Help...I'm lost

[cherokeemom06]

I have always studied my Cherokee heritage and, while I am not a registered tribe member (my ancestors were never registered that I can find), I just recently began attending pow-wows with my fiancee and the family that has sort of adopted him. I just bought a beautiful tear dress to hold me over until I can successfully make my own and my fiancee made me a lovely ribbon dress. Ok, to the point....my daughter is almost 2 years old and loves the beat of the drum. She's been in the arena twice with my fiancee's adoptive mother and next year I want her to dance on her own. I know the history of the jingle dress and the story behind it and think it is the perfect dance for my girl. Whenever the jingle dress dancers are dancing, she stops and loves watching them. It also fits her bubbly attitude. It also seems to be the only one where there are little girls as young as her are dancing. There was a little one out there that was about her age just dancing away. What is the best way to start teaching her and how should I go about starting her? I have no one to teach her to dance because I and the family we go with all dance women's traditional. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thank you so much!

[SuzzeQ4]

Well, my best friend is a jingle dress dancer & a hoop dancer. She helps me with the dance class I teach. When we started one of the things we talked about was teaching little girls jingle dance. We decided that the girls would learn the dance & the teachings but would not be jingle dress dancers because sge & I agreed that little girls can't fully undertake the responsibilties of a jingle dress dancer.
If your daughter is ment to dance jingle then she can spend her time learning about it & become one when she is more grown up. Becomeing a dancer should never be taken lightly, but especially when your becoming a jingle dress dancer, this is a healing dance & these Women have very specific teachings, responsibilities & protocols.
Suzze

[cherokeemom06]

I don't want to step on anybody's toes, but at the powwows we attend annually, there are always tiny little girls out there dancing. I was always told, "just let the little ones have fun with their dancing and let them grow to learn the importance and the responsibilities of the dancing." Maybe I'm wrong, but that's just what I've always been told by the natives around me. I'm still a bit new to the powwow scene, but I want to learn and get involved as much as I can.

[SuzzeQ4]

Oh I agree children should dance & have fun doing so. But Jingle Dress is different. This is a healing dance, these dancers take ppl's prayers & have responsibilities that go along with this. This is not just a fun new play.
Suzze