8 year old female hoop dancer

[BUTTERFLYMOM]

Hello eveyone in Pow-Wow land,
I would like to announce that we have an 8 year old female hoop dancer on the east coast. Her name is Mayanna Richardson and she is a member of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe located in North Carolina.Mayanna has always loved to watch the Hoop Dancers. She was running for the 2005-2006 Little Miss Pageant and was required to have a talent. Then one night at dance class, my cousin Waya Demalanta offered to teach her to Hoop Dance for her talent.She was so excited, that she practiced everyday up until the day of the pageant.The night of the pageant she was crown the new 2005-2006 Little Miss Guilford Natve . She now continues to the Hoop Dance at various Pow-Wows and performances.Her dad and I are very proud of her.If there are any female or male Hoop Dancers that can offer some encouragement please feel free to do so at any time.

[canavajo]

Nice!!!

Is she learning how to make the worlds and go from an egg to larvae to an emerging butterfly? I use to compete at home with my cousins and thsy would get upset when I would listen to my Uncle at practice and do the steps for the first time with out dropping the hoops. I am not doing much hoops anymore but am a Fancy Shawl Dancer - Veteran. Would like to see a video of her? Take Care and Honor be with you, Leandra - aka CANAVAJO

[Creative_Native]

Thats my girl

Maya... i just wanted to drop a note and let ya know that ya twin sister's mama is sooooo proud of you... love ya juicy

ohhhh and heres ya pics for all to see (little blurry)

[BUTTERFLYMOM]

[hoopster girl]

I'm a hoop dancer/Fancy Shawl Dancer up in NY, well I'm currently at school in Oswego, NY. I'm 19 and I've been hooping since I was 15 I think? maybe 14. anyway, I lost track.
Here are some tips I picked up, hopefully they will help you a long the way.
1) Continue to watch other people hoop. there is an Eastern Hoop Dancing Championship in NJ labor day weekend. You can get ideas for you and your hoop outfit.
2) Be creative. Come up with tricks people haven't seen before. Come up with multiple rountines (like a short and a long routine) Esp. if you go to powwows with the same people, they are going to get bored watching you hoop time after time. (But they can also offer excellent advice because they know your rountine)
3) Keep practicing. It keeps you in shape. You can learn what your tempo is. and if you can change tempos. (I can really only hoop to one tempo, if it's too fast, or too slow, or the drum speeds up to early in the song it throws me off)
4) Dancing requires heart. Do it because you love to do it. It can make the difference between a good dancer and an excellent dancer. If you feel as if you shouldn't hoop, don't.
I guess a prime example of this was this past weekend. I needed to hoop to honor the person who taught me to hoop. It was the last powwow he's ever been to, his birthday weekend, and the powwow he never made it home from. I hadn't seen my hoops since I left for school, and the last time I danced was in August. so that gives about 3 months of little dancing and veggin out of College dining hall food. I meant to practice before the dance session but my stomach wouldn't allow it. I didn't feel right in my fancy outfit that evening, but decided I needed to hoop, and accordingly changed. That night I did the best hoop dance I have ever done. I can't explain it. My best friend said to me afterwards "That was the best hoop dance you have ever done, and I can't explain how you did it so well" I guess I believe it was a combination of heart and my teacher.
5) I suppose I should add this, for I get told this everytime. Don't make faces while you hoop. I aparently make faces when the globes don't work out or if I can't remember what to do or what not. Now I only make those faces when I'm in front of my friends. as soon as I turn around, they are gone.