Female Fancy Feather Dancers? - Page 2

lil_powwow_hunnie · 08-29-2004, 06:35 PM

i'm going to dance fancy feather
the first time i'm going to try it out is at the powwow in Morley Alberta this coming up weekend
just got my bustles sent up last week from my uncle in Arlee
and im workin on tha sewing part now, probably be working on it till the powwow....sewin ehn beading...joyz

i'm regularily a jingle dress dancer, but i wanna try something different, and i've allready danced all the girls categories

so watch out for meh in teen boyz fancy this weekend pplz.......wellll..if your in morley lol

alamosaurus · 08-30-2004, 03:48 AM

Re: Shannon Ahaitty. She is still around; she is married and
has a kid, so I think that is taking up much of her time, but
she will probably come back to the dance arena when the
kid is older. Usually she dances women's traditional in
powwows--she does mens' fancy in exhibitions; also hoop
dancing.

When I first started attending powwows about 30 years
ago, women's fancy shawl was just beginning to become
popular, and many of the men I knew dissapproved of it
because it was too much like men's fancy dance. My
understanding is that the REAL reason that fancy shawl
dance developed was because the ladies wanted a more
active dance style but there was objection to their dancing
in mens' regalia.

quicksilverwade · 08-30-2004, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alamosaurus

Re: Shannon Ahaitty. She is still around; she is married and
has a kid, so I think that is taking up much of her time, but
she will probably come back to the dance arena when the
kid is older. Usually she dances women's traditional in
powwows--she does mens' fancy in exhibitions; also hoop
dancing.

When I first started attending powwows about 30 years
ago, women's fancy shawl was just beginning to become
popular, and many of the men I knew dissapproved of it
because it was too much like men's fancy dance. My
understanding is that the REAL reason that fancy shawl
dance developed was because the ladies wanted a more
active dance style but there was objection to their dancing
in mens' regalia.

Shannon Ahhaitty has been back for a couple of years but since she lives in Montana she's able to come to Southern California for the casino powwows or the special powwows only. Her daughter is old enough now and dances jingle.

Bingo_Orphan · 08-31-2004, 11:26 AM

I personally cringe when I see this topic brought up. I follow the idea that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And the concept isn't one that is either offensive or defensive enough to be considered either taboo or showcasing. If women want to fancy dance, great. They have before. If they don't, that's understandable, most MEN don't even do it anymore! HAHA!

lil_powwow_hunnie · 09-11-2004, 01:49 PM

I DID IT!!! :Hammer
this past weekend (labor day long weekend) i danced double bustle @ morley pow-wow
:dancer:
i felt sooo weird, people kept looking me..just to double check i guess lol :duhh:
well it was my first time ever, there was about 8 of us in teen boys fancy.....and i took 3rd!lmao :Chatter
i didnt think i would get in there, because i felt so outta place
i wasnt inside the arena when they were announcing winners but when they called me up i was registered as Crystal John,(my real name), and they waited for me..haha just wanted to see how i looked i guess
:lol2:

sookout sh'nob · 09-13-2004, 10:52 PM

I've been hearing more and more stories lately that this category was actually made originally by girls. Most of these stories have been coming out of sioux country, particularly SoDak, Iowa, and Neb.

At any rate, last weekend and elder said not to dicourage young girls from dancing fancy because they invented it. Interesting enough, Dallas Chief Eagle was talking about the possibility of young women taking over hoop dancing at about the same time. Kinda interesting at any rate.

quicksilverwade · 09-14-2004, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lil_powwow_hunnie

I DID IT!!! :Hammer
this past weekend (labor day long weekend) i danced double bustle @ morley pow-wow
:dancer:
i felt sooo weird, people kept looking me..just to double check i guess lol :duhh:
well it was my first time ever, there was about 8 of us in teen boys fancy.....and i took 3rd!lmao :Chatter
i didnt think i would get in there, because i felt so outta place
i wasnt inside the arena when they were announcing winners but when they called me up i was registered as Crystal John,(my real name), and they waited for me..haha just wanted to see how i looked i guess
:lol2:

Congratulations Powwow Hunnie, Who knows, you may become the Gracie Her Many Horses of fancy war. By the way, do you know Chris Wells?

WhoMe · 09-15-2004, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sookout sh'nob

I've been hearing more and more stories lately that this category was actually made originally by girls. Most of these stories have been coming out of sioux country, particularly SoDak, Iowa, and Neb.

At any rate, last weekend and elder said not to dicourage young girls from dancing fancy because they invented it. Interesting enough, Dallas Chief Eagle was talking about the possibility of young women taking over hoop dancing at about the same time. Kinda interesting at any rate.

__

Sookout:

Modern fancy feather dancing as we know it today, originated among the Ponca around 1912. It would be interesting if you could find dates and names of Lakota/Dakota women who might have also had their version of "fancy dancing in feathers" with the double bustles.

Dancing with the single hoop has been done since ancient times by many tribes. Dallas is pretty knowledgable about the hoop dance tradition in the Dakotas. I would also like to hear his version of women dancing with the hoop(s). I guess I can ask him in person the next time I see him, eh? *L

Dallas was at our second "Tony Whitecloud Memorial World's Champion Hoop Dance Contest" when we moved it to Phoenix and placed in his division. He ran the Midwest Regional Hoop Dance Contest in Urbana, Illinois in the mid-1990's.

__

Shannon Ahaitty-Whiteman was a good fancy dancer and hoop dancer in her day. Her father, Melvin, was well known in the Southern California area for his singing, beading, dance troupe and as one of the Plains Indians to bring powwow tradition to the Southern California.

quicksilverwade · 09-15-2004, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoMe

__
Shannon Ahaitty-Whiteman was a good fancy dancer and hoop dancer in her day. Her father, Melvin, was well known in the Southern California area for his singing, beading, dance troupe and as one of the Plains Indians to bring powwow tradition to the Southern California.

I agree that Melvin Ahaitty was the pioneer during the 70's-80's who brought southern plains powwow traditions into Southern California. Isn't Shannon Ahaitty-Whiteman still in her day?

WhoMe · 09-15-2004, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quicksilverwade

I agree that Melvin Ahaitty was the pioneer during the 70's-80's who brought southern plains powwow traditions into Southern California. Isn't Shannon Ahaitty-Whiteman still in her day?

__

QSW:

*L yes, she is STILL in her day.

Shannon used to teach aerobics (a little known fact) and was in great shape. The Blackfeet Tribe owns a wonderful workout facility in Browning so maybe she still works out there.

I haven't talked to her lately since she moved to Montana, though our families remain close. PM me and I will give you a crazy explanation of HOW close *L

eaglevoice.net · 09-24-2004, 12:32 AM

Well we are coming into a new age, times they are a changing, women are coming into equal rights. This can also be tied into women Chief and Councils, in canada there hasn't been a woman AFN Chief. So this process will take awhile to gain momentum. We are still stuck in the history and tradition of men vs women in our culture. Our elders have been brought up to follow tradition. I respect them. Back in the day, men were the hunters, the providers and the protectors of our culture but today we have a huge amount of single mothers who provide for themselves and their family taking mother and father rolls. In our elders day, parents stayed married but today that is taken lightly and relationships are taken for granted. I applaud women fancy bustle dancers, they stand up and are proud and strong. We have a woman fancy bustle dancer who comes up to British Columbia and is accepted. We always go and shake her hand and tell that we enjoyed her dancing. Times are a changing and we have to adapt people. :Thumbs

TTMNO · 09-27-2004, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jones

There was a fancy dancer named Shannon Ahhaitty. She danced like a guy. I danced against her a few times and she actually kicked my butt once or twice. She has the legs. yeah. the legs. damn, too bad she had all those brothers running a block.

Who are you? You must have been a pretty weak dancer to get spanked by a girl. I remember her. She wore makeup when she danced. I guess if she didn't she'd look like her brother.

TTMNO · 09-27-2004, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by no offbeat dancers

Who are you? You must have been a pretty weak dancer to get spanked by a girl. I remember her. She wore makeup when she danced. I guess if she didn't she'd look like her brother.

I'm just saying she was too pretty to be wearing men's clothing - no matter if she was good or not.

PoncaPride · 09-27-2004, 12:38 PM

Good comments. The girls fancy dance started in the 40's with the most notable period was the 50's. The girls named weren't even born yet. Not saying that the girls of the 60's weren't good....but the earlier dancers in the 50's were better. Reason for.....THEY ACTUALLY DANCED LIKE MEN. Yeah, they were also very vocal and had good footwork.

08-29-2004, 06:35 PM	#21 (permalink)
lil_powwow_hunnie Teen GurlZ Join Date: May 2003 Location: British Columbia Posts: 180	i'm going to dance fancy feather the first time i'm going to try it out is at the powwow in Morley Alberta this coming up weekend just got my bustles sent up last week from my uncle in Arlee and im workin on tha sewing part now, probably be working on it till the powwow....sewin ehn beading...joyz i'm regularily a jingle dress dancer, but i wanna try something different, and i've allready danced all the girls categories so watch out for meh in teen boyz fancy this weekend pplz.......wellll..if your in morley lol __________________ ¤×wHÿ ÐîÐ ÝØÜ lêåVÊ mÉ¿ ×Whÿ ÐÏÐ ÿôù GÕ¿ ×MÃýßë §ÖmÊÐÅÿ ÏLL uÑÐè®§TªñÐ ßÜt ÑºW ¡ ÐØñt kñºw-×¤ ~LiL MizZ JiNgLe StyLeZ~ JUSS SING ME A REAL SUHWEET ROUNDANCE SONG & IM URZ 4EVA BABE :24:

08-30-2004, 03:48 AM	#22 (permalink)
alamosaurus Teen Dancer Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Greater Los Angeles. Posts: 266	Re: Shannon Ahaitty. She is still around; she is married and has a kid, so I think that is taking up much of her time, but she will probably come back to the dance arena when the kid is older. Usually she dances women's traditional in powwows--she does mens' fancy in exhibitions; also hoop dancing. When I first started attending powwows about 30 years ago, women's fancy shawl was just beginning to become popular, and many of the men I knew dissapproved of it because it was too much like men's fancy dance. My understanding is that the REAL reason that fancy shawl dance developed was because the ladies wanted a more active dance style but there was objection to their dancing in mens' regalia. __________________ alamosaurus

09-11-2004, 01:49 PM	#25 (permalink)
lil_powwow_hunnie Teen GurlZ Join Date: May 2003 Location: British Columbia Posts: 180	I DID IT!!! :Hammer this past weekend (labor day long weekend) i danced double bustle @ morley pow-wow :dancer: i felt sooo weird, people kept looking me..just to double check i guess lol :duhh: well it was my first time ever, there was about 8 of us in teen boys fancy.....and i took 3rd!lmao :Chatter i didnt think i would get in there, because i felt so outta place i wasnt inside the arena when they were announcing winners but when they called me up i was registered as Crystal John,(my real name), and they waited for me..haha just wanted to see how i looked i guess :lol2: __________________ ¤×wHÿ ÐîÐ ÝØÜ lêåVÊ mÉ¿ ×Whÿ ÐÏÐ ÿôù GÕ¿ ×MÃýßë §ÖmÊÐÅÿ ÏLL uÑÐè®§TªñÐ ßÜt ÑºW ¡ ÐØñt kñºw-×¤ ~LiL MizZ JiNgLe StyLeZ~ JUSS SING ME A REAL SUHWEET ROUNDANCE SONG & IM URZ 4EVA BABE :24:

09-24-2004, 12:32 AM	#31 (permalink)
eaglevoice.net Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: North Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 33	Female Fancy Feather Dancers? Well we are coming into a new age, times they are a changing, women are coming into equal rights. This can also be tied into women Chief and Councils, in canada there hasn't been a woman AFN Chief. So this process will take awhile to gain momentum. We are still stuck in the history and tradition of men vs women in our culture. Our elders have been brought up to follow tradition. I respect them. Back in the day, men were the hunters, the providers and the protectors of our culture but today we have a huge amount of single mothers who provide for themselves and their family taking mother and father rolls. In our elders day, parents stayed married but today that is taken lightly and relationships are taken for granted. I applaud women fancy bustle dancers, they stand up and are proud and strong. We have a woman fancy bustle dancer who comes up to British Columbia and is accepted. We always go and shake her hand and tell that we enjoyed her dancing. Times are a changing and we have to adapt people. :Thumbs __________________ Treat others the way you want to be treated :supperhap

09-27-2004, 12:38 PM	#34 (permalink)
PoncaPride Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Indian Country Posts: 28	Good comments. The girls fancy dance started in the 40's with the most notable period was the 50's. The girls named weren't even born yet. Not saying that the girls of the 60's weren't good....but the earlier dancers in the 50's were better. Reason for.....THEY ACTUALLY DANCED LIKE MEN. Yeah, they were also very vocal and had good footwork. Last edited by P

08-31-2004, 11:26 AM	#24 (permalink)
Bingo_Orphan Junior Dancer Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 121	I personally cringe when I see this topic brought up. I follow the idea that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And the concept isn't one that is either offensive or defensive enough to be considered either taboo or showcasing. If women want to fancy dance, great. They have before. If they don't, that's understandable, most MEN don't even do it anymore! HAHA!

09-13-2004, 10:52 PM	#26 (permalink)
sookout sh'nob Boogie Monster Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 532	I've been hearing more and more stories lately that this category was actually made originally by girls. Most of these stories have been coming out of sioux country, particularly SoDak, Iowa, and Neb. At any rate, last weekend and elder said not to dicourage young girls from dancing fancy because they invented it. Interesting enough, Dallas Chief Eagle was talking about the possibility of young women taking over hoop dancing at about the same time. Kinda interesting at any rate.