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WORLD’S BEST HOOP DANCERS

10-27-2007

 

 

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Top American Indian and Canadian First Nation hoop dancers from the United States and Canada are set to compete for the prestigious title of world champion during a weekend of competition at the Heard Museum on Saturday and Sunday, February 9 & 10, 2008. These accomplished dancers will showcase their skills in amazing performances of the intertribal hoop dance. The Heard Museum 18th Annual World Championship Hoop Dance Contest is presented by Casino Arizona with additional support from the Jay Kahn Memorial Fund.

 

If ever the Olympic Committee comes to Indian Country in search of a new world-class event, the hoop dance would be a major contender. The mix of artistry, precision, exquisite regalia and sheer athleticism seems tailor-made for a world-class competition.

 

Competitors perform in five divisions, including Tiny Tot (under 5 years), Youth (5 to 12), Teen (13 to 17), Adult (18 and older) and Senior (40 and older).

 

The hoop dances performed at the Heard and other competitions and exhibitions across the continent are not the same as the ancient dances originating in the Navajo, Pueblo and Great Lakes cultures. The traditional hoop dances, which celebrate the cycles of life, are reserved for healing and renewal ceremonies. In fact, “nobody knows how old the hoop dance is,” says Gina Laczko, director of education and public programs at the Heard.  She notes that practitioners altered the moves for social dances, with competitions and exhibitions dating back to the 1940s.

 

Today, what is known as the intertribal hoop dance incorporates manipulating up to 50 hoops and intricate footwork into images of birds, butterflies, globes and other patterns based on the dancer’s unique traditions and cultures. The dance starts with the hoops laid out on the dance floor. The dancer flips each hoop or group of hoops with his or her feet, creating a flow of designs ranging from the graceful wings and tail feathers of an eagle to a globe, all while displaying fancy footwork. A panel of six judges, spaced at intervals around the arena, evaluates each dancer’s showmanship, precision, rhythm and timing, creativeness and speed. The dance lasts from five up to 15 minutes in a whirl of beads, hoops, spinning and footwork, thrilling all who watch.

 

Youth dancers are also beginning to weave more mainstream dance moves into their routines; for example, five-time teen champion Nakota LaRance, Hopi/Tewa does the splits, turns somersaults and incorporates a bit of hip-hop into the ancient dance.

 

It’s also heart-stopping to note how closely the top winners are matched in skill and elegance; in fact, in 2002, Alex Wells, Lil Wat First Nation captured the top spot over Derrick Suwaima Davis, Hopi/Choctaw by just one point.

 

Mark your calendars now for the Heard Museum 18th Annual World Championship Hoop Dance Contest!

 

Other high-resolution images are available; please contact Deb Krol at 602.251.0218 or email dkrol@heard.org.

 

Captions for included images:

Lisa Odjig, Odawa/Ojibwa of the Wikwemikong First Nation in Ontario, is a two-time world champion hoop dancer, having captured the title in 2000 and 2003.

 

Five-time world champion hoop dancer Alex Wells, Lil Wat First Nation, is a favorite at the Heard Museum World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.

 

Dallas Arcand, Cree from the Alexander (Kipohtakaw) Plains Indian Cree Nation, located near Edmonton, Alberta, was the 2007 World Champion Hoop Dancer.

 

WHAT:       Heard Museum 18th Annual World Championship Hoop Dance Contest

 

WHEN:  <
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