Wojapi4Me

If someone were to enter an Old Style Fancy Dance contest, what time periods do you guys consider "Old Style"? Do you think they would be looking for a specific time period or just anything prior to 1990? 1980? 1970? Just curious what you guys think.

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somerled

Wojap,

I've never actually heard of a dance contest category called "Old Style Fancy Dance". It would probably be something between the 1940's and 1980's. The term "Old Style" or "Old Time" usually refers to the period between 1910 and 1935. That's the time when these styles were originally in vouge. But many styles have resurgences in some fashion or another. Look at the tin cone jingle dress as an example and how it evolved from the 1940's to present.

ndnsooner

I would say its your choice on which era you would like to dance. The rules for most contests are pretty vague, they just say old style. During the contest that I danced in earlier this summer, outfits varied from the 70's, 60's and older. Some guys broke out old outfits that their father's wore, while I based my outfit on old back & white photos. No telling how old those pics are.

Pick a style you like and just have fun with it....

sookout sh'nob

INteresting... I would think that it would have more to do with how you danced, not what you danced in.

Yes? No?

ndnsooner

Of course how you dance is a big part, but looking the part just adds more to it.

Gledanh Zhinga

It's gotta' be before dance sticks and flag tape. Also, a little bare skin should show.

WhoMe

Wojapi,

The truth of the matter is it depends on how old you are right now.

The definition of Old Style to a 18 year old is different than old style to a 70 year old.

Original style would be a good definition and that would incorporate Somerled's defintion of the early 1900's. (c. 1912 -1950)

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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 think people generally take old style to mean less fancy/flashy outfits and different, older footwork than what's currently in style. I always wondered about the outfits, because those have evolved as the availability of fabric and craft supplies has changed. But if fancier fabric had been available 50 or 100 years ago, I bet some people would have liked it and used it because it was pretty or shiny! So I think footwork closer to the originators of the style is kind of more important, in my opinion.

Gledanh Zhinga

A few years ago, there was an old time fancy special in honor of Paul Pacheco, Sr., in Bernalillo, New Mexico. One of the problems was that the southern drum sang a "mix-up song", and such songs didn't exist in the early fancy dance days. Nobody complained formally, but it sure threw a curve to the older dancers.