The Fancy Dance - Essay Example

Native American Performance June 10, The Fancy Dance The Ponca tribe are believed to be the source of the Ponca style of dance that is well known in various parts of the world today. This happened in the 1920s and 1930s. The Fancy dance is believed to have been initiated in a move by the tribe to try and preserve its culture which was starting to be endangered by the encroachment and exposure to other parts of the world. Therefore, using the war dances that were well known by the natives, the Fancy dance was established with the fast moves making it slightly different from its precedent dance styles. In the initial stages, the dance was not just performed at any event. Just like the war dances which were performed when going to war or after a victory, the Fancy dance was performed when there were visitors or on various community events. This essay shall therefore explore the Ponca people and the Fancy dance at various stages. The essay shall also explore the significance of the dance to the people and the role it has played in defining them or giving them an identity. The characteristics of the Ponca people and the motivation factors that facilitated the start of the dance shall be discussed. Since this is a performance paper, it will also look at the aspects of costuming, music, choreography, movement and the sounds which define the style of dance. The dance has interested quite a good number of people due to the moves and so the senses involved need to be discussed. This is what makes the dance interesting to the listeners. The intentions of the dance has also changed considering that initially the dance was made from a war dance but that has changed to make it an event dance that is performed on other occasions. Therefore, the essay should be in a position to bring out not only the importance of the dance but also the setting of the society where it is practiced. Historical and Social Background At the time when the Fancy dance was incepted, such dances which promoted the tribal groups in the region were outlawed. The Canadian and the United States governments had outlawed any performance such as dances that promoted the native religions of the people. The European-American authorities were always looking for the individuals who were going against the set laws to be punished. Therefore, most of the dances lost their popularity and had to go underground. It is important to note that though their public performance was outlawed, most of the people could still perform them in informal places and so they were not forgotten. In the 1920s and the 1930s, the field witnessed the inception of new dances that could be legally allowed by the government. Some of the common regalia that were used by the dancers at the time included the bells that were tied to the hind limbs at the joints such as the knees and the ankles. This totally brought a revolution in the dances that the people were used to. Other features that were common included beadworks that were tied up the waist and the hands. The Ponca people were not fast to incept their own dance. First, the war dance that they were used to had been disallowed and so they were deficient of an identity as far as the dancing field was concerned. Therefore, around the late 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s, the fancy dance started picking up some popularity among the natives. The dancing arena for the dance was built in Oklahoma. The exact location was the White Eagle. From there, the dance was to be developed by two boys. Using the war dances that were well known among the people, they were supposed to develop a fast moving dance that would help in retaining the cultural value of the people and give them an identity as far as the societal dynamicity was concerned. Among the famous people who are attributed with the publicity of the dance include Gus McDonald who became the first World Champion in the specific type of war dance. According to Steven (2015), over the course of the twentieth century, the Ponca people were fighting to protect and maintain their cultural rituals (p. 479). This included their trademark Hedushka (war dance), which is highly attributed with the inception of the Fancy dance. The Native American Church of Jesus was also a product of the Ponca people. Ponca people are today located south of the Ponca City in Oklahoma. However, due to the effects of globalization and interaction, they have intensively interacted with other tribes and so some of their cultures have been diluted. They have borrowed a lot to incorporate new ideas into their society. The dance has also undergone a number of changes as shall be discussed in this paper. The location they are today is not their original one. They were moved there in spring 1877 due to the unending conflicts that they were having with the Sioux. Considering that in the past land was a treasured part of the society, the Ponca were fighting with the Sioux to claim the piece of land where they were living. However, the government ruled in favor of the Sioux and so the Ponca were forcibly deported to their current location south of the Ponca City. Description of the Aspects of the Practices To start the Fancy dance, just like the Heduska dance from which it was developed, there is a whistle that is blown. This not only captures the attention of the audience but also characterizes the specific form of the dance. At the time, all the dancers have taken their position on the dancing arena. The fancy dancers have their specific regalia that they put on. According to James & Peter (1965), the young active dancers usually put on feather outfit with beard work that is worn around the ankles (p. 65). At times, it also involves a man (men) who may not be in the normal outfit that is worn by the dancers. The straight outfit does not however hinder them from engaging actively in the fast moves that characterize the dance. It is seen in the dancers that flowing with the dance is an easy task and it is highly incorporating. The audience will be kept entertained and engaged and taking part in the song that is being seen. At times, some of the members or the audience break into the dancing arena and take part in the dance. The trend of putting on the feather outfits when dancing was borrowed from the occasional dressing by the men during national occasions. Therefore, due to the outlawing of the traditional dances by the Canadian government and the United States government, they borrowed the important aspects of the cultures which they had in the past. Men’s fancy dance is slightly different from the ladies’. It is colorful. It is mostly athletic considering that the moves are very fast. As indicated earlier, the dance was developed as a means to counter the outlawing of the Native American religious dances that were being propagated in the country. There had come a time when the governments were more concerned of the peoples’ unity and they felt that if they were allowed, it would be very hard to achieve the goal. At the time when the Fancy dance was developed by the two boys in the White Eagle Arena in Oklahoma, the intertribal Pow Wow circuit was also spreading across the region. It was viewed that in case the Pow Wow dance became the most performed dance, it could help in uniting the people. Therefore, the dances that were being allowed or legalized by the governments had to borrow an aspect from that. Therefore, the Fancy dance immediately became very popular with the fast moves being adopted by all ages. It was adventurous with the cart wheels, splits and the back flips being some of its characteristics. Another issue that facilitated its popularization was the fact that most of other dances had been outlawed and so it was highly welcome. Intentionality and Effects The dance was developed in the 1920s specifically in 1928. The intention of the dance was to give the Ponca people a sense of cultural identity. As indicated earlier, at the time when it was incepted, there was an increased need to unite the people and so the government had considered that by outlawing the Native Religious Dances, they would have curbed the problem of disunity. On top of that, the fast spreading Pow Wow circuit was not giving any society a sense of identity. This dance therefore became a fingerprint of the Ponca people and the reception that it received was awesome. It was identified by the dancing styles which were fast and the outfit that the dancers put on. They put colorful outfits with feathers are beads also being used and being tied on the waist and the ankles as well as the knees. Throughout the ages, the dance has undergone a number of changes but it still remains to be as popular as it was in the beginning. The outfits worn have greatly changed to the advancement in technology and the cultural influences. The dances beats have been prepared using the updated technology and so it is no longer important to use drums and other regalia to make the beats. Other changes that have been noted is the blending of the dance with other dance styles. On reaching the global arena, the most obvious thing is blending where other aspects will be incorporated into it and therefore significantly change the initial way that it was being done. Conclusion Therefore, in conclusion, the Ponca people are the origin of the Fancy dance. They are located south of the Ponca City in Oklahoma. The dance was developed to address the issue of cultural identity that was becoming a real concern with the outlawing of the Native Religious Dances in the 1920s and 1930s. The dance has fast moves that were borrowed from the war songs in the native region. The Canadian and United States’ governments played a major role in the establishment of the dance as it was a result of the outlaw that was effected in the region. The dance has changed mainly due to the interaction between different people and the technological advancements. However, the original flavor is still maintained with the dance being a popular aspect and a trademark of the Ponca people. Cited Work James, H. H. & Peter L. C. (1965). The Ponca Tribe. Nebraska: U of Nebraska Press, p. 65. Steven, D. L. (2015). Native Peoples of the World: An Encyclopedia of Groups, Cultures and Contemporary Issues. New York: Routledge Publications. p. 479. Read More