WhoMe

Is this category more about the dress, the beadwork, dance abililty or the dancer?

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"Today, recognizing and respecting the origins of powwow aids in our Cultural Survival. If enough people break the rules because they are not satisfied...."We will have no culture."

WhoMe

ac_miss

If I am judging, I would look for the dancing ability above all. Gotta have gracefulness, and not the "bunching" up kind of thing or heavy stompin that some women tend to do. Then I would check to notice if her outfit or regalia is in good taste and not something just "thrown" on.

I don't care who you are as long as you can dance really graceful on time with the beat and have a nice outfit with beadwork, then I'll vote for ya!

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Bead All You Can Bead

luvstraightdancrs

Supposed to be about the ability but more often than not it's about the clothes and accessories. Too bad to, because there are a lot of great dancers out there - they just don't have the clothes, or at least that's the way some see it.

I judge on ability alone.....I don't care if you have on a new outfit or not, and that all your beadwork matches. If you can't dance and catch my eye - I'm looking somewhere else!

superndngyrl

I agree... its supposed to be about the dancing but nowadays it seems like its mostly about the outfit. I think that may be because people don't know what good southern cloth dancing looks like.

Gracefulness, standing tall and bending the knees...

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The only time its too late to start dancing is when you're dead.

WhoMe

ac, luvs and super,

I am glad you recognize dancing ability as the primary trait in southern cloth dancing.

I have seen dancers with superior outfits dancing off beat and winning above a superior dancer with a less flashy outfit.

Have you seen this?

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"Today, recognizing and respecting the origins of powwow aids in our Cultural Survival. If enough people break the rules because they are not satisfied...."We will have no culture."

WhoMe

eap7

I see it all time, Who Me. I'm sure we all see it. Contests change a lot of things- people want to put their best foot forward for the competition (lol). That means fancy, eye catching outfits, that may not be tribally specific, which is kind of ironic. Then the winners set the trends and try to come up with new trends. Its the same in any kind of competitive event (I did competitive ballroom dancing), but with other types of dancing or sporting events, its usually not peoples' heritage that they are competing in- unless its competitive Riverdance or something!

ac_miss

I've seen it a time or two and among well known dancers, too. I wasn't judging but I did catch it, and you would think that judges would be able to catch it, too, but they didn't. It makes me think, "whatttt....?"

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Bead All You Can Bead

luvstraightdancrs

I see it all the time, couple of names come to mind right off bat. But, it also seems to be a name game and that really disturbs me. Seems the lesser known, better dancer can't seem to catch a break - unless I am judging anyways.

If you can't dance well enough to keep me looking at you - know I didn't vote for you!

ac_miss

Yep, i like to root for the underdog, too. I mean, if they really dance good, that is. I am by no means an expert, but I know what to look for!

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Bead All You Can Bead