Men’s Fancy War Dance

The Oklahoma Feather Dancer or "fancy dancer" is one of the most popular styles of dance and outfit seen at modern Powwows. The fancy dance outfit, as such, has no tribal identity.

The "Fancy Dance" originated as Fancy War Dance by the Hethuska society in Oklahoma . The individual who invented the dance was Gus McDonald. He was also the first World Champion Fancy War Dancer. The McDonald family, specifically Juel Farmer McDonald, the Ponca Tribal matriarch still presents the trophy to the fancy war dance champion each year because of this family honor.

The most obvious items in the fancy dance outfit are great amounts of loom beaded sets of suspenders, belt cuffs, headband, armbands. The designs are usually matching in all items and of a rainbow feather or geometric design. Beaded medallions are on the forehead and bustles are also quite common. Occasionally a breastplate will be used in place of the beaded suspenders or in conjunction with them.

The other trademark for fancy dancers is the use of large feather bustles. Currently most bustles are color-coordinated with the beadwork by using large amounts of feather hackles dyed the appropriate colors.

Small matching hackle bustles are sometimes worn as armbands. Hanging beneath the bottom bustle are a pair of trailers, usually with some ribbon work, made from navy blue, black or red wool.

Moccasins are Cheyenne style rawhide sole and may be partially or fully beaded. Sheep bells mounted on leather are worn just below the knee and below the bells about one or two inches are worn angora anklets.

The Grass Dance

The name "Grass Dance" comes from the custom of some tribes wearing braided grass in their belts. Before a dance could be held on the prairie the grass had to be stomped down. This is where many of the movements are believed to come from.  Originally done as a warrior society dance, it has evolved over the years. It has further evolved into a highly-competitive form of Northern dancing.

The unique parts of the northern outfit are the shirt, trousers, and aprons, to which yarn fringe, sequins, and beaded rosettes other designs are attached.  Bells are worn around the ankle. Mostly plains hard-sole, or woodland soft-sole moccasins, and sneakers are worn.  The perfect headdress is the porcupine hair roach which is attached to a head harness.

Straight Dancing

The Straight Dance from Oklahoma is a formal, tailored, prestigious form of Southern dance clothes. The overall effect is of reassuring solidity, with everything closely matched and coordinated. It looks as if it is planned all at one time.  This dance has evolved from the Hethuska dances. It is believed that the Ponca created this style. The Hethuska are dances held by different societies. 

There are several articles in the standard set. The items that should match are arranged as sets, and everything should be closely coordinated.

There are a lot of clothes to wear in the outfit, and accordingly the dance is slow and proud. The art of Straight dancing is in the little, sometimes unnoticed things, both in the movement and the outfit. Smoothness, precision with the song, a knowledge of dance etiquette, and a powerful sense of pride mark the outstanding straight dancer.

Traditional Dancing

A popular, Northern style of dress and dance the traditional style, has evolved from the well known "old time Sioux" style of the early reservation period through the 1940's. Although a clear distinction exists, one can see an obvious connection to the old-time Sioux Outfit, with the dancer drawing from this earlier style various elements which he either adheres to or uses as a basis for his own interpretation. Therefore this form of dancing that has evolved over the years, is the oldest form of Native American dancing. 

What follows is a brief description of the major articles that comprise the modern "traditional" dance outfit. This is only a brief description;  variations do exist from area to area and from tribe to tribe.

On his head the traditional dancer wears a roach. The roach spreader can be made of bone, metal, rawhide or leather. It can be carved, beaded, painted, or left plain. The roach feathers are inserted in sockets on the spreader, with two roach feathers being the usual number. Occasionally one will see dancers wearing beaded headbands, often decorated with medallions or drops. Quilled wheels can also be worn in the hair.

Most dancers wear a shirt, either with or without ribbon decoration. Over the shirt is worn a breastplate that usually extends below the waist. Around the neck is a choker either of hair pipes and beads or a beaded strip. Arm bands and cuffs can be either beaded or metal or a combination of the two such as beaded cuffs with metal arm bands. The breech cloth or aprons can be made of either cloth or leather and range from plain to heavily decorated.

Around the waist many dancers wear a belt, which can be beaded or decorated with metal tacks or conchos.

The bustle is usually the U-shaped type with a single row of wing or tail feathers and two spikes pointing upward. Sometimes additional rows of dyed and stripped feathers, fluffs or hackles are on the inside of the bustle. Though not as common the circular bustle and the old style mess bustle are sometimes used, the latter being somewhat rare.

In his hands, the dancer can carry a range of objects, commonly the wing fan, pipe bag, etc.

The movement in this style is one that is sometimes said to be re-enacting the movement of a warrior searching for the enemy.

Ladies' Buckskin Dancing

The oldest form of women's dance, is the Ladies' Buckskin. This is a dance of elegance and grace. The movement is smooth and flowing. 

The ladies wear fine, hand-crafted buckskin dresses, decorated with intricate bead designs. Northern dresses are fully beaded on the shoulders, or cape. Southern ones, the beadwork is mainly used to accent. They are equally beautiful. The women carry fringed shawls over one arm. Much like the Men's Traditional Dance, there are many tribal and regional differences in the outfitting of this women's style.  

The jewelry is breath taking. Breastplates made from hair bone pipe, and glass beads can hang to the waist, or all the way to the ankles. The latter is Northern, the former, Southern. Hair barrettes are hand beaded. Some ladies, who have either been princesses, or the younger ones who are princesses still, wear beaded crowns, given to them by their societies. The moccasins are either fully beaded (Northern), or accent beaded (Southern).

Ladies' Buckskin dancing is slow, and poised. Circling the drum, they bob to the beat of the drum, letting the long fringe on their sleeves sway in time. They carry a beaded purse, swinging it as well, and a shawl, folded on the arm, swaying likewise.

Ladies' Southern Cloth Dancing

Ladies Southern Cloth is a Southern Traditional form of women's dress. This style is danced by the Kiowas, Osage, Ponca, and others. The dance is a slow and graceful one much like the Ladies'  Buckskin style.

 There are many tribal variations with the outfit, including wearing a cloth dress or a wool dress and others. The basic outfit consists of several parts. The moccasins are usually partially beaded and leggings are worn that are made of leather to match their moccasins or cloth to match their dress. The dress is a long dress with open sleeves. This style has a breast plate similar to the Buckskin dress. This breastplate however has a front and back to it as opposed to the one sided style worn by Buckskin dancers. The belt is either silver conchos or beaded with a drag. The women also wear three other items on the belt.  These are the awl case, strike-a-light and tobacco pouch. The dancer sometimes wears a scarf and choker. They also will carry a fan, purse and shawl.

Fancy Shawl Dancing

Ladies Fancy Shawl is the newest form of women's dance, and is quite athletic! Fancy Shawl is often called Northern Shawl or sometimes referred to as the Butterfly Dance. This is very similar in dancing and the bright colors of the Men's Fancy Dance. The ladies wear their shawls over their shoulders, and dance by jumping and spinning around, keeping time with the music. They mimic butterflies in flight, and the dance style is quite graceful and light.

Emphasis is paid particularly to the shawls, with elaborate designs, appliqué, ribbon work, and painting. Long fringe hangs from the edges of the shawl, and flies round.

Jingle Dancing

Jingle dress is also called a prayer dress. There are differences in the origins of the  dress among the tribes. The dress was seen in a dream, as an object to bring healing to afflicted people. It comes from the Northern tribe Ojibewe, or Chippewa, along the Canadian border. 

A medicine man's granddaughter became very ill one day. In a dream, his spirit guides told him to make a jingle dress for her and have her dance in it. This, he was told would heal her. When the outfit was finished, the tribe assembled for a dance. On her first time around, the illness would not permit her to dance and she was carried. As time went on she was soon dancing in the circle.

Jingle dresses are decorated with rolled up snuff can lids that are hung with ribbon. The ribbon is then sewed to the dress, the jingles placed close enough so they can hit together, causing a beautiful sound.