handing them their dancing sticks.

As for the first switch jingle contest, the first one I remember was when Jonathan Windy Boy won here at one of the casino powwows.

Yep, thats how my folks back in St. Louis do it too and also up here in NOCAL.

[bahnisiain]

around here in CT, switch dances are fun for the dancers and for the audience. the women tend to be more serious about dancing the men's dances. the men fok tend to be silly. i did notice at this past year's Schemitzun, some of the men folk were a little serious about switch dance.

[*scrubz*]

Hi,

I know that Switch dance exist (men dance women's dances et women dance men's dances).
I've seen a man who are dancing jingle dress dance with lot of fun. I seem to do caricature of women's jingle.

But as I've been told that jingle dress dance is a important dance (very sacred and spiritual: It's a pryer dance), I don't understand that it can be a dance with men wich do caricature of this dance.
Can you explain me please ?

Val

for me..im nish from up nothern way. n i think that its not really that bad when men go out there in a jingle dress. i think when they r ou t there durin a switch dance..its more of a fun thing to do it makes people laugh.i have seen SO many of my brothers out there..n i know so many of htem that win all over tha place...but i think the men know ebtter then to show the dress any disrepect. idont thik the way they dance ou t there is disrespectufl. its ust fun!

n us women when we go out there not all of us r serious! haha chi town powwow this year i got all grassed up for tha first time n i actually got first! haha i was messin aroun n i was doin tha soulja boy crank dat thing...n i did the splitz( no cheatin either) n we made it fun. haha so not all women r serious. n i dont think men mean any disrespect..they just like havin a good time n bringin laughter to tha people..lol....but it IS different however to ME when a woman goes ou tin her jingle dress and does some of the things a man would do. i dont know how..bt it just is different to see a woamn poppin i a jingle dress than a man skippin aruond or sumthin..ya know?
its just weird. to me.

[they_drag_him]

The strong medicine of women is nothing to take lightly. It's too bad that a lot of us don't treat women with more respect.