Are bells a must?

Gold_toothed_dancer · 08-14-2003, 12:26 AM

I don't dance grass but are bells a must? Have they always been part of the outfit? I noticed at Sac some had bells others didn't.

Grassdancer17 · 08-14-2003, 04:52 AM

Im not really sure, but all the pow wows that ive been to in canada , we've all had bells. Maybe a more experienced grassdancer could asnwer this one.

Tx_grass_dancer · 08-14-2003, 03:13 PM

I don't know how long bells have been used. But everyone I know wear them. Also you may just have not been able to see the bells sometimes they are covered up with yarn or the aprons.

Wakalapi · 08-14-2003, 06:06 PM

I see alot of grass dancers without bells. More traditional dancers wear them (or deer toes) than not. *ONE* story that I've heard to explain the history of ankle bells is that General McGlaughlin required that all Hunkpapa males wear them so they could not as easily sneak up behind him and kill him. In the NW, many powwow dancers are Coastal people who have adopted the powwow tradition, but most are either Plateau people or they are Plains people who live out here for economic reasons. I would say that most grass dancers out here that I have observed, do not wear bells.

post182eastern-trad · 08-16-2003, 04:12 PM

i wear the bells to keep me in line wit the drums so yeah

i think every 1 should wear them

paspaskiw · 08-17-2003, 02:23 PM

Don't leave home without them.

WolfsBird · 08-17-2003, 02:44 PM

The majority of the Grass Dancers I know around here wear Deer Toes rather than bells.

TN/KY area

theepowwowchic49 · 08-19-2003, 06:56 PM

I can distinguish my favorites by there bells. For reals if Im at my chair; I hear there bells cow or jingle and I can tell how many they have on to. I always know when my lovepop is coming just by his bells. :devil yes bells are a must

NAPEW · 09-10-2003, 02:23 PM

I wear bells and shake them extra loud when I'm approaching a group of girls.

PrettyWichitagirl21 · 09-16-2003, 11:06 AM

~*~ Hell ya bells are a must, thats whatcha need to get the crowds attention! :) So you can get out there and show off. ~*~ I'm not talking about those stink little bells either, if your going to wear bell wear the real thing! ~*~

Dancing Hawk Shadows · 09-28-2003, 06:33 PM

Most Grass Dancer's wear bells. some wear deer toes! but most of them here in Fla. do! Even the Female Grass Dancers!

WhoMe · 09-29-2003, 02:21 PM

_______

On the northern and Canadian plains, bells are a must.

Older experienced judges like to hear them - to hear if you are on beat or overstep.

These same judges will not pick you if you are not wearing bells.

Almost every "champion" grass dancer from the northern or Canadian plains wears a big set of cow or round bells.

You can probably get away with not wearing bells where you're at, but if you want to win in the northern or Canadian plains, then . . . . . . . . . . .make sure you have "BIG ONES!" *L

lakotajingledancer · 09-29-2003, 09:33 PM

all my grass dancin buddies wear them around here.

Leslie Stonechild · 10-01-2003, 06:10 PM

would there be such a thing as too many or too big

have been practicing, just need to get the outfit going

do i ever procrastinate

Dancing Hawk Shadows · 10-12-2003, 01:21 PM

I can tell my Grass dancing buddies a part with bells. I can even tell how many most of the time and weather or not they have been dancing a lot or a little. I don't know how but i just do. must have been to many years dancing with the grass dancers! :Angel2

oldstylegrass · 10-21-2003, 03:43 AM

i seen a very old picture of a group of grass dancers...who wore nothing but a breech with a coup of grass tucked in the side of their belt and big bells not sure if they were made of metal or wood..they werent attached to the ankles but to the knee...some had moccs some didnt ....as far as nowadays ...i love the sound of nickle plated cow bells....i have the big old round ones...and the clacker old iron ones loud as hell but heavy....but ive noticed the deer toes became popular ...probablly cause their lighter and ive also seen anklets with jingles they looked pretty sharp and i imagine their light too...nothing beats loud *** bells though

08-14-2003, 12:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
Gold_toothed_dancer Junior Dancer Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Fresno, California in the house! Posts: 188	Are bells a must? I don't dance grass but are bells a must? Have they always been part of the outfit? I noticed at Sac some had bells others didn't. __________________ So broke I'm thinking of pawning my gold toof!

08-14-2003, 06:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Wakalapi www.wakalapi.com Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: East of the Mountains Posts: 1,218	I see alot of grass dancers without bells. More traditional dancers wear them (or deer toes) than not. ONE story that I've heard to explain the history of ankle bells is that General McGlaughlin required that all Hunkpapa males wear them so they could not as easily sneak up behind him and kill him. In the NW, many powwow dancers are Coastal people who have adopted the powwow tradition, but most are either Plateau people or they are Plains people who live out here for economic reasons. I would say that most grass dancers out here that I have observed, do not wear bells. __________________ "Friends don't let friends drink decaf..."

08-16-2003, 04:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
post182eastern-trad Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 62	i wear the bells to keep me in line wit the drums so yeah i think every 1 should wear them __________________ hi............ bye...........

08-19-2003, 06:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
theepowwowchic49 Senior Dancer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Right off 270 & Main Posts: 522	Yes bellsa must I can distinguish my favorites by there bells. For reals if Im at my chair; I hear there bells cow or jingle and I can tell how many they have on to. I always know when my lovepop is coming just by his bells. :devil yes bells are a must __________________ Friends dont let friends take home ugly Men. :huddle: :indian1: THE DARKER THE FLESH THEN THE DEEPER THE ROOTS :indian1:

09-28-2003, 06:33 PM	#11 (permalink)
Dancing Hawk Shadows Junior Dancer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fla. Posts: 110	Most Grass Dancer's wear bells. some wear deer toes! but most of them here in Fla. do! Even the Female Grass Dancers! __________________ Dance on the Wild Side of Life! D.A.D.O.F.S. 4Ever or D.A.D.O.G. 4Ever What Ever you do, Never Let up, Never Think of Giving UP! Just Go out And Dance with All of Your Heart! Let's Dance Up a Storm tonight!

08-14-2003, 04:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
Grassdancer17 Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Alberta Posts: 13	Im not really sure, but all the pow wows that ive been to in canada , we've all had bells. Maybe a more experienced grassdancer could asnwer this one.

08-14-2003, 03:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tx_grass_dancer Tiny Tot Dancer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 99	I don't know how long bells have been used. But everyone I know wear them. Also you may just have not been able to see the bells sometimes they are covered up with yarn or the aprons.

08-17-2003, 02:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
paspaskiw Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: nete tote Posts: 14	Don't leave home without them.

08-17-2003, 02:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
WolfsBird Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: HOME in the MTN's Posts: 17	The majority of the Grass Dancers I know around here wear Deer Toes rather than bells. TN/KY area

09-10-2003, 02:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
NAPEW Its qooo man! Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: lap of luxury - jibby's lap Posts: 205	I wear bells and shake them extra loud when I'm approaching a group of girls.

09-16-2003, 11:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
PrettyWichitagirl21 Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Anadarko Posts: 6	~~ Hell ya bells are a must, thats whatcha need to get the crowds attention! :) So you can get out there and show off. ~~ I'm not talking about those stink little bells either, if your going to wear bell wear the real thing! ~*~

09-29-2003, 02:21 PM	#12 (permalink)
WhoMe PauWau Coordinator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Land of 370 Broken Treaties Posts: 5,433	_______ On the northern and Canadian plains, bells are a must. Older experienced judges like to hear them - to hear if you are on beat or overstep. These same judges will not pick you if you are not wearing bells. Almost every "champion" grass dancer from the northern or Canadian plains wears a big set of cow or round bells. You can probably get away with not wearing bells where you're at, but if you want to win in the northern or Canadian plains, then . . . . . . . . . . .make sure you have "BIG ONES!" L Last edited by WhoMe; 09-29-2003 at 02:24 PM.*

09-29-2003, 09:33 PM	#13 (permalink)
lakotajingledancer ~I wanna pow-wow~ Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 288	bells all my grass dancin buddies wear them around here.

10-01-2003, 06:10 PM	#14 (permalink)
Leslie Stonechild Junior Dancer Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Red Deer AB Posts: 158	would there be such a thing as too many or too big have been practicing, just need to get the outfit going do i ever procrastinate __________________ Where's the Pow-wow at????

10-12-2003, 01:21 PM	#15 (permalink)
Dancing Hawk Shadows Junior Dancer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fla. Posts: 110	I can tell my Grass dancing buddies a part with bells. I can even tell how many most of the time and weather or not they have been dancing a lot or a little. I don't know how but i just do. must have been to many years dancing with the grass dancers! :Angel2 __________________ Dance on the Wild Side of Life! D.A.D.O.F.S. 4Ever or D.A.D.O.G. 4Ever What Ever you do, Never Let up, Never Think of Giving UP! Just Go out And Dance with All of Your Heart! Let's Dance Up a Storm tonight!

10-21-2003, 03:43 AM	#16 (permalink)
oldstylegrass Oldskool mentality Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: toronto ontario canada Posts: 124	i seen a very old picture of a group of grass dancers...who wore nothing but a breech with a coup of grass tucked in the side of their belt and big bells not sure if they were made of metal or wood..they werent attached to the ankles but to the knee...some had moccs some didnt ....as far as nowadays ...i love the sound of nickle plated cow bells....i have the big old round ones...and the clacker old iron ones loud as hell but heavy....but ive noticed the deer toes became popular ...probablly cause their lighter and ive also seen anklets with jingles they looked pretty sharp and i imagine their light too...nothing beats loud *** bells though __________________ slide slide slip n slide